How easy is it to get English teaching jobs overseas?

by Karen B.
(Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

I'm planning on traveling but I'll need to make some money and would like to work while I travel. How easy is it to get English teaching jobs? Do you need any special training or can I just find work speaking English?

Answer:

It used to be much easier to find jobs teaching English abroad. You could sometimes walk in off the street and get a job (mind you, you still can if you're lucky - but I prefer not to count on luck).

These days you'll probably need some kind of qualification because there's a lot of competition out there. These can be specific courses for teaching English, or broader university degrees in teaching or languages.

Countries have different requirements, and some are stricter than others. In Asia, for example, you'll need quite specific credentials before you're allowed to teach. In Latin America, you'll find things a little more flexible.

There are plenty of resources for finding jobs teaching English abroad (check out some of my resources on that page).