Advice from A Recent Graduate

For those of you who are currently looking for employment or whose graduation is imminent, things may seem a little scary now with the many recent changes on the job and political front, but if you remain optimistic, persevering, and extremely patient you will succeed. Take it from me, I have been there and would like to take a little time to share the lessons that I have learned.

 

First and foremost, it is imperative that you remember that the world is a very small place and our field is, comparatively speaking, even smaller. Therefore, the relationships that you form now may have profound effects on your employability and career. To illustrate this point, I'd like to share with you the experiences that I have had in Georgia State's Intensive English Program. As a Practicum student, I had the great fortune to work with an IEP lecturer whom I grew to admire and respect. The close, comfortable relationship that we built in that term led to other teaching assignments with the instructor and a fantastic reference for my curriculum vitae. I had no idea that a requirement for a class could become so much more. Yet this was not the only instance where a relationship with someone in the Applied Linguistics and English as a Second Language Department led to an employment opportunity. One of my current jobs came about due to an unsolicited referral from an IEP instructor who happened to be close friends with a program director who had received my resume and vaguely remembered me from the Southeast Regional TESOL conference. The favorable impression that the instructor had of me led to an interview and subsequent employment! In another instance, I was given a highly favorable recommendation for an out of state IEP position by one of the instructors that I had in my first term at Georgia State. The relationships and impressions, both formal and informal, that I have made have led to greater employment opportunities. However, great references are not the only thing that you will need in this highly competitive job market.

 

In order to succeed, you will need experience, training, and proof of your dedication to professional development. What all that boils down to is you need to seize every opportunity that comes your way! If you have a chance to present at a conference, do it! If you can take a part-time job at a local university or even in the tutoring lab, take it! Almost all prospective employers are looking for people with teaching and tutoring experience, with training in material design and instructional technology, experience with curriculum design, and a firm dedication to professional development. They look closely at the courses that you have taken, in addition to the experiences that you have had. Do not sell yourself short! Get all the experience that you can in and outside of your classes, then push the bar even higher by going overseas. I know this in not feasible for everyone, but having taught overseas I can honestly say that is an overwhelming and enlightening experience that should not be passed up.

 

The good majority of ESL job boards and resources are in fact dedicated to teachers who are overseas or on their way there. However, for those of you who can not and do not want to go abroad, there are a few web sites that I have found helpful. If you plan to stay in the Atlanta area, you might want to sign up for the Atlanta Journal Constitution's employment newsletter. If you do not want to receive anything else in your e-mail box, I suggest that you simply go to AJC's classified jobs section and search for ESL jobs. The listings are updated several times a week with most new postings appearing in the Saturday edition. You can also sign up for the GATESOL job newsletter (Type "Subscribe GATESOL" in the subject heading of your e-mail) and attend local conferences for networking opportunities. I have found web sites for most statewide TESOL organizations to be very helpful. You can find most of these sites by doing a search for the state initials and then TESOL as in "CATESOL" (if you are interested in jobs in California). These sites usually lead to community job boards and other useful educational resources. If you are not sure where to begin in your nationwide search, check out the links I've added below. Good luck in your endeavors and remember to never give up hope! Jobs may come in the twelfth hour, but rest assured that with patience, perseverance, and a heap of optimism you will find what you are looking for!