How To Turn Your TEFL Qualification Into A Career

A TEFL qualification can be a great way to earn some extra cash as you travel or it can be the first step towards a new career.

If it's the latter then before long you're going to need to start thinking about how you can make your way up the career ladder to better paid positions with more responsibility and more respect.

Once you've got some practical teaching experience under your belt (be this through a stint of volunteer teaching or your first paid teaching position) you'll have a much better chance of securing a well- paid teaching job. This is often difficult for first-time teachers and your second year of teaching is likely to be much more lucrative than your first.

After a few more years experience in the TEFL market you're likely to find your mind wandering to bigger and better things. With experience comes an understanding of the market, an awareness of the professional standards which lie behind TEFL teaching and a desire to perform to the best of your abilities, to join the TEFL elite which you will, as the years go by, gradually become aware of.

Behind this seemingly trivial market, that is commonly associated with gap-year travellers and culture seekers, lies a serious profession with impressive career prospects. Opportunities to mingle with experts in the TEFL field will inevitably arise and it is this that many TEFL teachers blame for their growing desire to attain further qualifications and higher status.

This stage of your career can be a difficult one. You will need to discuss your ambitions with those qualified to advise you, such as your Director of Studies or Senior Teacher, and this will help you to decide your next move. Finding a language institute that will support you through your studies can be tricky but it is not impossible. You may find that you need to change jobs in order to progress but this is sure to prove beneficial in the end.

Your next decision is what course should you take. Many teachers begin with occasional workshops and conferences which allow them to further develop their understanding of the TEFL market while they make decisions about their future. These offer the perfect opportunity to get advice from those who have been in your position and could prove invaluable when it comes to choosing your higher qualification.

Diplomas are a popular choice, especially with TEFL teachers who wish to develop their career within the field of teaching. Such a course will improve your practical abilities within the classroom and will give you the opportunity to secure better and higher paid teaching positions. This course will open the door to new positions such as that of Senior Teacher or Director of Studies, making it a definite investment in your future.

However, the diploma also has it's down sides. It's not easy and many teachers are put off by the prospect of so much hard work. However, flexible courses are now becoming more common, enabling teachers to fit the diploma into their daily lives as they would the Online TEFL course.

An alternative to the diploma is an MA but this is of course only available to teachers with a degree. This qualification is more theoretical and will give you a higher standing within the academic quarter of the TEFL market.

Further qualifications will enable you to move into new areas of the TEFL market, to explore new avenues and to continually progress within your career. You might choose to move into academia, management or even to become a TEFL tutor, so that you can help others to enter this rewarding field. Various qualifications are available depending on the route which you want to take but what is certain here is that your initial TEFL course could well be your first step towards a long and profitable career.