If you want to teach English, though, you need to decide on the type of English teacher you want to be in order to make sure that you have the required qualifications for the job. Here are some of the English teaching jobs you can do:
• High school teaching jobs are the most common full-time English teaching jobs in America. Different states have different certification training programs, but a certification in one state will usually transfer to another. You will need an English degree from a four-year program as well as a teaching certification. If you have a different major, you will have to do additional specialist training to be qualified to teach high school English in most states.
• Adult community education is another source of English teaching jobs. English teachers are employed in community college night courses as part of remedial programs or GED programs. These courses are designed to help adults who have poor literacy skills and who have missed out on educational opportunities in the past. Most people who learn English in these environments are seeking basic skills or to gain high school-level qualifications in order to access work or further educational opportunities. A degree in adult education or a similar field is often enough to work in community college environments.
• English college teaching jobs cover a range of different subjects including English grammar, composition, criticism, literature studies, and creative writing. You will generally need a master's degree in English and to be working towards your doctorate to teach at a college. Your academic abilities are of primary importance in this job, and you must have consistently been a superior student. Obviously, you should also have an interest in teaching and research to be considered for a college teaching position.
• You can also teach English as a second language by becoming an ESL (''English as a second language'') teacher. In these jobs you teach English to non-English-speaking people who have come to America as immigrants, students, and workers. You usually need a degree plus a short ESL course in order to become an ESL teacher.
• If you want to teach English but you don't want to study four or more years to get a degree and other certifications, you can often teach English abroad with a TEFL or TESOL certificate. These courses are usually only about one month long and can often be taken online. Many foreign countries are crying out for Americans and other English-speaking people to come and teach in their schools and learning centers for as long as possible. Many people choose to travel to these countries and stay for a year or more teaching English. Your accommodations are usually covered along with your food and basic expenses. Your wages are generally lower than American wages, but while you are overseas this should not be a problem since costs are also much lower.
• English teaching jobs are also available through private education providers. These can include business colleges, specialist colleges, correspondence schools, and online courses. A lot of programs include English subjects in their curricula as their students need to have various English skills in order to succeed in their studies.
Once you have identified the type of English teacher you want to be and have obtained the qualifications required for the job, you can begin your job search. One of the easiest ways to locate English teaching jobs is to do an Internet search. If you're looking to work in a high school, there are specialist education job sites specifically advertising such teaching positions. Otherwise, you can look on university websites for vacancies, read employment advertisements in newspapers, or look on the larger general job sites. The largest job sites make looking for jobs easy because you can search by category, location, and salary range. If you want to work as an ESL teacher, an Internet search will lead you to a number of ESL sites which advertise jobs and training. The same goes for teaching English abroad. You will find many sites which advertise overseas teaching opportunities as well as TEFL or TESOL training courses.
When you are ready to begin applying for English teaching jobs, make sure your resume is up to date and professional. Your letters of application should be written specifically to introduce yourself and explain how you meet all the requirements listed in the selection criteria. Use your application letter as an opportunity to sell yourself.
Bring evidence of your achievements to any interview, dress well, and be professional but friendly. If you take these steps, you will maximize the possibility of gaining an interview to discuss the job, and hopefully you'll soon have reason to celebrate.