Teaching English abroad is a great way to travel. Of course, with every handful of amazing opportunities and available teaching positions there are also some that turn out to be a scam. When I say scam, I am not talking about the jobs that are more difficult than you were expecting or that you taught less than you wanted to. I am referring to the companies or individuals that are offering teaching positions that do not exist, or are setting you up to work for them without actually paying you. To help you save time and money, here are 13 ways you can tell if a TEFL job is legitimate or a scam.
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1. Read past teacher reviews.
This should seem obvious, but what really matters is that you are looking at reviews from third party websites, not ones on the website of the school or program you are looking to apply to. Utilize websites like Glassdoor or GoAbroad to check past teacher reviews. You can also google key phrases such as "what is it like to work at insert teaching program/school here" to find blog posts of in depth experiences from current or past teachers.
2. Utilize scam forums.
There are TEFL websites such as Daves ESL Cafe and even Reddit that have forums section where you can ask, answer, and converse about all things TEFL related. Usually you can find a form section labeled "scam warnings" where people will post about jobs and companies that are scams or have scammed them. Not only can you dig through these posts to see if the school or company you are looking to work with has been mentioned, but you can outright ask about the company and what experiences other people have had with them.
3. Cross check with trusted organizations.
There are accredited TEFL organizations such as the International TEFL Academy that have up to date blog and instagram posts that mention where their alumni teach. A little digging will show you the specific language schools, recruitment agencies, and placement agencies they support. You can also reach out to the organization that you obtained your TEFL certificate from to see if they are familiar with the job you are looking into.
There are websites such as Teach Away that vet every school and organization that posts a job on their website. If you can find the same teaching position you are applying to on these websites, then you can safely assume the job you are looking into is legitimate.
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4. Do they encourage obtaining an illegal work VISA?
The days of obtaining the incorrect VISA in order to work in another country have long since passed. The excuse of, 'everyone does it this way' is not a safe way to go about things. If a school or company is supportive of you obtaining an incorrect VISA in order to work in their country then I highly advise you to find a different job. Legitimate companies aim to place their teachers in the classroom by legal means. As a foreigner you can get into big trouble with the government if you are found to be working illegally.
You should also be obtaining a proper VISA before you arrive in that country. If you are told the VISA will be waiting for you when you arrive, or that they will assist you in obtaining one when you arrive, then do not work with that company. Do your own research on how you will need to obtain a VISA to work in the specific country you want to teach in.
5. Are they asking you to pay money to teach for them?
Let me be clear. A university, language school, public school, or private school will not and should not charge you to work for them. If they ask you to pay them any fees upfront, or any fees to obtain the job itself, then they are not legitimate.
However, there are legitimate TEFL placement companies that do charge fees. These companies are not schools or teaching centers, but third party placement agencies. They help place you in a teaching position abroad, work with you to get the necessary VISA, assist with transitioning overseas, and more. You are paying them for the support they provide, not to work as a teacher. Some examples of these are CIEE or XploreAsia.
There are also legitimate volunteer organizations, such as Greenheart Travel or Maximo Nivel, that you need to pay to volunteer to teach English.
6. Scope out their social media.
First and foremost, do they have a website that is put together? Most scammers will not put too much time into their websites and you will find that they have very little information. If you are unsure, compare their websites to other schools or organizations you are looking to apply to. Check out their Facebook, Linkedin, Instagram, Youtube, and more. What types of posts do they have and what do they advertise? How often do they update and are their posts relevant? How many followers, likes, and comments do they have? If they are extremely low, or zeroed out then this is cause for concern.
7. Cross check their contact information.
Every employer should have the address of their school or headquarters stated on their website. Take a moment to make sure this address not only exists but that it takes you to the correct location and not an empty lot. You should also make sure that their phone number or email is associated with the school they are hiring for. It is as easy as googling the phone number, finding the website of the actual school, or sending the school an email to be sure this person does work for them.
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8. Did they offer you a job without an interview?
Unless you have connections in the workplace, no company will hire an employee based solely off of a resume. If you send in your application or resume and receive an email back that they you got the job, then it is a scam. The interview process is an essential part of obtaining a TEFL job. Any school that does not interview candidates has something up their sleeve.
9. Is the hiring process rushed?
It is normal to apply for a teaching position and receive an email from the employer the following day. It is also normal to have a faster interview process if the post is calling for an immediate start date. However, if they need to set up an interview asap, offer you the job right away, and need you to give them an answer as soon as possible, then this is not a good sign. It means they did not take the time to vet your resume, contact your references, or compare you with other candidates. Aka: None of this information mattered because it was a scam. Even if the job itself is legitimate, it probably means that you are going to be overworked and/or working with others who were hired on a whim and are not qualified for the job.
10. Did they offer you the job without the necessary requirements to teach in that country?
On another note, if a school is promising to give you a teaching job that requires a bachelors degree or a TEFL certificate but you do not have either, then you should be skeptical. Make sure that you have the qualifications needed to work in that specific country and to obtain the correct working VISA. If not, odds are the offer they are giving you is too good to be true. It could also mean that they are using you to scam their students by advertising teachers with much higher qualifications than what you actually have.
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11. Do they have teachers you can speak to?
It is common for perspective TEFL jobs to send you links to blog posts about the experience their teachers had working with them. Usually you can find these on their website as well. Aside from reading through these you can also ask to speak to one of their teachers.
This is normal and many schools will have no problems setting up a time for you to chat with one of their current teachers. You should have this conversation on the phone or over zoom so you can make sure you're speaking to an actual teacher. If they do not allow this or straight out refuse, then do not trust them. Even if they are legitimate, if they do not want you talking with their current teachers then there is a reason for that and probably not a good one.
12. Did they provide a contract and what does it say?
Never accept a teaching job, especially one overseas, without a contract. If a school tells you they do not work off contracts or that they will go over the contract with you when you arrive, then do not take that job. You need to have an agreement between you and your employer regarding your wages, working hours, working conditions, roles of the job, etc.. If you do not have a contract it is very easy for them to overwork you or go back on any verbal promises they have made.
If they do provide a contract, read through it thoroughly to make sure everything you have discussed is included and that there are no changes or surprises. Be sure that what is written on the contract matches the expectations you have, and conditions you have agreed to.
13. Are they pressuring you to accept the job?
There is a difference between encouraging you to accept the job and pressuring you to accept the job. If they are consistently bombarding you with emails telling you why you need to work with them, putting down other schools and jobs you are also interviewing with, or making you feel bad about taking up their time and not wanting the job, then they are not a real school.
It is normal for an employer to set a date for when they need an answer from you. However, if they offer you the job and tell you they need an answer right now or by tomorrow morning then this should make you worry, especially if they refuse to extend the deadline. They are most likely trying to force you to commit to them so that you do not find a real offer in the meantime.
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Conclusion
There are tons of great English teaching jobs abroad, but not every job post is legitimate. Hopefully this list of scam warning signs gave you a good idea of what to be on the lookout for when searching for a TEFL job. Good luck finding a TEFL job that is best for you and enjoy your year teaching English abroad!
Credits
The photos in this post are not mine. Thank you to the photographers who uploaded their photos for free use on Unsplash. They have been credited under their respective photographs.