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Applying for TEFL jobs:

Getting your TEFL CV right

As with any sort of employment, CVs are an important factor when it comes to applying for TEFL jobs. CVs are possibly even more important for TEFL jobs, because your employer may not get a chance to interview you in person.  Your TEFL CV is also your opportunity to show off your own fluent English, so make sure everything is correct! 

Here is some advice on perfecting your TEFL CV for teaching jobs abroad.

TEFL qualifications

It is no good sending off a CV/Résumé for an EFL/ESL job if you don't specify which TEFL qualification you have. This is one of the first things employers will be looking for. It's of little use to simply put 'TEFL Certificate' or - even worse - 'TEFL'. State the name of the qualification, plus the number of hours the course took and the grade, e.g. TEFL England 20-hour TEFL certificate.

TEFL CV length

Don’t include every qualification and bit of work experience you have ever had. Keep it to the most recent and relevant.

Employers rarely read past the second page. All they generally want to know is:
• Your nationality and if you are you eligible for work in the country?
• Your TEFL qualification
• Your age and if you are you too old to get a work visa?
• Your related experience.
 

TEFL job references

Your CV/résumé may be one of ten. Why would a busy employer contact you for details of your referees when the next person in the pile has provided contact details for theirs?

And if you do include referees, don't forget their e-mail addresses. It takes most people less time (and a lot less money) to send a 3-line e-mail than it does to make an international phone call. E-mail provides a comfortable distance. It's quick, and it's private.

Presentation

Be sensible about how you present your TEFL CV. Choose a clear and sensible format and stick to it. 

• Fonts like Arial, Verdana or Times New Roman are fine. One is right. Two is pushing it. Three is a mess.
• Folded & photocopied CVs/ Résumés are a no-no.
• Paper colour & sizes should be white A4 or cream A4 only. Pink CVs go straight in the bin. So do green, blue and orange ones.
• Fancy folders are a waste of money. These also go straight in the bin.
• Bullet points should always be used for listing experience.

Writing about your experience

Since this is likely to be your first job teaching English, you will need to include other relevant experience.  Include any experience you have of presenting, working with children or adults, mentoring or instructing. If you have any kind of experience of standing up in front of people then include it.  Avoid using technical jargon - remember that your employer may not be a native English speaker.

Hobbies and interests

Include them if they are relevant and interesting and make you stand out . Add in any travel experience you have as this shows you are less likely to suffer culture shock and want to go home after a few weeks.

Date of birth

For some schools this is important. If you don’t have it on, it could automatically be rejected because the school might not be bothered to follow it up.

Your photograph

Make an effort with the photograph; make it clear and presentable. A lot of passport photos can make you like a convict. The photo should be smiley, happy and confident, like someone who will be positive and professional in the classroom.

See our 5 tips for including a photo in your TEFL CV

Emailing your TEFL CV

It is quite likely that your job application will be an email. Make sure all parts of the CV are on one word document, i.e. the photo, CV and covering letter. Plus, try to save the word document as an older version of ‘word’ just in case!

Remember, with a TEFL England course you get access to our free TEFL Job Placement Service! Send your CV in to our TEFL experts at info@TEFLengland.co.uk and we will check it over for you.