Teaching English and Writing Jobs Abroad

I’m wondering if you have any advice on where to look for good job opportunities in Turkey,specifically Istanbul.Also,do you have any experience with looking for writing jobs abroad?

Hello Kevin,

As far as finding work as an English teacher in Turkey the list of opportunities are very long. Multiple schools in nearly every city in the country seem to be on the perpetual hunt for native speaking English teachers.

Though the quality of this employment is hit and miss. You very well may be able to a good paying teaching job that covers your apartment and travel expenses, or you may get severely scammed and be paid in peanuts. It is sometimes difficult to figure out the terrain until you get there, but many schools seem to want you to sign contracts prior to arrival.

In my experience, nearly all schools that are willing to pay a decent wage want to make a commitment upwards of a year — and sometimes longer! So if you want to go through with a long haul dose of living in Turkey, then teaching English at a formal school may be good for you.

You can pretty easily get recruited from abroad if you are willing to sign a contract for a year or two. To do this, just start looking over the online job posting boards and/ or emailing a few of the major schools your CV, and then wait for a response. Once you get a contract, you will have an apartment set up for you, and all of the details worked out (such as visas . . .though a visa is not absolutely necessary).

The recruitment route is good if you just want to go to Turkey and take any job, as you will find yourself employed, but you will have little clue about the quality of your employment until you get there. You could very easily find yourself stuck in a contract with a school that you hate, a violated contract, and a pile of reeking horseshit. Or it could work out fine.

I have met teachers on both sides of the fold.

Resources for getting recruited for an English teaching job in Turkey

• Teach Abroad Turkey
• Dave’s ESL Cafe
• ESL Jobs
• English teaching jobs in Istanbul on Craigslist

These are just a few of many online resources that advertise English teaching jobs in Turkey.

Another way is that you can just show up in Istanbul and look around. This is what I did, though I must warn you that the English language schools in Istanbul did not provide me with a very favorable impression. The best school that I found in Istanbul is called Dilge English. They are located right off of Taksim Square. Though there are tons — and I mean tons! — of other schools to choose from.

I would recommend just showing up and looking around, then you are free from a contract and can check out your employment options on the ground.

Here are a couple lists of contact information for English teaching schools in Istanbul and around Turkey

• English Teaching School List Istanbul
• English Teaching Schools Istanbul
• Asia English Teaching Job List

About writing jobs abroad, I must say that there are many. But writing jobs that PAY are very few. If you want to write and get published for fun, there are many expat and English language magazines and newspapers that will love to accept your submissions. But if you want to get paid for it, you are perhaps barking up the wrong tree.

It is possible to get paid for writing articles, but don’t expect much over $25 a piece.

Another route is that of copy editing. If you have any experience as a copy editor — or if you just prove that you can write grammatically correct English — you can be hired doing this manner of work. But, again, expect to be paid local wages.

If you are interested in doing this, just look for any expat or English language magazines in the city or country that you choose to live in. I published an article in Today’s Zaman in Turkey once, though I did not make a stinking dime from it — and this newspaper has a huge worldwide circulation!

Another route to make money writing abroad is to put up fliers in universities advertising your services as a proof reader. Come up with a cost per page rate, and see what happens. Many graduate programs in Turkey are English language based, and a lot of researchers would probably like to have their work proof read by a native English speaker.

Though it is my impression that you can make far more money teaching English than writing abroad.

I hope this helps. If you have any other questions just leave them in the comments below. Thanks.

Also, make sure to leave comments to keep us updated on your progress with finding work. It is always good to get more information on searching for employment while traveling. Thanks!

Walk Slow,
Wade

Original question about teaching English in Turkey and finding writing jobs abroad

Hey Wade,,

I just discovered your site while searching for Engish teaching jobs in Istanbul.I saw that Berlitz has quite a unfavorable reputation,and I’m wondering if you have any advice on where to look for good job opportunities in Turkey,specifically Istanbul.Also,do you have any experience with looking for writing jobs abroad?

Thanks for your help,
kEvin

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