How do I find the right EFL company for me?

There are so many online English companies out there, it can be really difficult to find one to suit your needs. Here are a few things to consider when looking at what each company can offer you before you apply.

Requirements:

• Do I need a degree to apply?

• Do they accept applicants from my home country?

• Is an ESL certification, like a TEFL certificate, needed?

• How many years of experience do I need?

• Do I need experience teaching children?

Teaching schedules:

• Is there a minimum number of hours I have to work?

• What are the peak teaching hours? (Remember to convert to your time zone if necessary!)

• How often can I make changes to my availability?

• Can I make last-minute changes to my schedule?

• Is it OK to work from anywhere in the world?

Lessons:

• Who are my students? What is their age? Where are they from?

• Is there anything I need to do to prepare for my lessons?

• Do I need to buy any technology or props to teach?

• What are Internet requirements?

• What are the background requirements? Do I need a plain wall or a classroom design behind me?

Pay:

• What’s the base pay like?

• Am I paid by the hour or lessons taught?

• Are there any bonuses?

• How many hours maximum will I be able to teach and how much money will I earn from that - Is it worth my time and efforts?

• How long will it take me to increase my hours to a point where I can earn my goal amount.

Cancellations:

• Do I get paid if a student cancels the day before or within 24 hours?

• What happens if my student is a no-show?

• What happens if I get sick or have an emergency?

• What other penalties does the company have in place?

Application process:

• Do I need to have a live interview (video conference)?

• How long will the application process take to complete in total? When can I start teaching?

• Does the company offer training before I start?

• Do they have a teacher referral system whereby TheSkiNomad or another online teacher with the company can help me through the process?

I haven’t worked for every company in the industry but I did a lot of research before I applied to the companies I currently work with. I have compiled my research to help you.

To find out more information about each of the platforms I have worked on, take a look at the following articles below and don’t forget to subscribe and join me for more updates and info about EFL teaching.

CAMBLY

PALFISH