Think EFL teacher and perhaps what comes to mind is standing in front of a board delivering lessons to bustling classes of non-native English kids abroad.
But while traditional classroom TEFL jobs abound, there are also plenty of enticing alternatives for those with a TESOL qualification looking for something different. Whether you want to travel, stay at home, build a business or simply keep your teaching fresh, there is a route here to suit. Here we share a few of the different paths some of our intrepid course graduates have taken since qualifying in TESOL:
What careers can a TESOL qualification lead to?
Five real graduate stories follow, each a different answer to that question:
- TESOL travel entrepreneur- turning teaching travels into an online business
- Online English tutor- teaching students worldwide from anywhere
- Business English trainer- building on a previous career
- Language school owner- running your own school abroad
- Homestay English teacher- hosting and teaching in your own home
TESOL Travel guru
Inspired by Asia, Global English graduate Daniel Ward travelled to Thailand and South Korea to teach. He launched his internet business TEFLCareer.com soon after, a site which combines travel, jobs and blogs for fellow teacher travellers. Read Daniel’s story here.
Online English tutor
Why journey abroad when you can reach students across the globe from your front room? Online English teaching is a growing sector where you can often set your own hours and focus on smaller groups or 1-1 teaching. TESOL graduate Lea Hook is just one of many Global English course graduates enjoying life in Thailand while teaching the world.
Business English trainer
After 22 years in the military, mainly in the field of human resources, Nick Ponter now works full-time as a business English trainer and runs his own language school in Germany. Nick says that "as a business English trainer you will assist them in their jobs which will involve understanding Germany texts etc. A trainer also represents himself/herself or a company and needs to be able to communicate with the company on numerous issues." Read more on his experiences in Germany here.
Language school owner
When Jane Rocke moved to France with her family, they set about getting to know the locality and soon set up a residential business as a language school with accommodation, looking to reach both business people as well as the younger TESOL market.
Homestay English teacher
If you have a welcoming home as well as a TESOL qualification, you could be in demand from English learners keen on a more immersive English experience. There are a number of agencies set up to match student to host and students often look for a wide range of locations, so don't think you have to be in a big city to be successful. Global English TESOL graduate Lesley Vernon talks about how she enjoys the hosting and teaching experience here.
What other directions can a TESOL take you?
The above represent the tip of the iceberg in terms of TESOL opportunities. Some of our former graduates have also written course materials, become teacher trainers and one has even written a course book on Aviation English. For a fuller breakdown of the mainstream employment paths - with the pros, cons and suggested course for each - see our companion post, TESOL certification: how will you use yours?
Still plenty more who move out of TESOL later down the line are enriched by their TESOL and travel experience and start new careers with increased confidence as a result. Few qualifications transfer so directly into communication, presentation and cross-cultural skills that employers everywhere value.
How do you land one of these TESOL roles?
Notice what the five stories have in common: none of these graduates set out on day one to own a school or run a travel website. Each qualified, took a first teaching role, spotted an opportunity that matched their background - Nick’s HR career, Jane’s new French locality, Lesley’s welcoming home - and built from there. A course specialism helps you steer early: business English if you are coming from a professional career, young learners for mainstream schools, or teaching English online if you want location independence from the start.
Beyond that, begin where the vacancies are: our TEFL jobs board carries schools hiring worldwide, and international boards such as tefl.com let you scan whole regions at once. Give yourself the best shot with a focused application - our TEFL CV guide and TEFL interview guide cover the two hurdles every route shares. If you plan to build a longer-term career, joining a professional association such as IATEFL keeps you connected to training, conferences and the wider ELT profession. And if a move abroad is part of the plan, check the practicalities in the UK government’s working abroad guidance.
Where could TESOL take you? See our destination guide for some more great ideas. Feel free to post below the line about your teaching experiences.
If you haven't made the jump into TESOL as yet, then choose the perfect online TESOL course for you right here.
Frequently asked questions
What jobs can you get with a TESOL certificate?
Classroom teaching in language schools is the staple, but our graduates also work as online English tutors, business English trainers, homestay teachers, freelance tutors and language-school owners. Others have moved into materials writing, teacher training and specialist areas such as Aviation English.
Do I need a degree for these career options?
Not for the TESOL certificate, and not for most of the routes here: online tutoring, business English training, homestay hosting and running your own school have no degree requirement. Some countries do require a degree for a teaching work visa, so check the rules for your target destination first.
Do I need teaching experience before trying these routes?
No - every graduate featured started as a newly certified teacher. Most built experience in ordinary teaching jobs or online lessons first, then branched out. Choosing a course specialism (business English, young learners or teaching online) is the quickest way to make an inexperienced CV credible.
Can TESOL become a long-term career?
Yes. Beyond classroom teaching, graduates progress into school ownership, teacher training and materials writing, while professional bodies such as IATEFL support ongoing development. Others use TESOL as a springboard, returning to new careers with sharper communication skills and international experience.