10th September 2024

Regarding TEFL job applications, there is plenty of fantastic guidance available. It must be mentioned that you can find it mostly on our website, where we've covered everything from drafting a CV for teaching jobs to creating the ideal cover letter, preparing for interviews, and asking the appropriate questions of TEFL employers, among many other topics. Communicating the information that doesn't pop off the page is a true challenge. Keep reading on.

5 Factors TEFL Employers Love Seeing In Your Resume

Here are a few ‘soft skills’ that TEFL companies highly value, even if the term itself is a misnomer, and how to effectively include them in your next application:

1. Organization

Teachers who don't get confused easily are highly valued by TEFL employers. A teacher is worth their weight in gold if they can efficiently arrange their days, prioritize their workload, run their classes without any problems, and keep their pupils engaged and making progress. Thus, how can one effectively showcase their organizational abilities on a job application?

Declaring explicitly that ‘I am organized’ is acceptable, and it could even be true. When crafting a curriculum vitae or resume for a particular job application, attempt to include instances of how you, or an organization where you previously worked, altered procedures to increase productivity. Alternatively, while penning a cover letter, consider how your organizational skills set you apart.

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2. Stress Management

Maintaining composure is just as crucial as being organized. It's obvious that losing your cool with pupils, coworkers, or superiors is undesirable and something you should try to avoid. It might be challenging to discuss stress management in a job application; you can't just write ‘infrequent screamer’ on your cover letter. However, your prospective employer needs to know that they can trust you when you join the team.

During the interview phase, it is typical for an employer to inquire about stressful circumstances. Even if you don't have teaching experience, you have undoubtedly faced difficult situations that you may discuss at some point in your professional or personal life. You must have dealt with stress in the past to get to the level of a competent TEFL instructor. It will have been necessary for you to manage your job under pressure, meet deadlines, and handle a workload. Thus, you'll have much to discuss.
 

3. Enthusiasm

Employers do, however, need educators who care about their students, make learning seem enjoyable, and bring a contagious can-do attitude to the workplace. If you truly care about the position you're going for, it should show through in your cover letter and interview. However, try to refrain from using a ton of exclamation points.

Although you don't want to appear overly enthusiastic, it's acceptable to seem and appear enthusiastic about the chance. Surprisingly, employers favor passionate applicants. Declaring your desire for a job outright is a positive move. Quick email responses are beneficial. It's also a good idea to be flexible and adaptive when attending interviews. Companies will have faith in your ability to carry that mindset into the office because they know you probably will.

4. Creativity

Educators who genuinely care about their students' learning typically possess an endless supply of creative ideas for fostering curiosity, enthusiasm, and enjoyment in the classroom. Scratching the surface of what you can accomplish with English, there are methods to employ theater and music in the classroom to great advantage. To be innovative, you don't have to go too far from the ‘usual’ lesson plan. An excellent approach to learning is via debates.

There are plenty of easy methods to be creative in the classroom, like making posters, writing lyrics, analyzing movies, and giving presentations. In an interview or cover letter, state your desire to innovate as a new instructor. If you're a seasoned educator, discuss the concrete effects and long-lasting effects your innovative classes have had on your pupils. Employing you seems excellent to an employer if you're getting the best performance out of your pupils by doing things a bit differently.

5. Empathy And Compassion

Your pupils are real people. They need to be treated with the respect they deserve since, no matter their age, they have lives outside of your classroom. This is particularly valid if they're struggling. Give a student the space or the encouragement they require to succeed, and make an effort to comprehend their circumstances. Although it's ideal to be able to create a secure area where kids feel comfortable confiding in you, this isn't always feasible.

Nevertheless, you may still create a safe zone in your classroom for all of your students. Find out what kind of help is offered to instructors. When applying to a school, find out what resources are offered to students and families. Maybe you may inquire about get-togethers and meet-ups with your coworkers. Saying in your cover letter that you care about people is OK, but what counts is how you show it. Empathy and compassion are very much ‘show, don't tell’ qualities, and you'll see them.

Soft Skills Are Crucial

It's possible that in the future, employers may need you to submit a personality test along with a career overview on emotional intelligence resumes. Until then, we hope this guide has helped you highlight your most valuable qualities in addition to your 120-hour TEFL Course online or offline certification and other credentials.
 

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Written By: Sonal Agrawal