People all around are looking for jobs and the competition just keeps increasing. With the pandemic, it has become anything but easy for unemployed people. There are some helpful information packages, knowing which can make it a little better for those who want a job. Teaching English as a second language is lucrative, and requires doing a TEFL course along with what is mentioned in the following:

1. Make sure that you are qualified- You need to have the necessary degrees to be accepted for a position at any school or university. That is a basic requirement without which it is not even possible to get to teach. Only when you get your graduation from college with proper knowledge of English, you can think of getting a job to teach English as a second language. Even if you aren’t able to attend college in the pandemic, take admission, attend online classes, go to a web-based college if it is accepted all around and just get your degree, and do it right. Buying one may seem easy but it gets useless in the long run. It is not possible to teach English without knowing English and that is not just for the basics, when you study for a degree you learn several things you can’t otherwise. The courses can be beneficial only in addition to the qualification required. You can also get a master's apart from graduation. It is not a necessity but it gives you an extended understanding of your subject and the language making you better than many other candidates.

2. Do a TEFL course- Knowing of a course is not the same as teaching it. Even if you know the language and can talk in it, you may not be able to communicate well enough to make other people understand and learn a new language. It is in these fields where a TEFL course will help you out. Teaching is not knowing, teaching is giving, it is not about gaining, it is about distributing, it is not about how much you’ve stored, it’s about how you wrap it to send to others. Taking a TEFL course teaches to be a teacher, everyone can be a teacher, but a teacher can’t just be anyone. She should be qualified and capable of telling her students parts of what she knows, maybe even learning while they teach. Taking a course online also gives you experience in teaching online which is almost a required skill with the pandemic closing schools and colleges for the time being.

You need to look and decide which one do you think suits your needs and can be helpful for you. Even if they don’t guarantee a job, it gives you some experience making to a suitable candidate.

With the pandemic lurking, it is not easy to find classes in town and they may even not provide quality education. Doing a TEFL course online is a good option, especially these days but even otherwise as it is flexible and of better standards.

3. Procure a license- This varies geographically but some places require you to get a license before working as an ESL teacher. This increases your credibility. Doing a TEFL course makes it easier to be an ESL teacher with a license. This is because that way you have proper knowledge of the dynamics of teaching a new language to a child. Even where it is not compulsory, getting a license can definitely work in your favor. So while at home do your research and make sure you procure a license while jobs come around.

4. Consider learning a second language- While this is not a necessity but having the opportunity to learn another language should definitely be taken because it increases the pay scale and makes it easier to teach English. This also removes the barriers in communication and gives you an edge over the other candidates. Even if you are not fluent or well versed a basic knowledge of the language of the place you teach in could also be really helpful. Also in a world where there is nothing like too much knowledge, being multilingual is a talent that is much less appreciated but much more beneficial. Apart from being a source of making children understand better, it enhances your personality too by increasing your confidence.

5. Join or form a community- Being a part of a teaching community has its own perks. You keep getting information about different courses and meetings which can help you know more and increase your capability of doing the job. It is not difficult to find people who want to work hard and provide children with quality education. Talking to others can help you formulate new ideas and techniques which can be beneficial for your students. It also broadens your knowledge about the different aspects of your field. Knowledge only increases when you talk about it, tell people what you know, and listen to what they say. It could teach you forms of teaching you hadn’t even heard about and that is what the children want and deserve. These communities can have weekly video calls with no need to meet in person as it could comprise people from different states and countries.

The number of people looking for a job is not even around less, and they could be doing all that is possible to prepare while they are at home instead of waiting for schools to reopen. Doing TEFL courses and joining teaching communities and attending MOOCs, they are grabbing knowledge from every nook and cranny. And you should not overdo yourself but you should do something. At least taking a TEFL course is basic, which is easily available online too and hence can be taken from the comfort of your home without any hassle. After the pandemic, not just your skills but the efforts you put in can also be counted. Being better and much more equipped than others is what can make you different from the lot and make you stand out among the millions of job seekers.