The EFL teaching field is no stranger to scam artists looking to make a quick buck from an unsuspecting victim. With most modern job searching processes online, hiding behind internet anonymity, it can often be challenging to differentiate between a genuine EFL offer and a fraud. The International TEFL academy suggests you follow these quick rules to avoid any problems.
Researching the Job Offers
The best medium at your disposal when trying to find an EFL job is the internet. Proper research methods are vital to avoid scams. One of the critical techniques in determining whether a job or even a TEFL course, is for you, is searching for specific essential information. This can range from accreditation bodies, contact details, reviews, or as simple as the email addresses. One of the most common scams involves using emails with different domains than the original website. Most accredited jobs will have their unique domain, such as jobs@schoolofenglish.com when linking their contact info. At the same time, scam artists will manipulate this into something similar, such as schoolofenglish@gmail.com. A minor difference such as this one might be all that separates a genuine business from the work of a fraudster, so it’s best to keep your guard up and do proper research.
Advance Payments and Interviews
Genuine job offers don’t usually require advance payments. While some learning and getting certification programs might require an upfront fee, a valid job offer will usually reimburse you for any trip costs after the fact rather than demand payment for them. It’s also advisable to look up visa information and fees, as some scams work on this front.
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If your potential employer doesn’t require an interview before you get started, it’s safe to assume that they are not presenting a real offer. Even if a face-to-face interview might not be possible due to location differences, advancements in technology have made online interviews and video conferences a regular, if not preferred, way to conduct business.
Other Advice
At the International TEFL Academy, we take pride in working with many countries and training centres to ensure the best results for our students and future EFL teachers. Our free guide to our courses is a great place to start your career journey.