It's about this time our thoughts might begin to turn to the next academic year and our options. Shall we carry on like this year? A new role where we are? Maybe it’s time to experience a different school, a different city or a different country. If you're happy in your job and want things to stay as they are, stop reading now. If, however, you'd like things to change, this edition of The TEFLer, will, hopefully, be of interest as we look at our options, how to decide what to do and how to best position ourselves. Don't forget, in many countries (including Spain, where we're based) there is a serious lack of good teachers, good teachers should have the pick of the jobs. Good teachers have some power, it's time to think... what do you want?

The TEFLer is a fortnightly companion for language school teachers written by Simon Pearlman and brought to you by Active Language.

Each language school has its pros and cons as a teacher, no school is perfect, of course, but is it good enough? Some schools suit us better than others; some provide ongoing training, others don't, some feel supportive, others exploitative, some pay properly, others less so, some create a nurturing, caring environment for staff and students alike, others feel like they’re only interested in the money. We all know that in our profession we can find the whole range.

I’d like to stay and (or is that a but)...

If you're generally happy where you are, that’s great, stay there and be part of positive change for yourself and for the school. Do think about how you would like to develop over the next 12 months as an ELT professional and about suggestions you could make to improve things at the school. Some schools will have an annual appraisal and there might be space there for you to make requests and suggestions. If there isn’t such a system in place, you can always ask for a meeting. This isn’t about making demands, it’s about helping everyone, often managers can learn a lot from this kind of feedback and changes can be made. Then, if nothing happens, you’ll know that at least you tried.

Should I stay or should I go?

Is it itchy feet time? Are you thinking it might be time for a change? Change can often be a good thing; it can enliven us and our teaching, it could mean a position in a school we prefer, it could mean a better timetable, it could mean more money. Change can also be difficult. How can we decide what to do?

Think about how you feel about the place where you work, are your thoughts and values around teaching and learning reflected in the school? What are your priorities? Would things really be better elsewhere?

It’s time to compare and contrast, not two photos like in certain popular exams, instead of photos, we’re talking about schools. It’s worth getting into the details here. Sometimes a package might seem more attractive, maybe the pay might appear slightly better, for example, but do dig into it, the devil is always in the detail. Are holidays, for example at Christmas or Easter paid as normal or not? What happens if you’re ill? Is there an end of course payment? How do taxes and social security work? Employers will, quite rightly, talk about gross pay (before tax) as opposed to net (after tax). These are all important considerations, they will affect your pay packet. Teaching is not just about the money, very few of us got into teaching to get rich, but we deserve to be paid appropriately.

It feels odd to focus on money, there’s so much more to consider. What is important to you in deciding on where to work? The feel? The passion? Training and development? Location?

It's time for a change, how can I best position myself?

Now is a good time to act, it’s good to apply in May for positions starting in September. You can leave it later but it’s likely that you might miss out on the best jobs. There are also positions that are available in September if you’re feeling brave!

When you apply, try to take a personal approach. Recruiters will warmly welcome a CV where it feels like you know the school and really want to work there. Take some time to look at their website and social media output, that should give you a feel for what they are like. We can tweak our CV for each school we apply, there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s a smart thing to do.

Make sure your CV is up to date and looking good. Have you included a personal profile? Are the details an employer is looking for there? We know the drill… the right to work in that country, experience teaching not just in years but also depth around exams and different ages and, of course, qualifications. Are you properly qualified? What can you do to improve your qualifications and give yourself a better shot at the top jobs? Could you use the summer to upskill and improve your qualifications?

If you are interested in thinking about qualifications, we at Active Language offer the Trinity CertTESOL and Teaching Younger Learners courses over the summer, one-line and face-to-face in Cadiz and Malaga. For more information, do visit www.activelanguage.net or email training@activelanguage.net

Is the grass greener on the other side of the fence?

Whatever you decide, wishing you happy TEFLing!