How to find a job teaching English online

Teaching English online is growing in popularity and it looks like it’s here to stay. Classroom learning has many benefits but the perks of online learning are undeniable - no travelling, extremely convenient and a limitless number of students. But how to find the work? Here we outline exactly how and where to find teaching work online.

How to find a job teaching English online in 4 steps

1. Get qualified with a reputable TEFL course

We recommend you complete the Online Trinity CertTESOL course. This is one of the few genuinely internationally recognised and accepted certificates. It includes several hours of online teaching practice with real students, and feedback from the tutor.

A top level qualification benefits both you, your future students and will impress your future employer. They will look for:

• Experience teaching real students
• Variety in your teaching practice - low/high levels, big/small groups
• At least 160 hours of study time
• External validation, such as Trinity College London

Also, the fact that you did your teaching qualification online bodes well for finding teaching work online, as it shows you know what it takes and what is involved.

2. Make yourself standout

Apart from having a world-class qualification, to make yourself stand out you can:

• Get experience in using online tools, such as Miro, Google Classroom and Kahoot. These are all excellent online teaching resources and knowing how to use them will really boost your CV.
• Get some experience by volunteering a few hours of your time to charity teaching organisations. Organisations such as Age UK, Breaking Barriers and RefuNet often have volunteer teaching opportunities.
• Specialise. Use whatever previous education or work experience you have to your advantage. Did you study something technical at university? Teach that, in English. Or maybe you have a background in sales? You could do sales training at a Spanish company. Other popular areas are legal English, medical English, hospitality, aviation, tourism, etc.

3. Build up your online presence

If you are going to teach online it makes sense to build up an online presence to make a good impression on future students. You can:

• Set up a Facebook or Instagram page to promote yourself as a teacher. 
• Set up a simple, personal website using services such as Wix or Squarespace. This is especially useful if you decide you want to work freelance.
• Update your bio on Linkedin.
• Record a simple introduction video to introduce yourself and your services.

4. Focus on a niche job market

Having a 'limitless' number of students all over the globe sounds great, but where do you start? We recommend you start small with a specific niche and build yourself up from there.

For example, you can focus on teaching kids in China, with platforms such as VIPKid. Or you could focus on exam preparation classes for Spanish adults using website such as Tus Clases Particulares. There are a LOT of companies out there and a quick Google search with help you focus your efforts.

Once you have a little more experience you can branch out into other timezones and different types of students. Being 'global' has the advantage of literally being able to teach 24/7, but you should also create some boundaries for yourself and build up a steady timetable.

Are you keen to get started as an English teacher? Check out our fully Online Trinity CertTESOL courses.