Teaching abroad - please help

[LaProfesora]

Hi all, could someone please shed some light on what I am doing wrong...?
I have been searching for jobs since the beginning of February. I know that I was a bit late to the party but schools were still advertising so I applied... but I never heard back from any of them! I feel so disheartened I could cry. I really want to move away and have a fresh start. I have struggled in the UK as a single parent and after reading all the amazing stories of people teaching abroad, I thought I could possibly have a better quality of life somewhere else. I just don't know what I'm doing wrong.
I am in my 3rd year of teaching (not a core subject) - could that be the issue? Lack of experience?
In my cover letter I write about my passion for the subject, what a great colleague I am ; I talk about my subject knowledge and the fact that I am always expanding it; I also talk about the importance of education to bridge the attainment gap and what I do to help students achieve their full potential...
What am I missing?
Is there anything that international schools are particularly looking for??

[Blondie1984]

I suspect it’s more down to timing that anything - I doubt many schools really have recruitment at the top of their agendas right now

[Fuzzyspringroll]

Timing is a bit rubbish. I accepted a job this week but I'm in the country already and my resignation deadline was end of April because summer holidays are earlier.
That means, though, my school is now looking for another teacher to start in August. We have some local applicants anyway because we have another class where a position needed to be filled.

There's a new school opening near me and they've just asked me for interview (too late), so some are still recruiting. Would you be interested in teaching primary level in Germany? (They'll expand to include secondary over the next few years.)

[Ploughingthrough]

I work overseas. My school cannot recruit overseas teachers at the moment, despite wanting to, because there is no guarantee the government are going to let them in or approve work passes/visas.

Second of all, 3 years experience is not that much for the best international schools - 5 minimum usually. Be careful with the schools you're applying to as well - they don't always want to take families with children because it's an expense - if they can find someone equally well qualified without children then they might take them. The school I work at welcomes families, and there are lots of staff children at the school including my own, but not all schools are like this.
What countries/types of schools are you looking at? feel free to PM me.

[LaProfesora]

Thank you for your replies so far.

@ploughingthrough
I understand... I guess I may have to wait another year or two. Although I was under the impression that two years was enough...?
I've been looking at schools in ME and SE Asia. One school even said that they were happy to support an NQT. I sent my application to them two weeks ago and I still haven't heard back...

[Ploughingthrough]

It's probably more likely the current crisis that's standing in your way. My school don't take teachers with 3 years experience but I'm sure there are plenty who would. How many dependent children do you have? Be careful in the Middle East - in some places they wouldn't be very supportive of a single parent family, as awful as that is they're very conservative. South East Asia would be nice (I am here). Thailand would be great for your kids and a good place to save money.

[Poetryinaction]

You have to look at the person specification and tailor your letter to address every part of it.

[LaProfesora]

@ploughingthrough

Thank you for continuing to reply to my messages :) I will pm you once my kids are in bed!

[Notesfromalankywoman]

From my experience of working overseas recruitment for the best schools is normally concluded by January for September so you may have just missed the deadline...

[Stronger76]

My cousin went to teach in Germany straight after her NQT year - the school she was in couldn't offer her an extension after that year!

[squashie34]

I agree having worked internationally that you may have just been a bit late to the applications- the best schools advertise over Christmas and hold their recruitment fayres in January, particularly the case for schools in the Middle East. Take your time to get a great supporting statement ready over the next few months and then start looking in November for jobs.

[Penyu]

Many, many schools are in the awful position of having to tell new hires that they can't come in August as the numbers have fallen so badly.
Where I am nearly all expats have either lost their jobs completely or taken big pay cuts.
International schools are just private, fee paying schools and with the exception of a few not-for-profits they are really going to hurt at this drop in fees and some will not survive.
As said above, many countries in Asia and Middle East have closed their borders completely and getting visas nearly impossible.
It's a terrible time to try to look for a job sadly. You might get lucky late June/July when things are hopefully more stable if you hang in there but that might mean you have to resign your current position, that is not worth it.
I would try again next year to be honest.
Start looking around October... There/were jobs for single parents but it is seriously impossible to predict how this is going to play out in the next year.

[Penyu]

Also, I just noticed you mention kids, plural. Sadly, this makes you an expensive hire as your kids will usually take up free school places, extra flights, insurance etc etc etc. Not all schools are like this by the way, but many are.
The preference for many is a young, single (cheap,) hire. 🙄
I would think about joining Search Associates actually in your position, they might be able to give you some genuine advice and help with your CV etc.