What themes would the career compass coaching focus on?
This service aims to focus on providing interview tips and run-throughs; advice for new international teachers; careers strategy/general advice; and support with reviewing your Teaching Philosophy.
What information would I need to provide before my career compass session?
A questionnaire will be provided before the session and our session will focus on the answers on the questionnaire, providing additional tips and advice throughout
How long would the coaching session last – will there be a follow-up option?
Each session will last 45 minutes and there will be an option for at least one more follow-up session in order to discuss the outcomes from the first session.
How much does each career compass session cost?
£30 for a 45 minute session.
How would I be able to pay for this service?
There will be a separate invoice for each session but if you have more than one session you’ll be able to pay for them all together.
Would I be able to talk about more than one thing in each session [e.g. teaching philosophy and interview tips]?
We recommend against this because we won’t be able to spend enough time on each topic to get the full benefit. It is possible to do an introductory session to talk through what each involves – can then do separate sessions on other topics depending on your main aims.
This is my first international assignment – can you provide me with some advice as to what to look out for to make my transition as smooth as possible?
Yes. We’ll provide advice on the country you are going to (or the one you are aiming to go to) as well as what to expect when you arrive. We can also talk about what to look for when making a move.
I’d like to move into international teaching – what is the best way of going about this?
We have lots of experience in this area and our team has provided thousands of hours of advice to international teachers. We are in a good position to give guidance about what to expect when you make your first step into international teaching and how you should go about setting yourself up for success on your first assignment. This session will be set up to answer any questions you may have as well as provide you with pointers and ideas in order for you to realise your goals.
Are you able to provide advice specifically for the school/country I am going to?
Yes, in most cases. We have a wealth of information around schools and countries as well as access to some feedback from other candidates who are in a similar position within that school or country.
I’d like to practise for my interview with the Head of School – are you able to provide ideas/feedback?
Yes, we are able to give interview ideas and feedback. It is possible for us to do a mock interview session or alternatively you could come to the session with your ideas about what you would like to speak about in the interview and we can provide guidance on how best to promote yourself during the interview, depending on who will be interviewing you (i.e. Head of Department, Head of School, HR person)
I have an interview with an International Baccalaureate (IB) school but don’t have any IB experience, will this coaching session cover this?
We work with lots of IB teachers and schools and can give advice on moving into teaching within the IB. The coaching session can expand on this or answer any questions you may have around what you have read.
I would like help with fine-tuning my teaching philosophy for a specific school/role – is this possible?
This is definitely possible – you would need to send us the structure of your document (what you would like included) or a copy of your current philosophy before the session so we could talk through various options.
Can you help me with my CV?
Yes, we have a CV review service, separate to this Career Advice session that I can direct you to for customised CV advice.
We are a teaching couple – are we able to book a joint session with you to discuss the best strategy for finding roles?
Yes, this is possible, however we recommend working one to one. If you wish to do a joint session, please let us know beforehand a bit about your subjects and what your ideal situation might be (for example, teaching in the same school or different schools in the same city).
I have already spoken to another subject adviser – will this session provide different advice to what has already been suggested?
The aim of this session is to answer any additional questions you may have as well as to provide more general advice around moving to a new school/role/country. While the subject adviser focuses on the school or job you are searching for, this session will focus on you and how you are feeling about your move.
I’ve never been abroad before. Can you provide overviews of countries/schools you think would be suitable?
We can provide information on which countries/schools are more suitable for first-time international teachers, especially those who have never left their home countries. There is a lot to think about and our career advice sessions are tailored to share as much information with you as possible so you can make an informed decision.
I am a seasoned international teacher and am close to retirement – do you have any advice for my remaining years on the international circuit?
Yes, we provide personalised advice on a 5-year strategy depending on what you want to achieve at the end of the 5-year period, whether it is to retire or move home to continue teaching.