Factors that May Influence Your Success as a Candidate

This is where your old lifestyle meets your new lifestyle.

Are you married? Is your spouse an educator? Do you have children? Teaching overseas is exciting. It’s also a big decision. We understand that. And we want you to have the best experience possible.

What is it like working in an overseas school?

ISS Director of Ed Staffing Laura Light discusses the kind of candidates that come on with ISS: many single teachers, but married couples (especially married teaching couples) and even those with children are not only accepted but highly desired

Are you and your spouse/ partner educators and ready to apply? »

Are you a single teacher with dependents? Are you a teacher with a teaching spouse? »

Are you married to someone who is not an educator who will, or will not, wish to accompany you? »

Are you and your partner/team member not married? »

Are you in a same sex relationship? »

Do you have a family? »

Are you, your family and dependents in excellent health? »

Does your family support your decision to work abroad? »

Are there age restrictions at international schools? »

Are you a New Graduate? »

Do you need certification (from a State or government) in order to become an ISS member? »

Do you have excellent references that can support your teaching career? »

Are you willing to become involved in extra-curricular activities? »

Are you flexible about where you would like to go? »

Are you and your spouse/ partner educators and ready to apply?

For many schools, teaching couples are seen as highly desirable. If you and your partner/significant other are both qualified educators seeking overseas positions, you should each establish separate ISS Memberships. You can link your profiles during the application process so that when you become active, you can be represented as a team. Please keep in mind that as a team, you go through the review stages together. So, it’s important that you both submit your applications and documents together in order for you to move through the process more quickly.

Are you a single teacher with dependents? Are you a teacher with a teaching spouse?

International schools will hire candidates with dependents, but as a general rule, they prefer to hire single teachers or couples who are both teachers. While there are always exceptions, schools will often only consider one dependent for each contract that is offered. However, schools are more likely to make exceptions to this rule for hard-to-fill positions such as math or science.

Are you married to someone who is not an educator who will, or will not, wish to accompany you?

If your spouse or partner is not an educator, but would like to accompany you, please be aware that candidates with non-teaching spouses may find it more difficult to secure a position because of the additional financial cost for a school to bring you and your spouse overseas. Some schools might hesitate in considering you as a candidate, and may be concerned about you being able to sustain your expected lifestyle on one salary (as the cost of living in some countries is higher than in the U.S.A.) The school sponsors both of you (and your family). Some schools are unable to consider those with non-teaching spouses due to visa restrictions for those who will not be employed by the school. Also, it may not be possible for the spouse to obtain a work permit for any type of work in some countries. We want you to know this could be a major challenge, and being prepared for this will help you when searching for positions. If your spouse or partner is not an educator and is NOT accompanying you, then some international schools are reluctant to hire teachers with dependents left behind. Schools are sometimes concerned about the candidate’s commitment to the contract with their significant other is not with them. In order to address these concerns, we ask that your spouse write a Partner Statement to include in your profile. In this Statement, your spouse can share his/her background, interests, personal thoughts about living abroad and explain to the school Heads what he/she will do with his/her time while you are employed by the school. She/he must clearly indicate that they are not seeking a position at your school. The Partner Statement is a required part of your application if you have a non-teaching spouse/dependent.

Are you and your partner/team member not married?

Couples who are unmarried may find it challenging to find placement in some regions. The reason is that some of the schools we serve are in conservative communities, and some countries actually deny visas to those traveling as a couple who are not married. Schools may provide housing and a certain number of the schools adhere to the parameters that staff who share housing in their school community must be married. Some schools feel there is more employment security when hiring married couples in terms of stability throughout the length of the two year contract. We should also add that ISS does place a number of unmarried couples each year, but it is best to prepare you for the fact that some positions may not be available to you.

Are you in a same sex relationship?

ISS does not discriminate based on sexual orientation. Please be aware, though, that international schools are subject to the laws of the country in which they reside. Some of the countries that host international schools have laws regarding open same sex relationships. We encourage you to investigate the legal environment of your prospective host country prior to accepting an offer of employment.

Do you have a family?

The general rule of thumb for international educators is one dependent per candidate. If you are a single applicant traveling with two or more dependents you will face limited employment opportunities due to housing and transportation constraints at overseas schools. This is especially true for families with non-teaching spouses.

Are you, your family and dependents in excellent health?

Health issues should be considered when making the decision to apply for a job overseas. Depending on what part of the globe you are considering, members need to be aware that in some remote areas, medical services might not be at the same standard or availability as in the United States or Canada, UK or Australia. Members should not put themselves in a situation that might compromise their health if they know a condition exists.

Does your family support your decision to work abroad?

Moving abroad to take a position at an international school is exciting and adventurous, but no matter where you go, all candidates need the support and backing of their families. Your hiring school wants you to be able to successfully complete your contract, so if there are issues at home, either with parents, siblings, children, or your spouse, this is a risk for schools, students and for you! You need to make sure that you have the support of those around you in order to make an international teaching experience a good one.

Are there age restrictions at international schools?

ISS does not discriminate based on age. But if you are a mature educator, nearing your retirement, you should be aware that international schools are subject to the laws of the country in which they reside. Many of the countries that host international schools have age-related visa restrictions – some countries as young as age 50. So, before you begin your international career search, you should do some research regarding the work visa restrictions on your countries of interest. Unfortunately, ISS works with so many schools in so many countries it is difficult to keep up on this information from year to year. What we do suggest is a simple Google search should with the name of the country and “work visa limitations” and this should lead you in the right direction.

Are you a New Graduate?

Congratulations on your path to your newly chosen career! Before you apply, be aware that the teacher selection process for international schools is competitive and even though ISS accepts new graduating students as candidates for overseas employment, it might be more challenging.

As a new graduate, it is important to be open-minded and consider a variety of locations. Recruiters hold to the minimum requirements earlier in the season. As the season progresses, they are more likely to relax the minimum requirements.

A number of schools require at least two years of full-time experience for teaching positions. For many others, it is preferred. For most positions, current teacher certification is also required.

If you decide to apply, please know that your requirements for candidacy are a little different from the traditional candidate. (See New Graduate requirements)

Do you need certification (from a State or government) in order to become an ISS member?

No, you do not need to hold certification from your State and/or government to become an ISS member if you meet the other two qualifications (degree in subject area and two years of experience). It does need to be mentioned, though, that many schools DO require certification. Predominantly, this is done in order to obtain work visas in each specific country. Some schools are mandated that they must bring in teachers or administrators who have a certificate – but there are others that are not. It is to your benefit to have a certificate, but this is not mandatory for joining ISS.

Do you have excellent references that can support your teaching career?

Hiring schools ask for each candidate’s references, and all ISS member candidates need to obtain a reference from their current administrator. Your current administrator needs to complete an online confidential letter of recommendation that will be available to schools. International schools need to be able to review and contact your references as they consider you for a position. Schools will contact you first, and interview you if they are interested, but to ensure you are a strong candidate with ISS, you do need to be ready to ask for these references and have them returned to ISS as confidential letters to support your candidacy. In addition to your current administrator, letters of recommendation covering your past seven years are needed and are what schools would like to see!

Are you willing to become involved in extra-curricular activities?

Extra-curricular activities are an important aspect of a successful international school, and schools around the world depend on their teachers to fill these positions. Recruiters are looking for candidates who are interested in running after-school programs and coaching, so be sure to highlight your abilities outside of the classroom on your resume.

Are you flexible about where you would like to go?

It is important to be flexible when looking for a job overseas! Trying to find a position in a specific country can be a very frustrating experience. We ask all members to consider at least two geographical regions and be open to any schools from those areas. We want our members to be successful, and there are many great schools out there, so be ready to consider a place you might not have not even heard about…yet!