1. There is more to the UAE than just Dubai
The UAE refers to the United Arab Emirates, which consists of seven emirates or states: Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain. Even though Abu Dhabi and Dubai tend to be the most popular locations, there are schools in the other emirates that also employ expat teachers. The International School Consultancy named the UAE as the second leading country in the world for English-medium international education in 2016, with 641 schools.
2. Schools in the UAE start advertising their jobs earlier than those in the UK
Schools in the UAE have already started recruiting for leadership and senior management roles, while the bulk of teaching position adverts in the UAE tend to start appearing from December/January onwards for the next academic year. Make sure you start updating your CV and cover letter, and keep an eye on Tes’ UAE jobs page.
3. Headteachers in the UAE receive thousands of applications each year
With such stiff competition, your application must be outstanding even to get an interview. This means you must:
- Highlight your positive skills, talents and experience.
- Provide your contact details, including your Skype ID and email address.
- Include all work dates with no gaps in the employment history, as many headteachers will not consider an application if a candidate’s CV has unexplained gaps.
- List your education and qualifications, with the most recent first.
- Name referees who are professional, including your current employer.
- Include a photograph at the top of your CV but make sure it is professional looking.
4. Always apply directly to schools abroad to find a teaching job in the UAE
In my experience – I’m in my seventh year of living and teaching outside of the UK – you should always apply directly to international schools’ adverts to maximise your chances of finding a great teaching job abroad. Not all UAE schools use agencies to recruit, so you might miss out if you just use an agency.
If you wish to use other job-seeking methods, then do so in addition to your own research when applying directly to vacancies abroad. This will give you as many jobs to choose from as possible. The two teaching jobs I’ve had abroad – in Qatar (2011-15) and Dubai (2016-present) – have been at schools that offer one of the top teaching packages in each of their respective countries. Both of these I found by looking on Tes for myself – if I had relied solely on a teaching agency, I would not have found either of them.
5. You must know what to expect in a good teaching contract and package before saying ‘yes’
Do not accept a job until you have seen the contract. That is perfectly normal in this situation because you are often required to make a two-year commitment and need to know all the details before taking the plunge.
Once you receive the contract, read it very carefully. A good international teaching package would normally include:
- A competitive salary.
- Furnished accommodation or a housing allowance.
- Medical insurance (check if it is just for you or for your spouse and/or children).
- Visa costs (again, check if it is just for you or for your spouse and/or children).
- An annual flight allowance, including your flights at the beginning and end of your contract (check if this includes your family).
- Free school places for one to two dependents, or a tuition allowance if your dependents cannot attend the school where you work.
- By law, you are entitled to a bonus upon completion of your contract, which works out at one month’s basic salary for each year of continuous service.
- Some also include a shipping and/or baggage allowance.
Sorcha Coyle has taught at schools in Qatar and the UAE for the past six years. She also runs the Empowering Expat Teachers community, which can be found on her blog.
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