In these crazy times we are all looking for something a bit different, something to keep us going, looking to the things we have meant to do for a long while but have never quite gotten around to doing.
One of those things for you may be starting your teaching English online career.
While I only have 3 online students, I find that it is still a great way to connect with people, to make international friends, to help people in a practical way and to make a little bit of money while doing it!
So here is all you need to know for setting up your online teacher profile;
(The order might seem a little odd but bear with me..)
1. Curate Your C.V.
If you are anything like me and have done a range of different jobs over the years, then it is important to specifically tailor your C.V. to the job you are applying for. It is as simple as putting the related work experience at the top, writing a slightly more in depth summary about it and making it stand out. If you don’t have any relevant experience, do not worry – just use your normal C.V.!
(Fear not – this will not be public for all to see, the platform administrators will only use this to verify and legitimise you)
2. Make an Intro Video
This is something that all your potential students will see. It is a chance for you to tell your students what to expect, a bit about yourself and your teaching style. It is essentially a promo video for yourself being a teacher.
Keep it short and sweet – less than 1:30 – and let your personality shine through in it.
Vimeo is also a great place to upload this and then use the link from it to paste into your profile.
3. Pick a Platform!
There are so so many platforms out there that you can choose and so you can be a little picky and choose the one that suits you best. Some have stricter rules (e.g. must be a North American citizen or must have a bachelor’s degree etc.) and some you have more freedom in regards to your hourly rate, your schedule and your lesson structures. Because of this, I recommend browsing a few different websites, comparing and narrowing down your favourites!
(Sidenote; don’t forget that you can sign up to multiple or if you do start with one and if you don’t like it or you aren’t getting any students on it – then sign up to another one.)
4. Create your Profile!
Not always as easy as it sounds but if you persevere, it is worth it. Again, different sites will require different things in order for you to ‘complete’ your profile. You definitely want to take a bit of time on your bio though – it is a really great place to give a brief run down about yourself – what you can offer the students and to quite simply promote yourself.
Make sure you have a headshot ready too. It helps when people can put a name to a friendly face and definitely increases your chances of getting students.
You’ll need to have your C.V. ready to upload (again; this is NOT public to the students but for the platform administrators only) and your intro video/ video link.
5. Go Live & Find Students!
You may have to wait a little bit after you have submitted your profile for the platform to review your application – but then – it’s all go!
I have actually had students contacting me regarding lessons instead of me actively trying to find students myself – and this is all because of my profile. The platform I use does allow students to put out a ‘request’ for lessons also which is a goodw ay to find more.
(Sidenote; don’t be disheartened if your application isn’t accepted, just try another platform!)
All in all, I recommend setting aside a couple of hours one afternoon to hammer this out and get your profile out there as soon as possible. It is super easy and flexible and you’ll have a great time with it, I promise.
(Just in case anyone is wondering – I use Preply.com It has built in lesson plans too which makes it all the easier for you as a teacher too. Especially if you are just starting out)
Happy Teaching!
