Recruiters want teachers who present complete documentation, communicate professionally, and demonstrate genuine classroom readiness for teaching abroad positions.
But here’s the frustrating bit: most teachers applying to teach English overseas don’t realise their applications get rejected before anyone even reviews their qualifications. A missing apostille stamp, a slow email response, or even a generic cover letter sends your CV straight to the reject pile.
We’ve placed teachers in TEFL jobs since 2007, and we’ve seen brilliant educators miss opportunities due to fixable mistakes. That’s why we created this guide to help you avoid the common mistakes that cost teachers their dream positions.
This article covers:
- What your TEFL certificate needs to include
- The documentation that gets you hired
- How professionalism shows up before interviews
- What “classroom-ready” means to schools overseas
Read on to learn what recruiters genuinely look for when hiring teachers abroad.
Your TEFL Certificate Is the First Thing They Check
Teacher recruitment processes start with certificate verification because it’s the legal requirement for work visas in most countries. So naturally, recruiters won’t even open your CV if your TEFL course doesn’t meet baseline standards. Because the thing is, schools can’t sponsor your visa without proof of proper certification.
Here’s how recruiters evaluate TEFL certificates during the screening process.
Online TEFL Course vs In-Person: What Recruiters Prefer
Recruiters give equal consideration to both online and in-person TEFL courses as long as they meet accreditation standards.
Online courses offer flexibility, but in-person training includes observed teaching practice with real students. The practical component usually involves 6-10 hours in actual classrooms where instructors assess how you manage lesson timing, handle questions, and adapt when activities don’t go as planned.
We recommend in-person TEFL programs if you can access training centres in Melbourne, Sydney, or Brisbane. But if you’re working full-time or living in regional areas, an online TEFL course lets you complete certification without relocating or quitting your current job. Your choice depends on learning style and timeline, not what looks better on applications.
Why Minimum Hours Can Make or Break Your Application
The 120-hour threshold exists because that’s what most embassies require for English teacher work visa approvals. Recruiters flag anything below 100 hours immediately, and these applications won’t pass initial screening rounds.
Based on our experience, schools in competitive markets prefer 140 hour certifications for consideration. Even if you meet visa requirements with 120 hours, extended programs give you an advantage when multiple candidates apply for the same position.
These extended programs show employers you’ve covered advanced topics like classroom management techniques, lesson planning for different proficiency levels, and teaching young learners versus adults. The extra hours signal commitment to professional development in education.
Accreditation Separates Real Courses From Dodgy Ones
ACCET, TQUK, and ACTDEC are recognised accrediting bodies that guarantee internationally accepted certification standards.
Before paying for any TEFL course, check these three things:
- Look for Clear Accreditation: If course providers are vague about who accredited them or claim “international recognition” without naming specific organisations, that’s a red flag.
- Watch Out for Suspicious Options: Courses advertising “TEFL in 48 hours” or under $50 won’t pass embassy checks during visa processing. It’s because these certificate mills don’t include proper curriculum, qualified instructors, or assessment components that immigration officials look for when verifying teaching credentials.
- Cross-reference with TEFL Directories: Websites like TEFL.org maintain databases of legitimate providers. Spending 20 minutes researching now saves you from paying twice when you discover your cheap certificate isn’t accepted.
When you get your TEFL certification right the first time, your application moves forward instead of getting stuck at the first hurdle.
Documentation That Gets You Hired
Sorting your paperwork before applying means recruiters can move you through to interviews within days instead of weeks.
It may be hard to believe that missing documents create delays that cost you certain positions. Schools often interview candidates in batches, and if your file isn’t complete when they’re scheduling, you’ll miss that round entirely.
Follow these documentation requirements:
- Police Clearances: Your police check must be under six months old and include both national and state-level searches (annoying, but necessary). Most countries, including China, require background checks to be no more than six months old.
- Apostille Stamps: Education certificates need apostille stamps for countries that signed the Hague Convention Agreement in 1961. The apostille verifies that your teaching degree or diploma is legitimate, and embassies won’t process work visa applications without it.
- Professional References: Generic employment letters that just confirm dates won’t satisfy recruiters who want evidence that you can actually teach. Your references need to come from direct supervisors who can speak to your teaching performance and classroom management skills. Also, include their current contact details and let them know they’ll likely receive verification forms to complete.
Pro Tip: Create a digital folder with scanned copies of all documents before you start applying. Recruiters often request files within 24 hours, and scrambling to find paperwork costs you opportunities.
Professionalism: The Unwritten Rules Recruiters Notice
Recruiters assess your professionalism from your first email, and small missteps down the track cost you opportunities before you even reach the interview stage. Schools abroad need teachers who can handle international employment expectations, which means following professional standards from day one.
The qualities that set you apart include:
1. How You Communicate Before the Interview Counts
Recruiters assess your communication skills from the first email you send. So grammar mistakes in your initial email signal carelessness that recruiters assume will carry into classroom work.
When you write “I’m interested in teaching jobs overseas” with typos or incomplete sentences, employers immediately question whether you can teach English grammar to students. The contact details you provide need to work too because recruiters won’t chase you down if your phone number bounces back or your email address has a typo.
On top of that, using professional email addresses instead of outdated usernames shows you understand workplace boundaries and norms. Recruiters reject applications from ”surfergirl92@email.com” or ”partyking88@email.com” faster than those from firstname.lastname addresses.
Schools hiring for teaching positions want confidence that you’ll represent their program professionally to parents and education authorities.
2. Response Times Signal Your Reliability
Replying within 24-48 hours demonstrates commitment even when you’re still weighing multiple teaching opportunities abroad. We’ve found through hands-on work that schools often make hiring decisions based on who responds fastest when qualifications are similar.
Meanwhile, waiting a week to respond means recruiters have already scheduled interviews with faster applicants. Time slots for video interviews fill up quickly, especially during peak hiring seasons. If you take five days to reply to an interview invitation, there’s a good chance all available slots have filled up.
Keep in Mind: Time zone differences aren’t excuses anymore since email timestamps reveal when you opened messages. Recruiters can see you opened their email on Tuesday morning, but didn’t reply until the following Monday.
3. Following Instructions Shows You’re Ready to Teach Abroad
Applications asking for specific file formats or document titles test whether you read the requirements carefully. When a job posting says “submit your CV as FirstName_LastName_CV.pdf,“ and you send “resume.docx” instead, that tells recruiters you don’t follow directions.
While complete applications move through screening in 2-3 days, incomplete ones sit in pending folders until recruiters have time to email back asking for missing documents. That delay often means losing the position to someone whose file was ready.
Schools need teachers who follow curriculum guidelines, so they watch how you handle application directions. If you can’t follow simple instructions for submitting documents, how will you handle classroom management when lesson plans need adjusting or when education officials require specific teaching formats?
What “Classroom-Ready” Means to Schools Overseas
Classroom readiness means you can walk into a school on day one and deliver engaging lessons without constant supervision.
Schools overseas don’t have time to train teachers on basic classroom teaching techniques. Your TEFL course covers theory, but recruiters need proof you understand how education works with different age groups and can adapt when things don’t go to plan.
Here’s what schools look for:
- Age-Appropriate Planning: While primary students need games, movement, and visual aids to stay focused, young adults in university settings expect discussions and real-world applications. Schools want evidence that you understand how learning styles shift across different age ranges.
- Backup Plans Ready: Schools quickly replace teachers who panic or cancel lessons during technology failures or unexpected class size changes. But having a backup activity that doesn’t need technology or knowing how to split large groups into manageable pairs proves you can handle the unpredictable nature of classroom teaching without falling apart.
- Cultural Adaptation Skills: Cultural awareness means understanding that local education systems value different teaching approaches than what you’re used to. Some cultures see teachers as authority figures who shouldn’t be questioned, while others encourage students to challenge ideas. So develop an understanding of these differences before you arrive.
But being classroom-ready only gets you so far if you can’t communicate effectively during the hiring process itself.
Why Communication Skills Get Tested Early in Teacher Recruitment
Recruiters test your communication skills early because teaching English requires explaining grammar rules clearly to non-native speakers.
If you can’t write a clear email about your TEFL qualifications, employers question whether you can teach English effectively to adult learners or young adults in their schools. The job demands constant explanation of complex language concepts, so recruitment agencies assess this ability from your first contact.
When you’re teaching online or in person, students rely on your communication skills to understand everything from basic vocabulary to advanced grammar structures.
Schools hiring for education positions need teachers who can break down complicated ideas into simple explanations that make sense to learners at any level.
Common Mistakes That Land You in the Reject Pile
Even qualified teachers with solid TEFL certificates end up in the reject pile over mistakes that take 30 seconds to fix. These errors tell schools you’re not serious about teaching positions overseas.
So watch out for these application killers:
- Generic Cover Letters: Employers can spot when you’ve sent the same letter to 50 different jobs by swapping out the school name. If your cover letter mentions “your esteemed institution” without explaining why you’re interested in teaching in Thailand versus Spain, recruiters assume you’re just looking for any job rather than their particular position.
- Irrelevant Work Experience: Listing irrelevant work experience, like retail jobs, takes up space better used for teaching qualifications. Your three years managing a coffee shop don’t demonstrate classroom skills or education background. Instead, focus your CV on tutoring experience, volunteer teaching, curriculum development, or working with young people.
- Early Salary Talk: Questions about pay, housing allowances, or flight reimbursements belong in later conversations after employers have expressed interest in hiring you. Leading with “What’s the salary range?” or asking about benefits in your first email suggests the teaching opportunity itself isn’t your priority.
Reality Check: Avoiding these mistakes won’t guarantee you land the job, but they’ll keep your application out of the automatic rejection pile.
You’re in the Right Place: What Happens After You Apply
Once your application passes initial screening, our recruitment team handles everything from interview scheduling to visa guidance.
You’ll get access to pre-departure orientation covering what to expect when you teach English in your destination country. We help with accommodation searches, connect you with other teachers already working at your school, and provide ongoing support throughout your program.
Ready to start your application? Contact Biography Shelf today to discuss teaching positions that match your qualifications and goals.
