Did you know that many people seeking online English teaching opportunities get disqualified at the interview stage because of poor visual quality?Unfortunately, the employer didn’t even bother telling them meaning they probably made the same mistake with another prospective employer and ended up not getting picked
Guess that explains why many people who want to TEFL online (teach English as a foreign language) don’t get jobs, alas poor camera quality isn’t the only culprit here.There are several other factors responsible for you not getting called back after taking a series of online English teaching interviews
Read on to find out how to prepare well for online teaching interviews
Note: Before applying for any TEFL job online, ensure you’ve completed one of the accredited TEFL courses online.
Use the best visual and audio technology
Nothing creates a worse impression in an online interview than a grainy-looking image or a distant echo,poor visual and audio quality is a big turn off for all online job interviewers,and quite rightly so
If adults are struggling to see your face or hear your voice clearly during an interview, how would the kids you want to teach cope during lectures?It shouldn’t be so hard to tell whether you’re projecting a quality visual to the interview or not. Just by staring at your own screen, you can see how clear or wack you look in the video.
All you need to produce an awesome visual projection of yourself is a 1080p webcam – which shouldn’t cost you more than $30 – and a simple wireless headset of around $20.
Let the background of your video speak “teaching”
Nothing says “experienced teacher” more than a visual backdrop containing elements of teaching.Instead of just sitting in front of a plain white backdrop (you’re not snapping a passport photograph, remember), use the canvas behind you to showcase the kind of teaching environment you’re looking to create for your students.
Imagine that you’re an interviewer, and you see the following items in the background of an applicant’s video; what would you think?
- A marker board
- An assortment of academic posters
- Family photos and postcards
- Workstation featuring a collection of books, desktop computer,
Bring some props with you
I know it may sound playful and probably unprofessional, but you have no idea how much props can aid your chances of getting selected for a teaching position.
Remember: the goal in an online teaching interview is to demonstrate how you’re going to create an active, engaging, and highly-interactive learning environment!If you’d prefer to teach younger students, it might be time to find your old stuffed toys or head to your local store to buy some bar of chocolates.
If food vocabulary features in your interview material, why not stick a pair of googly eyes on an apple or a fake mustache on a banana? Having a troupe of props will show you’re prepared to navigate language difficulties, and you can use them to prompt dialogue from shy students.
Often, interviewers will ask directly if you have any props to incorporate into the demo lesson. This part of the interview follows the introductory questions and is essentially a preview of your teaching style!
Watch demo interview videos
Luckily for you, there are tons of demo materials on the internet that let you see how these interviews work.Most of these demo videos were created by guys who have been in the hot seat of online teaching interviews before. They’ve experienced firsthand what it means to be rejected and accepted. And they’ve decided to turn their experiences into video lessons for people like you to learn from,you can find these types of videos on YouTube
Create a practice interview video and be your own judge
Finally, you’ll need to rehearse before the D-day.
Hear me; there’s no way you can tell your flaws and shortcomings if you don’t sit yourself down and act like someone’s sitting in front of you, throwing interview questions at you.
Using the videos you downloaded or watched from YouTube; you can get a hint of the type of questions being asked in online teaching interviews. Or you can simply Google search “what are the questions asked in online TEFL interview questions.”
Get somebody to play the role of the interviewer and see how you perform.
Even better if you’re lucky to get a demo lesson material from the interviewer prior to the interview.
Often time, this material is usually a classic ESL topic focusing on types of animals, the weather, or food.
After you’ve familiarized yourself with the material, set up your camera and hit record!
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