For many, traveling and working abroad is a dream that will never be fulfilled. However, if you have a real passion for travel and are up for a challenge, you can turn this dream into a reality. There are many opportunities available for individuals who wish to teach abroad. All you need to know is how to take advantage of them. Follow these easy steps and you could find yourself teaching overseas quickly.

Step 1 – Select a Country of Interest

The first thing you should do is determine or at least narrow down, which country or countries you would like to teach in. In nearly every country across the globe, there are opportunities to teach, especially if you are interested in teaching English as a second language. Think carefully and pick the one that is right for you. You may have always wanted to live in Italy, or perhaps France. Whatever the options are, take some time to think about where you would like to go, so you can limit your teacher job search to a reasonable area.

If you are thinking of teaching abroad in a country in which English is not the official language, but a small amount of people do speak it, you may need to learn some of the native language. If you decide on a country that has an official language other than English, it would be beneficial to learn some of the language before you move there, at least for conversational purposes. If you can’t achieve this, apply at schools or institutions that are willing to provide an interpreter until you can learn some of the language.

Step 2 – Where to Search

After you have selected a country of interest, you should perform an Internet job search. Use key terms such as "Teaching abroad in…" or "Teaching internationally…" to locate teacher job listings in the country where you would like to work. There are some sites that have job posts for teaching abroad in all countries across the globe. Others specialize in posts from only certain countries or regions. You should also check listings in your newspaper or any associations where you are a member. Many schools will hire people to recruit teachers through these ads for their schools.

Step 3 – Compose a quality, keyword rich teacher resume and cover letter

Once you have used the Internet to locate some teaching job positions that interest you, create a resume focused on teaching abroad to use in your applications. In your resume, include a strong profile or summary of qualifications and a listing or core competencies. Followed by, both your education / credentials and teaching experience that you may have. In each position, list the scope of the position, grades taught, and accomplishments achieved while employed. If you are not a certified teacher in your home country, you may still be able to obtain a teaching job abroad. Just be sure to focus on any training or volunteer experience that you have. It is important that the schools that you apply to see you have experience in educating people to some degree, whether the students were young or adults.

Don’t forget to list any travelling abroad experience and any language skills obtained. Schools may be more hesitant to hire you if you have no previous international travel experience. Traveling, or having lived abroad previously, proves to the schools that you can be away from home for extended periods of time. This is something that is commonly a requirement when you teach abroad.

Step 4 – Apply to several schools

Don’t limit your application to just one school, you don’t want to sit around and wait for a teaching job to come through. Apply to a number of schools will help to secure a job quicker, and the more opportunities you receive the better position you can accept. You may consider applying to schools in more than one country.

If you want to see the world, consider taking a job that allows you to do just that. Teaching abroad is a wonderful opportunity to expand your horizons and at the same time help students grow and succeed.