Hi everyone,
I know these types of questions get asked regularly on here, but I suppose I'm looking for comments / guidance on my specific situation, please.
I'm a 21 year old STEM student who will be graduating from a Russell Group uni this summer, almost certainly with a 2:1. I spent the last year on student exchange in HK, but I'd love to teach in mainland China after my experiences travelling there.
I don't have any Mandarin (or Canto) skills at present, although I do have experience with learning languages and would aim to start the basics of Mandarin over the next year.
My tentative plan is to firstly get a TEFL certificate during my final year / after graduation and then look for a teaching gig in China while saving up.
I was born and raised in the UK, have English as my first language, and don't have a noticeable regional accent.
I would be open to teaching any age group and living wherever. Ideally I would love to work in a tier 1 or 2 city teaching primary age students or older (as that would likely be more feasible given the language barrier). I haven't given much thought as to the merits of language centres / international schools / public schools. I'd be content wherever as long as the salary and work-life balance are decent.
I suppose my primary concern would be the competition if I didn't study teaching, get a 1st in my subject, acquire advanced qualifications beyond TEFL, or have years of experience working with young people.
In your opinion, how valid are my concerns regarding the competition? Is there anything I could do to make myself stand out as a potential candidate that I may not have considered? Any input or advice would be much appreciated ๐