Life After Teaching Abroad: What to do after Teaching English?

If you’re looking for jobs after teaching abroad, then you’re in the right place. We have everything you need to know about life after teaching abroad.

If you want some information about going back to your home country after teaching abroad, keep on reading. If you’ve ever thought to yourself, “What to do after teaching English abroad?” then this is the article that you need! Read on for all the details you need to know about life after teaching.

If you’re not sure if this gig is right for you, have a look here: Should I teach English abroad?

Life After Teaching Abroad

Perhaps thinking that you don’t want to be an ESL teacher doing all the games and activities abroad forever and want to return to your motherland, keep reading for the Life After ESL awesome. It’s natural to feel like this after some time. Maybe you’ve had a fun time teaching abroad, but just have a desire to return home.

I myself have decided to go back to Canada after teaching for 10 years teaching English in Korea. I’m not gonna lie to you, my readers, it terrifies me a little bit.

You know, that panicky feeling that wakes you up in the night when you wonder if you’re making a terrible, terrible mistake? Yeah, that’s what happens to me. But, it’s the right decision and so in order to feel less freaked out by the whole thing, I decided to get informed. Seriously informed.

How I Wrote Life After ESL

I surveyed 55 of my old friends and other random netizens who had taught abroad but returned to their home countries in order to glean as much wisdom as I could from them. They didn’t disappoint and they had some extremely solid advice about how much money you need, dealing with reverse culture shock, networking, and most importantly, finding employment.

I also did a bunch of research and learned a ton about how to become a certified teacher, job outlooks in 2020, and cheap and expensive cities in Canada, the USA, England, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. It was kinda…intense…to say the least, having all that stuff floating around in my head for weeks.

However, the result is some ESL awesome for you. The result is the first, and only book dedicated solely to teachers who’ve been teaching abroad but then left to go back home. It’s chock-full of useful advice to make this transition as smooth as possible.

Thinking about Going Home after Teaching ESL Abroad?

The result of the survey plus my research and months of all the details ruminating around in my head is a book: Life After ESL: Foreign Teachers Returning Home. Most teachers really appreciate the advice on careers after teaching abroad.

You can find:

• The survey results
• Practical tips for making the transition back home
• How much money you should bring with you
• What skills you’ve gained while teaching abroad
• Common work options (and a few random ones)
• Advice for returning to school
• How to become a certified teacher in common countries where ESL teachers come from
• And more, including tips for what to do after teaching English abroad

The book is available in both digital and print formats. The (cheaper!) digital version can be read on any device by downloading the free Kindle reading app.

It really is that easy to start planning what your life, post-English-teaching-abroad is going to look like. So, if you’ve ever thought to yourself, “What to do after teaching abroad?,” then pick up your copy on Amazon today. It’ll help you make the transition as smooth as possible:

—>Life After ESL: Foreign Teachers Returning Home<—

What about Jobs after Teaching Abroad?

There are plenty of job opportunities in your home country after teaching abroad. One obvious one is to continue teaching ESL/EFL but it can be difficult without something like a CELTA certificate or MA TESOL.

Another idea is to go back to school for a year or two to become a certified teacher. This will open up opportunities in the public school system. These jobs usually have great benefits, a decent amount of vacation and you’ll already have a few years of experience. This is certainly a good career to consider.

Other ideas for jobs are in the field that you graduated from college with a degree in or going back to school for a year or two to study something very practical. Be sure to check out the book to find out what others have done.

What Jobs to do After Teaching List

When individuals with a background in teaching decide to transition to a new career, they often possess a valuable set of skills that can be applied to various fields. Here’s a list of jobs and career options that people with teaching experience can consider:

Educational Consultant

Provide expertise to schools, districts, or organizations on curriculum development, instructional strategies, and teacher training.

Corporate Trainer

Deliver training and development programs for businesses and organizations, focusing on areas like communication, leadership, and teamwork.

Content Developer/Instructional Designer

Create educational materials, online courses, or instructional content for e-learning platforms or educational publishers.

Tutor

Offer one-on-one or small group tutoring services in specific subjects or areas like test preparation.

Education Administrator

Pursue roles in school administration, such as principal, assistant principal, or school district administrator.

Educational Technology Specialist

Work on integrating technology into education, managing learning management systems, or developing educational apps and software.

Curriculum Writer

Design and develop educational curriculum materials for schools, publishers, or online platforms.

Librarian

Transition to a school or public library as a librarian or library media specialist.

Counsellor or Therapist

Pursue a career in counselling or therapy, particularly if you have a background in psychology or social work.

Writer/Author

Use your expertise to write educational books, articles, or content for blogs and websites.

Corporate Communications

Work in corporate communications, public relations, or marketing roles, where your communication and presentation skills are valuable.

Nonprofit or NGO Work

Join nonprofit organizations or NGOs focused on education, literacy, or youth development.

Curriculum Sales Representative

Work for educational publishers or companies selling curriculum materials and educational resources.

Training and Development Specialist

Design and deliver training programs for employees within organizations.

Researcher

Conduct educational research, either independently or as part of a research institution or think tank.

Career Coach

Help individuals, including students and young professionals, with career planning and development.

Online Course Instructor

Teach online courses on platforms like Coursera, Udemy, or Teachable in your area of expertise.

Museum Educator

Work in museums, science centers, or cultural institutions to develop and deliver educational programs.

Government or Policy Analyst

Analyze and shape education policy at the local, state, or federal level.

Entrepreneur

Start your own educational business, such as a tutoring center, language school, or education-related startup.

Human Resources

Transition to HR roles that involve employee training and development.

Instructional Coach

Provide support and mentoring to teachers to improve their instructional techniques and effectiveness.

Translator/Interpreter

If you have proficiency in other languages, consider a career as a translator or interpreter in various fields.

Is there a Life After Teaching Audiobook?

Yes, there most certainly is! So, if you have a long commute to work, or like to listen to things while you run or hike, this may be exactly what you need.

The even better news is that the book is free. Yes, you read that correctly. You can get your first book on Audible for free, so why not make it this one, right?

Check it out here: Life After ESL Audiobook.

FAQs

There are a number of common questions that people have about what to do for life after teaching. Here are the answers to some of the most popular ones.

What do people do after teaching abroad?

There are a number of things that people do after teaching abroad. Some of them continue in education, either in-person or online. Others work in higher education with international students while others go back to school and prepare for a career in a field other than education.

Is teaching abroad a good career?

Teaching abroad is a good career if you want to have some adventures and save some money to pay off student loans or travel. However, if you want to make a career out of it, get the qualifications (CELTA or MA TESOL) to go along with your experience.

Does teaching English abroad look good on a resume?

Teaching English abroad looks good on a resume, particularly if you want to work with children, or in the field of education and if it’s only for a year or two. However, a long hiatus from your desired field of employment can be a detriment in many cases.

What comes after TEFL?

After TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language), there are lots of opportunities. Some continue into administration positions or others go back to school to prepare for another career.

Can I teach English in Korea forever?

It’s impossible to teach English in Korea forever. Most jobs have age limits of around 60, and besides that, ageism is alive and well and most schools won’t hire you past the age of 50 or so.

Life After Teaching Abroad: Join the Conversation 

What are your thoughts about returning to your home country after teaching English abroad? What to do after teaching abroad for work? Leave a comment below and let us know about what to do after teaching. We’d love to hear from you.

Also be sure to give this article a share on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest to help other teachers, like yourself find this useful resource.

Last update on 2025-04-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API