Teaching at Universities in Mexico

A good discussion developing at the ESL Cafe on getting teaching work at universities in Mexico.

Foodie asks:

Hi all,

First of all, I want to commend all of you for the wonderfully informative posts about teaching in Mexico. I've read many of them--some of them even multiple times--and found them very helpful.

I've been wondering about the best way to go about obtaining a university job in Mexico.

Here's some info. about me, if that helps:
1. Moderately fluent Spanish speaker and native English speaker
2. MA in TESOL
3. 1-2 years part time teaching experience and over 3 years of tutoring experience

Here are a few ways I'm thinking of applying for university jobs in Mexico:

1. Applying to jobs posted online (there are a few universities in Oaxaca that have posted at eslemployment.com and esljobs.com)

2. Flying to my city of choice, showing up at the Centro de Idiomas at the local university, and asking if there are any openings (I'd try to arrive around January or August). Right now, I'm looking at Oaxaca City, Guadalajara, Manzanillo (Colima), Salamanca (Guanajuato), or Xalapa (Veracruz).

3. Looking up universities online and emailing the director of the Centro de Idiomas at the ones that interest me. However, I'm not exactly sure what the best time to do this would be. And I have a feeling that the director would still want to interview me in person, which I don't mind flying to Mexico for as long as I know there are openings at a few universities so that I'm not left in a lurch.

Of the three options, which one(s) do you think would be the most fruitful? Also, what are good times of the year to start sending emails and what are good times to arrive in Mexico?

Thank you in advance for your suggestions!

MotherF responds:

I would suggest a three pronged approach. In many cases landing a job will be a case of being in the right place at the right time. So do as much as possible to get you or your resume into that right place.

People leave and positions open up at just about anytime of the year, but more positions will open for the start of the semester--which is Feb and August, so in January and July are good times to look. For fall openings, schools might now further in advance so may start recruiting earlier. But it often depends on both student enrollment as people leaving positions. And in Mexico schools are not big on early pre-enrollment, so often times are hiring on fairly short notice--that's why the people who are in the right place at that time get a job.

Leslie adds:

I have worked at the language center and the main campus for the Tec de Monterrey. I like it there. They pay well for Mexico, on-time, and do the paper work for your working visa (although you pay for it). The Tec does everything legit, and you are enrolled in the public health care system.

You can work in the language center, the prepa (high school), or the university. They want people with masters so if there is a position open you would probably get it. The better jobs (i.e. more pay, some full-time positions with better benefits like accomodation supplement) are in prepa and university.

I got my job by walking into the language center, but other foreigners have been recruited from abroad and are paid better than me!

If you want to check them out, I believe you can apply on-line at any of their campuses throughout Mexico. They start again in January, so I'd apply now if you want to start in January.

Here's the website:

http://www.itesm.edu/wps/wcm/connect/ITESM/Tecnologico+de+Monterrey/Herramientas/Empleo

more of the conversation at this link.