By María de la Lama
Since 2009 there has been
a dramatic increase in the demand for English teachers in our country. But even
though these professionals are needed in schools and universities, for many of
us those job offers do not respond to our expectations. Thus, it seems that
getting the desired job is not an easy matter.
I have been hiring
language teachers for a long time. And the truth is that most of the time
successful teachers get the job for reasons that go beyond language proficiency
and academic qualifications.
Many teachers may believe
that because of their command of the language and professional qualifications
they will be hired easily, hoping that the fulfillment of these two
requirements is enough.
Somehow
they have this idea in their minds:
Today, a strong command
of the English language, as well as an updated academic education, are expected;
but, unlike some years ago, they are not a plus anymore. In fact, in addition
to language competence and academic background, there are important
characteristics that employers have started looking for. Then, the traditional belief
that language competence and educational background are more than enough does
not work anymore. Let’s see how our graphic has changed:
The teacher as a human being, with their talents
and potential is indeed a key factor for the success of any language program. In particular, there is a need for teachers
with specific soft skills. Without them all the language competence and professional
qualifications won’t be enough to reach an institutional goal. So which are
those characteristics that will boost hiring probabilities?
About the teacher’s personality
traits
ü
Cares for their professional
growth
ü
Has excellent communication
skills
ü
Knows how to handle conflicts
and keep personal problems away from their work.
ü
Has empathy
ü
Knows how to listen
About the way a teacher
works
ü
Enjoys working in groups and has
the potential to become a leader in the institution
ü
Cares for their students’
progress
ü
Keeps their students’
motivation
ü
Loves to change the way things
are done
ü
Has developed good
organizational skills
An educational activity
will be successful only if the teacher, in addition to transmitting knowledge,
makes an effort to reach the student through careful listening, continuous
motivation and genuine interest in the development of their pupils.
And now your turn:
Are you looking for a job?
How are your job skills?
BIODATA:
DE LA
LAMA, MARIA, Bachelor in Education, has a master's degree in Applied
Linguistics and a Bachelor's in Linguistics, both obtained at the University of
California, Davis. She also holds an MBA from Universidad del Pacífico. She
currently serves as the Director of the Language Center at Universidad del
Pacífico.
