By Megan Bond, M.Ed. Candidate

Late January saw the return of the annual Teachers’ Overseas Recruiting Fair  (TORF) organized by the team at Education Career Services. For the past 24 years, TORF has been a meeting ground for international school recruiters and teachers seeking employment abroad.  

With more than 70 international schools from 40-50 different countries every year, TORF is the largest recruiting fair of its kind in Canada, attracting candidates from across Canada in search of the right “fit”.

 

TORF Registration

One such candidate at this year’s fair was Erin Gudmundson, a 5th year teacher who travelled all the way from Edmonton, Alberta with hopes of finding a new career challenge.

“Friends that I worked with went to it two years ago and went away to Malaysia. They came back this year and haven’t stopped talking about it, and recommended it for me knowing the type of person I am.”

Having a sense of adventure is a common attribute among candidates who attend the Fair, and this is something that recruiters look for during the interview process.

Personality, flexibility, empathy, qualifications, and passion are many of the qualities that Ghada Bou Zeineddine looks for when searching for the right “fit” for her school, Qatar Academy Al-Khor in the Middle East.  When asked about their motivations in choosing to attend TORF, recruiters emphasized the unique character of the fair at Queen’s. 

Recruiters and teachers arranging interviews

Zeineddine explained, “It is the personal touch that makes you return. You are special. They show how they care about your school.”

Dr. Robert Sims, Director at Colegio Granadino in Manizales, Colombia described the factors contributing to his long-standing relationship with the Faculty of Education and TORF staff.

“What is unique about TORF is the atmosphere. It is hard to overestimate the power of the TORF crew, and the energy and passion of first year teachers… With the new online system of screening candidates the fair is managing to modernize but it also maintains that sense of family.”

The individualized and intimate nature of the fair was also expressed by Zenineddine, “Other fairs are much bigger and you are just a number, but here we are special.”

The candidates felt special too. Once registration packages were retrieved, candidates eagerly searched inside for blue cards indicating recruiters’ interest in an interview.

Gudmundson elaborated on her first impressions upon receipt of some blue cards, “I was ecstatic. I was so happy. I was so excited. Those couple of schools that I had my eye on had requested interviews with me. I was on cloud nine, to say the least.”

Chris Slattery, an experienced overseas teacher, had seven interviews, three of which were promising. “You are balancing a lot of thoughts and responsibilities in a span of hours. You have to be prepared to accept the outcomes as well. It is easy to be emotional as a lot is at stake.”

Teachers of varied experience levels came away from the weekend with positions at international schools for the upcoming academic year. As Slattery explained, “Even if you leave without concrete offers it’s still positive. How could it not be? It’s not like it’s ‘goodbye’. The placement service continues.” 

Recruiters and teachers arranging interviews

Alan Travers, Elspeth Morgan, and Chelsea Barna at Education Career Services work to place teachers throughout the year as job opportunities arise.

Recruiters seek the expertise of Education Career Services in locating new staff.  This can be attributed to the reputation of Canadian teachers, as noted by Michael Crowley, Assistant Director of the International School of Brussels, Belgium: “The quality of candidates is exceptional. They are open and interested in what is beyond the classroom. They provide an extra dimension.” 

It can be a gamble traveling from a distance to attend the fair as a candidate, but in Erin Gudmunson’s case it was well worth it. By the end of the weekend she had received three solid offers from schools in Colombia, Singapore, and Malaysia.

It was a tough decision but after listening to her gut instincts she knew the right fit was in her reach. She will be leaving Edmonton this summer to begin a new adventure in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  And it begins…