Looking for work in Rome.

Finding Work!!
I decided it was about time I started earning some money again. Traveling around Europe having a great time does not bring in the money and with the cost of living in Rome (apparently its 99.7% of the cost of living in London) is astronomical and wages are generally low. For someone who doesn’t speak Italian job opportunities are limited to, basically, teaching English. The majority of schools who are looking for teachers want CELTA qualified people.. and that’s where moi comes in. However Italy is infamous for its short term ‘contracts’ offering teachers a few hours a week at very low rates even for those who are CELTA qualified. Moreover the teachers do not teach in the school but give ‘private’ lessons in people’s homes or places of business.

I scoured the Wanted in Rome magazine (the magazine for ex pats living in Rome) and applied for half a dozen jobs. There always seem to be a lot of vacancies and I have discovered the reason why. Most of the schools employ teachers for a few hours a week and when those teachers have some experience they grab the first permanent position that comes along usually moving to another school. It does make you ask the question, why do Employers not learn and hold on to good staff? But that’s a political minefield and one I am not qualified to enter.

At this stage I have a job at twelve euros an hour working 6 hours a week over two evenings. I start on Monday 5th and the teaching is outside the school. HELLO!! With my rent costing 500 euros a month I do realize I could be destitute before Christmas!

I have three interviews lined up over the next 10 days (my course doesn’t finish until the 8th) and from what I can gather they are reputable schools, although being told by my prospective employer to text him from the front door to be let in does leave me wondering…J

From what I can gather teaching Business English is the most lucrative and the hardest to get into as most of the new teachers with CELTA are young and don’t have the experience I have. One point for us experienced oldies!! Anyway.. time will tell and in the meantime I am just working on getting through the last four days of my course in one piece and of sound mind.