‘$2000/ week for teaching English – 10 steps to combine travel with TEFL to make big money’

Yes, you read the title right. A top class VIP nanny, tutor or governess job can pay salaries of up to $2000 per week, whilst giving you the ability to travel at the same time.

If you’ve been nannying or teaching TEFL in a school or an English club, that number probably seems crazy. But it’s true. These jobs exist.

But… How?

Well, it’s quite simple. There are rich, high profile and VIP families in a number of locations where English teaching is in high demand. These people are in need of and looking out for personal tutors and staff to work with their kids, and they’re prepared to pay for quality.

In a one-sentence summary: wealthy families want top English teachers and English language nannies to care for their children and teach them to speak English like a native.

And in return for the ‘sacrifice’ of moving to a new country and setting up shop away from home, these nannies, tutors, teachers and governors are well-rewarded.

These ‘jet set’ nanny or tutor jobs can come with enormous perks. Aside from the obvious benefit of the high salaries on offer, VIP childcare and tutor work generally includes first class travel and excellent working conditions, as the employer is keen to make sure that their tutor stays with them in the long-term.

So how do you get a job like this?

I’ve summed up 10 points below to get you on your way to making $2000 per week teaching English and travelling. Get your notepad ready and read on!

1. Know your target market

As I briefly touched on above, you need to know what kind of work pays best.

As a general rule, summer camps, online tutoring and local-level primary school teaching don’t tend to pay particularly well. These kinds of positions will generally pay you anything from $5/ hour or a $20 daily rate up to perhaps $20/ hour or $80/ day.

International schools (or, for that matter, universities) will offer you a more stable monthly salary. This could be anywhere from $2000 – $5000 per month, and occasionally more for positions that carry a certain amount of responsibility.

But at the top end of the spectrum, VIP nanny, full-time or travel tutoring and governor or governess work pay the big bucks. Salaries here start around $1000 per week and can skyrocket to $15,000 per month and more.

To find these jobs you will need a suitable platform – our own Jobs in Childcare website is a good source of VIP positions or you can do your own research and seek out VIP nannying or tutoring work; online is your best bet.

2. Be flexible – especially with regards to your location

With that in mind, you’ll need to think about where you’re going. Yes, travelling is great fun in India, Vietnam or South America, but these aren’t the kind of locations where the big money English jobs are found. The best paid language, tutoring and childcare positions are based in places like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Moscow, London, New York or Switzerland. Think big, wealthy cities where English isn’t a native tongue or a lot of the wealth is international.

You should bear in mind that candidates receiving the highest salaries will almost certainly be expected to travel with work. They may be asked to consider schedules with longer hours than usual, weekdays off, split shifts or even ‘floating’ days off which change each week according to the client’s convenience.

As a top level candidate you should also be aware that many clients expect this kind of flexibility at work. You may have to make your own plans carefully, and be aware that your employer’s plans may change at the last minute. This is simply part of being a VIP tutor, and if you can’t handle the fast pace then maybe this isn’t for you.

3. Make sure your experience and qualifications fit the bill

Naturally, your prior work experience will affect the salary you are able to command. It is very difficult to go directly from completing your degree or an au pair or babysitting job straight through to a high salary position.

You should aim to take steps instead – from your qualifications (ideally in either childcare, teaching or languages) through to jobs that you stay in long enough to get results and a good reference. Always try to complete your contract unless force majeure or working conditions make it impossible. Following this route you can hope to hit a top salary position with as little 3-5 years’ experience (thanks to high market demand), provided the rest of your CV fits the bill.

4. Develop your language skills

A nanny or governess who combines their experience and the above flexibility with solid language skills can go a long way down the high salary path. Language ‘skills’ may be as simple as a thorough understanding of your own language and the ability to teach it practically, progressively and effectively. Knowledge of a second (or third) language that you are able to pass on and teach to students or charges is a huge plus.

Note that musical ability and specific sporting talents are massively beneficial when applying for VIP nanny or governess roles. So get studying and practising – if you want to sit on the top shelf you’d better start using your free time productively and wisely!

5. Have a top class CV

This should be obvious.

Your qualifications and experience need to be complemented in the recruitment process with an excellent CV.

Your CV should be sensibly presented and formatted, with information about your experience and achievements. Avoid detailing irrelevant roles. CVs that are too long are off putting for recruiters. Make it concise, informative and to the point and remember and that the most successful nanny and tutoring job applications usually also include supporting photos.

6. Presentability

So your CV is ready and you’re raring to go – now you need to look the part. In fact, you should look AND feel as if you are worth $2000/ week, from your interview to the first day of your contract.

Your best bet is to wear clean, new clothing and maintain a ‘professional’ work hairstyle. Do your best to keep your skin moisturised and healthy and keep tic tacs or gum for fresh breath. Good hygiene is essential, so your hair and nails need to be clean. Most families will see you as an ‘extension’ of their family, a representative, so you need to be sharp here. 

Smart, clean new shoes or a nice watch can go a long way to demonstrating to any potential employer that you are used to top notch working conditions (and the salary that comes with them). But this isn’t a fashion show – anything you wear should be measured, professional and understated, but unquestionably smart (with the exception of sports clothing or similar for activities with your charges). Any perfume or aftershave you wear will need to comply with work regulations (some employers will not allow it) and should certainly never be a strong fragrance.

7. Punctuality

If you connect with an agency through Jobs in Childcare, ensure care and punctuality throughout your dealings with the agency and, later on, the family or employer.

Make sure your spelling and grammar are faultless in any written communication. If you are not confident with your English grammar, download a grammar checker or ask a friend to go over your CV and correspondence. Ensure that your responses to emails and other communication are prompt; this looks good even if you don’t end up taking the job. Be professional and let your organisational skills shine through the hiring process.

8. Interview well

OK – So. You look the part and your CV is great. You’ve applied properly and found an agency interested in your profile.

Now you need to nail the interview.

The most important factors for a successful interview are organisation (like being on time and suitably dressed with a good wifi connection), having a great smile and a professional attitude, and being creative and well-prepared. The best interviews will also have something a little exceptional about them. Top candidates often have something to show or demonstrate in their interviews such as quality photos, arts and crafts, or videos of work with children of previous clients or otherwise.

9. Resilience

Bear in mind that these jobs are not always cakewalks.

Dealing with unexpected situations may indeed call for a sense of internal toughness. You may experience homesickness if you are working away from home. Your schedule may change unexpectedly, or the children you work with may be badly behaved. You will need to be able to keep your chin up when the going gets tough and to dig deep in difficult situations if you really want to hit the top nanny or governess salary bracket. Make sure you’re ready for anything if you’re in this line of work.

10. Know your worth

Finally, bear in mind that you need a ‘can do’ attitude for VIP and high salary nanny and governess jobs. This applies to your application (you need to believe you can do it!) and also the interview process. The best mindset to have for this type of position is to remain fun and active, whilst being well-organised, flexible and good at solving problems. Problem solving is important, because you can come across a number of unexpected situations in these types of positions.

Well that’s it! 

If you feel comfortable and confident with all the above and believe in yourself, you really are destined to make the big bucks. 

A last word of warning – be extremely careful not to overvalue yourself, which can upset the agency you are working with and ultimately leave you red-faced. Know what you want, but do not burn any bridges by coming across as unreasonable in your demands. Avoid treading on the toes of your agency by being demanding.

But with the right personality, attitude and direction – perhaps one of these top notch English language positions could be yours.

Good luck!

This article was written by James Alger – founder of www.jobsinchildcare.com. You can find more of James’s content on the Jobs in Childcare website.