Do you want to feel more secure in your online ESL teaching job? Policies are always changing and you may have felt a sense of instability. Or you may just wonder why most online ESL teachers teach for multiple companies!
Here are my top 4 reasons why you should teach online for more than one company! As well as some suggestions of different companies that you can apply to if you’re looking to expand!
If you’re new here, I’m Danie–an online ESL teacher of 4 years who’s helped hundreds of applicants become and thrive as online ESL teachers. I’ve also built my own e-commerce business aligned with the online teaching community. I strive to help online teachers wanting to start teaching, become better teachers, or build a business of their own.
(This post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small commission if you purchase from one of these links at no extra cost to you.)
4 Reasons why you should teach online for more than one company:
Reason 1: YOU CAN.
With most online ESL companies you’re an independent contractor, so it’s legal for you to work with other companies.
Reason 2: Increased Stability
The second reason why you should teach online for more than one company is that it adds stability to your online teaching career. I tell all my referrals with Gogokid that they should also look to other companies as well once they get a strong understanding of the Gogokid platform. Having more than one company means you don’t have to solely rely on just that one company. Let’s say they change policies and it’s a big pay cut for you (happened for many teachers with VIPKID recently), having a backup company you already have a contract with allows you flexibility and peace of mind.
Reason 3: Find Your Perfect Fit
The third reason why you should teach online for more than one company is it helps you see what kind of platform you prefer. Maybe you like 1-on-1 classes like VIPKID and Gogokid, but maybe you actually thrive in group classes and so you’re better at Outschool or Magic Ears. You won’t know until you try, and so working for more than one company allows you to understand where you thrive and understand what company is the best fit for you. You really won’t know that though until you teach your first few classes.
Reason 4: Leverage Your Pay
The 4th reason why you should teach online for more than one company is you can often increase your pay by getting one company down and then applying to another company and using that experience as a way to negotiate a higher pay. I know for me, my pay difference with VIPKID and Gogokid is super substantial almost 2 dollars because they asked what I made with VIPKID (which i’d been with already for 2 years) and offered me a higher salary because they knew i’d be an asset to the company.
Companies I Recommend:
Now, moving on to the next section of this video, I’m going to share what online teaching companies I recommend if you’re looking to add on.
A quick note, if you’re looking to apply and you want to know what classroom teaching essentials I recommend, click here to read what I use.
VIPKID
- Very well established
- Classes are 1-on-1, 25 minutes long
- Students 4-16 in China
- Over 100,000 teachers
- Curriculum made for you
Gogokid
- Awesome curriculum
- Newer company
- 1-on-1 classes, 25-minutes long
- Students 4-16 in China
- Curriculum made for you!
- Interested in Gogokid, check out my FB page, Gogokid Hiring Guide to get help and ask questions with others going through the process
- I also have this video on the current application process.
Magic Ears/QKids
- Multiple students
- Great cancellation policy
- I don’t work for these, but @TheCassieLeighann has worked for both, and she says Qkids is better and really likes teaching for them!
Outschool
- I was just hired with Outschool, and I’m so excited to start!
- Outschool is based in the USA, and is not an ESL company
- You create your own curriculum and set your own rates!
- Multiple students at a time
- Interested in applying, Join my FB group Outschool Application Help!
I hope you have a better idea of how powerful it can be to teach for more than one company, and some great companies you can expand with!
Have an awesome day!
