Teaching Business English

Ever wondered if there was a way to exploit your knowledge of the business world as a means to earn extra income or fund travels abroad? If you found yourself nodding to that question then perhaps you should consider teaching business English.

What is Business English?

What it says on the tin: English language lessons slanting towards business terminology, concepts, and ideas. It’s definitely not suited for lower-lever speakers as students are expected to have a strong basis that can be fine-tuned.

Typically, students will be adults and professionals looking to boost their employability rather than teens or younger kids. You will almost always require further training or comprehensive knowledge of the business world or you will find yourself completely out of your depth. Fortunately, this extra experience and training often result in a better salary than normal teaching.

Get Qualified

There are a multitude of ways to become a Business English teacher.

TEFL Course

An effective and relatively simple way to qualify is to complete a business English course. Usually, they are relatively short courses that help to specialize and build upon pre-existing knowledge on TEFL methodology. A good example is the 30-hour TEFL Business English course for ESL teachers provided by The TEFL Org, which costs around $200. Alternatively you can enrol to teaching Business English WITS University

Completing a course and attaining an accredited certificate proves to employers that you have training in the field and know your stuff. It’s advised that you have a more extensive background of experience and qualifications before you do a business English course because that alone is not so attractive to employers. A guide to teaching English will help you become a Business English Teacher.

Degree

Not all Business English positions require a degree, but some do. When they are required, it will usually be a bachelor’s of any field. It is more common for business English positions to require this level of qualification purely because employers expect a higher level of experience and expertise than what is standard.

Best Destinations

The truth is, you can teach Business English almost anywhere - the fact that English itself is in demand in most countries, coupled with the fact that this is a more specialized version of teaching means that it’s possible to work in most places. So, the countries listed below are there because they have a particularly high demand for business English and also doing some research could help you to find TEFL Jobs online.

Germany

Germany’s level of English fluency is notably high, meaning it’s never really enjoyed ‘top TEFL destination’ status. That being said, there is still a healthy market for teaching jobs here. This is particularly true where business English is concerned since it is more in demand here. Experience is king in Germany and employers will prioritize that over other aspects of your CV.

Annoyingly for some, it is harder for non-EU citizens to land a job here due to visa restrictions. A knowledge of German, a local friend, or even a translator might be needed to battle through the visa process.

Average salary: $1,900 - $3,000 per month.

Mexico

Mexico enjoys a close working relationship with its northerly neighbor, the USA. This means that there is a strong demand for business English due to the large number of young professionals looking to improve their job prospects. Requirements are not quite as stringent as in Germany, but still more so than non-Business English teachers; a TEFL certificate is the bare minimum.

Average salary: $600 - $1,200 per month.

China

The TEFL powerhouse that is China is, perhaps unsurprisingly, one of the best places in the world for business English. Swathes of young professionals seek to improve their fortunes by learning western business culture and English terminology. A degree and TEFL certificate are standard requirements here - not just for employers, but to meet the strict visa regulations, too - and experience is the cherry on top that will see a lot of doors open to you.

Average salary: $1,200 - $3,700 per month.

Online

Finally, we come to the online world. The TEFL industry, as well as tutoring of all subjects and fields, has grown exponentially in the last two decades online. As an increasing number of people realize the benefits of working from a laptop - more autonomy, better schedules, access to students internationally, more affordable - the demand for online tutors grows. This includes business English tutors.

There are a couple of main ways to set yourself up as an online tutor: freelance or working for a company. Both provide a bit of leeway in terms of who you teach, when, and where. It also means salaries can vary massively depending on who you work for, how good you are at marketing yourself, and how much experience you have. If you want to go down this route, then I suggest looking into completing a teaching online course as well.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or the management of EconoTimes