How Did You Get Your Online Teaching Job

Online teaching jobs are a dream career for many academic and business professionals. Few other professions let you make a difference in the lives of students while working in your pajamas. However, it can be difficult to break into the world of virtual learning and find an online teaching job that works for you. 

How did you become an online teacher? Share your experience and see what other online instructors have to say. Share Your Story

Systematic Applying

I started a systematic list which I turned into a blog and combed through it regularly. Once I landed the first job, the rest came quickly. I now work full time at home teaching online. The list is at http://onlineadjunctjobs.blogspot.com.

Recruited After Taking Online Course

I got my job coaching/facilitating online after taking a course through a prestigious university. I was working overseas, took a professional development and was approached by the university and offered a paid online position which I can do from anywhere in the world. It gives me a nice supplemental income to my regular full time job. It is not enough to live off however, and I am currently looking for a second opportunity so I can increase my online income. I have found this to be a really wonderful experience in that I am interacting with other educators all over the world... I am teaching for a graduate school of education and facilitating a professional development course.

Found Job Listing and Completed Training

I was looking for an online position and found it through Monster.com. I applied, they phoned, put me through the grueling training and mentorship and I have been teaching online, consistently, for two years now. Just a little tidbit, the university that I work for has a 50% success rate for its new hires. It is a very tough training and mentorship...I think my hire date was in January and I wasn't officially hired on until after I taught my first class which was in August! Hang tough, though, it is worth it!!!

Asked an Experienced Online Teacher

I had a friend who was teaching online classes. I asked her about how she got started and went from there. Most of the university websites have a link to "Become a faculty member" or something similar. I sent my resume and then went through online and telephone interviews. The next step was training. I've been teaching online for almost three years and I love it! If you enjoy teaching, it is a wonderful experience to work with online students. I find the majority of my students very eager to learn and appreciative of the guidance I offer them.

Self-training

I'd been delivering a traditional vocational education & training (VET) program and had developed skills in online communication trying to engage students between classes - I regularly use free online social media to do this. When a new online course was developed in my institute, a contractual requirement stated that a mentor should be employed to support students. Because I'd been promoting the benefits of online interaction with trade apprentices and trade skill assessment candidates, my online skills were well known, and I was asked to mentor students in the new program. It's an interesting job - I contribute to the course content, learn the course as a student (so I can get the new qualification), teach the course content, engage and encourage students, and reflect on my learning to benefit other mentors following the same path. Saw an Ad in the Paper ]I was simply reading the local paper one day, saw an ad, went online filled in the form and submitted my resumé.

Applied Online

I just put through an application for a 2-year online program and did the phone interviews all through the internet. I had previously taught as an adjunct at a community college and the recruiter I spoke with seemed impressed with that as a background. Maybe I just got lucky.

Used a Friend as a Reference

A friend of mine was working for an online college for a couple years and let me use him as a reference on the online teaching job app. Of course, I also met all of the requirements (M.A. degree, some classroom teaching experience, etc.). I do think it helps to have someone give you a foot in the door though.

Deepa Singh
Business Developer
Web Site:-http://www.gyapti.com
Blog:- http://gyapti.blogspot.com
Email Id:-deepa.singh@soarlogic.com