Pros and Cons of Teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) Online
A synthesized waterfall shakes me out of a magnificent dream. Didn’t I just fall asleep? It is 3:20 a.m. and time for me to get up for work. I pull on some pants and throw on a nice t-shirt. Let the dog out. Turn on my computer and quickly brew a pot of coffee. Brush my hair and put on a bit of make-up including some bright red lipstick. By 3:45, I enter my office, do 20 squats to get my blood moving, gather up some stars and props, and turn the camera on as I conjure up my most brilliant smile. The clock strikes 4 a.m. It’s show time!
For the last 18 months, I’ve been teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) online. At first, it started as a side hustle, but now I teach online as my main job. I feel lucky to have this position, especially because when the rest of the United States was thrown into COVID-19 induced turmoil, I continued working as usual. A lot of people have been asking me about this job recently. While I mostly love my job as a virtual educator, it is not for everyone, and I’ll admit that I’ve struggled to stay positive at times. In this article, I’d like to discuss a few of the pros and cons I’ve experienced in my work as an online ESL teacher. This isn’t an exhaustive list, but just a few things I think people should consider before applying with an online ESL company.
Pro: You Can Make a Decent Amount of Money
When I first applied to teach online, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I would not only make more per hour than my “day job,” but I would make more per hour than most jobs in my town of Missoula, Montana. Many ESL companies pay between $14-$25/hour, with a number of different bonuses available. Although some of the company pay structures have changed since I first started, my pay remained at a rate around $20/hour, and I got a raise with one company at the beginning of my third contract. In addition, I received bonuses for opening up prime time slots, participating in challenges, and converting trial students. There is also the opportunity to get referral bonuses for referring other people as teachers. With my base pay and incentives, there were many months where I earned well over $2000 working part time. That’s not bad for a side hustle, but I realize many individuals, including myself would prefer a little more than “part-time” income.
Con: It Can Be Difficult to Make a Decent Amount of Money on a Consistent Basis
Although I usually gross $1400 – $2000 per month teaching online, I have other sources of income, and it took me a while to establish regular students to maintain the constant bookings needed to earn my target salary. I tell friends who are seeking quick employment amidst the coronavirus that it will most likely take 3-6 months to get consistent bookings, and even then booking rates fluctuate. Like starting any business, you’ll have to work hard to make yourself stand out among thousands of other teachers. Even when you have a good group of regulars, things can, and do change. Students move on, school schedules cause booking fluctuations, and holidays can lead to a string of cancellations. In addition, several online ESL companies are changing their pay and bonus schedules, so even veterans as often missing out on bonuses and other extra dollars. The last reason it can be difficult to earn a decent income is the fact that, even if you wanted to, it is difficult to work “full time” hours. I’ll talk more about that next.
Pro: You Have Flexible Schedule
One of the biggest perks of teaching online is that you get to set your own schedule. This is a great job for stay-at-home moms who want to earn extra money, yet still have the time to spend with their children. It’s also a good fit for people who want a side hustle because they can teach a few hours before going to their day job on weekdays, and/or they can work weekend mornings and evenings. Really anyone who seeks to set their own schedule would enjoy this work. While some ESL companies require teachers to be available for a certain number of hours a week, most don’t, so you can work as much or as little as you want.
This flexibility is also great if you like to travel. Many digital nomads teach ESL online because they can teach anywhere they have a secure internet connection. I, myself taught from many different locations while on the road. Of course, if you want to take time off for travel or other reasons, you can do that, too. Since you set your own schedule, you can take weeks or even months at a time off, if you like.
Con: Your Schedule Really Isn’t That Flexible
Having a flexible schedule can be awesome, but you might find that there are some downsides. For starters, most of the ESL companies serve students in China, and their peak times for tutoring are on weekday evenings between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Beijing time. Weekends are also popular for bookings. Teachers living in the continental U.S. will mostly have to work early mornings. How early depends on your time zone. For example, I live in Montana, which is Mountain Standard Time, and in order to stay fully booked, I usually work from 4-7 a.m. I also work some Friday and Saturday evenings. Basically, there aren’t teaching slots available during daytime hours, so you have to work early mornings or late nights on the weekends. I can sometimes fill weeknight hours, especially when students are out of school, but generally, the options are limited. This is great, as I said earlier for people who want a side hustle and have a day job, but it would honestly be difficult to make a “full time” income with these hours available. However, there are teachers who do “all-nighters,” and are able to fill their schedules, so your ability to earn your desired income is up to you.
Another con in regards to flexibility revolves around teacher cancellation of classes. In general, classes are booked a few weeks in advance, and once booked, there are penalties for cancellation. Most companies only allow a certain number of cancellations per contract, and if you cancel class last-minute, there could even be monetary deductions. Decreased bookings also are sometimes seen after cancelled classes. There are countless discussions on teacher forums about teachers teaching from airports, coffee shop parking lots, and even hospitals because they are afraid to cancel classes.
Pro: You’re An Independent Contractor
When working for most ESL companies, you are considered an independent contractor, meaning you are not employee of that company, but work for them on a contract basis. I like being an independent contractor because I’m free to work from wherever I like as long as I have an internet connection. Also, you can work for several different ESL companies if you like. This is great to fill in booking gaps, or just or see if one company might be a better fit for you than another. Lastly, I’m pretty much my own boss, and can make decisions on how I teach my classes as long as I keep up with company standards. It’s great to be able to utilize my creativity and teach
Con: You’re an Independent Contractor
There are some downsides to being an independent contractor. First of all, you are responsible for paying your own taxes, and different tax laws apply to those who are self-employed. I’m not an accountant, and you’ll have to consult a good tax accountant to determine your own tax situation, but just be aware that you’re responsible for paying taxes on your earnings. Also, as an independent contractor, you will have to purchase your own health insurance. In addition, I kind of touched on this above—you only get paid for the time you work. There is no sick leave or paid time off.
Pro: The Students
When you talk to most teachers, they will say that the greatest thing about teaching ESL online is the students. I wholeheartedly agree! It is wonderful connecting with students and families from around the world and my life is enriched so much by working with each of my students. Seeing their growth, not only in speaking English, but in so many other ways brings joy to my heart. The students are truly why I love this job!
This Can Be a Great Job!
Even though there are many things to consider, teaching ESL online can be a great career. Before taking the plunge, I encourage you to consider your salary requirements, available schedule, and whether or not you would like to be an independent contractor. If you choose to embark on the adventure as an ESL educator, you will be rewarded with rich connections with students while you pursue a viable remote career.