ABC360 : ESL English for All

 

In a world full of unemployment, the most sought after job nowadays is in the Business Process Outsourcing industry (BPO) or many may know it as the Call Center industry. A lot of people turn to these companies when they have nowhere else to go, you would be surprised at the number of people who have Bachelor’s, Baccalaureate, and Associate’s degree who work there as well. It is true that people who work in this industry earn a lot of money, however; their health is at risk. Because of the graveyard shift that they are in, they lose control of their body clock and are not getting enough rest.

 

So, is there a better alternative to the BPO industry?

 

Yes, there is, and it’s in the English as a Second Language industry (ESL). It gives you the same benefit maybe even more as being in the BPO, but of course, graveyard shift excluded. So now, you get to have that beauty rest. There are two options for you. You can work office-based or home-based. However, I suggest that you work as a home-based teacher. Not only can you cut down on fare expenses but you can have more time to yourself and family.

 

Great, I want to apply but what company should I go for?

 

With high confidence, I recommend you to go for ABC360. They offer audio and video classes for their students.

 

Tell me about ABC360

 

ABC360 stands for “Achieving, Believing, Caring and Transforming Lives 360.” The number 360 was derived from the mathematical angle which means all over. So to sum it up, ABC360 aims to achieve in giving their clients a satisfactory education, ABC360 believes in the abilities and capability of their clients to learn the global language, and last but not the least, ABC360 cares for their clients in all possible angles, against all the toughness and difficulty of learning the global language.

ABC360 is one of the best leading English tutorial company in China. They provide their service for Chinese children as young as 3 years old, teenagers, college students, professionals and retirees as old as 80 years old. ABC30 has a branch in Thailand and also in the Philippines, specifically in Baguio, where they also offer office-based employment for Filipinos and expatriates (an expatriate is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country other than that of their citizenship, they are sometimes referred to as expats) within the area. The teaching doesn’t stop in Thailand and in the Philippines, ABC360 also has teachers employed all over the world, different nationalities working at the comfort of their home. So, if they could, why couldn’t you?

 

Wow, I want in! But what are the qualifications?

 

The company doesn’t require much from you, don’t worry. Here’s the checklist, I’m sure you would tick almost all of it.

o   High school graduate. (That’s right! So it’s a good opportunity for people who didn’t afford to go to college to get a decent job.)

o   With or without experience. (But of course, experience would be an advantage, they would determine your hourly rate through it.)

o   Good oral and written command of the English language. (Obviously, since you’re going to teach it.J )

o   Neutral accent. (Not a requirement but definitely an up for you to get more students if you have an American or British accent. Hey, don’t stress about it, a lot of teachers start off with a neutral accent but eventually learn to speak like a native after a good lot of practice.)  

 

I’m good to go, now what equipment should I have?

 

o   A quiet environment and neat background. (Preferably white but you can also just put up a curtain behind you. J )

o   A laptop. (Not necessarily brand new but it’s best if you have a laptop that has a 2gb ram and the latest Windows program.)

o   A webcam. (Make sure it’s clear, and I suggest choose one that comes with LED lights just in case you would be having night classes and for dim backgrounds.)

o   A noise-cancelling headphone or headset. (This is definitely a must, if you’re not confident enough that you have a quiet environment, then you should definitely have one. I highly recommend Plantronics brand, it’s not that cheap but it’s better than putting up your own sound proofed room, right?)

o   A wired internet with a speed of 3mbps. (But a higher one would be great, it gives you a plus on the quality of lessons you will give to your students.)

o   A SKYPE account. (This will be used during your interview.)

Now here’s a few that I personally suggest:

 

•         A back up plan. What would you do if there’s a sudden power interruption? As for me, I’ve searched around the vicinity if there’s a near computer shop where I could continue my classes.
•         An extra battery if you are using a laptop. Also, a pocket Wi-Fi. Just in case of sudden power interruptions, it can help you get through classes and buys you time to inform your other students for an adjusted schedule.

 

Great, I have all the equipment. What’s the application process?

 

I. APPLICATION

 

Go to their WEBSITE

Answer and fill up honestly all the needed information.

(These are just basic questions, like your nationality, personal details, Skype account, and educational background. Also, prepare your scanned copies of your Diploma, Certificate of Employments, TEFL, TESOL, etc. certifications if you have any and you updated resume because you are going to attach it here.)

 

II. ONLINE GRAMMAR EXAM

 

You are now going to take an Online Grammar Exam; it has three parts. Vocabulary, Sentence Construction, and Reading Comprehension. You will be given a time limit of 20 minutes and you are going to answer 35 questions that totals to 40 points. Getting a 30 is good, but getting 35 and above is great, it will be a good touch for your credibility.

 

Sneaky tip:

1.   You can use Google if you are not sure of your answers, just as long as you can make it on time.
2.   To be safe, use Google only after answering all the questions, this way you know that you still have a lot of time left. Maximize it mate. 😉 It never hurts to be sure.

 

III. APPOINTMENT

 

If you passed the Online Grammar Exam. Great job! Now you are ready to set your appointment. You will be shown a calendar and you can choose the date of your interview. Though the time will not be definite, you need to keep your lines in Skype active at the day you chose to be interviewed. You can do it!

 

IV. INTERVIEW

 

Here comes your appointed date of assessment. You will be interviewed by the Human Resource Recruitment Officer. It will probably be by their Filipino or Chinese staff, either way, both are very nice and friendly but still professional. You are just going to be asked simple questions here, mainly just to keep you talking for them to assess your pronunciation, grammar, and confidence. After the interview, you will be asked to do a Demo Class or Mock Call. They are going to provide the topic and book for you. You will be given 5 minutes to prepare. The “student” is usually the HR pretending to be Chinese who has difficulty in speaking English, so be patient in making out their words.

 

Tips for the Mock Call:

1.   Introduce yourself. Not too long. You are only usually given 3 minutes to build rapport with your student.
2.   State your objective. (State what your student will learn in your class. For e.g. “Today, we are going to learn about “title of book or topic” it will help your skills in “speaking/listening/reading/etc.”
3.   Do not forget to wrap up if your time is almost over. Ask the student what he/she learned in your class and give a brief summary of your lesson.

 

Now, after your mock call or demo class, the interviewer will tell you immediately if you are hired or if you can try again after 6 months.

Wow, that was fast! 3 steps only. How much is the salary?

 

Your salary will depend on how industrious and hardworking you are. The more slots you open, the more hours you will accumulate. Some teachers earn as high as 30,000 pesos per month for the salary itself, you still have a lot of incentives which could be up to 5,000 pesos if you do qualify to it. A total of approximately 35,000 pesos per month. Not bad, isn’t it?

 

What is my hourly rate?

 

Your hourly rate will be based on your performance during the mock call or demo class. The basic is 105 pesos. But, you can get a raise every 3 months depending on your evaluation. The ceiling rate is 200 pesos. Wow! So, work your way into it mate, in a year you could have an hourly rate of 200 pesos. Kaching!

 

Does the company give incentives?

 

Of course! The company takes care of their clients but mostly, they take care of their teachers. Why? Because without them, the company wouldn’t function. So, a discouraged teacher would not be an asset to the company because they would just usually play games and be lousy with their classes and ABC360 tries to avoid those possibilities as much as they can.

Here are some of the incentives you could get, “some” because ABC360 usually adds one every now and then:

1.   Peak Hour Bonus

If you open your slots during the peak hours which is usually from 6pm-10pm.

2.   Accumulated Slots Bonus

If you reached the target accumulated valid slots in a month.

3.   No Negative Feedback

When you got through the month without a single student giving you a bad comment.

4.   No Cancellation

If you got through the month without any cancelled classes, with or without excuse.

5.   Seniority Bonus

This is given to teachers to encourage them to stay longer with the company. The longer you are with the company, the higher you get.

 

That’s a relief, ABC360 has a lot to offer. What is my schedule when I start working?

 

This is one of the advantages of being in ABC360, you can open your slots any time from 6am-12mn. So basically, your work hours depend on what time you want and what time you are available. Just as long as you open a minimum of 9 slots per day. If I were you, I’d open as many as I can for my extra ₱.

 

Do I have a day off?

 

Yes of course, just like any other human being we need our rest. But here’s the catch, you choose your own day off. Pretty neat huh?

 

Does the company have a dress code?

 

Not really, but it would be nice if you make yourself look professional. A simple t-shirt and top it off with a blazer would do it. Plus, a powder and some lipstick does the work for girls.

 

Sneaky tip: Since I just stay at home, what I usually do is dress up on the upper part and leave my pajama’s on below. 😉 Saves me time and laundry work.

 

Wow, it’s been a long journey with you. Now, you are ready to take the journey to the interesting world of the ESL industry. If you have further questions you can send me a message here or email me at [email protected] or for faster response to your queries you can visit my Facebook page You can ask me all the questions you want after liking my profile pictures. Just kidding.

Good luck mate! You can do it!