Although not every TESOL professional position will require a college degree, a good standard of education is expected of TESOL applicants. The minimum requirement to study for a TESOL is to be a high school graduate, but a majority of the participants are college graduates with four-year degrees. For the higher-paid teaching jobs, having a degree counts and those with degrees are likely to have an advantage over those without. Most time, the first thing an employer will look for is the level of education that the job applicants have. So, although you are able to study for the TESOL qualification with a high school diploma, a degree will help you to open doors.
To become a TESOL teacher there is no required teaching experience as you will be trained to their standards throughout the course. Because a vast majority of TESOL recruits are graduating students it also does not matter if new recruits have no relevant work experience at all. Prospective employers however, will be interested in any relevant experience candidates have as they will be looking for certain qualities for their teachers. Such qualities they are looking for include good organizational skills, experience in education-related work and classroom management knowledge. An ideal way to acquire these skills if you are a student is to volunteer your time with education services and with private tutoring. These experiences will not only look good on your resume, but will also allow you to get first-hand experience teaching.
Anyone over the age of 18 years old is allowed to apply to become a TESOL professional. Even if your college graduation days are far behind you, do not be dissuaded from applying. TESOL recruits come from all walks of life and each one has a unique set of skills and knowledge to bring with them which companies will look at in addition to TESOL qualifications and age. Each school will be different with some looking for experienced professionals who have been working for several years while others will be keen to hire graduates. Either way the TESOL qualification is open to all adults who are interested in taking part.