Choosing Between an Agency and Freelancing for ESL Teaching

Introduction

In my last blog, I talked about virtual assistant agencies versus direct hires. Today, I’ll share my thoughts on whether it’s better to work with an agency or as a freelance ESL teacher. I’ve tried both and prefer working with an agency.

Why Agencies Are Beneficial

Agencies often handle more projects, whether for virtual assistants or ESL teachers. I was surprised by this at first, but I’ve learned that supporting others can help you succeed too. This may not apply to everyone, but it’s been my experience.

Challenges of Freelancing

As a private tutor, I had only three classes a day. The pay was good because I kept all the money. However, if a class was canceled, I had to find new students and do marketing. Sometimes, I had no income, which was hard, especially as a self-employed person. That’s why I suggest new teachers start with an agency.

Benefits of Working with an Agency

An agency can give you many classes and handle communication with students. For example, one agency gave me 20 classes a week at first, which is about 5 hours of work a day. Over time, this grew to 55 or even 60 classes. I’m thankful for the agency’s support, even though they take a cut of the income. Building trust with the agency has been helpful. They handle concerns and keep providing students.

Potential Downsides

However, if an agency doesn’t like your teaching style, it can affect your work. I once upset an agency, and I lost all my students quickly.

Conclusion

Despite the downsides, I recommend working with an agency, especially for new teachers. It allows you to focus on teaching without worrying about marketing and other tasks.

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