Start Building the Career You Want – with Martin Hajek

Author Martin Hajek talks about the importance of role models and access to information to make informed decisions about our careers in the English Language Teaching industry. Martin shares three stories from his latest book More Than A Gap Year Adventure that demonstrate the wide range of career paths that are possible.Watch with closed captions here.Inspiration Behind the BookMartin shares how his training as a journalist inspired him to start researching and compiling various essays from educators around the world for More Than A Gap Year Adventure.Challenging Negative NarrativesPart of the inspiration for the title of the book was to challenge the perception that work in the industry is temporary and lacking in professional training and roles. He goes on to talk about the role click-through TEFL certificate course providers have to play in perpetuating this misconception.Three Different StoriesMartin shares three very different essays featured in More Than A Gap Year Adventure that sheds light on work in assessment and material design as just a few examples of what is possible in the ELT field.ABOUTMartin Hajek is a freelance ELT professional based in Colombia. Originally a journalist, he decided to sign up for a CELTA course at the age of 30. Martin immediately fell in love with teaching English and started looking for a way to move beyond entry-level jobs, which led him to complete a DELTA. Martin focuses on career development, language assessment, phonology, and teaching listening skills. In February 2024, he self-published More Than a Gap Year Adventure, a collaborative book aimed at those who wish to have a long-term career in the ELT profession.REFERENCESHajek, M. (2024) More Than a Gap Year Adventure: How to Make a Long-Term Career out of TEFL. IndependentFOLLOWBlog TEFL in ColumbiaLinkedInSUPPORT US💻 Sponsor us☕ Buy us a coffee⭐ Leave a reviewTHE PRODUCER'S EDITGet inspired to record more. Weekly stories, insights, and content tips for standout educators delivered to your inbox.👉 Subscribe hereCREDITSProducer: Laura WilkesEditor: Haven TsangThanks to our inspiring guest, Martin HajekProduction by Communicating for Impact Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.