Business English was an area of ESL teaching I’d always avoided.
After all, it sounds daunting, especially to those who don't have deep knowledge or background in business.
However, once I got certified and began teaching Business English, I realized I couldn’t have had it more wrong. Not only was teaching Business English more lucrative, but it was surprisingly easy and fun.
In fact, along with teaching IELTS, Business English became one of my main ESL specialties and a big reason for how I grew to ESL success. That’s why I’m going to share my top reasons for getting certified in Business English and taking your ESL game to the next level.
Do you need a certification to teach Business English?
In my experience, it’s rare that an ESL company would consider someone who doesn’t have a Business English certification, as it’s a specialty niche.
However, the good news is Business English is one of the most affordable ESL courses you can take online.
Even one of the most-trusted TEFL course providers, Premier TEFL, has a discounted Business English course for as little as $27.50.
Also, students will tend to always prefer those with higher qualifications specific to their needs.
Just put yourself in their shoes, you’d want those qualified teaching you, right?
10 reasons to teach Business English
1. Higher paying students
If you want to become successful as an ESL teacher I cannot stress enough the importance of a specialty.
It does not need to be Business English (see other specialty courses here), but in my opinion, Business English teachers generally make the most money.
English learners studying Business English are often doing so for a professional job. These are often paid for, or subsidized by their company, and businesses are generally not on tight budgets like most individuals.
In my experience, it’s rare to find an online Business English job that pays below $20 an hour, unlike a lot of other online jobs that can pay far less.
2. Relax, you don't need to know anything about business
A big misconception about Business English is that the teacher has to be a business expert.
This is simply not true.
As a Business English teacher, your role will be to assist your student in improving their English related to their job. This could mean:
- Email etiquette
- Answering phone calls
- Job interviews
- Creating a presentation
Remember: your student doesn’t need business advice, they are already a professional in their field, they simply need English advice - and that’s where you come in!
3. You'll likely connect easier with students
Sometimes ESL can be difficult with low-level students as basic concepts need to be thoroughly explained and relationships tend to be shallow when it comes to conversation and really getting to know them.
However, the opposite happened when I started to teach Business English.
Business students usually have a good foundation of English and I got to know them better, learned about their lives and their jobs, all while finding it easier to teach them practical English.
4. You'll be more "hireable"
Obviously getting hired is more complex than simply getting a Business English certification.
But getting Business English certified will put you ahead of the pack when it comes to securing work.
The beauty is, it doesn’t even matter if you’re applying for a Business English teaching job or not, simply being certified looks impressive on a CV no matter which ESL job you’re applying for.
Read this article if you want more tips on getting hired as an online ESL teacher,
5. One of the most affordable online ESL certifications
Unlike a lot of teaching certificates, you can get Business English certified online without breaking the bank.
Premier TEFL has reduced its $250 Business English course to less than $30.
That means just teaching one Business English class and you could pay off the certificate, so it’s not a bad investment.
6. Grow in confidence
I truly believe ESL is a journey.
Most of us start out a little nervous to teach and conversational class, but as we develop as teachers our confidence grows and we realize so too has our teaching skills.
A lot of this has to do with the way we approach ESL. If you decide to stick with what's familiar, you’ll likely have a slower progression than those who push themselves out of their comfort zone.
Once you’re teaching Business English you’ll have far more confidence in teaching all other areas of ESL, trust me!
7. Learn from your students
One of my favorite things about teaching professionals is they have so much to teach in return.
I've learned about industries and professions I had no idea about.
I feel like I've vicariously conducted job interviews in Japan and held lectures in Russia through my students.
8. You'll attract more students
Just as it’s easier to get hired with ESL companies, you’ll also find more students searching for you specifically.
If you’re already teaching on platforms like Preply or Cambly, by adding a Business English certification to your profile more students searching for that specialty will book classes with you.
Add an IELTS certificate too, and you’re starting to get the hang of how this works.
9. There are lots of online resources
Another great thing about teaching Business English is there is no shortage of resources online.
Websites like Business English Resources have endless resources so you’re always prepared for a class.
10. Teaching Business English is extremely rewarding
Business English students often have very practical needs.
Things like preparing for a promotion interview at their company, which requires an English-speaking section to the interview.
By coaching them through this interview and helping them secure the position you will feel a huge sense of accomplishment and reward, which will remind you why you’re an ESL teacher.
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