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Business English is a popular choice among ESL teachers who are looking to build a specialization, as it covers essential terms and concepts in the corporate world. It’s not hard to see why: Teaching business English lets you pursue your interest in teaching adult learners, increase your income, and leverage previous experience in a business environment. Plus, you can teach it either in a physical classroom or online. This guide explains how to get a job teaching business English if you’re interested in breaking into this competitive niche.
If you’re new to teaching, you’ll want to get initial training and qualification with a TEFL certificate. You can explore our online TEFL courses to get started!
Step 1: Get certified
New TEFL/TESOL teachers
The most important step when asking, “How do I become a business English teacher?” is to prepare yourself with the knowledge and training you need for this TEFL/TESOL niche. The first step for novice English teachers in the ELT field is to earn a TEFL certification of 120 hours or higher. This will provide you with the basic skills, such as lesson planning and classroom management, that you need to teach English and qualify you for most TEFL/TESOL jobs around the world.
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Specialized Certification in Teaching Business English
Get CertifiedExperienced TEFL/TESOL teachers
You can take your professionalism in this niche to the next level by taking an online business English specialization if you’re already a TEFL/TESOL certified teacher or an experienced teacher. Bridge offers the 60-Hour Specialized Certificate in Teaching Business English that equips teachers with the most up-to-date tools and strategies for teaching English to professionals. The course content will fully prepare you to teach adult professionals in the 21st century, from conducting needs analyses and considering stakeholder expectations to teaching English as a global language and using authentic materials.
In this course, you’ll gain access to:
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interactive exercises and practice activities
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teaching demos
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downloadable resources like infographics
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tutor and peer feedback via discussion boards
Along with a certificate, you’ll also earn a digital badge you can use to easily highlight your credentials on your online resume, teacher portfolio, LinkedIn profile, and more.
Business English calls for a different skill set than general ELT. You are not just teaching grammar and vocabulary – you are teaching professionals how to run a meeting in their second language, write a persuasive email, negotiate a contract, or present to stakeholders who expect polish and precision.
Step 2: Refine your TEFL/TESOL resume
Once you’ve already got the right TEFL/TESOL certification, you’ll have to craft or tailor your TEFL resume for teaching business English jobs. Aside from highlighting the courses that you’ve taken, make sure to include any business experience you’ve had. With business English, applying for a job means you plan to work with adult professionals, and highlighting relevant business experience will set you apart from other applicants. Have you worked for a company in the past? Have you given training to professionals in your former jobs? Make sure to mention this on your resume.
Teacher Cheryl, from Jamaica, saw her background in the corporate world as an edge when she became a business English teacher. “I am a certified TEFL instructor, and I have a background in business, and I have more than 20 years of experience in the corporate world. I’ve worked in four different industries, including airline, pharmaceutical, and food distribution,” she shared.
Beyond your resume, consider putting together a short work sample, such as a lesson plan for a business scenario like a client negotiation or a team meeting. Many companies hiring Business English teachers want to see how you would actually structure a class before they commit to an interview, and a concrete sample often makes a stronger impression than a list of qualifications alone.
Step 3: Search for business English teaching jobs
Where to look for jobs
You’re ready to start your search for teaching business English jobs with your credentials and resume prepared. These are some great places to begin your job search if you’re wondering how to teach business English online:
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Facebook groups, such as the Bridge TEFL/TESOL Jobs Group
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Language institutes or centers in your community
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Referrals from other business English teachers
Business English students often come through professional networks rather than language-learning platforms. LinkedIn groups for corporate trainers, local chambers of commerce, and industry associations in your target sector can connect you with opportunities that a general TEFL job board won’t.
Feeling stressed in the job hunt? Here are a few ways to overcome TEFL job search fatigue.
Things to keep in mind when job hunting
Not all business English teaching jobs are the same. Aside from the student profiles, the policies of ESL schools or companies may also vary. Therefore, you’ll want to explore your options first, compare the job offers you’ve found, and select which one suits your teaching goals and preferences.
Consider these factors when choosing the best business English job for you:
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Check if you’ll be teaching individual students or teaching English to groups.
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Review the teaching rates and benefits the company offers.
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Verify if the schedule is fixed or if you can set your own hours.
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Find out the duration of each class.
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For online teaching positions, determine whether your students book their own classes or the company assigns learners to teachers (the latter means less self-marketing and a steadier stream of students at the beginning).
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For in-person teaching jobs, find out whether you’ll have to travel to the students’ offices to conduct the classes or they’ll come to you.
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Confirm whether the employer provides a set curriculum or expects you to design your own lessons based on each client’s industry and goals. Custom lesson planning for business clients takes considerably more prep time than following a set syllabus, which affects whether the pay and schedule work for you.
Step 4: Apply to jobs if teaching with a company
Teaching business English offers a variety of options for online or face-to-face classes with ESL schools or companies.
Teaching business English online
Consider these online companies that cater to business English students if you’re looking to teach in a virtual classroom:
Most of these companies ask for a demo lesson or recorded sample as part of the application, often built around a business scenario like onboarding a new employee or handling a difficult client call. Preparing one or two flexible business-themed demo lessons in advance saves time when several applications ask for the same thing.
Online business English programs can vary, but in many cases, you’ll receive a curriculum to teach students individually or in groups in an online learning platform. Schedules can be fairly flexible, as you can set your hours of availability, and sometimes you’ll have access to professional development.
Keep in mind that online business English companies may have students in different time zones you’ll need to plan for.
Bridge employs English-language teachers from over 100 countries who teach online as part of its corporate English-language program. Bridge teachers conduct courses online with one-to-one or group classes on a learning platform with scheduling, video conferencing, and student management features. Teachers also participate in continuous professional development provided by Bridge, an accredited provider of online TEFL courses and credentials.
Learn how to effectively teach ESL to adults with this free eBook
Teaching English to Adults
DownloadTeaching business English abroad
On the other hand, focus on regions where it’s common to teach business English students if you’re aiming to become a business English trainer abroad. Usually, these are in big cities where many professionals engage in international business. Teaching business English online also allows you to go abroad as a digital nomad.
For instance, this specialization sees high demand in many Asian countries, such as Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and Taiwan.
You can also find plenty of opportunities for teaching professionals in South American countries like Chile, Colombia, and Brazil. Several places in Europe, such as Italy, Germany, and Spain, also need business English instructors.
In-person business English work abroad often looks different from a typical classroom job. Many positions involve intensive formats, such as weekend seminars or short, focused courses delivered directly at a company’s office, rather than a standard weekly class schedule. Knowing this ahead of time helps you evaluate whether a posting fits the kind of teaching schedule you want.
Step 5: Find business English students if you’re teaching as an independent teacherpreneur
A great alternative to working with a company when it comes to starting your career teaching business English is to become an independent teacherpreneur.
For example, business English trainer Deborah, from Switzerland, decided to build her ESL teaching business in her own country because of the flexibility and independence it offered her. “I was once a student in a German language school; there and then, I decided if I ever became a language teacher, I would definitely go private. To be able to organize your course and write up a suitable syllabus leads to the best things,” she said.
Finding English students is a big part of running your own business as an independent teacherpreneur, especially in the beginning. Fortunately, many different ways and channels can help you find your own learners, such as:
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Marketing your classes through social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook
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Creating your own website or blog
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Advertising by word of mouth
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Posting flyers
Deborah, for instance, recalls how most of her business English students have found out about her classes. “I vividly remember designing my flyers and business cards, which I had distributed in restaurants, building reception areas, and offices. But lately, most of my learners have found me through my website,” she shared.
A clear niche also makes independent marketing easier. Rather than advertising general business English lessons, many successful teacherpreneurs focus on a specific need, such as job interview preparation, presentation skills, or industry-specific vocabulary for fields like finance or healthcare. A defined niche gives potential students a clear reason to choose you over a general online tutor.
Teaching business English gives you a way to combine an interest in adult education with the stability and higher rates that come with working with professionals. Getting there takes preparation, from earning the right certification to building a resume that speaks to hiring managers in the corporate world, but the niche keeps growing as more companies invest in their employees’ English skills.
The path you choose now does not have to be permanent. Many business English teachers move between company positions and independent work, using the stability of one to build the confidence, client base, or savings needed for the other.
