Start Building the Career You Want – with Martin Hajek

Start Building the Career You Want – with Martin Hajek

Author: TESOL Pop October 15, 2024 Duration: 12:45

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 Book

Martin 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 Narratives

Part 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 Stories

Martin 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.


ABOUT

Martin 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.


REFERENCES

Hajek, M. (2024) More Than a Gap Year Adventure: How to Make a Long-Term Career out of TEFL. Independent



FOLLOW


SUPPORT US

💻 Sponsor us

Buy us a coffee

⭐ Leave a review


THE PRODUCER'S EDIT

Get inspired to record more. Weekly stories, insights, and content tips for standout educators delivered to your inbox.

👉 Subscribe here


CREDITS

Producer: Laura Wilkes

Editor: Haven Tsang

Thanks to our inspiring guest, Martin Hajek

Production by Communicating for Impact


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Ever feel like the best teaching ideas come from a quick chat in the staffroom, but your schedule never allows for it? TESOL Pop captures that spark. Designed for the busy English language teacher, this mini podcast delivers compact, meaningful conversations with TESOL, TEFL, and ESL educators globally. Each episode is a focused interview, kept under fifteen minutes, packed with practical ideas and personal insights that can genuinely shift your approach in the classroom. You’ll hear stories about career pivots, reflections on what actually works with students, and clever uses of technology, all shared in a casual, accessible tone. It’s the audio equivalent of a refreshing coffee break with a colleague who gets it. The podcast understands that profound professional development doesn’t always require a lengthy seminar; sometimes, a single, well-timed insight is enough to reinvigorate your teaching. By tuning in, you join a global conversation that feels both personal and immediately useful, making it easy to integrate new perspectives into your daily routine without overwhelming your calendar.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

TESOL Pop
Podcast Episodes
Gathering Feedback From Learners with Kate Semerenko [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:22
Teacher Educator Kate Semerenko talks about the important role learner feedback has in helping us develop our courses, materials and teaching practice. Kate shares how to gather feedback and how best to implement it.KEY…
Freelancer or Business Owner? with Rachael Roberts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:10
Founder of Earn Learn Thrive, Rachael Roberts, discusses the nuances between freelancing and business ownership in education. With over 30 years of experience in the field, Rachael offers valuable insights for educators…
Organising Online Learning Events with Abigail Fulbrook [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:50
Founder of English with Abigail, Abigail Fulbrook, shares insights into the online events she organises for learners and teachers of languages. Abigail talks about what inspired her to start hosting events, the benefits…
Three Ways to Grow Your Money with Nicola Prentis [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:36
Nicola Prentis, founder of The Chilled Investor, shares three ways to start to grow our funds by exploring potential tax-free pensions, investments, and employer pension-matching options. This episode is not financial ad…
The Benefits of Forest Bathing for Teachers with David Stepanczuk [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:53
This special episode for Season 7 features a narrative from educator David Stepanczuk, who shares his journey from the challenges of finding work in Japan to discovering the practice of forest bathing (shinrin-yoku) for…
Misconceptions About Social Media in ELT with Ola Kowalska [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:04
Expert in assisting freelance language teachers in building successful businesses, Ola Kowalska, tackles misconceptions about using social media in English Language Teaching (ELT).In this episode, Ola focuses on three ke…
Teaching Teens Beyond Traditional Test Scores with Gregory Diehl [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:59
Author Gregory Diehl examines the challenges of teaching English for practical purposes versus test results. Gregory reflects on his experience and suggests how to engage and support teenage students in using English for…
Building a Reading Habit in Class with Kyle Larson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:23
Kyle Larson, a seasoned teacher and the founder of AIR Language, an English reading platform for secondary school students, shares the challenges he has faced in sourcing tailored texts and building a reading habit with…