Tutoring Agencies have traditionally been one of the most popular marketing vehicles for both upcoming and already established tutors.

Tutoring Agencies (or TA's) are basically like middlemen. They put time, money and resources into marketing their agencies so that tutors don't have to.

From the outset, TA's can seem very appealing to tutors because they make getting clients a whole lot easier. However they're not a perfect solution for all tutors.

Here are 3 signs you should consider signing up with an Agency:

1. They're niche. In other words, a good agency that's likely to find work for you will most likely be a niche one because parents go to them when they want to find tutors who can teach a specific subject.

Niche agencies tend to be smaller but more focused and often enough, they're usually hunting for tutors who can teach specialist subjects.

2. They have good PR. A reputableTA will most likely put time and effort into getting positive PR from national and local media outlets such as newspapers, magazines and news stations.

If they're scoring PR, they're most likely to be generating awareness which means that they're able to reach a lot of parents which in turn increases your chances of being hired.

3. They take care of their tutors. A good TA understands that it's important to nurture the talent that they have. In other words, they should be willing to provide some form of training, support or advice to you which should help you to improve your work as a tutor. If an Agency signs you onto their books and only reaches out to you when they're desperate for you to take on a students, they're probably not a great company.

If you do choose to sign up with a TA be cautious, be careful and be clear. Ask them questions, do some background research on their company and check the small print (e.g. What commission do they take? Do they support their tutors? etc).

PS. I managed to score some great press in one of the UK's most prestigious newspapers. Take a look at it here.

I'll be sharing the secrets to landing PR in one of my upcoming training materials so keep an eye out for my emails.

Finally, if you have a question that you'd like to ask about your tutoring business- tweet it to me @thetutoress.com and I'll answer your question in a future blog post. You can also find me on Google+.

Wishing you a great week!

Victoria.

Author, Become A Private Tutor & founder of TheTutoress.com

Have you ever thought about becoming a tutor but questioned whether you were 'qualified' enough?I've heard so many people say things like, 'I'd love to become a tutor but I just don't think I have the right qualifications?

I always find it quite interesting when I hear such remarks because the truth is that...

you don't need ANY qualifications to be a tutor! Yes, it's true!

Tutors usually come from a variety of academic and professional backgrounds. Some are Graduates, Qualified Teachers, Retirees whilst others are simply people who are highly skilled in a specific field or industry. For example, a mum who is awesome at teaching primary/kindergarten level maths but doesn't have a qualified teaching certificate or degree. Technically speaking, there's absolutely nothing wrong with her charging money to tutor maths to local kids. In fact, she might just discover that she's actually better at teaching the subject than most teachers.

If you're thinking about tutoring but feel unqualified, you're wrong. The tutoring sector is as diverse as the people in it. They come from all walks of life and many are good at tutoring because they're great educators.

I bet you're now thinking, 'how can I tutor if I don't have qualifications in the subject?' Well, in reality you shouldn't be teaching a subject that you're not confident in. For example, if you love maths and just can't get enough of the subject, then you probably should be teaching it and sharing your knowledge with the world! If however, you have a maths teacher qualification but hate the subject then you're definitely best off teaching a subject that you actually like!

The reality is that qualifications play quite a minor role in your ability to tutor. Your ability to teach, your passion for the subject and your willingness to become a student of the subject (the best teachers are the biggest learners) are THE most important factors in influencing how good (or great) a tutor you are.

So don't let qualifications (or lack of them) hold you back from pursuing your tutoring dreams! Go on and tutor! By sharing your knowledge and passion with the world, you're making a difference to someone else's life! Who doesn't want to do that? I know I do.

If you're ready to take the first steps to becoming a wealthy, high paid tutor, subscribe to my newsletter and get exclusive updates.

Tutor Q & A: Should I join a Tutoring Agency?

Do You Need Qualifications To Become A Tutor?