Rheno,

I do think there are applications for some kind of TESOL certification.

If you've never taught before, if you've never even THOUGHT of teaching before, a good TESOL program can be valuable to you. It can teach you techniques and tools that you'll need that first day in a real classroom. And yeah, it can make you more confident that first day, too...and you're right in saying that confidence is the first requirement for this profession.

Of course, this assumes a real, hands-on, real-time class with live teachers and a practicum in front of live students. This will not apply to that online or correspondence horsepoo that doesn't stand you up in front of a real classroom.

IMHO making yourself a better teacher is the ONLY real reason to take a real TESOL cert program. Doing it to get a "better job" is a fool's game...in this case you might as well just buy a cert torn off an online roll of them.

I've known good teachers without degrees, but I think it's reasonable to expect a teacher to have a university education...even if it's a degree in Golf Course Maintenance or some such. I believe that you can be a better educator if you are educated yourself. I hire teachers myself, and I normally will not consider candidates without a degree.