My personal experience with Network ESL is a mixed bag. Their first placement was merely unpleasant, the second an unmitigated disaster. I'll take at least some of the blame for the second one because I simply waited too long to start looking because I was not aware I would soon be unemployed until very late in the term. The pickings by then were pretty slim. The first placement WAS, however, at least partially Network ESL's and Chris Johnson's fault. They seemed determined to place me at a particular uni even though I expressed reservations and doubts several times. I often went weeks without hearing from them and for what seemed like an eternity Chris was out of the country and unresponsive. They have some kind of funky system where Chris is sort of a go-between and not really your "placement consultant" or whatever phrase they used. I don't really remember all the details. Every time I contacted the uni where I was being placed the woman in the FAO had to be reminded again who I was. It was quite unnerving and I mentioned this to Chris more than once and was assured all was well. It wasn't. There were many problems while I was there and I spent a miserable year.

What I would say is that Network ESL is OK if you are looking for a September position but NOT if you're looking mid-year. Quality mid-year positions are always a bit tougher to find. There's a REASON these places need new teachers in the middle of a school year and these reasons are usually not good.