Hello, this is my first post, let me briefly introduce myself. I am 27 years old and I am an ESL teacher currently employed in China, native of Italy, with a CELTA and relevant experience.

I am fascinated by Thailand and I am looking for a teaching position to start around next summer/september, and shipping resumees and offers around I have been contacted by this company .....[deleted]

monkeyrock, welcome to ThaiVisa and to our Teaching in Thailand forum. Unfortunately, your initial post resembles SPAM, as in an attempt to post a commercial ad for free. We'll give you one more chance to make a non-advertising enquiry.

I am very sorry, I just wanted to give you more informations to check out for evaluation. This won't happen again, I am new to the forum and didn't know the rules.

Ok, anybody has ever had direct experience dealing with placement companies for teachers in Thailand?

I just have experience with China, where usually you arrange contracts beforehand, but I read somewhere online that in Thailand is also ok to come witn a tourist visa and start the job hunt from inside the Kingdom. Can anybody suggest me the smartest move?

Thanks.

Okay, that's better; thanks.

Agencies are usually unneeded or frowned upon by expatriate EFL teachers in Thailand. It's best, as others may confirm, if you try to find something on your own (even before arriving), and sign nothing/spend no fees until you're on the ground, looking at actual schools in the flesh, talking with the staff you'd be working with.

Your qualifications are good, in spite of not being a native speaker. CELTA is recognized here, and your experience teaching English in another Asian country counts for a lot. Do you have a bachelor's degree (such as a BA from Italy that spells the word baccalaureate, bachilera, or something very close)?

Language centers hire all year 'round. Govt. and most private schools hire mostly in early May. Some schools won't start looking at resumes/CV's until late April. Good luck.

Thank you PeaceBlondie, and sorry again for my bad first approach to the forum!

Agencies are usually unneeded or frowned upon by expatriate EFL teachers in Thailand. It's best, as others may confirm, if you try to find something on your own (even before arriving), and sign nothing/spend no fees until you're on the ground, looking at actual schools in the flesh, talking with the staff you'd be working with.

Your qualifications are good, in spite of not being a native speaker. CELTA is recognized here, and your experience teaching English in another Asian country counts for a lot. Do you have a bachelor's degree (such as a BA from Italy that spells the word baccalaureate, bachilera, or something very close)?

Yes of course, I have a BA in Foreign Languages and Literatures, English and Spanish. I will also complete a CEDILS next week (Certification of Didactics in Italian as a Second Language), but I am sure there is no request for Italian teachers in Thailand... I am no native speaker but, according to my teachers and peers, my command and pronunciation of the language is pretty good. I spent time living and travelling in the USA and the UK, and this should be a plus coming to ESL employment.

Anyways, I'll search the forum better and will try to contact some schools directly. I would like to work for a short term for a start, and possibly in a city, not a village.

If you feel like I might get some other advice, it's very welcome, otherwise I'll post some other questions when the situation will be clearer.

Thanks again!

Where I work, we get a number of applicants from Language Schools. Most are quite happy to leave them--I have known a few people who were pleased with working for such organizations, however.

Some things you might want to be sure you have is: The original of your degree, and a police clearance from China.

Were I work, we aren't hiring right now, but will be in the next few months, so if you want more info, you can PM and I can give you a link to our website. It might give you a guideline of what you can expect for salary, benefits etc.

Best of luck to you.