Lost In Job Hunting

[confuse]

anyone able to provide me advise on how to look for jobs in bangkok? I recently moved to thailand (married a thai). I was working as an accountant in my home country... it seems very difficult to find an accounting role here. I contacted a recruitment agency which seems to suggest that the roles then to be for Thai nationals only.

[Indo-Siam]

As an unemployed foreigner simply "hanging around" Bangkok, you are most likely going to quickly find that the only job path that is open to you is English language teacher. At least, that is what happened to the last 5,000 guys like you.

The facts that you are 1) here; and 2) unemployed - basically disqualify you from almost all serious employment here, other than teaching English.

'Sorry.

Indo-Siam

[Khutan]

Indo-Siam;

I don't agree 100%

basically disqualify you from almost all serious employment here, other than teaching English

There is so many Thai products to either manufacture and export or buy wholesale and export. Not to mention the DOT.COM stuff.

I would have thought confuse being an accountant would have plenty of contacts who can take Thai products from him.

I am actually manufacturing now and I am getting orders for stuff that is nothing to do with what I make, but the factories are nearby.

Consulting is another avenue. I don't like it, too much Blue-sky and not enough dark-soil.

My advice, yes go and teach English if he is properly qualified, but start to look at opportunities and build a network. both here and O/S.

I came here doing DOT.COM and I couldn't care les about them now, in fact I am thinking seriously about getting out of IT all together and keep with manufacturing.

[confuse]

wow.. that sounds like harsh reality.. sounds tough as I only moved here given that he has a commitment with his family business.. otherwise i would not have given up my career which had a fantastic job prospect and benefits. Thanks for the tip.

I don't mind teaching english EXCEPT... I have yellow skin despite being a native speaker. In which case, I may be of a disadvantage to the 'genuine farangs'.

[Storekeeper]

What is up with these people and the instant gratification ? Why don't they stay home and work hard to build their savings, investments or pensions. I understand Thailand is exotic and the magnet pulling you there is like an addiction, but to go there totally unprepared is totally bassackwards. It's no wonder many on this board have a low opinion of TESL/TEFL teachers in Thailand. I'm really not meaning to be critical...it could be that I just don't understand risk takers.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

wow.. that sounds like harsh reality.. sounds tough as I only moved here given that he has a commitment with his family business.. otherwise i would not have given up my career which had a fantastic job prospect and benefits. Thanks for the tip.

I don't mind teaching english EXCEPT... I have yellow skin despite being a native speaker. In which case, I may be of a disadvantage to the 'genuine farangs'.

Go for it Confuse. The skin is no barrier. Native tongue is the key to many employers. A farang is an occidental person.

[confuse]

Thanks for instilling confidence in me dr_Pat_Pong!

However, I feel that the rest have merely misunderstood my intentions of being in Bangkok. No doubt there are many incidence where people choose to come to Thailand to lead the carefree life, teaching english or whatsoever. I am actually not one of those type. I actually met my husband in my home country and we got married there. We would have happily stayed in my home country, except his father would not understand it at the moment. In which case, I am not one to come to Thailand as though it is an 'exotic magnet pulling me here.' Would have been glad to come for a visit and go back home.

[Storekeeper]

Apologize for my misunderstanding !

[Storekeeper]

What country are you from ? I only ask because I may have a few clues you may not know about that are country specific.

[confuse]

not to worry... i didn't reaslise how people feel about farangs being here and not contributing back to society. i'll be happy to find a job and pay my taxes!

i'm an aussie gal.

[Indo-Siam]

Mattnich -

I see no disagreement. You are not talking about employment for someone else as a result of "job hunting" (which was the topic of this thread) - you are talking about creating your own job.

That is something that anyone can do - if they have the drive.

I started my company here after my US employer eliminated the job that I originally came here for (after 18 months). I quickly determined that I was effectively unemployable here - because I was 1) here; and 2) unemployed.

So - I started my own company. It started out as a huge shock, and it has been a wild (and often painful) ride. But - I now project that by about the 3.5 year mark after I lost my job, I will again be making the same total compensation (although it will be as a result of creating a number of independent income streams).

For foreigners, jobs with work permits, working for other employers, are not at all easy to get here.

Cheers!

Indo-Siam

[Khutan]

It started out as a huge shock, and it has been a wild (and often painful) ride.

Oh yes it sure is, but I wanted people to see there is more than teaching English.

Teaching English is great for those who like it and want to do it, but for others, it isn't a reat alternative.

Just as an opinion from you,

to do the WP thing its about 50k Baht, but for an extra 10k Baht, I can get a second WP....... Are many falangs getting together and jointly setting up companies etc therefore the costs would be 30k per person not 50k ????

[Dradam]

Basically to get a work permit you have to prove that you have a skill that a Thai worker does not have. Accounting would be difficult unless you can tie it to the international scene in a way that is invaluable to that company and can't be sufficiently replicated by a Thai worker.

Many people get jobs as international marketing or shipping or communication or something similar.

[french fannies]

The BKK Post caters for Thai's as well as westerners but Baht & Sold is a great magazine for jobs as well as buy a second hand Harley Davidson.

[confuse]

thanks for the tip... i must say.. .i'm not one for being a teacher.

[Sunbelt Asia]

Confuse,

How are your Thai skills?

Accounting is indeed a job only allowed for Thais. However you can be a Managing Director of a Thai company that you form. Accounting is a niche we just started going into as it seems 95% of all companies are very much unhappy with their accountant in Thailand.

The system that most accounting services use here is terrible. The client speaks to a senior person and a junior person does the work. The senior person never checks the work and has the junior person send it out. We now outsource but have a senior person in our firm, translate it to English and check the work before giving it to the client. This method at least for us is working well.

Confuse, feel free to send me your resume at [email protected]. Maybe we can help you.

www.sunbeltasia.com

[confuse]

I'm working on my thai. I have already enrolled in Thai courses and have been learning Thai for almost 2 months.

Thanks for looking. I'll send my resume soon.

[phormio]

As an unemployed foreigner simply "hanging around" Bangkok, you are most likely going to quickly find that the only job path that is open to you is English language teacher.  At least, that is what happened to the last 5,000 guys like you.

The facts that you are  1)  here;  and 2) unemployed - basically disqualify you from almost all serious employment here, other than teaching English.

'Sorry.

Indo-Siam

So being unemployed and not in Thailand gives you a shot at some decent

non-teaching jobs?

Would you elaborate a little bit on this?

[penelope]

As an unemployed foreigner simply "hanging around" Bangkok, you are most likely going to quickly find that the only job path that is open to you is English language teacher.  At least, that is what happened to the last 5,000 guys like you.

The facts that you are  1)  here;  and 2) unemployed - basically disqualify you from almost all serious employment here, other than teaching English.

'Sorry.

Indo-Siam

So being unemployed and not in Thailand gives you a shot at some decent

non-teaching jobs?

Would you elaborate a little bit on this?

my company(an IT multinational) don't hire non-thais locally.this is policy.all non-thais working with me have been transferred in from other branches or head office.

[Darknight]

As an unemployed foreigner simply "hanging around" Bangkok, you are most likely going to quickly find that the only job path that is open to you is English language teacher.  At least, that is what happened to the last 5,000 guys like you.

The facts that you are  1)  here;  and 2) unemployed - basically disqualify you from almost all serious employment here, other than teaching English.

'Sorry.

Indo-Siam

So being unemployed and not in Thailand gives you a shot at some decent

non-teaching jobs?

Would you elaborate a little bit on this?

my company(an IT multinational) don't hire non-thais locally.this is policy.all non-thais working with me have been transferred in from other branches or head office.

Or you are stopped by idiotic policy's like this one confuse.

They would rather pay triple rate for a transfer of an expat then to hire locally the same person with the same knowledge.

Or the thai Hr manager just bins your application on racist motives.

Or you are to expensive for a thai company as you need to legally make double then a thai.

No win situation. Go back to aussie land, i went back to europe