Is Bangkok A Dead End On An International Resume?

[Pierrot]

Not every city in Asia is equal on a resume. Working a few years in Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong and now Shanghai or Beijing is a major plus for an international career. A post in Bangkok says you're laidback, not very focus on your professional career, maybe even a pervert.

Is it really what professionals think?

Edited September 16, 2008 by Pierrot

[bkkjames]

Not every city in Asia is equal on a resume. Working a few years in Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong and now Shanghai or Beijing is a major plus for an international career. A post in Bangkok says you're laidback, not very focus on your professional career, maybe even a pervert.

Is it really what professionals think?

IMO, the people that say that are the envious dic*heads that think a posting to SG or HK will make them sound intelligent at cocktail parties back on high street during Christmas.

SG is a breeze compared to here in terms of running a business. If one can successfully run a business in BKK under the constraints and bs that is BKK, then that to me at least shows true business acumen.

[barky]

I think in many prospective employers minds it would be a negative. It would depend a lot on the interviewer, and the background of the interviewee. However, I think a raised eyebrow, and a nudge, nudge, wink, wink would be a general response from many employers and recruitment agencies.

[Travel2003]

I think in many prospective employers minds it would be a negative. It would depend a lot on the interviewer, and the background of the interviewee. However, I think a raised eyebrow, and a nudge, nudge, wink, wink would be a general response from many employers and recruitment agencies.

That must be employers and agencies that have a bad rep themself.

Show up and say you have been a Hotel Manager, Maitre D', or Chef de Cuisine in one of the 10 biggest Hotels in BKK, and you will be treated with the respect you deserve.

So bottom line is, it depends what job you had while working in BKK.

[wintermute]

It depends on what field you work in but i'd say it's a negative overall. If I was an employer Bangkok would set off red flags for me because having worked here for so long I know what the pitfalls and reasons are for some people to want to stay here.

I'd also look at their employment track record to see the circumstances that led them to Bangkok. That's probably more important than hearing some story about how they like the culture and food "too mut" and had to live here.

[Soutpeel]

Not every city in Asia is equal on a resume. Working a few years in Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong and now Shanghai or Beijing is a major plus for an international career. A post in Bangkok says you're laidback, not very focus on your professional career, maybe even a pervert.

Is it really what professionals think?

Bl**dy rubbish, where do you get this from ?...Generalisations, sterotyping...based on this theroy then anyone who who has worked in Tokyo likes sushi and is fond of ladies dressed up in high school uniforms (well suppose we are all partial to this one) or somebody working in Singapore is an OC freak who dislikes chewing gum and never walks on the cracks in the pavement..

[wamberal]

A potential employer would look first at who you worked for in Bangkok. If you worked for a reputable, internationally known, organisation, then being in BKK is certainly not a negative. In fact, it might even be a positive, given that Thailand is still seen as something of a hardship posting.

[GuestHouse]

I have three Bangkok/Thailand assignments on my CV - Never did my career any harm.

However, that's three times in, got the job done and left.

I review CVs from candidates on a regular basis, a flag goes up when I see someone working at a particular level and then dropping down from that level. If I had a CV infront of me that indicated a guy was working in Thailand at a senior level, followed by staying in Thailand working at a lower level I'd be asking why he chose to stay. For example - an engineer taking a local job teaching English.

What I look for is someone who is focussed on getting the job done - Someone focussed on staying in Thailand is seldom a good choice.

[PhilHarries]

Not every city in Asia is equal on a resume. Working a few years in Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong and now Shanghai or Beijing is a major plus for an international career. A post in Bangkok says you're laidback, not very focus on your professional career, maybe even a pervert.

Is it really what professionals think?

Bl**dy rubbish, where do you get this from ?...Generalisations, sterotyping...based on this theroy then anyone who who has worked in Tokyo likes sushi and is fond of ladies dressed up in high school uniforms (well suppose we are all partial to this one) or somebody working in Singapore is an OC freak who dislikes chewing gum and never walks on the cracks in the pavement..

I think you need to get out more, the backyard of RSA hardly prepares you for the world. It is unfortunate that people back in the west do firstly think of the sleazier side of Bangkok due to the negative publicity in the press. Tokyo may well conjure up notions of sushi and karaoke but images of ladies in school uniforms says more about your preferred reading matter than your international knowledge. As for your notions of people's ideas of Singapore I suggest you go there some time, if you can tear yourself away from the school uniforms.

It is true that, depending on circumstances, Tokyo et al carry more weight on the resume and that's a lot down to the more multicultural business atmosphere. It does depend, as wamberal says, on who you worked for and the nature of your arrival in Bangkok, or anywhere in Thailand for that matter. If you worked for a MNC as was transferred to Thailand and can demonstrate that it was an upward career step then it looks good. If you just jacked your job and resurfaced in Thailand it may not look so good depending again on circumstances but it is difficult claiming you were headhunted.

Another thing is the type of work you are in. A lot of oil and gas workers are constantly on the move worlwide so their resumes read like a travel brochure and the inclusion of Bangkok wouldn't even raise an eyebrow.

And finally the length of time you spend there makes a big difference. If you are hotel staff then hotels are much the same worldwide but if say you are the manager of a hotel in an international chain 10 years in Bangkok is not going to make you look like a go-getter type of person.

And I don't entirely agree with bkkjames. By his theory the best place to have on your resume based on difficulties would be Afghanistan or similar but yes in building up a business in Bangkok you face more hurdles than in Singapore. However in Singapore you are going to have to be a whole lot sharper to survive the competition.

In answer to the title question : No Bangkok is not necessarily a dead end posting unless you want it to be.

[Soutpeel]

I think you need to get out more, the backyard of RSA hardly prepares you for the world

Another thing is the type of work you are in. A lot of oil and gas workers are constantly on the move worlwide so their resumes read like a travel brochure and the inclusion of Bangkok wouldn't even raise an eyebrow.

In answer to the title question : No Bangkok is not necessarily a dead end posting unless you want it to be.

Phil..agree with you on the first point, but in the course of my working life have spent time in almost 19 different countries, so have been about a bit and do get out.

On the O&G comments you are correct, but the question was "Is Bangkok A Dead End On An International Resume"..I can only speak for my CV and no it hasnt been seen as a dead end working in BKK/Thailand. In fact a lot of the recruitment agents that contact me comment on the fact they wish they could work in Thailand.

[sunreader]

Where geographically you work is irrelevant to any worthy employer.

Don't let anyone else tell you different.

What is important is the skill set you have and how you have being utilising it and how it is relevant to the position you are applying for.

If you have been implementing an Ethernet IT network from scratch and incorporating DR facilities to facilitate users then its of no particular relevance if its for a string of dodgy massage brothels with on-line 'entertainment' in Pattaya or a small factory in Birmingham.

I want to recruit someone with up to date skills and don't care where you have been physically located.

Any employer who even thinks "oh we can't employ this person he worked in BKK" well I wouldn't want to work for them.

[Pierrot]

Maybe I should rephrase my question.

For the upwardly mobile people *, is Bangkok a dead end on an international resume?

I agree that for the hospitality industry and the oil industry maybe not. But for other industries, I'm not really convinced.

An other way to look at it . With internet, depending of your job, you can almost work from wherever you want. If you tell your boss or your customer you're going to work from Bangkok / Thailand, what would be his first reaction ?

* : Those regarded as advancing rapidly in economic and social standing.

[Gumballl]

Not every city in Asia is equal on a resume. Working a few years in Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong and now Shanghai or Beijing is a major plus for an international career. A post in Bangkok says you're laidback, not very focus on your professional career, maybe even a pervert.

Is it really what professionals think?

I would. There is nothing to augments one's professional career in LOS, unless of course your profession is practiced in the kitchen or in a horizontal position.

In LOS, the locals are still living in the 18th century, but with 21st century toys. Until society matures to the level of technology, LOS is going to be a mere curiosity, but not a serious place for anything substantial. Really, the only thing going for this country is its exports of Thai culinary recipes and nightlife folklore.

A person's pursuit of a career in LOS does not indicate a lack of focus, but instead a lack of common sense.

[wintermute]

Not every city in Asia is equal on a resume. Working a few years in Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong and now Shanghai or Beijing is a major plus for an international career. A post in Bangkok says you're laidback, not very focus on your professional career, maybe even a pervert.

Is it really what professionals think?

I would. There is nothing to augments one's professional career in LOS, unless of course your profession is practiced in the kitchen or in a horizontal position.

In LOS, the locals are still living in the 18th century, but with 21st century toys. Until society matures to the level of technology, LOS is going to be a mere curiosity, but not a serious place for anything substantial. Really, the only thing going for this country is its exports of Thai culinary recipes and nightlife folklore.

A person's pursuit of a career in LOS does not indicate a lack of focus, but instead a lack of common sense.

You're pretty wrong about that. The Japanese have made a ton of money investing in the automobile industry here which has vaulted Thailand up to being a regional production center. Thailand is probably the poster boy for wasted opportunity. It's a country that has a very good location, a large enough population to sustain advanced industrial development, natural resources, and a close relationship with two superpowers. Yet it doesn't make use of it or squanders those opportunities in disorganization and general cultural malaise.

[wasabi]

In LOS, the locals are still living in the 18th century, but with 21st century toys.

That is a brilliant statement sums up what I've been thinking for a while. I think it depends what job you are looking for and what you did here and for how long. If you taught English for 3 years without any advancement then I think that is going to be a negative on your resume. But if you worked for a major company or started your own business with good results I think it could be a plus.

Personally I took a year off from work to study Thai language and Thai culture. I will certainly be adding this to my resume and if this doesn't bode well for any future employers than I doubt I would want to work for them anyway.

Edited September 16, 2008 by wasabi

[OriginalPoster]

Not every city in Asia is equal on a resume. Working a few years in Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong and now Shanghai or Beijing is a major plus for an international career. A post in Bangkok says you're laidback, not very focus on your professional career, maybe even a pervert.

Is it really what professionals think?

I would. There is nothing to augments one's professional career in LOS, unless of course your profession is practiced in the kitchen or in a horizontal position.

In LOS, the locals are still living in the 18th century, but with 21st century toys. Until society matures to the level of technology, LOS is going to be a mere curiosity, but not a serious place for anything substantial. Really, the only thing going for this country is its exports of Thai culinary recipes and nightlife folklore.

A person's pursuit of a career in LOS does not indicate a lack of focus, but instead a lack of common sense.

That's a bit of an oversimplification. I've known a number of people working for multinational corporatations that have factories in Bangkok who have succesfully furthered their careers by taking a management post in Thailand. The benefit that those folks got was that they wound up working in a job with a higher level of responsibility that what they likely could have obtained in Europe, the US, or even Hong Kong and Singapore. Success as a Managing Director, for instance, in a decent-sized Thai factory can springboard a career in a way that being one of many reasonably high ranking managers in a more "serious" country is unlikely to. It's basically the "big fish in a small pond" scenario; sometimes it pays dividends.

[Pierrot]

You're pretty wrong about that. The Japanese have made a ton of money investing in the automobile industry here which has vaulted Thailand up to being a regional production center. Thailand is probably the poster boy for wasted opportunity. It's a country that has a very good location, a large enough population to sustain advanced industrial development, natural resources, and a close relationship with two superpowers. Yet it doesn't make use of it or squanders those opportunities in disorganization and general cultural malaise.

You're right, if you're japanese it's a different story. But I don't think Japanese employ many falangs.

Japanese have been granted special privileges that may explain why they have invested so much in Thailand. Why them and not others? That can be an interesting subject.

[Gumballl]

You're pretty wrong about that. The Japanese have made a ton of money investing in the automobile industry here which has vaulted Thailand up to being a regional production center. Thailand is probably the poster boy for wasted opportunity. It's a country that has a very good location, a large enough population to sustain advanced industrial development, natural resources, and a close relationship with two superpowers. Yet it doesn't make use of it or squanders those opportunities in disorganization and general cultural malaise.

Ok. fair enough.

If I see a resume (CV) indicating the above, I would be impressed. Yet the first thing that comes to mind when I think of LOS is a country replete with corruption, prostitution, and stupidity at every turn. But perhaps the most prominent attribute I see in Thailand are people who are too sheepish to change their lives, much less the "clockwork" of society. Anyone with a tie around their neck, and perhaps a little money is revered. The Japs are merely milking a cow.

[Deke]

In my opinion, if your resume shows progressively responsible experience, the fact that the experience was in Thailand would not be a negative. Depending on where you go from here it may even be a positive given that successfully completing an international assignment does have value in itself.

As GuestHouse said though, if your background is engineering and you work here as an English teacher for a couple of years it would raise flags for sure.

[girlx]

my clients in the US always seem to think i am cool for living in thailand... in fact a lot of the jobs i get i think are for that very reason. but then i am not a man, so it might be different.

[Wrong Turn]

Not every city in Asia is equal on a resume. Working a few years in Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong and now Shanghai or Beijing is a major plus for an international career. A post in Bangkok says you're laidback, not very focus on your professional career, maybe even a pervert.

Is it really what professionals think?

The job position and the responsibility are what matter.

I know people who worked for a multi-national company in Singapore, Malysia, and then Bangkok, and then went off to another city.

Who told you this?

[Andrew Hicks]

Not every city in Asia is equal on a resume. Working a few years in Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong and now Shanghai or Beijing is a major plus for an international career. A post in Bangkok says you're laidback, not very focus on your professional career, maybe even a pervert.

Is it really what professionals think?

Just don't stay too long, that's all!

[Pierrot]

Who told you this?

Layman : Is it true that Jesuits always answer a question with a question?

Jesuit : Who told you that ?

[animatic]

Maybe I should rephrase my question.

For the upwardly mobile people *, is Bangkok a dead end on an international resume?

I agree that for the hospitality industry and the oil industry maybe not. But for other industries, I'm not really convinced.

An other way to look at it . With internet, depending of your job, you can almost work from wherever you want. If you tell your boss or your customer you're going to work from Bangkok / Thailand, what would be his first reaction ?

* : Those regarded as advancing rapidly in economic and social standing.

Time zone issues.

Either you have the needed job skills and a good track record IN Bangkok, or you don't.

As a potential boss in say Singapore I would consider if the employee wanted

to sod off to Bkk to often and fly back too tired.

But not much compared to the job skills and attitude.

Jesuit's hmm.

I got married where Loyola started the whole thing.

And Dad got a Doctorate debating Jesuits at BC.

Maybe that's why I like to dispute?

Or maybe not?

Edited September 16, 2008 by animatic

[bangon04]

Not every city in Asia is equal on a resume. Working a few years in Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong and now Shanghai or Beijing is a major plus for an international career. A post in Bangkok says you're laidback, not very focus on your professional career, maybe even a pervert.

Is it really what professionals think?

A person's pursuit of a career in LOS does not indicate a lack of focus, but instead a lack of common sense.

That's a bit of an oversimplification. I've known a number of people working for multinational corporatations that have factories in Bangkok who have succesfully furthered their careers by taking a management post in Thailand. The benefit that those folks got was that they wound up working in a job with a higher level of responsibility that what they likely could have obtained in Europe, the US, or even Hong Kong and Singapore. Success as a Managing Director, for instance, in a decent-sized Thai factory can springboard a career in a way that being one of many reasonably high ranking managers in a more "serious" country is unlikely to. It's basically the "big fish in a small pond" scenario; sometimes it pays dividends.

A few years ago I fell for the TAT propaganda and made Bangkok my "hub" for business in Asia. - obvious advantages / cost savings in being based in Bangkok and travelling to and fro to other Asian cities.

My boss's first reaction was indeed nudge nudge wink wink, but now he has understood the financial sense.

Asian clients on the whole appreciate the logic. Other people do indeed tend to be either envious or scathing (again the nudge and a wink) until they think about it.

Is it hurting my career? Not at the moment. Will it hurt my CV? I can legitimately clam to be working for a UK company. Actually I have little incentive to change employment. I think it is the best of both worlds..Uk salary, based in BKK, expenses paid... It would cost so much more to do the same from HKG or SIN. All I need now is a faster, more reliable internet provider. Is that too much to ask??

[RY12]

It's interesting, working in the backwaters of SE Asia in places like Phnom Penh or Ho Chi Minh, I always felt like Bangkok had the image of a shining island of civilization, high-rises and development. After being in Phnom Penh for a while and then flying into Bangkok, you really feel like you're almost going back to the West. But I guess if you zoom out even farther, bkk might have the image of a sleezy metropilis between Hong kong and Singapore.

[bendix]

It hasnt been a dead-end on my resume. Since resigning my role with a global law firm, I've been offered better roles with a Big Four firm (based in Bkk again), a regional role with a property firm in HK, and a global role with another law firm based in London, all in the last month or so.

[PattayaParent]

It's not been a problem on my CV either, even with a home address of Pattaya, but I work in Oil & Gas and Power Generation construction for multinational EPC companies.

[thaihome]

It's not been a problem on my CV either, even with a home address of Pattaya, but I work in Oil & Gas and Power Generation construction for multinational EPC companies.

I know of a COO of a very large E&C company that spent several years assigned to Bangkok. It apparently not only did not hurt him, but seemed to have helped...

TH

[barky]

I think in many prospective employers minds it would be a negative. It would depend a lot on the interviewer, and the background of the interviewee. However, I think a raised eyebrow, and a nudge, nudge, wink, wink would be a general response from many employers and recruitment agencies.

That must be employers and agencies that have a bad rep themself.

Show up and say you have been a Hotel Manager, Maitre D', or Chef de Cuisine in one of the 10 biggest Hotels in BKK, and you will be treated with the respect you deserve.

So bottom line is, it depends what job you had while working in BKK.

I thought I made myself very clear. Repeat, it would depend on the background of the interviewee.

Understand it also includes resume background! Do I have to spell everything out? Maybe I do.

Edited September 17, 2008 by barky