How Quick Did You Get A Job?

[ZOOKA]

Hi

Aplogies if this has been asked before

I just wandered how quick NEWLY trained teachers found work in LOS?

Did you do the TEFL / Celta Course out there with the job offer to follow?

What areas offered the most choice of work?

What was your strategy? Easy or hard?

Thanks for your time!

[PeaceBlondie]

There is no magic formula. I got hired nine days after finishing a TEFL class in Chiang Mai.

BKK has the most jobs by far. Khon Kaen and Chiang Mai have a lot. There is no professional expat teaching network; mostly informal.

[garro]

When I first arrived in Thailand, a few years back, I got a job teaching on the first day I looked. Last year, even though I had far higher qualifications and experience, it took almost two months.

[colino]

I brought the Bangkok Post and had a job the next day.

(it was with an Agency )

How quick you find work tends to depend on the time of year,

Colino

[garro]

It also depends on how desperate you are .

Edited May 17, 2009 by garro

[otherstuff1957]

When I first arrived here (about 5 1/2 years ago) I found a job in about 2 or 3 days. The second place I interviewed at hired me.

Last year I was on the job market again. It took me about three or four weeks to get a new job. Part of the reason that it took so long was that Songkran interrupted the hiring process, the other reason was that I was looking for a better than average job.

This year I stayed were I was. There are too many stories about experienced teachers spending weeks or months looking for a job going around.

[ZOOKA]

Thanks for the input!

I apprecaite that things may be tougher given the current climate!

I understand when the 'Terms' start and that you need to be there actively looking before hand. Mediums such as AJARN, Bkk Post may help?

I will more than likely go with an agency in BKK such as EEC do the TEFl where hopefully they assist one in the job search.

Anything from 25 K UP would be fine so maybe this increases the choice. I suppose the danger being is that you get a really BAD School.

[CosmicSurfer]

I started 8 Years ago... I got 2 Full time jobs The Day after I got back from TEFL course... One evenings & Saturday... One at Gov't High School during day.

Pay was great.. did it for 4 years.. then burned out

MY GF at the time spent all the money...

CS

[markg]

Depends on loads of stuff.

Some stuff out of your control

Some stuff within your control.

Stuff out of your control is, how desperate the school are. The start of the new semesters, May and October are good times for you to get a walk in at a school that has left it too late. The day after pay day (usually the start of the month) is good for schools that have had a teacher run away.

Stuff within your control is how you look, how you come over in the interview, how you look, how you say you will teach, and of course, most importantly, how you look.

There are certain stereotypes which you probably should subscribe to.

These are, clean cut looking with short 'polite' hair (whatever that is ! )

A shirt and matching neck tie.

Trousers

Socks (not white <deleted>)

and shoes. Black ones that are new and clean.

I've also interviewed a number of people that have had a joint before the interview, or smell of booze.

Neither are acceptable, frankly, though again, it depends on how desperate the school is, or if they can even tell.

Other stuff in your control is what you say. It seems common sense..............but..........well there was an article on Ajarn about some funny tales about interview mistakes.

never EVER say 'i'm really desperate for a job'

or 'sorry i'm late, i got wasted last night and had to drop a bar girl off at the her bar'

A surprising number of people do.

As to how long it takes?

Mainly depends on you. But sometimes depends on the school.

It took me a week of looking, not particularly hard.

[aussiestyle1983]

I wasn't looking for work when I got my first job. I was just walking down the street. My Western looks amde a secetary of a language school approach me and ask if I wanted to work. I said I'd give it a go. Later that day, I had the job. however, realising how crap that pay and conditions were for that job, and how easy it was to get a job, I quit before my first class in search for better. I applied at a better language school and got hired on the spot. I said at the interview, so "when will I know the outcome of the interview?" the dOS said "well, that's up to you know. when do you want to start?". At that job, many of the part time teachers worked at a catholic school M-F as well, so they encouraged me to apply. I filled out the online application form and 10 seconds after I submitted, my phone rang setting up and interview for the next day. The next day, I was hried. It was that simple.

[Loaded]

Depends on loads of stuff.

Some stuff out of your control

Some stuff within your control.

Stuff out of your control is, how desperate the school are. The start of the new semesters, May and October are good times for you to get a walk in at a school that has left it too late. The day after pay day (usually the start of the month) is good for schools that have had a teacher run away.

Stuff within your control is how you look, how you come over in the interview, how you look, how you say you will teach, and of course, most importantly, how you look.

There are certain stereotypes which you probably should subscribe to.

These are, clean cut looking with short 'polite' hair (whatever that is ! )

A shirt and matching neck tie.

Trousers

Socks (not white <deleted>)

and shoes. Black ones that are new and clean.

I've also interviewed a number of people that have had a joint before the interview, or smell of booze.

Neither are acceptable, frankly, though again, it depends on how desperate the school is, or if they can even tell.

Other stuff in your control is what you say. It seems common sense..............but..........well there was an article on Ajarn about some funny tales about interview mistakes.

never EVER say 'i'm really desperate for a job'

or 'sorry i'm late, i got wasted last night and had to drop a bar girl off at the her bar'

A surprising number of people do.

As to how long it takes?

Mainly depends on you. But sometimes depends on the school.

It took me a week of looking, not particularly hard.

Good post

Another nono to add to the above: don't bring a bargirl to the school and announce she's your girlfriend.

Often people who are struggling to find work just need to shower, shave, get a haircut and buy some decent formal clothes from Carrefour. Commonsense would tell most people to cover tattoos, remove facial jewelry and not demand or argue at the interview, however!!!!

Edited May 21, 2009 by Loaded

[Norrad]

I arrived in Bangkok on Thursday, went for an interview on Friday and was teaching on Monday.

[Jonny B]

hi, i thought my question would be appropriate here instead of starting a new topic. Ive lived here for nearly 4 hours without working but would like to start earning a little extra cash and due to my lack of qualifications i think english teaching would be only option. I am 27 years old, australian, look respectable etc but i have no previous teaching experience and only really have high school qualifications. I was hoping some of you could give me some advice on what i should do to go about teaching, is simply doing the tefl course enough? would it be possible to sit in with other english teachers to learn how they teach etc? how do you go about what you teach on a day to day basis etc.

thanks for any advice and info you provide, its much appreciated.

p.s if there is anybody in the chonburi city or sriracha areas that teach that would be willing for me to sit in on a class and watch i would be very grateful.

thanks

[Norrad]

hi, i thought my question would be appropriate here instead of starting a new topic. Ive lived here for nearly 4 hours without working but would like to start earning a little extra cash and due to my lack of qualifications i think english teaching would be only option....

p.s if there is anybody in the chonburi city or sriracha areas that teach that would be willing for me to sit in on a class and watch i would be very grateful.

You've been here for nearly 4 hours!!! and you are already out of cash!? Thailand is going to eat you up and spit out the bones

Your lack of qualifications will stop you from getting the better paying jobs but there are plenty of schools that will take you. If you are interested in working in Bangkok then you can PM me for more info and tips.

[Jonny B]

hi, i thought my question would be appropriate here instead of starting a new topic. Ive lived here for nearly 4 hours without working but would like to start earning a little extra cash and due to my lack of qualifications i think english teaching would be only option....

p.s if there is anybody in the chonburi city or sriracha areas that teach that would be willing for me to sit in on a class and watch i would be very grateful.

You've been here for nearly 4 hours!!! and you are already out of cash!? Thailand is going to eat you up and spit out the bones

Your lack of qualifications will stop you from getting the better paying jobs but there are plenty of schools that will take you. If you are interested in working in Bangkok then you can PM me for more info and tips.

haha sorry, was a tad hung over yesterday and didnt proof read it, i meant 4 years. thanks for the offer but i quite like living in the chonburi area and live quite close to alot of factories so thought that could an option also, ive heard of some people teaching at them. cheers mate

[ZOOKA]

Many Thanks for the replies!

From what I can gather its best to keep away from agencies then??

I did plan to do the TEFL with ECC at BKK BUT not sign up for the work placement scheme and approach schools myself. Where I live in Hua Hin we now have some NEW Agencies popping up which sound too good to be true!!!!!

[Martian]

I started 8 Years ago... I got 2 Full time jobs The Day after I got back from TEFL course... One evenings & Saturday... One at Gov't High School during day.

Pay was great.. did it for 4 years.. then burned out

MY GF at the time spent all the money...

CS

OH CS! Say it isn't so!

How are ya?

[Martian]

Had my job taken away a year ago April after 23 years of service, visited LOS last August on a previously scheduled vacation, met with a teaching friend in my Thai hometown, asked him to pass my resume on to other teaching professionals, the next day I had a call for an interview. At the interview I wasn't offered a job but rather that they were interested.......via email we came to agreement a few weeks later and I am now teaching in my Thai hometown. I might add I am very happy with the school and the EP director (Thai) is top notch.

Regards