Computer scientist in search of work

[adroc]

Hello everyone I am a fresh CS grad from America and would love to find a job in Thailand so that I can stay in this wonderfull country for the rest of my life. My problem is I don't know where to look or what my chances are of success. Can someone please point me in the right direction and let me know what my chances are?

thx in advance

adam

[kwiz117]

As far as I am aware of, you have some competitors in this forum itself. Read the replies others have written to them.

Since you are a fresh grad, sadly your chances are ...?

[it is true Bill Gates started at young] But not it Thailand.

Many issues here;

1. The Salary differences of Farang and Thai

2. Number of years of experiance

3. Thai Language

4. Getting the Resume thru a Thai HR Manager

5. Number of Yrs of experiance in Thailand

I think above 5 will be the key factors that you should consider when finding a Job in Thailand. [except for English Teaching Positions]

May be you will have better chances to get into Teaching English in Thailand. May be as an Instructor. For that, open up a new topic "How to become an English Instructor in Thailand".

I am sure you will get plenty of replies for that.

Once you move in, you will be able to find an IT Job easily if you are lucky.

Good Luck

[adroc]

I dont mind taking a small sallary, I just want to be able to stay in this country and a small sallary in Thialand is enough to live on. Do you know if there are any jobs teaching Thais how to use computers, software etc....?

thx

adam

[khanom]

I dont mind taking a small sallary, I just want to be able to stay in this country and a small sallary in Thialand is enough to live on. Do you know if there are any jobs teaching Thais how to use computers, software etc....?

thx

adam

I dont mind taking a small sallary

Doesn't much matter, you're still not Thai. They'd be embarrased to pay you a Thai person's wage.

How small? Maybe if you accept 15k and deal with your own work permit and visa at your own expense. But then your chances are still maybe 25% or less.

I just want to be able to stay in this country and a small sallary in Thialand is enough to live on.

Nice idea. But I suggest tossing it and going back NOW. If you stay in LOS for more than a year or two, you are doing serious damage to your career. I know from personal experience that generally companies in the US look on your experience in Thailand (specifically Thailand) as wasted time. Doesn't much matter what you did or for whom. This is for the IT field but applies in many others, I've found. At your age you need solid experience that you can sell later.

...any jobs teaching Thais how to use computers...

They don't need any help. How American of you...

OTH, if you send me a private message with your skills I can pass it on.

[kwiz117]

Good Advice from khanom,

Carrier Development in Thailand ?

Do not even think about it…

The More you Update your Knowledge in Thailand, the More you get frustrated unless you find a special someone to reason it out.

At your age, you should seriously think about it.

This is from my Personal Experiance.

:cool:

[adroc]

The money is of no importance to me at all, as long as I am making enough to live.

Im awair that by staying in Thailand my future IT carrier my be going down the tubes but I really don't care much about that either. I just want to live a happy life and living in Thailand is doing that for me. Why spend the rest of my life behind a desk when I can experiance the world and enjoy myself even if im not making $100,000 a year.

In the long run I would like to open some kind of IT business in Thailand and live the rest of my life in asia. Up until I have the $$$ to do that I will of course try to keep my skills fresh and pick up on the latest things by reading books and working on my laptop etc.... My chances may be slim but Im sure as #### going to try it. Why not?????

I dont exactly understand what you men by this.

They don't need any help. How American of you...

Of course people need help, not everyone knows how to use a computer...

[Zendesigner]

Hi adroc,

I,m looking myself now for three months and already experienced how difficult it is.

I'm an ###### / project consultant / network consultant with around 8 years of experience and had my own business previously, so i know something about that also.

i still didn't find anything yet.

Even if you would find a job at your age (i'm 36) you wouldnt get a work permit cause BOI just reasons " a 22 year old can't have something that they can teach to a thai person, they can't have experience"

They have plenty of graduates from university who want do do the same job for 15.000 bath a month or even less.

If you are that good already they just wont hire you cause you make them lose face! They maybe even take it from somebody same age as them or older but really not from a young guy.

if you really want to come here and try. I suggest you come with a minimum of 1 Million Bath ( yes 1.000.000 bath) so you can survive here for at least a year to one year and a half.

You WILL need that for a western lifestyle and really if you are in to the nightlife. Money goes just as quick here out of the door as in the western world. Only there you pay in tax, and here in 20 bath there for some stupid thing, 100 there , 500 there for paper nr 27 you need ect..

I find myself spending around 40 to 50.000 bath a month, i'm married and live in a little one room studio.

You can think OH i'll eat thai food and live in small room... forget it. you wont do it , the girls (or boys ?) will pluck your money away quick. and then wat????

Don't kid yourself. Work 10 to 15 years in the states, build up some reserves, get experience and then come live here. Maybe start a biz there first so you now what that means also..

for the rest just take a HOLIDAY ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR !!!!!

Bart

[kwiz117]

Of course people need help, not everyone knows how to use a computer...

I totally understand what you think. I am 28 and came to Thailand to be with my Thai GF [sooner going to be my wife]

Take the advice from Bart.

I do not think much Foreigners work in Thailand in IT field. [May be, but not much in this forum]

In my case, I went through the education process and ended up having 2 Degrees and becoming a Certified Chartered Accountant from UK at the age of 25.

Everything in my life changed after I met my Thai GF who is a University Student. Like the way you have written above, I forgot about all carrier Development, the well paid job and came to Thailand without any job at the age of 26.  

But I was lucky from the day I landed to Thailand. Things worked well for both of us. I never got any advice from this forum. Only my GF and myself found out the Work Permit procedures and the procedure to get a Non-immigrant Visa. That is it.

When I read the stories now in this forum and from my friends, I feel how lucky the way things have progressed for me. Trust me, 98% cases in IT are having a story similar to what Bart has written above.

It is nothing to do with the skill. It is simply the Luck.

So I guess, my story is somewhat different from the Bart story above.

Now if you ask from me, whether the same thing can work for you. My answer will be, I do not know.

The way you have expressed your feelings, I feel that you have already come to the decision.

If that is what you think right, then you should do it and face for whatever the consequences of it. I thought exactly like that. So you know you have tried it. If worked out you will be the happiest person and if failed Turn Back;

You have another advantage behind you. You are young and at your age, you can take enough risk.

Even at the time I came to Bangkok, I thought ‘If things got f***ed up then just revert back and think about it as another experience in life”. That is the way I thought about it.

For an IT job, I do not think your age will matter, if it is another Country. But as Bart says, it matters in Thailand.

Why don’t you come up with a creative Business idea? You guys are famous for it. Then you can start planning to setup it in Thailand. That will be a more proactive way to look at your idea.

But your above idea of teaching Computer or helping others to use Computers are not much creative in my books. Plenty of people can do it now [unless it is software development].

Your lack of Thai will be a major drawback.

Also the general tendancy of thinking, is getting a service from a US guy specially related to IT is costly.

Think !!!

kwiz

[andy_sabaidee]

The money is of no importance to me at all, as long as I am making enough to live.

Im awair that by staying in Thailand my future IT carrier my be going down the tubes but I really don't care much about that either. I just want to live a happy life and living in Thailand is doing that for me. Why spend the rest of my life behind a desk when I can experiance the world and enjoy myself even if im not making $100,000 a year.

In the long run I would like to open some kind of IT business in Thailand and live the rest of my life in asia. Up until I have the $$$ to do that I will of course try to keep my skills fresh and pick up on the latest things by reading books and working on my laptop etc.... My chances may be slim but Im sure as #### going to try it. Why not?????

I dont exactly understand what you men by this.

They don't need any help. How American of you...

Of course people need help, not everyone knows how to use a computer...

Im awair that by staying in Thailand my future IT carrier my be going down the tubes but I really don't care much about that either. I just want to live a happy life and living in Thailand is doing that for me. Why spend the rest of my life behind a desk when I can experiance the world and enjoy myself even if im not making $100,000 a year

[andy_sabaidee]

sorry Adroc..didn't mean to make your quote look like it was mine...i was just trying to "quote" your message and agree with with you about being happy with less.I am in the same boat right now,you  know .I would like to be able to move to thailand myself and just make enough to live on and be happy.It's not easy abd i guess you (we) have to have a plan before you decide to move overseas.

But i sympathize with you .I know exactly where you are coming from..

Best of luck to you

[Axel]

You know, I would advise to anybody "Don't do it".

Still got a feeling you have a strong mind and decided already.

So nothing that can be done, try for yourself. May be it works out, even all odds are against????

Strongly suggest one thing: Keep enough bucks, if it does not work out you can buy a ticket to go home and surive until another idea comes up. Keep this money at home (parents?)

for emergency only.

Otherwise, good luck! Seriously  

[singa-traz]

Im awair that by staying in Thailand my future IT carrier my be going down the tubes but I really don't care much about that either. I just want to live a happy life and living in Thailand is doing that for me. Why spend the rest of my life behind a desk when I can experiance the world and enjoy myself even if im not making $100,000 a year

Because at some point in time, in your life, you would need/want to make $100,000 a year ... but won't have the mean to do it anymore.

Staying in Thailand is really an exciting adventure ... what price are you ready to pay for it ?

[adroc]

Well as of now I am already an expat here in Thailand and kind of stuck here due to recent $$$$$ problems thats why im in such a strong need for a job. I guess I will just have to teach english   until something else comes along.

Atleast I will be enjoying my life outside of being a teacher.

thx everyone 4 ur help

adam

[brianbrain]

I find myself spending around 40 to 50.000 bath a month, i'm married and live in a little one room studio.

You can think OH i'll eat thai food and live in small room... forget it. you wont do it , the girls (or boys ?) will pluck your money away quick. and then wat????

Bart,

You may wish to bear in mind there are some farangs - myself included - who enjoy eating the Thai food and are living a very happy lifestyle spending less than 10,000 baht per month. I'm never short of genuine Thai friends or fun, and I can easily save a reasonable whack every month. I know this information may surprise or even alarm you, but I'm similarly surprised how anyone can spend 40-50K per month.

If Adroc wants to come here *now* his best (only) bet is to get a job here teaching English. I have a job teaching IT and English but it's the only job of its kind that I have ever seen. He would of course be financially much better off working in his own country for a few years, as per your advice.

[adroc]

Hey Bart I was just wondering where you found this job teaching IT and where is it?

thx

adroc

[en184]

Looks like most IT jobs are heading to India these days.

Check out a couple of big software companies.  You will see this is the trend.

Kanbay is hiring  - In India

http://www.kanbay.com/car_joblist.asp

Temenos is hiring - In india

http://www.temenos.com/content.asp?id=jobv...cies&regionid=2

Siebel - in US

http://www.siebel.com/about/careers/listjobs.shtm

Looks like you might have to move to India?

[penelope]

Ask yourself what do I have that the a Thai sofware company needs. What can I offer that they can't hire in Thailand. You'll never be hired over a fresh Thai graduate. Most foreign IT workers in Thailand are highly specialised with many years of experience in diverse environments internationally  and they bring important benefits,experience and 'been there done there' confidence to Thai compnanies. Why do you think there is such a strong ESL market.Teachers bring something that the Thais dont have, native speakers.

I've worked in IT in Thailand for 10 years, I know what I am talkig about, and have even been involved in hiring/interviewing.

[en184]

Nice idea. But I suggest tossing it and going back NOW. If you stay in LOS for more than a year or two, you are doing serious damage to your career. I know from personal experience that generally companies in the US look on your experience in Thailand (specifically Thailand) as wasted time. Doesn't much matter what you did or for whom. This is for the IT field but applies in many others, I've found. At your age you need solid experience that you can sell later.

I would agree with this.  I spent a year in asia.  Although the work was valuable and at a high level, I got a cold reception back in Europe.  

I suspect line managers where jealous of my achievements and happy to put me down.

Also management style is different.  while you might be able to tell a thai worker to come in at 10PM to fix a problem, you risk getting fired if you try that in Europe or US.

[Spyderman]

Saw your posting on the forum.  I was wondering if you are open to other income streams outside of your traditional work.

I am an Independent Distributor for Synergy Worldwide.  We are a multi-national company that just opened up Thailand in June.  I am looking for a few motivated business leaders in Thailand to work this business on a part or full-time basis.

           Please check out this brief overview of what we are doing at  www.noboss.net/flash/teamsallee

           This is a fantastic opportunity to break out of the mold of the traditional work force.  Let me know if I can supply you with anymore information.

Contact me at [email protected]

Thanks much,

Bret Sallee

Synergy Worldwide

Independent Distributor

www.mysynergy.net/teamsallee

Synergy Flash Presentation[email protected]

[sky]

It is quite easy to get a job in IT field in Bangkok not like others said, especially if you are looking for a job in Bangkok, you will get one for sure.

Those people who doesn't get jobs even they have experiences do not how things work in Thailand or maybe being too dependant for their experiences but not having practical skills which can be applicable to jobs in Thailand or maybe just claim so.

Start with US owned company such as oracle or IBM in Bangkok to do intern or park time job for couples of monthes and use the reference from the company to get a permanent job in other companies.

One thing you have to be really careful about thais is that they usually use personal connections to do business which means if you know a person in charge, you are set to go This cultural attitude is coming from chinese business as you may know

Make lots of thai friends and be nice to them but do not bluff. Once you lose your reputation, it means you are out of business.

[monitorlizard]

Sounds like you are here already?I have a friend who speaks Thai with IT experience and he managed to get a job here in Thailand.But his big thing is banking and insurance companies. He works 6-7 days a week and gets paid a fraction of what he would get back home (70,000 baht here). His salary back hme was 7,000 -8,000 USD/month However, he is married to a Thai and loves it here. I don't understand why he is here working for this small sum when he could be savings huge sums back home. Home is where the heart is I guess.

The other thing is that he has years of experience. I think teaching English would be a step down and are you sure you would like it? I don't think teaching how to use computers to Thais is going to work here. BTW his IT degree came from an ivy league university which helps gets his foot in the door for interviews. also he has a lot of contacts throughout asia. I am not saying his is better but the competition is fierce and thais are impressed with labels.

Looks like things are picking up in the states if that is where you are from. the time to drop out and see the world was the last 4 years. Seems that your timing is all wrong unfornutely. IMO it would better to find a job back home.

good luck

[Guest IT Manager]

Once you move in, you will be able to find an IT Job easily if you are lucky.

Good Luck

But not as MANAGER.

Seriously, what do you know of wi-fi? I need someone to do a program to manage wi-fi the way I want it managed, not the way everyone sees it can be.

PM me or contact me on a messenger. Both are below..

[KevinN]

quote

Teaching thais to use computers and software.

quote

How american of you...

Seems to me that is a gig, the Thai is not a stupid stone age neanderthal, they do have a lot of modern things here,to think that just you can show them all this new stuff is the "ugly american" way to think