Work A Realistic Goal?

[meegs]

Hi! New to this board. I'm looking into moving to Thailand (I know, I know - who isn't?!) Specifically, I'm hoping to move to Chiang Mai, or somewhere in that area. What I'm wondering is whether 1) you think I have a chance of finding work with my credentials 2) anyone has any suggestions regarding how to go about finding said work...

-I've got a BA in Mass Communications and a TESOL Certificate

-I taught English in Korea for 1 year (to children and adults), but would rather not teach again, although I would if I couldn't find anything else.

-Worked for almost 4 years at a Canadian magazine as a marketing coordinator.

-Have experience in public relations & event management.

-I'm fluent in English & French and am learning Thai.

Any help would be hugely appreciated!!!

[wasabi]

Hi! New to this board. I'm looking into moving to Thailand (I know, I know - who isn't?!) Specifically, I'm hoping to move to Chiang Mai, or somewhere in that area. What I'm wondering is whether 1) you think I have a chance of finding work with my credentials 2) anyone has any suggestions regarding how to go about finding said work...

-I've got a BA in Mass Communications and a TESOL Certificate

-I taught English in Korea for 1 year (to children and adults), but would rather not teach again, although I would if I couldn't find anything else.

-Worked for almost 4 years at a Canadian magazine as a marketing coordinator.

-Have experience in public relations & event management.

-I'm fluent in English & French and am learning Thai.

Any help would be hugely appreciated!!!

Unfortunately it seems like your skills, while strong, point you towards teaching. You could probably get something better than an entry level completely unqualified teaching job, but unless you are fluent in Thai I doubt you'd get anything that paid very well. I'm not an expert on this so maybe someone else can chime in. I do know all English teaching jobs are low paid. I can't see a big demand for learning French in Thailand. though you could possibly do some private tutoring with that.

[meegs]

Unfortunately it seems like your skills, while strong, point you towards teaching. You could probably get something better than an entry level completely unqualified teaching job, but unless you are fluent in Thai I doubt you'd get anything that paid very well. I'm not an expert on this so maybe someone else can chime in. I do know all English teaching jobs are low paid. I can't see a big demand for learning French in Thailand. though you could possibly do some private tutoring with that.

Hmmm... Not what I was hoping to hear, but I had the feeling that's about all I'd find. Is a TESOL Certificate & 1 year experience enough to find me a slightly better teaching job?

Does anyone know of any international companies that have an office in Chiang Mai? I've got a solid background in web marketing & improving online sales, so I was hoping to find something in that department....

[GuestHouse]

The problem with finding work with international companies which have offices in Thailand (I work for one) is that they will normally reserve overseas assignments for long term staff, usually mid career and generally they choose the staff to assign to a country on the basis of matching the staff member to the job needs.

Thailand has an added issue in that assignments in Thailand are usually reserved, often for people who have done less desirable assignments elsewhere, that is true of my employer and true too of most of the international company clients we have in Thailand.

I'm afraid that of all the skills that companies undervalue, language skills are probably top of the list.

[ChiangMaiThai]

You could probably find a job teaching at an international school for 30,000 to 60,000 baht a month...

[meegs]

You could probably find a job teaching at an international school for 30,000 to 60,000 baht a month...

I've dealt with some international school classes - not sure I could handle that I don't know much about schools in Thailand - in Korea there are privately-run english schools everywhere. Is it the same there? Is a TESOL certificate (60 or so hours), a BA, and 1 year experience enough?

[ThaiPauly]

Very few Foreigners up here manage to actually find work I'm afraid to say.

Its true..the only jobs up here are really only teaching ones..thats why so many have their own businesses, and of course that is an option open to you

[The Dan Sai Kid]

You could probably find a job teaching at an international school for 30,000 to 60,000 baht a month...

I don't agree. Chaing Mai is getting very competitive for work these days. Even some of the large private schools are looking for specific teaching qualifications - going beyond a TEFL, etc.

A more realistic range would be somewhere from 25,000 up to 35,000 - if you are lucky!

The problem is that there are so many people looking for work that it has driven wages down. A lot of people come here for a short time and are happy to work for next to nothing (usually thanks to a second income or savings).

It is much easier to find workat some of the other larger Thai towns. EG - I was offered a 28,000 beaht per month job over the telephone in one province - that would be unthinkable in Chiang Mai.

You can check ajarn.com to show you what sort of money is available.

As far as your magazine experience goes you can get work in that field - but openings are few and far between. Your best bet wouldbe securing a teaching job, then trying to find something else.

Good luck anyway!

[meegs]

That's pretty much what I figured. Sort of a pipe dream of mine to live in Chiang Mai & be closer to the Elephant Nature Park Maybe one day! At the moment I don't quite have the money to start my own business. Is that how most expats do it? There see to be so many living in T.land. Are they just living off savings, or teaching?

Thanks for all the info!

Edited June 8, 2006 by meegs