Job Discussion Forums

[Brandon1986]

My plan was to move to HCMC mid-October and hope for an early November start date. I have no idea whether I want to work in a private school or public school but I'm a hard worker and would preferably like a solid and reliable 15-25 hour per week teaching schedule.

I've heard that many schools start in September...should I.....

1) focus on getting resumes out, try to get a job beforehand, and hop on the September bandwagon?

2) just relax, show up to HCMC with a resume in hand in October and assume I can get a good job with some patience and some money to get me by.


I've already sent away for my FBI background check and I have all the other stuff in hand (notarized degree, online TEFL certificate, cover letter...etc)

If you don't mind, a few other things on my mind I've been worried about...

I'm almost finished with my 100 hour online TEFL course....they are giving me the option to upgrade to a 120-hour course....is there a huge difference in the way employers will look at the two? I already know I'm at a disadvantage having an online TEFL, but is 100-hours sufficient?

Finally, there seems to be a general sentiment on this board that Vietnam is slowly "drying up" in terms of the TEFL jobs and that the pay is lowering as well. I would prefer to go to Thailand but HCMC interests me more because I was under the impression that it was still a teachers market and the wages were still way higher than Thailand.....am I right for thinking this?

Thank you for your help!!!

[ExpatLuke]

The summer months of June, July, and August are the peak hiring seasons. Vietnamese tend to do everything last minute with very little advance preparation, so for the schools which start in September, all the hiring will be done in the last few weeks of August.

English Centers are overflowing in the summer, with all the kids who are off of school trying to sign up for extra classes during the summer.

However, the only really "bad" time to be looking for work in Vietnam are the months right before the Lunar New Year which comes in January or February. Jobs will start to thin out ahead of this holiday, and they take a few months to really pick up again after the holiday.

[Brandon1986]

Well said. Thanks Luke!