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Prof.Gringo
Joined: 07 Nov 2006
Posts: 2236
Location: Dang Cong San Viet Nam Quang Vinh Muon Nam!
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 Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 8:26 am Post subject: |
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| Sudz wrote: |
| Definitely not an ideal time. I've tried everywhere and haven't had any luck - besides an interview here and there. |
Sounds like it sucks all around. I was offered 2 diff jobs, which involved working at 2 diff govt primary schools, split shifts and only 10 hours per week total, I passed on both, as I need 20 hours week minimum. They both overlapped, so it wasn't going to work. I won't work for more than 2 employers at once, I know some teachers that have to string together 4 or 5 hours per week at 4 or 5 diff schools... Not my cup of green tea. |
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sigmoid
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 1276
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| Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 2:39 pm Post subject: |
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| By the end of 2013, I'll only work about 4 months a year (in a US Based job which involves 100% travel, BTW) and gross more than most Americans make in 12 months, so I should live well in Vietnam for the other 8 months... While I build my pension and SS check, 401K, etc. |
If you're financially set, why the heck would you hang around in Vietnam for 8 months if you didn't have to be there?
One month would probably be more than enough...
Last edited by sigmoid on Tue Mar 05, 2013 2:57 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Tanker
Joined: 15 Jun 2005
Posts: 72
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| Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 2:43 pm Post subject: |
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| Prof.Gringo wrote: |
| Sudz wrote: |
| Definitely not an ideal time. I've tried everywhere and haven't had any luck - besides an interview here and there. |
Sounds like it sucks all around. I was offered 2 diff jobs, which involved working at 2 diff govt primary schools, split shifts and only 10 hours per week total, I passed on both, as I need 20 hours week minimum. They both overlapped, so it wasn't going to work. I won't work for more than 2 employers at once, I know some teachers that have to string together 4 or 5 hours per week at 4 or 5 diff schools... Not my cup of green tea. |
I know many, many, many, teachers who are driving all over Saigon to 3 or 4 different schools just to get enough hours.
Post-Tet slowdown + the economic situation.
The big question is, will this
stay the same for a couple/few years or,
will it get worse?
I know a few teachers in Hanoi and Saigon that decided to leave.
Too many teachers, not enough hours.
We shall see..... |
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Prof.Gringo
Joined: 07 Nov 2006
Posts: 2236
Location: Dang Cong San Viet Nam Quang Vinh Muon Nam!
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| Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 12:55 am Post subject: |
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| sigmoid wrote: |
| Quote: |
| By the end of 2013, I'll only work about 4 months a year (in a US Based job which involves 100% travel, BTW) and gross more than most Americans make in 12 months, so I should live well in Vietnam for the other 8 months... While I build my pension and SS check, 401K, etc. |
If you're financially set, why the heck would you hang around in Vietnam for 8 months if you didn't have to be there?
One month would probably be more than enough... |
My reasons to STAY in VN:
1. Very LOW Cost of Living (COL).
2. Beautiful, friendly women (no prob having girlfriends, and NOT bar girls either, "good girls" only for me, BTW)
3. The Govt never bothers me. No visa issues, no visa runs.
4. The police don't harass me (like the corrupt cops in Mexico)
5. Mostly safe (nevermind those 3 street brawls I've been in, and won everytime, the last time some police showed up, and the "secret police" shook my hand and thanked me for beating the crap outta some Vietnamese scumbag)
6.Not bored with VN yet. I can go to Pagoda in the morning and Mass in the afternoon. Guess I am a bit of a Cao Dai myself.
7. When I become bored with VN, I'll move on
Please note number 7 above, if you are in this category, please feel free to exit VN anytime... Nobody is stopping you from leaving, except yourself.
EDITED for CLARITY only!
Last edited by Prof.Gringo on Wed Mar 06, 2013 9:31 am; edited 1 time in total |
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spycatcher reincarnated
Joined: 19 May 2005
Posts: 236
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| Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 2:27 am Post subject: |
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Sigmoid wrote:
2) VN has been experiencing a financial crisis for over a year, and during that time many people have lost their jobs and thousands of companies have failed, FDI has dropped significantly and the stock market is down. So, it's no wonder that teaching jobs are more scarce.
Can't get quote function to work. End of quote!
Can't immediately find info, but I thought the stock market was significantly up last year. I see it is up 11.7% YTD. One can surely only be talking about the HCMC stock market? One also has to remember that the Vietnamese stock market is lead by herd mentality and foreign and international liquidity. Fundamentals have very little affect on valuations.
Yes, many people have lost their jobs, this happens every year and is a good thing. The labour pool is increasing significantly at present so I would imagine that more people have jobs than ever before.
FDI is a pretty irrelevant number. Looking at historical Chinese figures I believe that only about 25% of promised FDI actually materializes. Promised FDI figures here have historically been cuckoo. There have been numerous multibillion dollar multistage projects which have just been land grabs and have never had an intension of actually investing, so the leading FDI numbers are trash. FDI disbursement is a very valid number, however, and I believe this has been relatively stable. Believe Vietnam has one of the highest FDI disbursements compared to GDP in the world.
Obviously agree that Vietnamese economy is no where near where it should be and this is largely down to internal mismanagement rather than global issues.
As long as there aren't too many negative external factors hitting Vietnam I believe Vietnam will pull out of its present relative slump, but it will be a few years before we are seeing 7% GDP growth again, unless Vietnam starts reporting more correct GDP growth numbers that is. NB: there is a line of thought that Vietnam has been growing as fast as China, but has just been bad at recording Correct GDP and GDP growth.
For what it is worth, I note Standard Chartered is forecasting year end exchange rates to the usd as follows:
2013. 21,000
2014. 21,000
2015. 20,300
2016. 20,300 |
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TRH
Joined: 27 Oct 2011
Posts: 340
Location: Hawaii
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| Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 1:50 pm Post subject: FDI? |
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| spycatcher reincarnated wrote: |
the leading FDI numbers are trash. FDI disbursement is a very valid number, however, and I believe this has been relatively stable. Believe Vietnam has one of the highest FDI disbursements compared to GDP in the world. |
For those of us without MBA's, could you tell us what FDI stands for? |
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vabeckele
Joined: 19 Nov 2010
Posts: 439
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| Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 1:53 pm Post subject: |
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FDI = Floppy Dick Incident
Foreign Direct Investment |
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Tanker
Joined: 15 Jun 2005
Posts: 72
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| Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 3:09 pm Post subject: |
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| spycatcher reincarnated wrote: |
| Yes, many people have lost their jobs, this happens every year and is a good thing. The labour pool is increasing significantly at present so I would imagine that more people have jobs than ever before. |
I believe it is not possible to gauge unemployment accurately in VN.
The number of business started and closed/failed is recorded more accurately. These number, are bad.
Lots of unemployed at the moment.
| Quote: |
| Obviously agree that Vietnamese economy is no where near where it should be and this is largely down to internal mismanagement rather than global issues. |
Energy Vietnam may be the next Vinashin, and EVN (aka VEG) is much, much larger than Vinashin.
| Quote: |
| it will be a few years before we are seeing 7% GDP growth again |
This year it's forcasted to be 5%. It may be 4-5%
| Quote: |
For what it is worth, I note Standard Chartered is forecasting year end exchange rates to the usd as follows:
2013. 21,000
2014. 21,000
2015. 20,300
2016. 20,300 |
That's the good news (so far). The VND is considered to be stable over the next couple of years.
Bottom line is: how does this affect EFL teachers.
As a whole it will mean lower enrollments, so less work for some and more competition for jobs.
Just MHO. |
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livelife
Joined: 14 Oct 2012
Posts: 9
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| Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 3:25 pm Post subject: |
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Finally found a full time job. Still haven't heard back from tons of others. Not even a peep. I even applied at all the big places for newbs.
I do hear a lot of "wait till May and June" for there to be more jobs. |
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Mushroom Druid
Joined: 19 Oct 2009
Posts: 91
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| Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 5:32 pm Post subject: |
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| livelife wrote: |
Finally found a full time job. Still haven't heard back from tons of others. Not even a peep. I even applied at all the big places for newbs.
I do hear a lot of "wait till May and June" for there to be more jobs. |
This says a lot. "wait till May or June."
Your original OP was posted on Jan. 22.
| Quote: |
PostPosted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 3:21 am Post subject: Hiring after TET? Reply with quote Report Post
I have recently arrived in HCMC but i have not been looking for jobs yet. I was told the few weeks leading up to TET and after were a bad time to look for anything, since most places our preparing for the holiday.
Does anyone know when most schools start their regular schedule again, or when would be a good time to start showing up to schools with CVs. |
Even in Saigon, this indicates things are slower than usual. (Of course, it could depend on your quals and experience, but others have told me the same as you for the slowness).
So....Saigon is slow in Jan/Feb/March/April and begins to start getting busy in May and/or June? To slow down again around December.
That is unstable. |
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vabeckele
Joined: 19 Nov 2010
Posts: 439
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| Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 10:23 pm Post subject: This is worrying |
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| Mushroom Druid wrote: |
| livelife wrote: |
Finally found a full time job. Still haven't heard back from tons of others. Not even a peep. I even applied at all the big places for newbs.
I do hear a lot of "wait till May and June" for there to be more jobs. |
This says a lot. "wait till May or June."
Your original OP was posted on Jan. 22.
| Quote: |
PostPosted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 3:21 am Post subject: Hiring after TET? Reply with quote Report Post
I have recently arrived in HCMC but i have not been looking for jobs yet. I was told the few weeks leading up to TET and after were a bad time to look for anything, since most places our preparing for the holiday.
Does anyone know when most schools start their regular schedule again, or when would be a good time to start showing up to schools with CVs. |
Even in Saigon, this indicates things are slower than usual. (Of course, it could depend on your quals and experience, but others have told me the same as you for the slowness).
So....Saigon is slow in Jan/Feb/March/April and begins to start getting busy in May and/or June? To slow down again around December.
That is unstable. |
Well noted, Mushroom.
I have been quite wrong to tell people there are plenty of places to work. Obviously, things are changing. I thought it was just me, but now I realise I can see quite a drop in job postings - 2012 must have really hammered Vietnam.
If the only choices begin to be for the chain schools for gap year 'teachers', Vietnam, even with its cheap pho, and morally correct people, will become a place not much unlike Cambodia.
Just yesterday, Hanoi's Finance Academy asked me to teach a business course with no book. While I enjoy the freedoms afforded to me here I am beginning to ask myself more and more why I stay. Going into my third year I am beginning to give up. |
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Prof.Gringo
Joined: 07 Nov 2006
Posts: 2236
Location: Dang Cong San Viet Nam Quang Vinh Muon Nam!
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| Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 12:45 am Post subject: |
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| Mushroom Druid wrote: |
| livelife wrote: |
Finally found a full time job. Still haven't heard back from tons of others. Not even a peep. I even applied at all the big places for newbs.
I do hear a lot of "wait till May and June" for there to be more jobs. |
This says a lot. "wait till May or June."
Your original OP was posted on Jan. 22.
| Quote: |
PostPosted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 3:21 am Post subject: Hiring after TET? Reply with quote Report Post
I have recently arrived in HCMC but i have not been looking for jobs yet. I was told the few weeks leading up to TET and after were a bad time to look for anything, since most places our preparing for the holiday.
Does anyone know when most schools start their regular schedule again, or when would be a good time to start showing up to schools with CVs. |
Even in Saigon, this indicates things are slower than usual. (Of course, it could depend on your quals and experience, but others have told me the same as you for the slowness).
So....Saigon is slow in Jan/Feb/March/April and begins to start getting busy in May and/or June? To slow down again around December.
That is unstable. |
Very unstable indeed. My friend who has been in VN teaching EFL for the past 3 years said he's never seen it like this before... After Tet there was TONS of work, and now? Barely a few ounces, and it's not enough for all the junkyard EFL dogs, so it looks like those who stay either have some money set back, some special gig or a business here.
In 7 years in Mexico, the salaries were never as high as the hourly rates here in VN, but the work and the hours were much more stable (and that's saying something...  ).
I have also heard that many of the public schools in HCMC are in fact now staffed with those Filipino "native" speakers and there is even less demand for white expat EFL pro's (remember, we DEMAND up to $6,000USD per month, but the PI teachers only DEMAND 2 grand a month  )...
Seems like some TEFL'ers have already left and more are on the way out... Long-term, it looks like VN isn't the "paradise paradise" (to quote another poster from before  ) it was a few short years ago... |
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