Job Discussion Forums

[RustyShackleford]

Hi everybody, so I read on a different thread indirectly asking me about how my search for stable employment had gone, so I decided to outline specifically what I've come across. Triumphs, failures, challenges, etc.

Background and Reasonings

Before this, I was on the JET Program in Japan for five years as what we call an Assistant Language Teacher. This job was not the most challenging and I found my career progression, even within the rather pigeon-holed world of TEFL, to be stagnating. Loved my town, loved the country, hated the lack of progress and bonking my head against the glass ceiling of a low-stakes job where I felt irrelevant and seeing English education in Japan slowly spin in circles.

Korea was too much like Japan; China never interested me as a place to live; Thailand's salaries were much too low and, education-wise, full of the same problems as Japan it seemed; Cambodia's salaries seemed like a joke. I visited Vietnam on a whim for a vacation. I was impressed with the relatively high levels of English spoken compared to Japan. I figured that, as a place to work, Vietnam seemed like an ideal second step.

To be clear, these are what my qualifications were:
BA diploma
Online TEFL cert taken at ITTT (Pretty good program, all things considered)
Five years experience

Arrival and Prior Preparations

So I arrived from Narita Airport to HCMC at the end of July with about my last $1000 - I was never very good about saving in Japan, what with cheap electronic gadgets amongst other things. Still, made sure to bring plenty of professional-looking clothes so I could look presentable in job interviews.

The first thing I made sure of before leaving was to book a cheap hostel that I remembered being pretty satisfied by when I previously visited Saigon for a vacation. This turned out to be a stroke of good fortune for reasons I'll get into later.

Another thing I made sure of was to do plenty of research into the ESL scene in Vietnam. I checked Dave's religiously but also checked blogs of other English teachers to get a more cohesive look of things on the ground, especially HCMC. I e-mailed the owner of one such blog and he was kind enough to offer not only suggestions for good schools, but even took me on a moto ride to all these places for little more than a Thank You and a few beers.

I also sent out e-mail resumes to a couple of promising schools I saw on Craigslist. I also wrote an e-mail to the principal of a school a connection in Tokyo hooked me up with.

My CV, for what it's worth, highlighted my five years of experience in Japan, and I bullet-pointed my various accomplishments in things such as Speech Contest training. It wasn't particularly clean, thanks to a faulty printer at my job, but it was taken without much fuss.

Some advice, by the way, make sure that one of, if not THE, first things you buy is a cell phone and a SIM card. Put it on your resume. If you're a promising candidate, you'll get contacted right away. Also, if you send an e-mail resume, try to physically follow it up whenever possible.

Week One

I actually kind of lucked out that I chose to study Vietnamese for several months prior to coming and made a good relationship with my Vietnamese teacher. After I informed him I arrived in HCMC, it turned out that one of his other students ran the English department at a college and they needed an emergency back-up teacher. I went for an interview and, based on my CV, interviewing skills and personal connections, they gave me on a part-time job.

A couple days later, one of the prominent ESL language center schools also called me and asked for an interview.

I also did some apartment hunting based on craigslist and other such sites. I did find a rather shabby accommodation in D5 which I showed to the lady who ran the hostel. Turned out that they had a friend who needed a room in a house filled for $150/mo! That's where I am typing to you now, but I will probably be moving to someplace else soon enough.

Remember guys - this was all within the first week of being here.

Week Two

The classes with the first part-time job I took were rather unfortunate at first, because it turned out I had to walk away from several promising job prospects since it interfered with them. This does tie in with what Mark-in-Saigon says - It's MUCH better to not need the money. I had great interviews but once it turned out I had a couple of morning classes, it was all game over.

The prominent language center though was more than happy to look at my CV and give me evening/weekend classes. I was pretty happy about this initially and I actually enjoyed the work. I have to say, despite some horror stories I have read, the expats I worked with were all pretty friendly and above-board people who came off as reasonably dedicated to the work with none of the lying and trickery I hear about so often. I'll consider myself lucky.

Month Two

The jobs were both going quite well. The first part-time job went on vacation after the term ended and the language center gig chugged along. I was enjoying my classes and even started dating a local.

Then the part-time job offers me a full-time contract, with an actual proper steady salary, benefits, paid vacation and, best of all, NO EVENINGS and NO WEEKENDS.

One of my goals with coming here was to improve my teaching abilities and being able to teach at a college with full control and everything was an opportunity I couldn't walk away from. What I thought was a curse keeping me from other salaried work turned out to be a blessing.

The only problem was that the language center required a month's advance notice to resign...

Month Three

I am currently still working the two jobs. The language center work has gone a bit neglected due to me focusing my energies on the college and the college work isn't getting done as well as it could be due to the language center work taking up all my time on the weekends. Fortunately, this week I get back my Saturday evening which should give me more time to prepare things properly. Damn busy work though, what with planning, teaching, AND grading the classes AND maintaining contact with students via e-mail.

Observations

Thus far, I have had few issues in my jobs. I have not dealt with management in any significant capacity outside of signing contracts and the like, so I figure this factors significantly into my sentiments.

Language centers are a good place to get a start and the better ones can be supportive and even helpful (outside of the fact that mandatory workshops and meetings go unpaid, which just seems criminal to me).

With proper planning, understanding of the local scene and decent social skills, it is possible to find a decent job (or jobs) in a short amount of time.

It's better to give yourself time to find a job so that you can interview and "feel out" several different places instead of taking the first one that gives you a contract.

Vietnamese students you will teach are most likely a little spoiled, being able to afford the sometimes insane rates and all, but they are a good-hearted bunch.

Get a motorbike as soon you can. No sense wasting time with a flaky xe om unless you happen to be flush with cash and don't mind waiting upwards of half an hour. Learn to drive, learn the streets and get going.

[bansheebeat]

Very cool post, thanks for sharing. I keep reading more and more things that draw me toward Vietnam.

[LettersAthruZ]

Fascinating story.

Good luck - hope the rest of your tenure here runs as smoothly as the first three months have!

[JoeKing]

Yes, one of the better posts on how to do it right. Thanks!

[skarper]

Very interesting. It shows that despite the poor market generally if you are well prepared and a little bit lucky you can make a good start.

A couple of points spring to mind.

After 5 years of the JET program the only way is up really...

Will you be able to get a work permit with an online TEFL?

Is a WP even part of the deal with either of your jobs?

Many work here for years without WP but it is becoming increasingly tiresome and expensive.

Anyway - well done and I hope the good luck continues.

[RustyShackleford]

[skarper]

Hmmn.

Many is the hapless TEFLER in Vietnam who is told - 'don't worry, we will get you a WP' only to find there is one snag after another.

I'm no expert on this but I thought online TEFL certificates did not qualify for a WP.

Anyone able to speak from experience? Like many things here what may be true for one may not be so for all..

[I'm With Stupid]

I suspect that the people in charge of giving work permits don't have a clue what they're looking at and will stamp anything that looks about right.

[RustyShackleford]

For what it's worth, some co-workers I believe did the ITTT thing and they got a WP just fine. I'm not particularly worried about it to be honest. Figure that, worse comes to worse, I'll just need to give some encouragement.

[skarper]

It's a muddled situation. ILA/Apollo tend to demand CELTA equivs and I'm not sure if it's due to WP issues or just cos they know how iffy online certs can be (or indeed maybe to promote their in house programs.)

Like the OP says it's not a big deal either way. Just curiosity on my part.

[RustyShackleford]

Brief update: I have officially received my work permit for Vietnam without any additional documentation required besides a last minute extension (as in four days before expiration) on my visa. Working visa is still being processed but I am assured that it will be taken care of in due time and I have no reason to believe otherwise.

[skarper]

Pleasantly surprised. Happy for you.

[VietCanada]

ITTT or any other online TEFL cert. is good for a work permit. Schools that sell CELTAs and DELTAs may not be interested in hiring people who don't purchase their cert. first.

Good luck OP and thanx for sharing. IMHO you should do well here.

[LongShiKong]

To apply for a WP, how dated can your Police Check be? Six mo's?

[RustyShackleford]

Yes, it should be no older than six months. I got mine from the US despite having lived in Japan for five years because I figure that the bureaucrats care more about making sure about your country of citizenship instead of your country of origin.