Job Discussion Forums

rokodale · Joined: 08 Jan 2015 Posts: 4

Hi,

I wanted to know if anyone has any experience of echo English Thailand? I am new to the ESL world and am looking for my first job as an ESL teacher. What I like about this company is they say i will know i have a job before i arrive which is a big worry for me. I also like the six month contract. As the other option i have been looking into is Taiwan and Hess, but this would involve a 12 month contract.

I just know that things that usually seem too good to be true usually are and i have a feeling this is one of those things that may just seem perfect for me as the dates fit for me.

I hope that makes sense.

Thanks

Adam

rokodale · Joined: 08 Jan 2015 Posts: 4

heres the website address http://echo-english.com/teachers/#sthash.2jMiJAd6.dpbs

suphanburi · Joined: 20 Mar 2014 Posts: 916

Paying or using an agency to find a job before arriving in Thailand is just silly.

Be in Bangkok in late April with your degree, transcripts and resume in hand and finding work is as simple as stepping off a curb.

The salaries are LOW.
Qualified Filipinos should be earning about 20k (salary and benefits.
Native speakers should be earning 32-36k (right off the plane).

There is NO tax payable or due for people who earn less than 210k THB in a calendar year (your gross as a native speaker for 6 months at that agency 30k is only 180k and therefore still under the threshold for paying taxes).

If you want the security then take it but it sounds dodgy to me.

adaruby · Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2015 1:33 am Post subject:

Hod · Joined: 28 Apr 2003 Posts: 1613 Location: Home

At the risk of sounding like scot47 (although I have taught in Thailand), that website and its photographs are trying to portray TEFL in Thailand as some sort of beach holiday. The number of teaching jobs within sight of any beach is minimal.

That's not to say a stint in Thailand isn't worthwhile, far from it. But as a new teacher, I'd want some proper training first and this could be done in your home country and would give you an internationally-recognised certificate. That Echo school's certificate won't be worth much at all at another school and even less if you wanted to teach in another country.

With such a cert and some small savings, you could arrive and look for a job at leisure, a job which will pay a lot more straight away. I wouldn't focus too much on Echo's dates unless you really only want a short stint in Thailand and that's it. Try looking at a few other options as well.