Job Discussion Forums

[shiloh.leah.deitz]

I am headed to Vietnam to take a CELTA course in January and then was planning on looking for work. What is typically the minimum contract length a school will expect? Also, how much money should I come with to make it until I get a job?

[inky]

The standard is 6 months or 1 year. You'll finish your CELTA just before the Tet (Chinese New Year) holiday, so schools will be closing for 10 days to 2 weeks before and after the actual date of Feb 14. That means you'll be starting out teaching very slowly, which is a nice way to do it after the CELTA but requires you to have extra cash set aside. Your school might have some hours right away, particularly covering classes as some teachers may be wanting to leave for a longer holiday, but it's unlikely you'll start full-time until after Tet and in any case there will be the 10-day break.

After the CELTA starts, contact someone who does the hiring at that school and let them know you're looking for work. People are always leaving, there is a lot of natural turnover so openings occur regularly.

You should arrive with finances to cover you for at least 3 months, but to be safe and comfortable I would say longer. About $1200US per month should be fine. Keep in mind that landlords usually require a month's rent as a deposit so you'll be forking out two months' rent on day one (or it's possible to find a shared place).

[half moon]