Job Discussion Forums

lesliereed · Joined: 26 Oct 2008 Posts: 6

Posting for a friend of mine who wants to go to Vietnam and find work with no degree. Any advice appreciated! He has a high school diploma, some college and has taught a GED class for one year. What are his best chances for finding work?

Thanks!

mark_in_saigon · Joined: 20 Sep 2009 Posts: 837

First suggestion is if a person wants to find work, he should take responsibility and do whatever it takes. So, he posts himself, rather than asking a friend to do it, just like he should create his own resume, knock on doors himself, do his own networking. That way, his friends do not have to answer questions for him with the inevitable confusion that develops as the messages go from person to person. Once he starts posting here, I am sure folks will be glad to give him advice directly.

Not being cute, but if he is wanting to teach English, esp with only a high school education, he should certainly put his writing on display so folks can know if he has real potential. William Safire did not have a college degree, yet he had a column in the NYTimes on the English language. The degree does not always prove skill one way or the other. Tell your friend to do his own spadework and see what develops.

lesliereed · Joined: 26 Oct 2008 Posts: 6

I hear you, but as a friend with more experience teaching abroad I thought it would be good to help a fellow human. I will advise him to create a profile, but in the meantime was hoping for practical advice. His ticket is booked and I'm concerned about his chances of finding work without a degree, and thought I'd ask experienced teachers located in Vietnam. Thanks.

bobpen · Joined: 04 Mar 2011 Posts: 89

mark_in_saigon · Joined: 20 Sep 2009 Posts: 837

I think you did not address the most important issue in his case, his TESOL. A person with some college but no degree will find that the TESOL cert is of huge value to him. Guys with English or teaching degrees can slide by without it, folks with degrees unrelated to English or teaching need it. People with no degrees need it in the worst way possible. Otherwise, they are competing with the other foreign nationals from the less desirable English speaking countries who automatically work for less (illegally, no work permit) and in the grubbiest schools. It is not just what you learn in the course, the VN govt has this list of qualifications required for you to teach, no college degree means he has scratched off half of the list, if he fails on the second half, he is at the bottom of the barrel despite whatever skills he has.

This is all "generally speaking", there are exceptions to everything here. He should post first hand so he can detail his situation himself.

haller_79 · Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 145

Didn't appear to be any mention about looking for work in 'good' schools. I say just go for it - he will find a job, maybe not straight away but he will, because people are constantly hopping on and off the merrygoround. I did a TESOL and although it helped me get a job, I can honestly say that I learnt almost nothing from it. I mean if you're going to spend money on your own education at least do a course that teaches you a skill.

mark_in_saigon · Joined: 20 Sep 2009 Posts: 837

But they are not ALL worthless, some are a lot worse than others. But the larger issue is the regulations asking for it. The VN can fudge to some extent on the question of a college degree, it is harder to ignore the applicant not having a TESOL, especially if he has no degree. It puts the individual at the bottom of the employability list, impacting his wages, his hours, and the kind of schools he works at. It also likely means he never works legally. Just not the best way to go about it. If you are going to be here for any length of time at all, you need to try to do this thing at least halfway right.