Job Discussion Forums

[jooooooey]

I just had a quick question. I'm a certificated (English) teacher in the US--I have a master's degree--and have experience teaching in regular secondary schools here. I taught ESL maybe ten years in other countries before that, but never got a TOEFL or CELTA or anything like that.

I was thinking of coming to Vietnam to teach. From what I've read, it's best to just come and ask around for jobs.

I taught in Peru for years and I just did it under the table as "a tourist" because documentation was too hard unless you get married or get a job with rich kids at an international school. Vietnam is the same?

I read about documentation in another forum, but if getting a legal job is hard... Just wondering what my prospects are and what kind of documentation I should bring. Or if this is the right place to go for teaching...

Thanks, any advice would be appreciated.

[sigmoid]

Demand for English teachers in VN is still quite high although there are a lot of people showing up these days. However, with your qualifications and experience, you shouldn't worry too much about competition.

You can search for job ads and schools' websites on the Internet to get an idea of the market in terms of demand, pay rates, etc. The big market segments are kids and IELTS test prep. Yes, you can just show up on a tourist visa and look for work. Most of the work is as you describe: part-time for cash.

The main problems are that most of the schools aren't very well-managed and the biggest cities aren't very liveable. There are more and more schools opening up in smaller towns, but then you face the problem of extreme boredom; however, the big cities aren't very interesting either.

In general, VN is pretty dull but it is stable, developing economically, and relatively safe, with a low cost of living.

If you accept a full-time job with a one-year contract, then you will need documentation, such as, as far as I know, notarized copies of degrees and certificates and a criminal background check. Then, you can get a work permit and temporary resident card. Currently, Americans can still get a one-year business visa fairly easily though. Most people who decide to stay long-term just do that.

[Wayland]

With a teacher certification and your masters, you'll be fine. Making $2500 minimum and probably up to $3500 for the better International Schools. This is any city that has an International School too... lots to choose from.

I'd recommend Vung Tau, Danang, Hoi An, or some of the other smaller coastal cities over HCMC or Hanoi...

With the Masters you might even be able to land a VP or Department Director position, and then you'd make even more for less work...

[jooooooey]

For finding work in an international school, is it best to just show up and start looking, or search for jobs from abroad? Or does it matter? In Peru it was easiest to find jobs once you were there, but I didn't have a certification there.

Just out of curiosity, why aren't cities in Vietnam very interesting? As in, compared to where?

Thanks for your replies.

[sigmoid]

It depends on what type of international school, fully accredited or not. As far as I know, fully accredited international schools prefer to hire from abroad and if hired in-country, a teacher may not get as sweet a deal as they are considered a 'local hire'. Competition for these positions is quite intense and I don't think there are that many true international schools in Vietnam.

For partially-accredited or unaccredited international schools, you'll most likely want to see what you are getting into before signing up for anything.

Anyway, all schools including language schools can be found and contacted online and there are numerous job ads. So, you can very easily search for jobs while overseas, then have some interviews and leads to follow up once you arrive.

Regarding location, VN is quite a densely populated country, and the largest cities have the usual problems that big cities have. In addition, as VN develops, there are increasing opportunities in other places.

Also, when I say that VN isn't very interesting, I am comparing it with Thailand and Laos, which although I find more interesting/enjoyable, I wouldn't recommend for long-term living and working.

[jooooooey]

Okay, thanks for all the good information, to both of you. That helps.