Job Discussion Forums

[cleyshon]

I'm looking to work in vietnam with my TEFL certificate. I was a teacher for 3 years in the UK but haven't taught anywhere else yet. Should I go to China first to get some experience, or bite the bullet and go to Vietnam?

Also, where do I look for jobs in Vietnam, it always comes up as ILA, and there I need experience of ESL teaching.

I don't really want to turn up and hope for the best, but if I did what are the chances of getting a reasonable job?

[inky]

Absolutely no reason to go to China, or anywhere else, to gain experience. there are several topics here about Vietnam and new teachers that will give you lots of info. And there are posters here who claim that ILA actually prefers to hire new teachers, although I don't believe that. s long as you have the proper documentation for a Work Permit, you can find a job. Your issue will be Saigon vs Hanoi, after you have made the final decision to try Vietnam. The cities are not paradise -- polluted, crowded, noisy -- but the students are generally wonderful, enjoyable to teach, and the people outside the tourist areas are great, north and south.

[Green Acres]

ILA will hire you if you do their CELTA course, no guarantees though.

China is also great. The pay in Beijing and Shanghai is generally higher than Vietnam, and there are more jobs available there. Timing is the same, and this is the right time to make a journey to either location.

Learning to speak and understand Chinese would be more helpful than Vietnamese. Vietnam is about to suffer a huge ecomomic meltdown, while China is on the mend and improving economically.

Both cultures are friendly and rewarding for the kind hearted.

[inky]

"Vietnam is about to suffer a huge ecomomic meltdown..."
I'm sincerely interested in hearing your evidence for this statement, as well as more specifics about the circumstances of the coming 'crash.' For example, will this be a regional 'meltdown,' or will it be limited only to Vietnam? I'm sure others are interested as well. Thank you.

[Green Acres]

MOD EDIT

The nature of meltdowns is that few people see it coming. This one is pretty easy to see, actually, and that is why people are being arrested almost daily in the south for smuggling tonnes of gold in and out of the country. I don't want to say, "i told you so," after the fact, but I will, because I did.

[Tanker]

Green Acres has a point.

And a valid point.

Remember, we that are inside Vietnam have limited access to information.

And the economic information we receive is controlled by "you know who."

The economic forecasts that we view and read, and see, inside Vietnam should be read with caution.

A lot of banks in VN have given out bad loans. Lots of bad loans.

And the intentional devaluing of the Dong, once again, to spur exports.

[inky]

"...we that are inside Vietnam have limited access to information..."
The pronoun should be 'who,' and I have never been denied access to the outside news sources that I rely on for information. I can even read Fox News if I want.

[just noel]

[inky]

I stay in Vietnam and read the Wall Street Journal, NY Times, BBC, and US-based Vietnamese websites among many other uncensored internet materials, and I watch the BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC and CNN on cable TV.

What is it that you think you are missing?

[just noel]

Inky,

I'm not trying to insult your country. Yes, CNN, BBC, Bloomberg and the others are available. Sometimes they are censored. The Discovery channel is censored at times as well.

Many websites are blocked, Face book isn't even allowed.

Books I have shipped to me are read, and even children's games for teaching.

There is no point in discussing this.

[deessell2]

To think that media is not censored in Vietnam is ludicrous.

[beetlil]

The fact that you have taught something is an advantage. It means you have learned about methodology and can design and implement a lesson plan and probably (hopefully) have some ideas about classroom management.

Get on the job board and just apply to whatever takes your fancy. Make a decision as to how you want to live, how much you need to do this and then rule out whatever doesn't suit.

If you want to just land here and see what's out there, aim to come before June. There's heaps of work going due to summer school and if you do a good job, chances are they'll keep you on

[celloleslie]

Hi you all,
I've appreciated and enjoyed reading your comments for the past year. I'm getting ready to head for Vietnam now that my kids are grown, and imagine I'm brave enough (and excited enough:) to 'land there', look around (slowly, while traveling) and find a job, rather than setting up something ahead of time.
BUT I am a divorced woman in her 50's. Adventurer...YES. Capable, trained, experienced YES (taught in elem. schools for years, have ESL certificate from Duke U. and lots of volunteer ESL experience)
Please let me know your take on the Vietnamese attitudes about age and gender. I hear they frown upon older volunteers (?) What will they make of me, an 'older' woman asserting herself into the workplace? What have you observed in the school environment, the ILA positions, and even in volunteer organizations? Are there certain behaviors I should avoid, or exhibit?
I'm not wanting to teach to make lots of money; just enough to live on (tutoring maybe?)
I'd be happy not to live/work in HCMC or Hanoi but, rather, in the 'bush' (as we used to say when I lived in Alaska)
Share your thoughts/reactions/suggestions with me please! thanks-Leslie
PS should this post have been a new thread, about age?

[markustm]

I usually take a neutral stand in viewing a Countries economics, but have myself experienced two meltdowns in Asian countries- and see a common factor in each meltdown.

1. Property Prices
Property prices rise higher than salaries, and become unaffordable for the majority of people. Sky high rents, and property prices often signal the beginning of the end.

2.Watch the Rich
The Rich are connected, and if you see a sudden drop in sales of "High end" products,if the wealthy are Saving instead of buying, or taking more trips abroad then usual. You can bet a meltdown is around the corner.

3. Dependency
Look at what the country is dependent on. If its tourism, just keep an eye on visitor numbers, and if traditionally full hotels are starting to offer specials. If its industry, check out if there is news about factories closing, or more goods being sold cheaply. This is one sign, factories are finding it hard to get customers.

4. Gold and Diamond Prices
Asians trust gold, and diamonds when they stop trusting their own currency. Are more people buying Gold?. Has the price started to rise sharply locally.

One thing there is a misconception that Asia needs Europe, and the US. Thats not true. I lived in Indonesia, before I came here.

The economy was not affected by the crash of 2008. International Tourism was bad, but who cared when the hotels and resorts were full of wealthy Asian, Indonesian and Middle-eastern clients. Only the backpacker market was down.

We come from Countries that cannot even manage a Bank properly, so I am backing off from any criticism of how Asian economies are run.

But I like the feel of Vietnam, the ambition, and hope that the "forecast" of Vietnam heading for a meltdown, is just another comment on this forum, without any real evidence.

[celloleslie]

These indicators you've suggested are interesting and certainly seem to be related to economic growth (or decline). I wonder how closely Vietnam's economy is tied to China's....