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2112
Joined: 15 Aug 2010
Posts: 9
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 Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2011 7:18 am Post subject: Job market in Saigon? |
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I have just finished teaching in Korea, as my hogwan went out of business 9 months into a 1 year contract.
I will arrive in Vietnam within a week.
How is the job market in Saigon? |
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loerzel
Joined: 30 Nov 2007
Posts: 21
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| Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 1:23 pm Post subject: |
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I made the same transition myself about a year ago.
I work for a Korean hagwon in a Korean neighborhood of Saigon.
From my own limited experience it seems like finding work should not be too difficult.
Your salary would probably be comparable or slightly less to that in Seoul if you worked for an international school, university, or foreign private school. (assuming in the $2000-$2500 range)
Some teachers I've talked to are able to make the same salary working at Vietnamese schools but they usually are motorbiking between 2 jobs.
Not sure what type of qualifications you have or what your motivation is, but I would recommend looking for work in Dist 7 (Phu My Hung). It's a bit more upscale and most likely has higher paying positions.
I have a 4 year degree, TESOL certificate and 3 years experience. I was able to set up a job my first week here.
Hope this was helpful. I haven't done much research or job hunting myself so this info is mostly from others I've spoken with. I'm sure there will be widely varying opinions as to the ease of finding jobs and average salaries. |
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kurtz
Joined: 12 Mar 2008
Posts: 518
Location: Phaic Tan
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| Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 3:18 pm Post subject: |
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Isn't it a bit late to be asking what the market is like? I would have checked that before blindly landing in Vietnam, especially with TET coming up, have you heard of TET?
Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but I think the $2000-$2500 salary is a tad high, especially as a newbie. That's a damn good salary for Vietnam, especially for a newbie.
Sorry, nothing more to add. Word is things are getting tighter in Saigon, but there are jobs for those who like traipsing around town. |
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deadlift
Joined: 08 Jun 2010
Posts: 267
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| Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2011 12:34 am Post subject: |
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| kurtz wrote: |
| Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but I think the $2000-$2500 salary is a tad high, especially as a newbie. That's a damn good salary for Vietnam, especially for a newbie. |
It is. But it's also less than what RMIT is paying the raft of new(bie) hires that have signed on recently.
| kurtz wrote: |
| Word is things are getting tighter in Saigon, but there are jobs for those who like traipsing around town. |
RMIT have (re-opened) their District Three campus, expanded their AEP program, and are in the process of introducing business/ ESP, general English, and test prep classes. |
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bobpen
Joined: 04 Mar 2011
Posts: 89
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| Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2011 8:54 am Post subject: |
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| kurtz wrote: |
| ...but I think the $2000-$2500 salary is a tad high, especially as a newbie. That's a damn good salary for Vietnam, especially for a newbie.... |
Good point and very realistic and truthful, one that I've tried to make numerous times. In my experience, a good ball park figure for strictly part time is $600 to $1000, whereas full time is about middle teens or, at best, high teens once in a while for max hours. |
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loerzel
Joined: 30 Nov 2007
Posts: 21
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| Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2011 11:32 am Post subject: |
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Yes, for someone with no experience or credentials my figures are high. However, for an international school or university I don't think above $2000 is too much to expect.
Also, I know of two big schools that just opened in district 7: V Star and Kinderstar. I believe V Star has middle through high school and some TOEFL classes. I'm sure you can deduce what Kinderstar is all about. I don't know anything about their hiring criteria, but I drive by them on the way to work and they look big and modern.
A new Australian international school just opened in Phu My Hung (Dist 7) and there's a Cleverlearn nearby (heard mixed thing about that one.) |
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2112
Joined: 15 Aug 2010
Posts: 9
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| Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2011 4:56 am Post subject: |
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| loerzel wrote: |
Not sure what type of qualifications you have or what your motivation is, but I would recommend looking for work in Dist 7 (Phu My Hung). It's a bit more upscale and most likely has higher paying positions.
I have a 4 year degree, TESOL certificate and 3 years experience. I was able to set up a job my first week here. |
My qualifications are basically the same as yours: BA, CELTA, a little over 4 years experience. I'm in my late 20s. I taught in Taiwan and Korea. |
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2112
Joined: 15 Aug 2010
Posts: 9
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| Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2011 4:58 am Post subject: |
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| kurtz wrote: |
| Isn't it a bit late to be asking what the market is like? I would have checked that before blindly landing in Vietnam, especially with TET coming up, have you heard of TET? |
I am hearing that on the street and from some of the schools I've visited. I've gotten good responses, but have been told by 2 schools that they will be hiring AFTER Tet. My timing may have been off, but there isn't much of an alternative.
| Quote: |
....Sorry, nothing more to add. Word is things are getting tighter in Saigon, but there are jobs for those who like traipsing around town. |
There seems to be a lot of teachers looking for work and working here.
Will give more updates as I keep checking things out and investigating. |
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kurtz
Joined: 12 Mar 2008
Posts: 518
Location: Phaic Tan
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| Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2011 9:23 am Post subject: |
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| 2112 wrote: |
| kurtz wrote: |
| Isn't it a bit late to be asking what the market is like? I would have checked that before blindly landing in Vietnam, especially with TET coming up, have you heard of TET? |
I am hearing that on the street and from some of the schools I've visited. I've gotten good responses, but have been told by 2 schools that they will be hiring AFTER Tet. My timing may have been off, but there isn't much of an alternative.
| Quote: |
....Sorry, nothing more to add. Word is things are getting tighter in Saigon, but there are jobs for those who like traipsing around town. |
There seems to be a lot of teachers looking for work and working here.
Will give more updates as I keep checking things out and investigating. |
I take it you have savings? I'd keep my ear on the ground and spend my free time cruising the delta or some other exotic destination.
As far as wages go, I think posters should be a little more conservative. I think folks who have never been in Vietnam and who don't really know what earnings are like here perhaps take as gospel the figures thrown around on this website. I'd say for full-time, stock standard ESL job between $1100-$1500 with the possibility of $1600-$2500 if doing 100 plus hours a month, depending on experience of course.
There are some good jobs around that pay well like RMIT or teaching IELTS; not to mention privates, but in my experience at least those figures mentioned are in the right ballpark for a typical language school. |
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just noel
Joined: 17 Jul 2006
Posts: 168
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| Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2011 2:27 pm Post subject: |
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| 2112 wrote: |
| I am hearing that on the street and from some of the schools I've visited. I've gotten good responses, but have been told by 2 schools that they will be hiring AFTER Tet. My timing may have been off, but there isn't much of an alternative. |
This is and will be the case, for the most part.
| Quote: |
| There seems to be a lot of teachers looking for work and working here. |
Yes.
Saigon has been getting more and more people to come and teach for a few years. It was a steady but slow increase until the Spring of 2008. that is when the influx noticeable increased. This is when I started frequently sitting next to new arrivals in the 20s who recently graduated from Uni in the west, were unemployed, and came to teach English for the cultural experience, and yes, to actually get a job. The schools quite like this. I am competing with new arrivals fresh off of the celta in their 20s. They say "yes," and work for less.
Since then IMO, Saigon has been a school/employer market.
Even though many newbies leave after 6 months or one year, there is a steady stream to replace them. Large chains like ILA and VUS consistently advertise in the USA and Canada for teachers.
| Quote: |
Will give more updates as I keep checking things out and investigating. |
Keep us informed. Good luck. |
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TimkinMS
Joined: 18 Oct 2005
Posts: 86
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| Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2011 6:44 pm Post subject: |
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| kurtz wrote: |
| As far as wages go, I think posters should be a little more conservative. I think folks who have never been in Vietnam and who don't really know what earnings are like here perhaps take as gospel the figures thrown around on this website. |
I think posters should be a little more honest.
Lots of talk of $2,000 per month. But it's very rare. Extremely rare.
This is for the best teachers, that teach writing, and work at the best schools.
Almost everyone I know, and I've been here for years, earns far less than $2,000 per month.
Oh sure, you'll meet people that say they make 2K per month, but.....
| Quote: |
I'd say for full-time, stock standard ESL job between $1100-$1500 with the possibility of $1600-$2500 if doing 100 plus hours a month, depending on experience of course. |
Correct.
| Quote: |
There are some good jobs around that pay well like RMIT or teaching IELTS; not to mention privates, but in my experience at least those figures mentioned are in the right ballpark for a typical language school. |
RMIT has an aggressive recruiting program. If yo want to work there, have an MA, and lots of references.
And no, you will not get 2K per month, gross or net.
Folks, reality. Reality.
If you want $2,000 per month, get out of EFL and get a job in your home-country. |
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deadlift
Joined: 08 Jun 2010
Posts: 267
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| Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2011 1:18 am Post subject: |
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| TimkinMS wrote: |
If yo want to work there, have an MA, and lots of references.
And no, you will not get 2K per month, gross or net.
Folks, reality. Reality.
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Wrong on both counts. Maybe you've been here years but you're not as well informed as you're pretending to be.
No MA is needed to work at RMIT. You can easily get a job there with a bachelors degree, a CELTA, and experience teaching adults.
The starting salary for RMIT teachers is just over $2900 gross, which works out to about $2,400 after tax. If you do have an MA, a DELTA, or more experience, you could be on just over $4,000 gross. RMIT also provides fully paid comprehensive insurance cover.
That is reality. I don't deny that 90% of ESL jobs in this are garbage, but I will deny that there are not some better opportunities around (certainly for someone with the OP's stated qualifications).
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deadlift
Joined: 08 Jun 2010
Posts: 267
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| Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2011 1:18 am Post subject: |
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| TimkinMS wrote: |
If yo want to work there, have an MA, and lots of references.
And no, you will not get 2K per month, gross or net.
Folks, reality. Reality.
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Wrong on both counts. Maybe you've been here years but you're not as well informed as you're pretending to be.
No MA is needed to work at RMIT. You can easily get a job there with a bachelors degree, a CELTA, and experience teaching adults.
The starting salary for RMIT teachers is just over $2900 gross, which works out to about $2,400 after tax. If you do have an MA, a DELTA, or more experience, you could be on just over $4,000 gross. RMIT also provides fully paid comprehensive insurance cover.
That is reality. I don't deny that 90% of ESL jobs in this are garbage, but I will deny that there are not some better opportunities around (certainly for someone with the OP's stated qualifications).
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cb400
Joined: 27 Sep 2010
Posts: 274
Location: Vientiane, Laos
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| Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2011 2:06 pm Post subject: |
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If your looking to make $2000 a month you should look at Hanoi. Lots of demand and little supply. Teachers start at 18-22 an hour there and full time contracts are easy to find.
HCM is a lot different. More supply less demand. I have 8 years exp, 6 in Hanoi and I barely reached the $2000 mark in HCM after a month of searching. The bigger salaries are available in HCM but they are not going to noobies right now.
Cheers |
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bobpen
Joined: 04 Mar 2011
Posts: 89
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| Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2011 2:30 pm Post subject: |
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| For years it's been said that Hanoi is always a bit higher in pay than hcmc, it's always been at least a dollar or two more per hour since way back. I've never been to Hn, and I have to wonder why, besides what was mentioned above, although I do have a few guesses. |
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