| Teach
in Thailand
You'll find that most people who have been in Thailand
for a while probably got a foot in the door teaching English. There are numerous
opportunities for teaching in Thailand, and the good thing about it is it's not
necessary to have masses of qualifications to land something worthwhile. Most
languages centers (and especially universities and other government organizations)
require potential employees to have a degree, but if you are keen and willing
to learn, you'll probably be able to get something without one. If you have TEFL
(Teaching English as a Foreign Language) qualifications, the range of job opportunities
available to you broadens, and the income you can command gets better (even more
so the longer you stay here). Teacher Training
See our page
on Teacher Training courses in Thailand... Click
here...
Ajarn.com
If you are interested in teaching in
Thailand there is only one really definitive source of information on the topic
- Ajarn.com. 'Ajarn' means teacher in Thai, and this site has basically everything
you need to know to be able to fully consider teaching English as an option. Developed
by Ian - an Englishman from Yorkshire - the site lists a number of local jobs,
tips of the trade, and what to go for and what to avoid. Ajarn.com has grown from
humble beginnings to a thriving online community of likeminded people. Check it
out - it's good.
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ECC Thailand/First Training
As you will see from the Ajarn.com web
site - ECC (Thailand) is the largest English language organization in Thailand.
With 56 branches around the country, ECC pretty much always has positions available
in Bangkok, as well as positions in places a little more of the beaten track (fancy
a year in Yala?). Given their size and the difficulties faced by any large organization,
ECC are reasonable employers and pay well by local standards. A company related
to ECC is First Training. First Training often has positions available for primary
school teachers and also has a variety of opportunities for people interested
in teaching at Thai companies. We should stress though that both ECC and First
Training require native English speakers who have TEFL qualifications and at least
some experience, so if you are new on the scene they may not be able to offer
you much. Check them out all the same.
| Newspapers
If you have time on your hands and you have very specific requirements of
the positions you apply for, you are going to have to do some research. Obviously,
one of the best sources of jobs is the local newspaper. The Bangkok
Post and The Nation are both
English language dailies, and at 20 Baht a throw they often have more teaching
jobs listed than you can 'shake a stick at'. Teaching jobs are also listed at
the papers web sites, but beware: Positions often get posted onto the net one
or two weeks after the fact so don't rely on this web presence to help you get
the job you are looking for. This situation does seem to be getting better with
the introduction of there new jobs services, but for now - stay current with hard
copy just to be on the safe side!
Internet
Aside from the
local rags there are numerous Internet sites that deal with TEFL positions in
Thailand. The classic source is Dave's
ESL Cafe. One of the veteran sites, Dave's ESL Cafe lists jobs all over the
world and it's basically the first place a serious teacher would look for a job
in Thailand. If you are looking for information on jobs coupled with other information
about living and working in Thailand, Escape
Artist.com might fit the bill. Escape Artist.com is bit more 'ex-pat' in its
approach, but let's face it - ex-pat is where the money is! Both have good tips
on teaching positions. One final site to visit is TEFL.net.
Again, one of the classic sites, TEFL.net is another site that serious teachers
would visit first during a job hunt.
Jobs in General
If you have other strings to your bow, our advice is this: USE THEM! Although
teaching in Thailand is a fine profession and one of the most enjoyable jobs you
can have, the income can be 'modest' to say the least. Most teachers don't get
rich. Some have been known to suffer from malnutrition and teachers' soup kitchens
abound around Bangkok! (Actually, that's probably a bit of an overstatement -
but you do have to hunt far and wide for a well-paid teaching job!). With expertise
in other areas, the possibilities become endless. Despite of the recession (in
fact, probably because of it) there are numerous opportunities for qualified,
talented and experienced people in a number of areas.
Internet
As with elsewhere in the world, a swathe of jobs sites exist for jobseekers
in Thailand. A lot of these sites are interactive in the sense that you put your
profile into their system and it sends you jobs that fit your criteria as soon
as they arise. Some sites also allow you to put your resume on display for prospective
employers. One site leads the way in Thailand - JobsDB.
Both sites offer interactive capabilities that deliver jobs right to you in-box.
Jobbees is another good site. Although it
doesn't offer the high-tech know-how offered by other sites, Jobbees has a grassroots
approach and a 'cute' feel about it. It's packed with jobs for both foreigners
and locals. Well worth a visit.
Of course as with teaching jobs, the
best source of up-to-date information on vacant positions must be the English
language papers - in Thailand, the Bangkok Post and the Nation (see above). ethailand.com
offers a classified board where people can post jobs free of charge. eThailand
also has a Careers section which is worth a look.
Advertise
Another
thing to try is putting a wanted advertisement in the papers. A small advert costs
around 3,000 Baht in the Nation and around 1,500 in the Bangkok Post. Alternatively,
wanted ads go into the Personal column of Metro
Magazine free of charge. People who have used Metro before say of all the
alternatives available, they get best response from employers here. Perhaps they
should charge for their service!
From the Community
Of course,
in the Khao San Road community the main source of information about jobs should
be word of mouth. If you hear of any good jobs available, or any good organizations,
companies or groups that help people find jobs, let us know. We'll pass on the
information. - No suggestions as of yet.
Let us know what you've found on your jobsearch!
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