Advice needed

[graytoni]

I am 34 i run a security team for a retail company's store,

Not a great job but decent and i get 2weeks vacation a year. However i love Thailand and have always at least wanted to try to work abroad for the experience and love of it.

What is a realistic chance of getting a job teaching?

I have an AA degree in arts and I'm working on a Tesol course. I'm willing to put time into learning the language and i expect an 8hour day every day as i like too work.

I however don't think i can lower my living standards to living the country with 20,000 baht a month asi would want to save for my future.

I would love to find something in security management or undercover work but i am told that usually goes tip thais because the government wants to keep the jobs in country.

[nzexpat]

Best indulge in reality instead of dreams!

What you are looking for is unlikely to be achieved !

Sorry

[bangmai]

Get a four year degree and make yourself a white NES, and you will still be under US minimum wage. Now, that schools are back up and running, I've noticed a few things that should be an eye-opener to westerners with teaching experience. At 18:00, the school was still mobbed with students on a normal school day. Think you are going to slip out at 14:00 or 15:00 like you can often do in the US? Bwahahaha. Another thing, I was walking home from happy hour last week, after doing my 3 Large for the week, and there were a couple of foreign teachers standing out front in their nice new polyester sport coats. It was dark outside, must have been near 19:00. They must have just had a real critical meeting. Make sure you count items like that into the wage equation. Oh, and some days traffic will be horrendous and it will take 45 minutes to go three miles. Other days you can make it in 15 minutes. Guess how much time you will need to allow to get to work, in order to not have salary deductions for tardiness?

[Loaded]

<snip> ... Think you are going to slip out at 14:00 or 15:00 like you can often do in the US? Bwahahaha. Another thing, I was walking home from happy hour last week, after doing my 3 Large for the week, and there were a couple of foreign teachers standing out front in their nice new polyester sport coats. It was dark outside, must have been near 19:00. They must have just had a real critical meeting. Make sure you count items like that into the wage equation. Oh, and some days traffic will be horrendous and it will take 45 minutes to go three miles. Other days you can make it in 15 minutes. Guess how much time you will need to allow to get to work, in order to not have salary deductions for tardiness?

OP

If you are planning to come here, take into account that you will meet many loonies here ^

[bangmai]

<snip> ... Think you are going to slip out at 14:00 or 15:00 like you can often do in the US? Bwahahaha. Another thing, I was walking home from happy hour last week, after doing my 3 Large for the week, and there were a couple of foreign teachers standing out front in their nice new polyester sport coats. It was dark outside, must have been near 19:00. They must have just had a real critical meeting. Make sure you count items like that into the wage equation. Oh, and some days traffic will be horrendous and it will take 45 minutes to go three miles. Other days you can make it in 15 minutes. Guess how much time you will need to allow to get to work, in order to not have salary deductions for tardiness?

OP

If you are planning to come here, take into account that you will meet many loonies here ^

and quite a few whose prospects back home were even dimmer than working as a rent-a-cop. Of course, it could get even worse...many pay 50,000 thb for a TEFL certificate. A big chunk of the 150K it took them two years to save.

[Throatwobbler]

<snip> ... Think you are going to slip out at 14:00 or 15:00 like you can often do in the US? Bwahahaha. Another thing, I was walking home from happy hour last week, after doing my 3 Large for the week, and there were a couple of foreign teachers standing out front in their nice new polyester sport coats. It was dark outside, must have been near 19:00. They must have just had a real critical meeting. Make sure you count items like that into the wage equation. Oh, and some days traffic will be horrendous and it will take 45 minutes to go three miles. Other days you can make it in 15 minutes. Guess how much time you will need to allow to get to work, in order to not have salary deductions for tardiness?

OP

If you are planning to come here, take into account that you will meet many loonies here ^

I agree. First post on TV and it was the first post reply that is clueless and shows he has no idea what he is talking about.. Is this a record?

[masuk]

<snip> ... Think you are going to slip out at 14:00 or 15:00 like you can often do in the US? Bwahahaha. Another thing, I was walking home from happy hour last week, after doing my 3 Large for the week, and there were a couple of foreign teachers standing out front in their nice new polyester sport coats. It was dark outside, must have been near 19:00. They must have just had a real critical meeting. Make sure you count items like that into the wage equation. Oh, and some days traffic will be horrendous and it will take 45 minutes to go three miles. Other days you can make it in 15 minutes. Guess how much time you will need to allow to get to work, in order to not have salary deductions for tardiness?

OP

If you are planning to come here, take into account that you will meet many loonies here ^

ALSO: if you are applying for a job as a teacher in the future, proof read carefully what you're sending.

First impressions count and errors, typos etc don't help.

[SlyAnimal]

Graytony, I don't know what an AA degree is? That's a bachelor degree in arts? So long as it's from a recognized university you should be fine.

A TESOL (or ideally CELTA) course is a good start for learning how to teach, as otherwise many teachers simply don't know where to start (Some are just naturals though and have no trouble teaching even without doing a course). If you do do a course, make sure it's in the classroom and not just online, as you're doing it to learn, not for the certificate (A TESOL certificate itself is almost useless due to the amount of poor quality online only versions available which ruin its credibility).

School days usually run from around 8am til 3:30pm, maybe a little later if they want you to teach special classes or attend meetings, likewise occasionally a little earlier if they want you on gate duty. However you will usually only have around 20 contact hours each week teaching the students (give or take a little), for which a native English speaker will earn anywhere from 25,000 - 40,000 depending on location, qualifications, experience, luck and whether they like you or not (Expect to be in the lower to mid range when you first start).

I hope that helps.

[lostinisaan]

I however don't think i can lower my living standards to living the country with 20,000 baht a month asi would want to save for my future.

OP, please wake up. Wake up, please. This is not the country where you'll find a security, or teaching job AND save money.

P.S. How do you think will your future be, if there's nobody who pays you a pension? Think twice.

[bangmai]

Graytony, I don't know what an AA degree is? That's a bachelor degree in arts? So long as it's from a recognized university you should be fine.

A TESOL (or ideally CELTA) course is a good start for learning how to teach, as otherwise many teachers simply don't know where to start (Some are just naturals though and have no trouble teaching even without doing a course). If you do do a course, make sure it's in the classroom and not just online, as you're doing it to learn, not for the certificate (A TESOL certificate itself is almost useless due to the amount of poor quality online only versions available which ruin its credibility).

School days usually run from around 8am til 3:30pm, maybe a little later if they want you to teach special classes or attend meetings, likewise occasionally a little earlier if they want you on gate duty. However you will usually only have around 20 contact hours each week teaching the students (give or take a little), for which a native English speaker will earn anywhere from 25,000 - 40,000 depending on location, qualifications, experience, luck and whether they like you or not (Expect to be in the lower to mid range when you first start).

I hope that helps.

An AA is a two year degree.

[aidenai]

P.S. How do you think will your future be, if there's nobody who pays you a pension? Think twice.

What about you, master Obi? Please enlighten us.

Please keep it civil. The thread might get closed.

[Suradit69]

However i love Thailand and have always at least wanted to try to work abroad for the experience and love of it.

If you're looking for a brief "experience" and to satisfy your love for Thailand (based on what, one wonders), especially with what I assume is a two year "degree," it sounds like you're looking for a short-term paid holiday.

I however don't think i can lower my living standards to living the country with 20,000 baht a month asi would want to save for my future.

And if it is no more than a short-term change of pace, you might as well expect you won't be saving for anything, much less for your future. On the other hand if you have such high living standards, it might be better to just tap into your accumulated cash for a holiday in Thailand during your 2 week vacation.

Even if you were better qualified and had thoughts of settling in Thailand for the long haul, job security and a comfortable retirement are not likely.

I would love to find something in security management or undercover work but i am told that usually goes tip thais because the government wants to keep the jobs in country.

Based on a two year certificate in the arts and an in-progress TESOL course?

i like too work.

Not a great selling point.

Not to be overly critical, but you sound like you are not especially thrilled with your present work or the prospects for advancement with your current employer or the chance of finding other employment in your home country. I doubt coming to Thailand to work is going to solve those problems.

[SlyAnimal]

Ahh if you only have a 2 year qualification (We usually refer to those as a diploma in NZ, hence my confusion), then you may find it difficult to find a legal job in Thailand. There are of course ways to still leggy work, but the ongoing hassle of visas etc makes life much more difficult (unless you're married).

With that in mind, I'd reccommend that you probably only think about Thailand as perhaps a 1 year foray into the unknown for a bit of fun, and don't necessarily make any irreversible life decisions on the basis of a teaching career just yet (Although it's probably worth giving a shot for a year or so just for the experience).

If you're quite serious about teaching in Thailand though, go back to study in your home country for a few years and become a qualified teacher there. You would then be able to work legally in Thailand and have a shot at the best jobs, potentially even a shot at international schools if you get a couple of years experience under your belt before you come to Thailand (international schools pay ~50k - 180k per month depending on the school and your own experience/qualifications, but require a teaching license from your home country + prior experience teaching either the UK or USA curriculum)

[bigt3116]

I however don't think i can lower my living standards to living the country with 20,000 baht a month asi would want to save for my future.

OP, please wake up. Wake up, please. This is not the country where you'll find a security, or teaching job AND save money.

P.S. How do you think will your future be, if there's nobody who pays you a pension? Think twice.

This is such good advice, I see so many people come here who have no financial provisions for later life. If you don't have a pension plan, you need to seriously think about what happens when you are too old to work.

[graytoni]

Thx for the honest information, better to know I'm am considerably under qualified for a decent job that get some false advice.

Anyone buy chance know how one would find out about what tyres of jobs foreigners can get. I would live to know if i could get a job in my field of security Manegment and get a work permit.

[bigt3116]

I have answered your above question on your other thread :-)

[cgphuket]

To be honest, with a 2 year degree and a TESOL the best you can hope for is a "language center" working on commision for about 300 baht an hour. It is a stark exsitance. Forget a security job here, if the Thais don;t have them locked up, it's someone's buddy from their SAS, Navy Seals, or Green Berret days. Your best option is to get the minimal education degree you can while at home. A BA in education, early childhood, ESL or something related. That will get you a basic school job. To get a good job (60k+ a month) you should get a teaching degree and acheive the teaching license. This goal is fairly easy if you can afford it teaching degrees in the west have been proven to be the easiest degree to earn. THis forum is full of guys who came on a dream and a prayer and crashed and burned. Your young enough to plan and sacrafise a bit and come in a few years with some real options. Your only other option is to frind a company based in your country that has a presence in Thailand, then get hired and eventually transfer here. Thats where the real money is...

[Scott]

With an AA (Associate of Arts) you will not most likely not be able to get a Work Permit and you will not be able to get a Teacher's License. You will be limited in how long you can continue in the education field and you will probably be limited in your earnings. If/when you run out of Provisional Teacher's Licenses, you will probably have to return to the US and start over at the bottom of the pay scale.

Visiting Thailand is one thing, but working and living here is a whole different experience.

I know way too many people who have gotten themselves backed into a corner. They are married to a local person, have a family, but have now passed the time when they start over in their home country and remaining in Thailand is getting harder and harder.

Best of luck in whatever you decide to do.

[Rhys]

As many of the Sage advisors had stated, finish a proper degree.... filling in the grey areas of English teaching in Thailand gets old fast. YES, it is nice to live what you are seeking, but you have not paid your dues yet... proper degree. Of course, many "instructors" in your position find jobs, but that means you deal with the lower end of schools or organizations and the coffee stains of the HR people.

[mmh8]

I don;t beleive in paying dues, I beleive in having your cake and eating it.

live your dreams and don't listen to these oldies, you will be underpaid and undervalued in Thailand whereever you work. howver you will be whre you want to be and in the place you deserve.

[zeichen]

"I don;t beleive in paying dues, I beleive in having your cake and eating it. live your dreams and don't listen to these oldies, you will be underpaid and undervalued in Thailand whereever you work. howver you will be whre you want to be and in the place you deserve."

Wow, can you teach my children please. I really want them to go through life feeling over privileged and without a sense of duty, responsibility or commitment.

Fact is that teaching qualifications for jobs will get stricter each year. Without a Bachelor's degree at all, he won't be able to find decent employment anywhere in Asia. He will be at another dead end path leading to nowhere. Without a set guide and path and some commitment, you are just encouraging him to be miserable in 3-5 years.

[mmh8]

without wanting to sound too zen like - life is what you make of it - if you are going to suceed , you will, otherwise....

there are plenty of opportunities here as others have stated, there is an obvious need for good teachers, Western education is not necessarily the best in the world anymore,

just as their are opportunities to do other things within Thailand, not just teach

[optad]

Toni. I will offer one point and i hope it does not come across as patronizing.

Asking about teaching and getting some straight advice is actually a really good step. Realizing that to operate in the kind of professional capacity does give you choices if you can exercise them. However, it seems like you are looking for a means to remain profitably in Thailand rather than advance in a teaching capacity.

My comment on that is that at 34, be careful of just drifting here. So many do. Thailand can be a vortex for some, and you are entering a very valuable period in your life that will have bearing on other things latter. Whatever direction you choose, put a focus upon it. The world is getting very difficult for aging, unskilled people.

[SheungWan]

I don;t beleive in paying dues, I beleive in having your cake and eating it. live your dreams and don't listen to these oldies, you will be underpaid and undervalued in Thailand whereever you work. howver you will be whre you want to be and in the place you deserve.

Right on, man.