Hard to find a job as Vietnamese American

I'm sorry to hear of your troubles. I'm still in Hawaii right now, but I have accepted a job offer and will be coming over to HCMC in January (2016).

I have a BA in English, TESL Certification, and 2 + years teaching experience.

Before looking in HCMC I was offered several jobs in Northern Vietnam; however, I met a girl online from HCMC so I switched my search to HCMC and was offered a job from the first academy I applied to.

Maybe you should just go online and submit your CV.

Good Luck. I hope you find something soon.

Your problem is you dont have yelllow hair and white skin. You know that Vnmese love to pay extra just because the teacher is white skin. You got me?

Trang Dương wrote:

Your problem is you dont have yelllow hair and white skin. You know that Vnmese love to pay extra just because the teacher is white skin. You got me?

Yellow hair? It's called blonde hair. Anyway, I don't see why would any Vietnamese American would want to work here. You still have to pay taxes to Uncle Sam every year. Plus, once you're done with the life here in Vietnam in a few year and have to move back stateside then what? Finding employment then in the US will be even tougher. I say focus on finding a teaching job in the US . Help your country before helping the one that does not deserve and discriminates against its own people. I find it backward and amusing that some Viet kieus want to go back to the place that they once hated enough to leave. Now everyone want to come back for a piece of the pie. Ain't gonna happen. Those peeps up north aren't going to give you jack shit unless you bring back dollars and put them into the country's economy. It's called tourism. People need to wake up and forget about the dream of building or starting a life here. Once you're gone , you're no longer welcome back, again unless you have money.

you'd think that because you're a Viet whom can speak proper English would have a greater influence. its just a transitional perspective I guess. the Vietnamese people probably associate English with white people rather than themselves.

Its not hard to find a teaching job if you're American Vietnamese. Its almost as easy as finding a bowl of pho in Vietnam. If you really want something you have to go out and get it. Thats the American way right? Don't just apply online, go to schools and centers and give your resume. If a d bagger like me can get a job teaching english, I'm sure you can too.

Don't fall for this guy's spie, because he will get you to travel there and then he'll send you packing.  I think he gets a kick out of it, so proceed with caution.

Stop whining and start knocking on doors.  You'll get one to open eventually.

Your marketability would also be dramatically improved if you held a CELTA, or a Trinity TESOL...

I am new here and also looking for a teaching job. Somewhere in saigon would be ideal butI don't mind going to mekong delta where my grandmother is from.

Hello everyone,

This thread has some useful inputs, you may read the different posts : Tips for getting your first job in Vietnam

All the best,
Bhavna

Have you tried VietnamWorks?
Have you tried non-teaching jobs?
Have you tried applying to foreign firms?

Your Biology degree might lead you to something within the medical or pharmaceutical field. I am sorry that I cannot offer any other assistance. .

PhucDatBiet wrote:

Lol.. Sounds like someone is in need of an anger management class. Relax! I was referring to your lack of apostrophes.

I do not see you do any better in your writing than Andy's missing little apostrophe either. However, I am glad that you took up the job of an English Nazi grammar correction officer . I am sure that would help raise the self esteem somewhat, huh. Instead of helping the dude with some advice, you, apparently, chose to correct his English, talk about "barking up the wrong tree" . Pack up a nice bowl , get a grip, and try to read in context, one cannot be so dumb as not to understand a sentence with a missing apostrophe, can one?

Any thoughts on getting a Job as an English Teacher in a Hotel? May not pay as well as the international schools or English language schools but perhaps give it a try!

Hi
I have great news for you! English teaching posts will take some time because most Vietnamese schools will tend to look for native speakers with the stereo type appearance.

However,  my friend,  you're forgetting that you could make an excellent living as a bilingual interpreter (not translator as that would require fluent command of both target languages)

You're a native speaker and you say you're Vietnamese is quite good so
I think you have great potential if you position yourself professionally. Excellent dress code,  attend social events where you can meet influential people who can network you into some good posts and if you  are really set on teaching then maybe offer to teach for a week for free (if you know deep inside that you have superior teaching abilities) so that your professional quality and expertise can be observed.

Forget your pride (I know it hurts) and connect with social groups who are objective in their evaluations of people's core abilities.

I think you'll be fine.  Don't worry too much and relax and plan.  Along the way you'll meet someone who recognizes you for the person that you really are.

Good luck.

PhucDatBiet wrote:

Trang Dương wrote:

Your problem is you dont have yelllow hair and white skin. You know that Vnmese love to pay extra just because the teacher is white skin. You got me?

Yellow hair? It's called blonde hair. Anyway, I don't see why would any Vietnamese American would want to work here. You still have to pay taxes to Uncle Sam every year. Plus, once you're done with the life here in Vietnam in a few year and have to move back stateside then what? Finding employment then in the US will be even tougher. I say focus on finding a teaching job in the US . Help your country before helping the one that does not deserve and discriminates against its own people. I find it backward and amusing that some Viet kieus want to go back to the place that they once hated enough to leave. Now everyone want to come back for a piece of the pie. Ain't gonna happen. Those peeps up north aren't going to give you jack shit unless you bring back dollars and put them into the country's economy. It's called tourism. People need to wake up and forget about the dream of building or starting a life here. Once you're gone , you're no longer welcome back, again unless you have money.

Reading your post makes me feel like Mark Twain once said,  "I can find no relief in anything except for profanity." You made a lot (aka many) of assumptions that showed very little thinking, not to mention all the fallacies you committed. And since you are such an English grammar god (by correcting someone in here for his/her mistakes in writing), I feel oblige to point out some of, er, errors you yourself made (perhaps you did NOT know they were "mistakes.") There is NO need for having 2 woulds in a sentence. If it's a singular and in present tense add "s" or "es" to the verb. Look for your mistakes. Perhaps now you'd know how it feels to be on the receiving end
Now let's move on to all the assumptions you made:
1. Who said workers in Vietnam have to pay taxes? What if I get paid by cash, not an unusual transaction in Vietnam, is it?
2. Who said they have to move back to the States? What if s/he decides to stay in Vietnam. Many have done so, have they not?
3. Who said once one comes back to the States it is harder to find jobs here?
4. "Everybody wants a piece of the pie"  What pie? you mean pile (of shit)? There is no pie in Vietnam just piles.
5. "It's called tourism" that's all you know, tourism? How about FDI?
6. I see you are a Vietkieu too. Did you hate it enough to leave? Why come back? Self-esteem repair?

The dude posted his problem and sought help. If you couldn't help, then shut your mouth and let others do. Stop wasting precious space in here. Here is my advice to you:
"It is better to remain silent and be thought of as a fool rather than to open your mouth and remove all doubts" (Mark Twain)

Thanks to dannyC for pointing us back on track.  To the OP ZePhilosopher(if you are still with us):  I have seen your postings on another thread and you seemed like a reasonable person, which sometimes is really saying something here.  The school that I taught at used either local Vietnamese or Viet Kieu to teach absolute beginner adults.  I taught a couple of times at the next level and I was impressed with the results they achieved.   I know they used regular full English instructional methods once they had things underway but simple things like "Open you books" in Vietnamese for the first few lessons are helpful.   If you send me a PM I will send you more info as anything that could be construed as advertising is discouraged. 

Just as an aside, I find it ludicrous that schools pass off as native speakers, Eastern Europeans with significant accents but who hold British or Canadian passports, while VK born in the US can't find teaching jobs.  I have seen this, not from my employer, but from other agencies that assign people to public schools.  I think the agencies simply show a copy of the passport and the school authorities are hoodwinked.  At the same time, I knew very competent and professional Filipino teachers, some holders of MA Teaching degrees,  who could not be posted to public schools but instead found work in small "international" schools during the week.   The system is rigged against Asian teachers no matter how competent.  I believe this is partly prejudice but also because those in control, whether private or governmental, do not have have the skills to assess either English or teaching competency

I also know a VK who did not emigrate until he was college age but graduated from Univ. of Michigan Ann Arbor.  He told me that he was paid less than foreign teachers but more than Filipinos.  His English was only very slightly accented but grammatically native.  It had to be because he also worked as a legal translator for a big Australian law firm in downtown HCMC.  However, he was also a licensed paralegal in the US which gave him a special set of skills.  He has since branched out into other things including a service for people seeking visas to the US.  I use his example to reinforce the excellent suggestions of trevorexpat7.  If you like, I will point you to his business Facebook page by PM as well.

I only wish to contribute one broad area of suggestion, that being change your game, and not comment on anything else said here.  I do realize that this post is not new but it lives on!

You should consider hitting the bricks and meeting contacts at schools face to face so that they can appreciate your English skills as they will surely appreciate your ability to speak Vietnamese.  I suggest contacting the schools and asking when you could stop by for a few minutes to introduce yourself and drop off a nicely printed resume with local contact info, phone, viber, salo, etc., docs and a nice photo in proper attire and include on your cover that you are more than willing to take on part-time, short notice teaching opportunities.  If they say 6:20am, you be there at 6:00am waiting for a door to open and don't for a second ask for some other time; I suggest you visit the address the day before and verify you know where you are going if there is any doubt in your mind.  Don't forget to show up in the full monty: teacher attire and a nice tie even if you never appear later in one.  If no one responds to your on-line inquiry, ignore that and make a point to drop by the school offices [provided you can find that] and hand delivery all the above in person.  If nothing else you may meet other teachers and that may be just as good.  I wish you good luck and remember to be positive but not aggressive, be genuinely happy to meet them and remember to smile as you will likely be sent to teach small children and grumpy does not win browny points and speak slowly in a business like manner.  Keep your sentences fairly short, good grammar and give the person you meet a chance to respond as you have no idea what their level of English is until they respond. Only after you have had a chance to guage the response and actually get in front of someone do you matter of factly demonstrate your ability to speak Vietnamese, IMHO.  Sure wish I spoke it!

All these things may seem so obvious but I highly suggest you make a nice short bulleted list on a small piece of paper and pull it out, review and prepare before you enter the building.  Your first 90 seconds may be your only 90 seconds.  If what you have been doing is not working then stop doing that and try this. Good Luck!

Note: Yes I have run-on sentences, shoot me!

Thank you everyone for your kind advice and thoughts. I abandoned this post because PhucDacBiet made an irrelevant comment. But shout out to DannyC for bringing it back, thanks man.

An update on my situation: I have found 2 stable gigs and  working my way up slowly. I heed your advice and doors of opportunities have opened for me. Really appreciate the real help of the community here!

So for all future expats who may face discrimination, don't give up! Message me and I may be able to guide you in the right direction. It's all about connection in this chaotic town of Saigon!

ZePhilosopher wrote:

An update on my situation: I have found 2 stable gigs and  working my way up slowly.

Does this mean that you are a s**t shoveler and hope to become a groomer?   I didn't know that HCMC still had stables.   Sorry but I couldn't resist.      In fact, this is a good example of why English can be confusing to students.


I am both glad and not surprised that you have found employment.  I am sure that you will to do well.

I wish I could accept your thanks, but, unfortunately... for me, of course, who wouldn' t want to claim all the credits? there is a better man than I. His name is Edmund Burke. "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." I learned that from him. I got into quite a few...sticky situation because of him. Sometimes the weaker right voice gets drowned out by a louder and richer wrong voice. Well, I live and I learn.

Phucdatbiet, loosely translated: (datbiet= Special... (Phuc=pronounces similar to fuck), perhaps Specialphuck is not bad of a name, is a troll. It is ironic that the translated name fits him so well, isn't it? Everybody knows it but remains silent. I am sure they scrolled down too. I wonder why. Are they afraid? Or do they stay aside well away from the "fun" watching the Vietkieu making fool of themselves with curious, perhaps even with contemptuous eyes? People like Speciaphuck aggravate me to no end. They are the very reason why you, and me, too, are prejudiced against. The VK flooded home a decade ago cheating and lying their ways through the country, like Mongols, stripping everybody, that includes their own relatives, whatever is left financially, emotionally, and physically. The Vietnamese holds great suspicion on the VKs and their motives. Though not too enthusiastically to the point of jumping for joy, I must admit they have good reasons to hate the VKs.

Specialphuck is just a part of what we need to fix. There are good people in the VK community. Some of us genuinely love to work there and contribute. Some of us are super honest. Like everywhere else on earth, we have good people and then we have bad people too. Live like Socrates suggested, "The important thing is to live well, and to live well, among other finer things in life, is to live with your principles." Good luck on your journey. Live your life, we only live once. And don't ever ignore the inner voice whose job is to remind you of your wrongs. Live like good people.

In reference to the above indictment about speaking up etc. I do not concern myself with nor respond to posters who have issues ...I leave each to read and make their own decisions. I believe in free speech with no limitations as I fear no written word.   I am a dinosaur from the age before political correctness.  I hold the stand below and leave it at that.

"Vir Quisque Vir" translated from latin an age old motto.... "Every man a man"

ZePhilosopher has fortunately found a job.  Helping him out was what this was supposed to be about in the first place.  Why don't we all quit while we're ahead.

My Friend,

Just keep on searching, sooner or later you will find a teaching job in Vn. It happened to me too. I applied for about 1.000 jobs.  I just got interview for less than 20 But! I never gave up. There are so many funny things happened in this " MOTHER LAND " Just keep on rolling, remember as a Vietnamese overseas, We worked so hard to get here, so please try your best, and the best will comes the sooner the better. If you like to contact me at any time I am willing to share my own experienced with you about all of the " HARD TIME ' I got while I here in " NAM " I wish you all the best. Please take good care of yourself. Because: IT IS THE JUNGLE OUT THERE. May God bless us all.

Yours Sincerely,

JOE PHAM *****

Tel: ***

Email: ***

In the case of young Viet Kieu, it was their parents who made the decision to leave, not themselves. And since they grew up Vietnamese in a different country, it is only natural that they would want to see it someday. In many ways, they pick up their parents natural nostalgia for the ancestral homeland. But, PhucDacBiet, my question for you is this: Is there any residual resentment among Vietnamese towards Viet Kieu that comes from the (mistaken) impression that Viet Kieu enjoyed a much easier life and access to far more opportunities than the average Vietnamese?

A friend of mine is a VIet Kieu Colonel (Trung-ta) in the US Army whose parents were settled in the state of Nebraska, which has extremely cold and harsh winters. He grew up in the only Vietnamese family in town, until in his teenage years another Vietnamese family settled there. The only breaks he got in life were the ones he made for himself. I suspect many Viet Kieu, but obviously not all, have similar stories and motivation. They have much to offer those of today's Vietnamese students who are willing to listen.

(This is to THIV) Out of all these voices in this thread, yours is the most gentle. If you are a woman, you'd be a great wife. If you are a man, you'd be a great husband. And if you are...somewhere in between, you'd be a great partner . I do as suggested.

Hi everybody,

I have removed some inappropriate posts from this thread.
Please note that we are not here to argue with each other, we are only here to help people who are in need.

Thank you all for your understanding,

Priscilla 

What's going on? I'm in the same position and it's hard to find a teaching job. Any tips would be greatly appreciated. 😔

Sf206:  Why don't you take ZePhilosopher up on his offer and send him a PM.

ZePhilosopher wrote:

So for all future expats who may face discrimination, don't give up! Message me and I may be able to guide you in the right direction. It's all about connection in this chaotic town of Saigon!

Just hit the envelope at the top of the page, or you can hit his avatar and get to send a message that way.

As others have said you would seem ideal for this position. Maybe try VinSchool. My son goes there and they seem to change the English teacher often...maybe not a good sign but doesn't hurt to investigate.

Best of Luck

Thank you

Hi THIGV,

Saw your article and I am wondering about a VK who graduated from UM in Ann Harbor Michigan. Can you point out his FB? I'd like to ask him how he got and work as a teacher? I'm too a VK and wanting to find out.

Thanks,

Cp713a:  Sent you a private message.