Finding a Job in Thailand
Whether you have already arrived in Thailand and are looking for a job, or you are desperately hoping to find one before you leave, we've got you covered.
Assuming you have a college degree, one of the easiest ways for Anglophone foreigners to become employed in Thailand is to teach English. The magazine Transitions Abroad makes the outrageous claim that you can get a job teaching English within 10 days.
While this certainly won't be possible for everyone (especially since the first two days, according to this guide, should be spent sleeping) some of the advice given by the article is helpful. Be sure to bring your diploma, transcripts, resume, and some letters of recommendation with you when you leave home. Use Internet cafes every day to scan the listings for new teaching positions in Bangkok. Buy a Thai cell phone, rather than asking employers to leave a message for you at your guest house. And, whatever job you are looking for, bring professional clothing to interview in.
The most popular site for foreigners to find teaching jobs in Thailand is Ajarn.com. The site allows you to browse up-to-date job listings, post your resume, look at blog postings, and more. One particularly good feature of the site is the "We Want to Work" page, where you submit a headshot and personal information, and the site will highlight your qualifications to potential employers.
Obtaining a TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) certificate will make you much more employable as a teacher. You can obtain this certificate through a course in Thailand or in your home country.
If standing in front of a classroom full of screaming kids isn't your thing, try the Thailand branch of JobsDB.com, a site specializing in job recruitment across Asia. Here, you can find positions in accounting, insurance, transportation, hospitality, and more. There is even a category called "Student/Fresh Graduate/No Experience."
If the location is more important for you than the particular job, go to Bangkok and try to charm your way with a face-to-face interview, into whatever is available. But if you are going to Thailand because you are hoping to break into a particular job sector, your best bet is to do plenty of research before you leave, and get ready to convince Thai employers that you are the best fit in the world for that job.