USA-->BKK got a job offer and have to decide fast! - Ajarn Forum

DGblkbelt · 11th June 2006, 07:28

Hi everyone,

My name is Dan and I am deciding about a job offer to come to Bangkok for one year to teach SAT classes with Kaplan Test Prep, which is the same job I have been doing in the US for the last year. I know it's not exactly TEFL, but it's pretty close in certain respects and I thought this would be a good place to research and post.

The really crazy thing is that I just applied for the job 3 days ago, had my phone interview last night, and they want me to be there before July 1st! Prior to Tuesday I hadn't even considered this... my boss mentioned the position, I sent an email, and less than a week later I have an offer. This is a difficult timeframe for someone to pack up and literally move halfway around the world! I am leaning heavily toward taking it because I am 25 and have nothing keeping me in the US, and part of me has always wanted to live in Asia.

Anyway, I have been looking around in the forum and read lots of good advice, but at the same time I would love to hear any helpful info if anyone wants to post here. If I take the position, I have a ton of things to do in the next 2 weeks and my head is spinning just from the thought of it. There's the usual visa and passport stuff (Kaplan will help with these fortunately) to finding a deal on airfare to finding an apartment, to selling my car here and moving out of my current apt... plus figuring out what things that are better to bring than to buy in BKK, and rounding up as much of it as I can. Not to mention seeing friends and family if possible.

Anyway, guess thats my situation... in all likelyhood I will be in BKK in 3 weeks! (**edit** updated at bottom)

Sanuk Canuk · 11th June 2006, 08:08

If they are going to pay you a similar salary to what you made in the US it is a no brainer...make the move. You will have roughly 3x the spending power in Thailand. Be sure to read the fine print in the contract though!

IsaanAlex · 11th June 2006, 09:01

Agree.

DGblkbelt · 11th June 2006, 09:08

The salary is above average for BKK but nothing amazing... a minimum of ~50k baht per month for 70 teaching hours/month. Beyond that 650/teaching hour. There are out of class hours required too but not that many, if I am not working overtime I would not be working more than 30 hours total per week, and I think generally substantially less.

I guess actually I would be getting nearly the same per teaching hour in USD as I do now, but over here it has just been a part-time job while I was in school. An excellent part time job to be sure in term of pay/hour, but over here it's not a career, just moonlighting for most.

kingwilly · 11th June 2006, 10:22

you're young - go for it! sometimes you need a short time frame to force you do it!

you dont really need to buy anything much to take here - can buy almost everything u need here.

Sanuk Canuk · 11th June 2006, 10:24

At 50k Baht/month you will have difficulty saving enough to secure your future but if you do a bit of overtime that may do it. On the other hand if this is inline with your career path then why not. See it as a learning experience and expat work experience that you may be able to leverage to your benefit in the future. Just don't lose the big picture and find yourself living check to check 10-15 years from now! :sad:

Matthew · 11th June 2006, 10:40

We've got a Princeton Review prep center (2 now, actually) in BKK as well. I almost started working for them just now but the schedule didn't work, so I know their deal and they pay better than Kaplan, according to what you posted about salary. They are definitely looking for fresh young smart Americans, so you'd have a backup. FYI. There are other TOEFL etc. test prep places around, but not on par with these. Great places to work, as you are around the cream of the crop (well, seems that way for an American, anyway) rich Thai students who are off to or back for the summer from Comumbia, Stanford, etc. or east bumfrick college. At TPR, it's almost like being back in Boston, but the girls are all finer, way finer! Anyhoo, you should take into consideration how easy it is to move here, if you're only a little bit flexible and mobile. Good luck! :chug:

DunceCap · 11th June 2006, 19:42

And a word of advice about what you will find here......keep it a secret. don't tell anyone!!! ssshhhh mums the word.

DGblkbelt · 11th June 2006, 22:30

Ok so I got the contract offer, and after a 1 month probation that is kind of low, the salary is better than I was thinking. I am 95% on this now, the only reason I won't come is if I here back on this one other job I applied to that is located here in the states. But they better get back to me soon b/c I need to decide asap AND THEN LEAVE FOR BANGKOK BY THE 27TH.

Please keep posting here if it is relevant, this has really been helpful, but I am also going to start a new thread about what I need to do and bring. I realize that much of this practical info is on the site, but I don't have the time to dig it all up! I have 2 weeks to tie up all the loose ends of my life here and leave! This is craziness.......

watdog · 11th June 2006, 22:33

tell them you want a plane ticket as part of the deal.

DGblkbelt · 11th June 2006, 23:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by watdog

tell them you want a plane ticket as part of the deal.

I'll think about asking... it seemed cheesy to me at first that they wouldn't fly me out, but then I thought about it and it makes sense that they don't offer that b/c people could easily screw them and get a free trip to BKK out of it.

But then again, I already work for Kaplan and have excellent references. I think I will say that I either want a plane ticket, or I want them to pay me my normal salary for the first month, instead of the lower probationary amount.

Matthew · 12th June 2006, 01:24

Good idea. Don't let them screw you, they're friggin' rich! All thanks to the ETS.

Rumpole · 12th June 2006, 08:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by DGblkbelt

There are out of class hours required too but not that many, if I am not working overtime I would not be working more than 30 hours total per week, and I think generally substantially less.

I would make absolutely sure of this before getting on a plane. Thai employers have a nasty prediliction of loading you up with all kinds of unpaid extra duties or giving you compulsory overtime at unsociable hours and unattractive rates. What they write in a contract is absolutely no guarantee, as Thai contracts are usually not worth the paper they are printed on anyway.

I should state I have no knowledge or experience with Kaplan, I am simply describing the general cultural trend.

DGblkbelt · 12th June 2006, 10:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rumpole

Quote:

Originally Posted by DGblkbelt

There are out of class hours required too but not that many, if I am not working overtime I would not be working more than 30 hours total per week, and I think generally substantially less.

I would make absolutely sure of this before getting on a plane. Thai employers have a nasty prediliction to load you up with all kinds of unpaid extra duties or give you compulsory overtime at unsociable hours and unattractive rates. What they write in a contract is absolutely no guarantee, as Thai contracts are usually not worth the paper they are printed on anyway.

I should state I have no knowledge or experience with Kaplan, I am simply describing the general cultural trend.

Yeah, I've heard that too and it turned me off from some TEFL jobs in Japan I was looking at. The Kaplan hours should be legit though as it sounds similar to how it is here (I do basically the same thing stateside) and more importantly, I talked to the guy who left the position. He is also an American and is back in the States now. He said it was a good place to work and that he put in very few non-teaching hours... I asked him if it was a 1:1 class:out of class ratio and he just laughed at me, said more like a few hours a week under normal circumstances.

Also I wrote back to them today and said that if they will pay for my plane ticket out, and if we can come to a fair agreement about vacation days (not mentioned at all in the initial contract they sent this morning) that I will take the position. These seems like pretty reasonable requests, and they are DESPERATE for someone since they want to start their summer SAT program July 1st. If they pay for the ticket and include a reasonable amount of vacation, I will be in Bangkok before the end of month!

drdublin · 12th June 2006, 10:54

Make sure you keep copies of all your correspondance.