Thread: Planning on making the jump in late February/early March

Hello all, I am planning on making the leap to Thailand in late February/early March as I understand this is the peak hiring season. I have one or two contacts but other than that I am completely on my own. I am not TESOL certified but will graduate with a bachelor's degree in Secondary Education and History from the University of Alabama in December. Is the lack of TESOL cert. an issue? Which is more preferable, government school, private, international, etc.? As far as potential employment, is it worth while to email my CV/Resume to employers? Or should I just show up and hit the pavement? Are there any tests that I need to take? What about Visas? I have almost 200 hours of student teaching and observational experience in various schools and hopefully this will help me find a job. I understand that jobs greatly outnumber applicants which puts me at ease somewhat. My plan thus far is to fly over and hit the pavement ASAP to find a job and a place to live. Does this seem too extreme? Should I revise my plan a bit? I am not totally sure what to expect but I know this is what I really want to do. I am also planning to bring about $4000 U.S. with me to survive until my first pay check. I know I have posted similar threads before but it seems that I continue to come up with questions lol. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Anyone there? lol. Also, what is a reasonable expectation for a salary? I was hoping for 40-50k but I certainly could be off.

Nobody could give you a picture of the future. The laws aren't the same for everyone. And a lot depends on where you teach. A low-status school but with connections could hire you with close to no quals. I'd guess the average wage outside of Bkk is about 30K. If you're well-dressed and/or good looking it's a plus.

Forgot to mention I would be aiming for a job and living quarters in Bangkok