Thailand Job Search

Overseas career sounds like a great adventure to many people. Nevertheless, in Thailand’s job search, you need to consider all national differences.

Living in Thailand is not the same as going on vacation to Thailand. You should be ready to take Thailand as it is with all of its difficulties, contradictions and challenges.

What is common in one country might be very unusual in another. Despite globalization, to find a job abroad you have to be aware that national differences manifest themselves not only in different languages but also in different recruitment practices.

Therefore, looking for work in Thailand requires more than writing your Thailand CV/resume with a Thailand cover letter in another language – it requires careful preparation. Before departure, the easiest method to prepare yourself is to research Thailand’s economic and political conditions.

Most visits to Thailand are trouble-free however, you should be aware of the risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks, which could be against civilian targets, including locations frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers like restaurants, hotels, clubs and shopping areas.
You must exercise a high degree of security awareness due to high levels of criminal activity and violence, deteriorating security situation, ongoing political tensions, sporadic demonstrations, and protests in Bangkok and elsewhere in Thailand.
In recent years, the Thai authorities have carried out many investigations and operations against terrorist networks.
Monitor local news broadcasts and consular messages. Ensure that your travel documents and visas are valid and secured in a safe place. Carry a photocopy of your travel documents rather than the originals.
Maintain a low profile, vary times and routes of travel and exercise caution while driving.
Making local contacts quickly and seeking support from other expatriates will greatly improve your comfort and safety.

No matter the country in which you are looking for work, the key focus of your CV should be to persuade the employer to invite you for a job interview. Accordingly, treat your CV as a marketing tool, adapted to the market in which you intend to use it.

The issues that most likely did not even cross your mind when you become interested in a job abroad will confront you. Do not take too lightly the influence they can have on the result of your adventure!

For example, you will experience unfamiliar immigration rules and practices, unusual job application procedures, strange job selection trends and weird management culture.

To take up employment in Thailand, you will need a valid work permit and a working visa. The Thai law requires foreigners to earn quite a high wage to be eligible for a work permit.

Finding a job in Thailand that pays well can be a challenge, especially for expatriates who want to reside in Thailand.

For a foreigner, it is still easy to find a job in Bangkok than in other parts of Thailand. Nevertheless, before you get a job offer your employer must prove that there is no Thai citizen available for the vacancy.

Before you send job applications, you should find out first if the companies you are making an application with, have permission to employ foreigners.

Skill shortages exist; consequently, your best opportunities for working in Thailand are qualified positions in the following fields:

• Teaching English – very competitive
• Information and communications technology (ICT)
• Medical technology
• Engineering, manufacturing, petrochemical industry
• Finance
• Trade, import/export business
• Real Estate
• Diving Instructor – extremely competitive
• Freelance Writer
• Working for a Multinational Company
• Job at an Embassy or with the UN
• Hospitality industry – manage a bar, restaurant or hotel
• Become an International Development Worker
• NGOs, GOs and other aid projects.

You should be aware, that there are specific restrictions on foreign workers and employees and, that many jobs are only available to Thai citizens. Based on the Foreign Business Act, ex-pats should not be working in Thailand’s construction sector, in retail, as office assistants and in many other fields of employment.

While some positions require strong language skills (translator, interpreter, consultant, etc.) others demand only minimal foreign language skills.

When applying for a position in Thailand, you may use either Thai or English, depending on the company and your fluency. Foreign job seekers are expected to have at least a basic knowledge of the Thai language because the understanding of Thai is considered essential to cope with daily office life and life outside work.

On the other hand, in the IT sector, for example, there is a reasonable possibility of getting a job when you are capable of just speaking English. Many Thais speak and understand English. The business accepts English. Not speaking Thai will not necessarily hurt you.

Many people think that having studied the Thai language at school or college means you are able to speak that language – but do not be mistaken. Needing to convince your boss or pass a job interview in a language that is not your native tongue could be a lot more difficult than you might expect.

Applying for a job in Thailand has changed considerably over the past few years, thanks to mass CV distribution services, online recruitment databases and opportunities to email job applications. Enhanced technologies have streamlined the job searching process as never before. Job applicants can now get their job application in front of a recruiter practically in seconds after a fruitful telephone discussion.

Online job search resources are growing quickly. With the high level of Internet usage in Thailand, the Internet has become the best place to access employment information. If you speak Thai, the Ministry of Labor, the Department of Employment or the Department of Skills Development websites can be helpful.

Nevertheless, it is always better to use as many different job search resources as possible to find available positions. This includes national, regional, local, government, college, university and company websites.

Thailand’s main newspapers frequently contain job offers. However, be aware that advertised positions may possibly be filled, as many companies post vacancies just to generate publicity. Look in the classifieds for available positions and/or post an ad with your profile.

In an effective job search in Thailand, you should complement online job search by methods that are more traditional because employment in Thailand is advertised in various ways and some positions are not advertised at all. More than half of all jobs in Thailand are not advertised and they are filled through referrals or networking. We refer to this as the “hidden job market” and it is a very important aspect in the job search process.

Quite often with a Thailand job search, it is not what you know but whom you know

A common way to find a job in Thailand is through recommendations from friends, relatives and colleagues. This kind of interpersonal recommendation is generally difficult for expatriates to access, but they can get around it by becoming a member of one of many social networking groups upon their arrival in Thailand.

On-line expatriate forums may also help you to gain some info and advice on Thailand´s job market. To make contact with people who work in Thailand, you can check the common social networking sites such as LinkedIn and Xing. Ask questions and share your experiences with other job seekers in the forums.

Thai recruitment agencies are present in major cities and are available on the Internet. They usually work with large companies and have an excellent overview of the current economic situation. Additionally, they can advise you with information about the job market, job applications, how to behave in an interview etc.

Be aware that the agencies will always charge a fee for their services – either from you or from the company you will work for. An applicant who already has a specific idea of where s/he would like to work can apply to these companies directly.

One of the most effective ways to earn a living in Thailand is to be a freelancer. You can have an activity from your home or better from a Coworking Space. Since your activity is not in Thailand, it is legal.

Volunteering is a great way to meet local people and experience the culture and traditions of Thailand. Many worldwide organizations offer volunteer work on such projects as community development, conservation, wildlife sanctuary maintenance & development, scientific research and education programs.

Although Thai companies prefer to hire locals in professional fields like accounting, engineering and law, multinational corporations do transfer employees with specialist skills.

There are a variety of international companies based in Bangkok specializing in IT and electronics, professional services networks and the oil and gas industry

When you are in Thailand, the most effective method of getting a job is to walk in and ask. However, most Thai employers, who are subject to heavy fines if they hire illegally, will not offer a job to a foreigner who does not possess a valid Thai work permit.

Temporary jobs like work in a trendy club or restaurant and any work “on black” will never qualify you for a work permit. Furthermore, such unofficial employment can quite often lead to exploitative working conditions. If they catch you, they can hit you with hefty fines or even be deported from Thailand.

Make sure you know in advance, in what currency the employee will pay you!

For Thailand’s job search use the most powerful job-search engine!

To run your Thailand job search, simply type keywords, job title or company name into the อะไร/what box describing the kind of job you want and enter a city, region or postcode in the ที่ไหน/where box. Then click the ค้นหา/Find button or hit the Enter key on your keyboard.

Careerjet runs a Thailand job search listed on all of the major job boards, newspaper sites, niche industry sites and corporate job sites. Those include:

monster.co.th, jobstreet.co.th, jobs2web.com, thai3dviz.com, resumepromo.com, gimyong.com, progressiverecruitment.com, resumepromo.com, oilandgasjobsearch.com, cityvariety.com, cohoivieclam.com, csta.acm.org, th.jobsdb.com, phuketall.com, freejobthai.com, jobthai.com, thaiengineerjobs.com, thaihoteljob.com, nationejobs.com, thaifinancejobs.com, progressiverecruitment.com, lionjob.com, siamjobonline.com, jobnorththailand.com, jobth.com, jobsamui.com, gimyong.com, phuketall.com, justlanded.com, xpressjobs.net, thaiclinic.com, thaieasyjob.com and hundreds more.

If you are unhappy with the presented jobs you may use another powerful job search engine covering the different job sources.

You may run the Thailand job search right now, but when you find open positions you must apply instantly with your current Thailand CV and Thailand cover letter.

Remember that your Thailand CV must be targeted, scannable and generate hits. If you have difficulty with your CV writing, instead of staring at a blank piece of paper, use CV samples, resume samples and CV templates.

We recommend that you send your CV together with a cover letter. If you have difficulty with your cover letter writing use a cover letter sample and cover letter template.

In recent years it becomes increasingly popular to join the LinkedIn or Facebook social networking websites for professionals, where you may search for jobs and have your keyword-optimized, rich content profile with your current CV or resume. Hiring managers use them more frequently to consult your profile and supplement or check against the CV/resume you send along. If you do not have an account, create one and include your social media link(s) on your CV/resume.
However, you should manage your online presence. Eliminate any photos and statements that could reflect poorly on you. From an employer’s point of view, someone who emphasizes partying on a social networking site is not focused on jobs and those who post complaints about work or colleagues are less desirable candidates. Online CV/resume should not include sensitive information as they could show a lack of respect for confidentiality and discretion.

Other Thailand Job Search Info

To be successful in your Thailand job search and get the job you want, you need to prepare a Thailand cover letter and Thailand CV which you must email instantly to the prospective employers selected during a job search in Thailand.

When you receive an invitation to the Thailand job interview, you may apply for a Thailand visa and Thailand work permit. Then prepare yourself for a job interview and take a look at Thailand’s dress code because how you dress is one of the most important attributes in not being hired for available jobs.

Check the job interview dos & don’ts, job interview tips and other job search skills pages.

In addition, on the international info, job search, visa, work permit, cover letter, CV & resume, job interview and dress code pages you will find many useful tips for overseas job seekers.

Good luck with your Thailand job search!