Post: #1

Not sure whether to post it here or on lifestyle thread, this is my first post.

So I just moved back to NY after living 8 months abroad in East Asia. I did a semester exchange in Singapore from January-May and then an internship in Hong Kong working in private equities from May-end of July. I've loved every minute of it, especially the women. I also travelled to other countries at least once a month and my top 2 favorites are definitely South Korea and Taiwan. I am back in US now to finish my final year of undergrad.

I've been back in the US for about a week and it just feels different. New York is always fun and I love this country, but I just don't see myself here in the long-run anymore. I have one more year of school and want to move back to Asia right after, preferably to Taipei or Singapore.

So here's my question: how do you move to Asia or what is the best way to do so?

I know there is the teaching route and I know there are people who save money and go there to find a job. I have a couple friends who did that with China and New Zealand. I have a year left of school and want to focus on a)finding a job out in Asia or b)starting my own company and taking it there.

For all the expats living abroad now, any tips or helpful ideas? Any job websites that helped you the most. I've tried JobsDB before but had no luck. Thanks a lot.

Post: #2

Nice!


Sounds like what you're mainly asking is how to support yourself there. If you've got income sorted, you just sort a visa and accommodation, and book your flight! Income is the obvious question tho, for that there's a number of options:

-get a job there
-earn/save enough working at home to live on while there
-work online as a freelancer - getting started + getting clients is a big effort, but theres plenty you could do - writing, programming, web design, translation, even making telesales calls from a skype account. Using skills you already have is a good idea
-Run an online business - maybe the juiciest option, maybe also the riskiest, realistically expect alot of trial and error (months to years) before you "make it" to the point you can live off it

-Some combo of the above.

Certainly in Taiwan I know that if you're qualified, you can teach english and often choose your own hours. You could do 10-15 hours a week for rent money and then do some freelancing / play around with some online biz ideas in your remaining time. And if you have some savings to last you 3-4 months when you arrive, that gives you that much more time to get on your feet.

I highly recommend the book "Delaying the Real World" especially the section on living + working abroad. Alot of cool ideas for jobs in asia - not just teaching english, but things like proofreading + writing english for companies there (they need native speakers), or modelling + acting (again they need western faces), etc. There are job websites in that book but mainly it's just great for ideas. Most jobs / lucrative gigs will be got thru you hustling and contacting companies directly and networking.

This is basically the situ I'm in - Ive been living in asia , savings running out. Going back in 2 weeks, gonna be freelancing online, possibly doing abit of english tutoring/proofreading on the side, and then turning my eyes to a more exciting online (and hopefully profitable) business idea.

On a side note, please feel free to share some info about Taiwan/Taipei! I've heard good things and really fancy going there, possibly for a few months. Like you, I loved South Korea too.

Post: #3

In Bangkok I have several friends who teach at legitimate schools. Not your typical TEFL English teachers that make $1,500 a month. One is an art teacher who has an art degree, another is some sort of IT teacher and he also has a bachelors degree. Neither would really be qualified to teach back home, but in Bangkok they make about $3,000 a month.

In Bangkok, you can live really well on that with no kids or wife. You could live pretty well and save $1,000 a month even. They are both in their mid to late twenties. I'm not sure what the potential is to move up and make more money, but it's a pretty sweet gig for living in Bangkok.

Are you white? It seems a lot of schools, though I am not sure about all of them, really want young, white guys as teachers who are native English speakers.

I'm not sure of any resources to find jobs or anything. Every job opening I heard of I heard of from my friends.

Post: #4

Why not hit up your contacts from your PE gig in HK?

I did a semester in HK and have been looking for ways to get back there ever since.

Post: #5

you must mean international schools? they hire teachers licensed in America.

Post: #6

(08-22-2012 06:16 PM)RioNomad Wrote:  In Bangkok I have several friends who teach at legitimate schools. Not your typical TEFL English teachers that make $1,500 a month. One is an art teacher who has an art degree, another is some sort of IT teacher and he also has a bachelors degree. Neither would really be qualified to teach back home, but in Bangkok they make about $3,000 a month.

In Bangkok, you can live really well on that with no kids or wife. You could live pretty well and save $1,000 a month even. They are both in their mid to late twenties. I'm not sure what the potential is to move up and make more money, but it's a pretty sweet gig for living in Bangkok.

Are you white? It seems a lot of schools, though I am not sure about all of them, really want young, white guys as teachers who are native English speakers.

I'm not sure of any resources to find jobs or anything. Every job opening I heard of I heard of from my friends.

THATS very cool. You can also do the same thing at some universities in asia. In that book I mentioned, a guy is supporting himself through a fellowship for a research project from his college back home, and also teaching at a university in Indonesia. He just told them he's doing his project and showed them his degree... back home he'd need 5 more years education and a PhD to get a position like that. Soooo much opportunity in Asia.

Post: #7

Make Money Online.

Post: #8

What they others have said is all good, but: you had an internship in PE. Why not get a finance job in Singapore? Plenty of time in your last year of school to make yourself desirable to these firms.

Save money in your last year as well because absolutely NOBODY is going to hire you from abroad for some job you found on jobsDB. You need to get to your target city and start meeting people. Expect this campaign to take some time before you land a job - so you'll need some money in the meantime.

Post: #9

(08-22-2012 04:18 PM)AMO Wrote:  For all the expats living abroad now, any tips or helpful ideas? Any job websites that helped you the most. I've tried JobsDB before but had no luck. Thanks a lot.

This thread needs more Youngmobileglobal.

Or better use of the search function.

Read Youngmobileglobal's Career Leapfrogging Blueprint.
Find it here: http://www.rooshvforum.com/thread-4156.html

Read this thread too:
http://www.rooshvforum.com/thread-4156-p...l#pid49978

Post: #10

$3,000 a month plus is at international schools for qualified, experienced teachers

there are other local schools that i dont think u need qualifications for but they only pay like 20,000 baht a month...especially in rural areas

Post: #11

Lots of jobs in the far east for oil and gas professionals, most are very high paying and many of them are tax-free expat gigs, here`s a sample:

http://www.rigzone.com/jobs/countries/re...t_jobs.asp

Most of those are senior positions that would require some education and work experience, if you`re willing to do some studies (say an Associates degree in some type of engineering) and work for a couple of years in the oil biz in your home country, you could be living large in Asia in within 5 years.

I`m not sure if you`re aware of the oil boom currently going on in North Dakota, but you could get your experience up there:

http://www.rooshvforum.com/thread-11227....rth+dakota

Post: #12

(08-23-2012 04:25 AM)garygroundwork Wrote:  $3,000 a month plus is at international schools for qualified, experienced teachers

there are other local schools that i dont think u need qualifications for but they only pay like 20,000 baht a month...especially in rural areas

Neither of my friends were experienced, and really not that qualified. One is a tattoo artist with a bachelors in art. He teaches art. The other I believe had no teaching experience either, and he had a bachelors in his IT field. Maybe they both got lucky, as they both teach at the same school, but they would never be qualified to teach back home. I'm no expert in this field, but if they did it, I bet others could somehow as well.

Post: #13

Thanks guys. These are all great tips. You guys have definitely made this easier for me. I will check out all the links posted and that book you mentioned RichieP. I may or may not still pursue finance after graduation, but from what you guys have said, there seems to be an endless amount of opportunities. I am ethnically Persian, but was born and raised in New York City.

@RichieP, glad you liked South Korea. That and Taiwan were definitely my favorite destinations in Asia (so far). If you go, start with Taipei, as there's lots to do in and around the city. The people I found are extremely friendly and the girls are VERY hot. It was the friendliness of the people, the girls and the food that really won me over with this place. It's much more relaxed opposed to Hong Kong and Singapore and great if Mandarin is a language you choose to learn. If you need more info on Taiwan or help planning an itinerary, just PM me.

Post: #14

You're stupid not to pursue a career in finance given your profile (granted, I don't know your other experience / undergrad pedigree). But this shouldn't even be a question.

Right now I see it that you can take a) the easy, low road of teaching English or b) busting your ass a bit to get into high finance in Asia.

No brainer, really. Teaching English will ALWAYS be there. for you. No offense to anybody teaching English, but it doesn't take any relevant experience to get there other than a commodity western BA. If you teach English, you're throwing your Equities experience down the hose. 2 years teaching english without a top 20 MBA will make your resume garbage. You'd be dumb not to at least pursue finance opportunities. Yolo. I know how enticing the immediate move back to Asia can be, but your Asian dream will be 100x more sustainable with a pursuit in finance.

Asia (Singapore, EM even..) is on track to be the fucking epicenter of finance, and you're thinking about teaching English without giving it a fair shot? Tell me it isn't so. If nothing else, take a teaching gig and apply for finance jobs 24/7 once you're there. Just. dont. throw. it. all. away.

This, coming from a 2011 finance grad that "studied abroad" in bkk, did big 4 risk advisory in the middle east, now works in a US HF, and plans to move back to Asia in 1.5 years with a proper salary if allowed.

Post: #15

(08-25-2012 01:02 AM)BudgetGlobetrotting Wrote:  You're stupid not to pursue a career in finance given your profile (granted, I don't know your other experience / undergrad pedigree). But this shouldn't even be a question.

Right now I see it that you can take a) the easy, low road of teaching English or b) busting your ass a bit to get into high finance in Asia.

No brainer, really. Teaching English will ALWAYS be there. for you. No offense to anybody teaching English, but it doesn't take any relevant experience to get there other than a commodity western BA. If you teach English, you're throwing your Equities experience down the hose. 2 years teaching english without a top 20 MBA will make your resume garbage. You'd be dumb not to at least pursue finance opportunities. Yolo. I know how enticing the immediate move back to Asia can be, but your Asian dream will be 100x more sustainable with a pursuit in finance.

Asia (Singapore, EM even..) is on track to be the fucking epicenter of finance, and you're thinking about teaching English without giving it a fair shot? Tell me it isn't so. If nothing else, take a teaching gig and apply for finance jobs 24/7 once you're there. Just. dont. throw. it. all. away.

This, coming from a 2011 finance grad that "studied abroad" in bkk, did big 4 risk advisory in the middle east, now works in a US HF, and plans to move back to Asia in 1.5 years with a proper salary if allowed.

Which university did you go to when you studied abroad in bkk?

Post: #16

@BudgetGlobetrotting I never said I would give up on finance just that I would like to check out other options as a fallout. Not really sure I would go the teaching route as I am much more interested in having my own business, potentially. I see your point however with Asia becoming the epicenter of finance. Any tips to get finance offers for after graduation? I'm curious how you landed them after studying abroad in BKK. And yea I've already done some personal networking with contacts over there but I don't like to have all my eggs in one basket. Thanks.

Post: #17

I think I came off a little harsh, which wasn't intended. For breaking in, it's more of a numbers/serendipity game than anything when it comes to finding things. Key is, don't be shy. Shoot your resume everywhere. Find a firm that seems interesting online? - send them an email. I got really lucky to get where I am, but nearly everyone I talk to says the same thing. So I think it's a matter of drive and grinding to break in. I think once you're in, it's smoother sailing if you want to stay in the industry.

Have a tight resume/cv, cover letter, and well tailored story. WallStreetOasis is a goldmine in this regard for finance/consulting. If you're not familiar, inhale the forums there in a weekend.

I see where you're coming from with having your own business. I'm of the same mindset near/long term. Sitting in front of excel/sql server for 9 hours a day sucks. I have my own side projects but they're not sustainable yet for the lifestyle I want.

But if possible, I'd urge you to keep grinding with both your own entrepreneurial ideas as well as trying to take the more douchey route into corporate 9-5ing. The half life on finance experience is very quick, so might as well try that route now. Finance salaries are good and having a comfortable financial position will allow you the lifestyle/entre opportunities that you may not have otherwise. Just my .02.

(08-25-2012 04:55 PM)AMO Wrote:  @BudgetGlobetrotting I never said I would give up on finance just that I would like to check out other options as a fallout. Not really sure I would go the teaching route as I am much more interested in having my own business, potentially. I see your point however with Asia becoming the epicenter of finance. Any tips to get finance offers for after graduation? I'm curious how you landed them after studying abroad in BKK. And yea I've already done some personal networking with contacts over there but I don't like to have all my eggs in one basket. Thanks.

Post: #18

Thanks man. Will def keep all that in mind.