Working in Vietnam (employment, real estate, job, career)

[RoJl5]

Hey all,

Anyone worked or lived in Vietnam?

So my girlfriend just informed me that she'll be moving to Hanoi in a year for work and she wants me to go, which is an implied make-or-break for the relationship. I have never even been to Asia, and my main hesitation would be employment. I'm pretty content where I'm at - real estate finance for a bank - and am cautious to abandon that for poor job prospects in a country I know little about. What are the job prospects for an American in finance/real estate/banking in Vietnam? What would the pay be like? Are the Vietnamese financial systems very different from in America?

Cheers

[jaypee]

Expat Guide for working and living in Vietnam | InterNations.org

[NToma99]

Get rid of the girl. If you two break up while you're over there, you're screwed.

[joe from dayton]

If you go to Vietnam, I think you need to do it with a plan and on your terms, not as an ultimatum. I think your girl friend is being unreasonable by expecting you to quit your job and uproot your life so you can follow her to Vietnam.

[Calvert Hall '62]

Originally Posted by RoJl5

Hey all,

Anyone worked or lived in Vietnam?

The most miserable 13 months of my life.

[AmFest]

Originally Posted by RoJl5

Hey all,

Anyone worked or lived in Vietnam?

So my girlfriend just informed me that she'll be moving to Hanoi in a year for work and she wants me to go, which is an implied make-or-break for the relationship. I have never even been to Asia, and my main hesitation would be employment. I'm pretty content where I'm at - real estate finance for a bank - and am cautious to abandon that for poor job prospects in a country I know little about. What are the job prospects for an American in finance/real estate/banking in Vietnam? What would the pay be like? Are the Vietnamese financial systems very different from in America?

Cheers

What would you expect from an Asian country whose GDP per capita is less than $2k/year? Of course it is very different from the US in just about any aspect. If you feel like this relationship can get further, start doing research now. Learn the culture, language, customs, and economy.

One good thing is that a developing country like Vietnam has very high demand for foreign English teachers. I don't know about real estate finance, but you can definitely find a teaching gig and make some serious money over there. I have lots of friends that have taught English in Asia - they all returned with nice sums of money, or haven't returned yet.

The cost of living is also very low. Not sure about taxes. How long would you live there? If for a year, a teaching job may be suitable for you. If longer, you probably want to explore the business career path. There are American companies that do business in Hanoi; I'm sure you can find one that will employ you, but you'll have to look.

I would reach out to some sort of expat community in Vietnam to ask. The US embassy in Hanoi may be a good place to ask for information too.