Vietnam’s perception of women has had a long history. From before the start of China’s rule over Vietnam—when the country is thought to have been matriarchal—all the way through its European rule, the Vietnam War, and everything in-between, society’s view of women has undergone many shifts, not all of them positive.
Today, however, the role of Vietnamese women in society is much stronger than in times past. This progress, and the lời chúc mừng (“wish”) for future progress, is expressed each year through Vietnamese Women’s Day.
In this article, you’ll learn more about the history of this holiday, how the Vietnamese celebrate it today, and more.
Let’s get started!
1. What is Women’s Day?
Each year on October 20, Vietnamese Women’s Day is welcomed with open arms.
This is a holiday dedicated to honoring and respecting women, fighting for their rights, and reflecting on how far gender equality in Vietnam has come. Today, it’s still fairly common for women in Vietnam to experience domestic abuse and other forms of disrespect, though the rates of this happening are much lower than they were in times past. Considering the country’s long history of male-domination, the advances women have made in society are truly spectacular.
These advances were largely the result of women challenging the Confucianist view of women, the efforts of the Vietnam Women’s Union, and women throughout Vietnam’s history who proved their strength, bravery, and ability in traditionally male-oriented fields. Keep reading to find out which two Vietnamese women served as war heroes in Vietnam’s feudal history, thus paving the way for the more positive modern-day perceptions of women.
The Vietnamese also celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8 with the rest of the world, which shows that this country is keen on continuing to improve the status of women!
→Work and education are two major aspects of Vietnamese women’s struggle in society. Learn the most relevant words for Jobs / Work and School on VietnamesePod101.com.
2. How Do Vietnamese Celebrate Women’s Day?
A common tradition on Women’s Day is for men to give the women in their life a quà tặng (“present”). The woman receiving the gift could be his wife, girlfriend, mother, sister, or even his teacher. In fact, students are highly encouraged to make or buy gifts for their female teachers to show respect and appreciation for them. The most popular gifts include đồ trang sức (“jewelry”), a hoa (“flower”), or a cuộc hẹn (“date”). Women also enjoy giving other women gifts as a sign of encouragement and respect.
Women’s Day in Vietnam is also the perfect occasion for stores and markets to hold special deals on items women will love. For example, clothing, accessories, perfume, and makeup are likely to be marked down to encourage men to purchase them as gifts—and to entice any woman who happens to catch wind of it.
Other Women’s Day celebrations include things such as a cuộc thi nấu ăn (“cooking contest”), a cuộc thi sắc đẹp (“beauty contest”), and a special buổi biểu diễn (“performance”). These contests are very popular because, in Vietnam, many people still consider a woman’s value to be in her appearance and her ability to perform traditionally feminine tasks well.
While the Vietnamese Women’s Day history can’t be traced to a single event, there are two sisters of feudal Vietnam who are credited with helping women branch out into a better societal view. Do you know who they are?
They are Hai Ba Trung (the two Trung ladies). These two women led an army force against the Han Dynasty, reflecting the courageous and patriotic nature of women in Vietnam. It should be noted that, upon the force’s eventual failure (after several victories), the Trung ladies were mocked for their role in the war, as were the men who followed them.
→There’s even a special spring-time holiday for commemorating the Trung sisters. You can learn more about it on VietnamesePod101.com.
4. Essential Vocabulary for Women’s Day
Let’s review some of the vocabulary words and phrases from this article!
buổi biểu diễn (“performance”)
hoa (“flower”)
quà tặng (“present”)
đồ trang sức (“jewelry”)
bưu thiếp (“postcard”)
Ngày phụ nữ Việt Nam (“Vietnamese Women’s Day”)
cuộc hẹn (“date”)
lời chúc mừng (“wish”)
khuyến mãi dành cho phụ nữ (“promotion for woman”)
cuộc thi nấu ăn (“cooking contest”)
cuộc thi sắc đẹp (“beauty contest”)
đàn ông làm việc nhà (“men doing housework”)
cuộc họp (“meeting”)
Remember that you can find each of these words and phrases with their pronunciation on our Vietnamese Women’s Day vocabulary list!
Final Thoughts
Vietnamese Women’s Day is an important part of modern Vietnamese society, nurturing the hope of a nation where gender-equality is the standard and women are free to grow.
Do you observe Women’s Day in your country? If so, how do you celebrate? We’d love to hear from you in the comments!
If you’re interested in learning more about Vietnamese culture and the language, we recommend the following blog posts from VietnamesePod101.com:
And there’s more where that came from! VietnamesePod101 is the ultimate online source for Vietnamese learning content and cultural information. Whether you’re an absolute beginner or already very knowledgeable, we have the resources you need to reach full fluency in Vietnamese! Create your free lifetime account today and start speaking Vietnamese in minutes.
Do you have a teacher who made a huge positive impact on your life? Someone who patiently guided you through a topic or subject you struggled with, or encouraged you to pursue your passions and interests?
If your answer is yes, then we don’t have to tell you the weight of gratitude that students may feel toward teachers.
Each year in Vietnam, students show thanks, gratitude, and respect for their teachers on National Teacher’s Day. In this article, you’ll learn about why this is so significant to Vietnamese students and teachers, a little bit of history of Teacher’s Day in Vietnam, and how National Teacher’s Day is celebrated today.
At VietnamesePod101.com, we hope to make every aspect of your language-learning journey both fun and informative!
1. What is Teacher’s Day?
Vietnam Teacher’s Day is a festival of education to honor those who work in the field. This day is an opportunity for generations of students to express their gratitude to teachers.
In Vietnam, Teacher’s Day is set aside to praise the country’s spirit of being deferential to your teacher and having respect for morals by showing gratitude and respect to teachers.
2. When is Teacher’s Day in Vietnam?
Each year, Vietnam celebrates Teacher’s Day on November 20.
3. Reading Practice: Teacher’s Day Celebrations & Events
Read the Vietnamese text below to learn how students in Vietnam celebrate Teacher’s Day and honor their teachers! Then check your reading skills against the English text directly below it.
—
Trong ngày này, các học trò sẽ đến thăm, tặng hoa và gửi những lời chúc đến các thầy cô giáo đang và đã từng dạy mình. Có nhiều người tuy đã đi làm những cũng vẫn sẽ về thăm trường cũ, thầy cô giáo cũ, vì vậy, ngày này cũng trở thành như một ngày họp lớp, để các học sinh sau khi tốt nghiệp tập hợp và ôn lại kỷ niệm cũ cũng như chia sẻ về cuộc sống hiện tại của mình. Ngoài ra, đây cũng là ngày các bộ ngành đánh giá và khen thưởng các giáo viên có thành tích tốt trong một năm đã qua.
Các hoạt động chào mừng ngày lễ này đều diễn ra tưng bừng trong các nhà trường. Từ nhiều tuần trước đó, các hoạt động thi đua trong học tập cũng như văn nghệ của các em học sinh cũng đã được chuẩn bị. Trong ngày lễ này, học sinh vẫn đến trường nhưng thường sẽ dành phần lớn thời gian để tham gia các hoạt động kỷ niệm.
Một số phụ huynh học sinh cũng tranh thủ dịp này để đến gặp và cảm ơn thầy cô giáo của con mình. Tuy nhiên, hiện tượng này đã được Bộ Giáo dục hạn chế và không khuyến khích để tránh những hiện tượng tiêu cực có thể xảy ra.
—
On this day, students visit, give flowers to, and send greetings to the teachers who have been teaching them. Many people who are workers still come to visit their old schools and teachers, so this day also becomes an occasion for class meetings in which graduates reunite and relive old memories as well as talk about their current lives. In addition, this is also the day when the ministries assess and reward teachers who’ve performed well during the year.
Activities to celebrate this holiday take place jubilantly in schools. From several weeks prior to the day, students’ learning and performances are also prepared for emulation. On this holiday, students still go to school, but they often spend their time participating in these celebratory activities.
Some parents also make use of this chance to see and give thanks to their children’s teachers. However, this phenomenon has been limited and discouraged by the Ministry of Education and Training to avoid the negative outcomes that can occur.
4. Origin of the Date
Do you know when the November 20 date was chosen for this holiday?
On September 28, 1982, the Ministerial Council (now the Government) made an official decision to select November 20 as Vietnam Teacher’s Day.
5. Essential Vietnamese Vocab for Teacher’s Day
Here’s some essential Vietnamese vocabulary you need for Teacher’s Day in Vietnam!
We hope you enjoyed learning about Vietnam Teacher’s Day with us. Does your country have a day for celebrating and thanking teachers? If so, how do you show gratitude to your teachers? We look forward to hearing from you!
Learning about other cultures may be the most fascinating and enriching aspect of trying to master their language. If more Vietnam cultural information is what you’re after, you may find the following pages on VietnamesePod101.com helpful:
If you’re more interested in expediting your Vietnamese language skills, we have you covered! By creating a free lifetime account, you can have access to numerous learning tools: more insightful blog posts like this one, vocabulary lists, and even mobile apps. Upgrade to Premium Plus to take advantage of our MyTeacher program and learn Vietnamese with a personal tutor.
Becoming fluent in Vietnamese as a second language isn’t easy, but your determination and hard work will pay off! And VietnamesePod101.com will be here with practical learning tools and encouragement on every step of your way to language mastery!
As in any country, the Vietnam National Day is the most significant date in the history of Vietnam. This is the day in 1945 that Vietnam finally gained its independence after a long struggle.
In this article, you’ll learn about the National Day in Vietnam, including the history behind it, common traditions, and the unfortunate event that the Vietnamese also commemorate on National Vietnam Day.
At VietnamesePod101.com, we hope to make every aspect of your learning journey both fun and informative. So let’s get started!
1. What is the Vietnam National Day Holiday?
The holiday marks the day in 1945 when Vietnam officially became its own country. On September 2, 1945, President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence in a meeting held at Ba Dinh square in Hanoi. In the declaration, President Ho Chi Minh declared the birth of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam to the people of Vietnam and the world.
Ho Chi Minh was the leader of the Viet Minh Front, which was led by the Communist Party. He talked Emperor Bao Dai into abdicating his throne so that the country could become its own nation, and then Vietnam’s declaration of independence was made. At that time, the country was declaring freedom from France, but France wouldn’t give up control of the region so easily.
Shortly after independence was declared, Ho Chi Minh and the leader of some two-hundred-thousand Chinese Nationalists agreed to set up a coalition government instead of one that was completely communist. Just a few months later, a new agreement was signed with France declaring the nation an autonomous state in the French Union.
That agreement was designed to drive the Chinese out, which it did, although the Vietnamese then began fighting again with the French.
The National Day celebrations are usually held in a formal manner in Vietnam Embassies in many countries around the world. Diplomatic officials of the local countries are also invited to attend the celebration to forge closer ties between the two countries. On this day, the government of Vietnam receives many greetings from the authorities of other countries.
This is an official public holiday, so workers, office employees, and students are off on this day. Some companies also hold group tours for their staff. Some common festivities on this day include swimming, sailing, and boat racing festivals, which are held in many places. These attract many participants.
To celebrate National Day, families, stores, and shopping centers everywhere display Vietnam’s red flag with a yellow star. The streets are filled with flags and banners. Some people also hold meetings at the centers of big cities.
4. Another Observation
Do you know what else the Vietnamese commemorate on September 2?
September 2 is also the date on which President Ho Chi Minh died in 1969, at the age of seventy-nine.
5. Useful Vocabulary for the Vietnamese National Day
Here’s some vocabulary you need to know for the Vietnamese National Day!
How VietnamesePod101 Can Help You Learn About Vietnamese Culture
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Each generation of teenagers has its own language conventions, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to figure out what they’re saying. Slang words are often seen as a language that teenagers use, but the funny thing is that even adults have been adopting slang terms these days in order to stay trendy.
Teen slang words can be puzzling to those who aren’t familiar with them. The good news is that most of them are harmless. Teenagers can use slang to express their personality, assert their independence, or simply to sound cool. They can also bond with their peers by using slang easily.
One of the most fascinating aspects of slang—which also happens to be one of the most frustrating things for language learners—is that it’s always evolving. Slang words change their meanings over time to reflect the culture’s beliefs and attitudes, and these terms are sometimes used to give conventional words new meanings. Thus, while attempting to keep up with their children, parents are probably already behind even after they think they’ve nailed a few terms.
One of the fastest ways to learn a language is to hang out with locals and discover first-hand how to use language conventions like slang. Slang is frequently used to appear friendly to show that you belong to a specific group of people or to demonstrate that you’re familiar with popular culture. Therefore, when learning Vietnamese, you should absolutely know and remember these most common modern Vietnamese text slang terms for 2022.
There are two kinds of Vietnamese slang words that are commonly used on the internet or for texting: Từ thuần Việtand Từ mượn.
A- Từ thuần Việt
These slang words are of purely Vietnamese origin. This class of words is considered simple and easy to understand, and it’s most often used in the media (especially journals). When a pure Vietnamese word becomes slang, it will inevitably be assigned a different meaning from its original meaning.
Example:
Gà means “chicken,” but in Vietnamese slang, it refers to promising talent under the management of a company. In this case, gà is understood as a “pure” Vietnamese slang word, and it’s very common on the internet.
B- Từ mượn
This class of words comprises those that are borrowed from other languages. Essentially, the words are adopted by speakers of one language from a different language (French, Chinese, Russian…).
Example:
Phi công(“Pilot”): A man who is in a relationship with an older woman
Vệ tinh (“Satellite”): A man who is attracted to a woman
Cấm vận(“Embargo”): To prohibit your partner from having sex with you
2. Is Slang Good or Bad?
Slang is often used within a specific social group. This means that each group will have its own set of slang terms that only the members of that group can understand. When forming a social group, the existence, and development of slang is almost inevitable. For example, the online community uses a separate system of slang, while students have their own slang system.
When this kind of language first appeared, people often thought it was bad and that the teenagers who used them were naughty. However, in the Vietnamese language today, slang is used much more widely. Thanks to slang, everyday stories have even become funnier and wittier. That’s why people sometimes prefer to use these types of words more often.
3. Most Common Slang Words Used by Young Vietnamese People
You’ll be surprised by how creative and imaginative Vietnamese teenagers are when it comes to creating slang words.
Gấu (“Bear”): Boyfriend/girlfriend. Calling someone gấu means you’re in a relationship, and it’s very warm to hug each other in winter (like hugging a bear). Funny, isn’t it?
Thả thính (“To drop fishing bait”): To flirt around. In the past, thả thínhreferred literally to fishing; now, it refers to a person intentionally attracting or seducing one or more people even though there’s no affection (as if they were dropping bait to catch fish).
Quẩy (“Bagel twists”): To dance or to go party. While dancing, your legs usually look twisted the same way that a bagel does.
Trẻ trâu (“Young buffaloes”): In the past, buffaloes were called calves. Today, “young buffalo” or “ox children” refers to a class of young, energetic, extravagant teenagers who like to show off and often act impulsively.
Cá sấu(“Crocodile”): Ugly people. Sấu has a similar pronunciation to xấu, which means “ugly,” and cá is “fish.” So: cá sấu = ugly “fish”/people.
Bánh bèo(a kind of street food in Hue) is used to refer to girls who are redheaded and who appear weak and dependable.
GATO– Ghen Ăn Tức Ở: To be jealous. GATO also means “birthday cake,” which has nothing to do with what the slang phrase means. When you see that a Vietnamese person is GATO, you’d better not point it out; otherwise, they may get mad.
Đào mộ(“Tomb digging”): In the current sense, this is the activity of finding and renewing old images or information that mistakenly attracts attention.
Đi bão(“To go storm”): If “storm” was previously used as a noun, it has now become a verb referring to the gathering of vehicles to celebrate a victory or racing event (mostly in football).
Gà (“Chicken”): When used as an adjective, this word refers to someone who doesn’t play well, does well in games, etc.
Anh hùng bàn phím (“Hero keyboard”): Used with sarcasm to mock people who “hide their faces” behind computer screens.
Sống ảo(“Virtual living”): People who often show off or brag about what they don’t have.
Bóc phốt: To reveal faults or scandals.
Manh chiếu mới (“A new mat”): Newbies or innocent people.
Now, let’s move on to the next part to learn some popular Vietnamese slang words and phrases used on the internet.
4. Vietnamese Internet Slang
Most internet slang terms are adopted from spoken Vietnamese, and they quickly go viral due to the explosion of social media platforms such as Facebook, Tiktok, and Instagram. When learning Vietnamese, you will probably see these online slang expressions while browsing the internet:
ACC: Account.
When talking about an account, Vietnamese people sometimes forget how to spell the word correctly, which is why they just write ACC instead.
AC(Anh/chị): Brother or sister.
Simply means “you.” Don’t mix it up with the one above.
Ad: Administrator or admin.
Again, it’s hard for Vietnamese people to remember the spelling of certain words in English. Forgive us. 🙂
ATSM(Ảo tưởng sức mạnh): Power illusion.
Those who are overconfident and under the illusion that they are the center of the universe. These young Vietnamese are not often liked by others.
(- Ê mày ơi, con An B nó ATSM nhờ. – Ừ công nhận)
Ava: Avatar.
Profile picture.
Ox/Bx (Ông xã/Bà xã): Husband/Wife.
Bae: Before anyone else, babe, or baby.
Used to describe a romantic partner or good friend.
Blah blah blah: When someone talks a lot and others don’t want to listen, they appear as if they’re babbling. Hence, “blah blah blah.” If you want to describe someone who is talkative, you can say:
Anh ấy cứ blah blah blah mãi về lương của mình. He just “blah blah blahs” all the time about his salary.
COCC (Con ông cháu cha): Rich kids.
Refers to the descendants of powerful people.
(- Nghe nói Hải Đức là COCC đấy – Là sao?? – Con ông cháu cha ý – Ồ ra vậy)
G9: Goodnight.
Ib/PM: Inbox or DM.
To send someone private messages on their social media.
KLQ (Không liên quan): Irrelevant.
NYC (Người yêu cũ): Not “New York City,” but rather refers to an ex-girlfriend or ex-boyfriend.
Rep: To reply or respond to someone’s messages.
SNVV (Sinh nhật vui vẻ): This is a short and simple way to say “Happy birthday,” but it’s not appreciated very much as it’s too short and not very thoughtful.
(- SVNN nha mày Alo ??? Alooo)
5. Text Slang Expressions
Technically, spoken Vietnamese turns into internet slang. Then, once internet slang goes viral, it turns into text language.
Now, let’s learn some common Vietnamese SMS abbreviations. Below is a list of Vietnamese text slang words that you can apply immediately:
Tuesday (Thứ ba): The third person who interferes in a relationship.
Trà xanh: Green tea. It also means the third person who interferes in a relationship.
ĐLGT(Đang làm gì thế): What are you doing?
Cẩu lương: Dog’s food. It refers to the intimate and sweet actions of couples in love in the eyes of single people.
Perhaps we should change the way we see slang because, as mentioned above, most of them sound pretty cute to me. Vietnamese internet and text slang, therefore, happens to be surprisingly useful when learning the language, especially if you want to sound like a local.
Using Vietnamese slang terms is enjoyable and can show you many things about Vietnamese culture. Although countless Vietnamese natives use it on a daily basis, I recommend that you only use Vietnamese slang in informal contexts with your family, friends, coworkers, or other people you know well. When speaking in a professional setting, it is preferable to utilize formal terms to express yourself directly.
If you want to learn more Vietnamese phrases, visit VietnamesePod101.com and get access to your free lifetime account right now. And see you in the next article. Bb!
Four years ago I went to the Philippines to travel for the first time. I was so in love with the country that I couldn’t help but try to find a job there. I thought it was a nice country to live in and work in. A year later I got selected to join a short project in the Philippines for six months and, at the same time, that was when I started working for VietnamesePod101 as well.
If you visit Vietnam and decide to stay for an extended period, you should research how to find a job in Vietnam. Unless you’re a freelancer working remotely most of the time, you must somehow find a job or do something for a living when being abroad.
An expats satisfaction survey conducted in January 2021 shows that Vietnam is one of the top 10 countries where foreigners are happiest with both work and personal lives in 2021. Vietnam has become an extremely expat-friendly country in terms of job security and a stable local economy. It is surprisingly easy to find a job, especially when you’re a native English speaker, even with or without a degree.
In this article, I’m going to reveal all the job possibilities and the other non-teaching jobs that you can take into consideration in Vietnam based on my four year-experience using English as the second language in my work. There will also be some conditions such as a Vietnamese visa and other requirements which need to be fulfilled and hopefully, you will have a clear idea of what fits you most before deciding to move to Vietnam.
Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Danang, and Binh Duong are some of the cities that attract native English speakers most for their varieties of jobs. There are foreign companies or companies with foreign capital based in these cities as well. Therefore, the very first target if you aim for a chance of finding jobs in Vietnam should be in these places. The second city level that provides job options as well might be cities like Quang Ninh, Bac Ninh, Hue, Dong Nai, Vung Tau, and so on. The salary range can be smaller due to the smaller size of the city, but benefits are as good as in big cities since they want to attract strong candidates.
Due to great economic growth in recent years, Vietnam has opened up many diverse professions for not only locals but also expatriates. Aside from the very common teaching jobs in Vietnam, there are foreigners working as IT engineers, digital marketers, chefs, or managerial roles in big corporations. Accordingly, numerous job search websites have been launched to help candidates reach employers easier. Here is a list of websites and pages that you can absolutely take a look at when thinking of searching for a job in Vietnam.
TopCV: Top CV was initially a website that provides resume templates. Later on, they connected with a wide network of employers and are currently recruiting tons of people and become one of the leading websites in the industry.
Vietnamworks: There are thousands of jobs with attractive incomes from top companies in Vietnamworks. It’s easy to apply, jobs are of a good standard with high salaries, and there are attractive benefits. It’s also constantly updated with new work every day.
Timviecnhanh: A partner of over 500,000 businesses, bringing many chances of getting a job for job seekers, Timviecnhanh has been a prestigious recruitment site in Vietnam and it’s very easy to sign up also.
MyWork: Among job search websites in Vietnam, MyWork is a trusted, effective and prestigious job search page for candidates and employers. They also provide a hotline with a free consultation.
CareerLink: CareerLink is Top 10 E-commerce enterprises in 2015 with over 22,000 attractive jobs.
LinkedIn: a social network that focuses on businesses or professional individuals who need to connect for finding jobs and currently recruiting. A social networking site designed for the business community, LinkedIn’s goal is to allow users to network with people they know professionally.
Facebook: Last but not least, there are a few big Facebook Groups in Vietnam where you can find job opportunities such as Hanoi Massive Job or Saigon Massive where you can ask anything related to the city.
2. Regular Hiring Procedure
Submitting a resume until getting a job can take approximately a week to a month. The usual hiring process in Vietnam is similar to everywhere else in the world, depending on the complexity of the job. It includes:
Step 1 : Duyệt hồ sơ (Screen resume)
Step 2 : Liên hệ phỏng vấn (Contact for an interview)
Step 3 : Phỏng vấn với nhà tuyển dụng (Interview with employer)
Step 4 : Nhận thư mời làm việc (Receive offer letter)
Step 6 : Ký hợp đồng chính thức (Sign official contract)
The probation period in Vietnam usually takes 2 months for regular positions and 1 month for managerial positions due to the lack of strong candidates. Employees who are on probation period are entitled to a wage. It may, however, equal 75-80% of a regular employee’s compensation and may not include any bonuses or benefits.
Volunteers can get paid sometimes depending on the project and organization. I may share with you more details about volunteering jobs in another article but within the framework of this one, I’m going to mostly discuss jobs that you officially get paid for.
3. Language Teaching Jobs
Vietnam’s education industry has been one of the leading markets in Asia for its potential and growth over the past years. Due to the high expectation of Vietnamese parents for their children’s English skills, as well as the requirement of adults’ English ability for many jobs, thousands of English centers were opened to meet the need for language learning.
Being an English teacher, therefore, has become the number one chance of getting a great life in Vietnam for native English speakers these days. Some of the most popular English centers throughout Vietnam are Apolo, Apax, Wall Street English, Language Link, VUS, Ames, ILA, CEC, Ocean Edu, and Amslink. The regular hourly rate that you might have seen ranges from $15 to $40 depending on the center and class type. Basic requirements include native English speakers with TESOL, TEFL, CELTA, or BA. English speakers that come from countries using English as the second language can possibly find a job in Vietnam as an English, math or science teacher in local schools as well. Benefits vary from business visas, work permits, health insurance, to paid holidays.
A regular hiring process usually includes 3 steps
Interview with the Human Resource Department
Interview with the Academic Department
Demo class
Teaching experience is highly recommended but not a must when looking for teaching jobs in Vietnam. The training system in Vietnam is not flush with fancy video training or materials but it’s enough to provide you with the necessary tools and teaching techniques. At big and reputed English centers, the academic manager is often a native English speaker. However, in some smaller centers, this responsibility can be taken by a Vietnamese speaker.
To find a job in Vietnam as an English teacher, there is a chance of finding available positions in the English center that you’ve targeted directly, so you can avoid commission from agencies. On the other hand, some people may prefer working through agencies (Ex: New Way) because all the procedures and paperwork such as getting a Vietnamese visa can be fully taken care of. Another tip to get a teaching job in Vietnam is doing research beforehand because it will help when negotiating salaries with employers.
Knowing basic Vietnamese will help you understand the main difficulties of Vietnamese students, letting you make better teaching strategies. Bear in mind that teaching in public schools can be a little tiring due to the high student number as opposed to teaching in private English centers. Plus, you might be requested to do office hours or admin tasks in both environments which is perfectly common in Vietnam.
4. Blue-collar Jobs
Nhân viên bán hàng (sales person), giao hàng (delivery guy), bảo vệ (security guard), phụ bếp (kitchen assistant), or tài xế (driver)are considered blue-collar jobs in Vietnam.
Although the job title is not prestigious, blue-collar jobs in Vietnam contain a few advantages that are relatively suitable for people who don’t have a good deal of expertise:
Dễ dàng tìm kiếm (Easy to search)
Không yêu cầu bằng cấp và kinh nghiệm (Does not require qualifications and experience)
Không đòi hỏi tay nghề cao (Does not require high skills)
Không cần biết ngoại ngữ (Does not need to foreign languages)
However, there are undoubtedly several cons that blue-collar workers might face such as:
Không phù hợp với người nước ngoài (Not suitable for foreigners)
Lương thấp (Low salary)
Không có cơ hội thăng tiến (No promotion opportunities)
Aside from the websites mentioned above,ViecLamTot is one of Vietnam’s first job-posting platforms specializing in blue-collar labor. In addition, ChoTot, Grab, Beamin, Shopee are platforms and marketplaces that provide numerous job opportunities in Vietnam for this group of workers as well. Blue-collar jobs require a lot of Vietnamese speaking and working under poor conditions. As a result, it’s not a good option for native English speakers in this case.
5. Office Jobs
Office jobs are often common everywhere in the world due to their stability and commitment. In Vietnam, some of the regular office jobs that you may see are:
Lễ tân khách sạn (Receptionist)
Trợ lý văn phòng (Office assistant)
Nhân viên hành chính (Admin staff)
Kế toán (Accountant)
Giám đốc vận hành (Operations Manager)
Trưởng phòng nhân sự (HR Manager)
Nhân viên chăm sóc khách hàng (Customer Service Officer)
Quản trị viên bán hàng (Sales admin)
Being an expat can be a huge advantage as an office worker due to the low percentage of Vietnamese adults who are proficient in English. Besides, the pros seem to be attractive for people who don’t have high demands in terms of work conditions.
Nói tiếng Anh là một lợi thế (English speaking is an advantage)
Công việc ổn định (Stable job)
Thời gian làm việc cố định (Fixed working time)
Phúc lợi tốt (Good benefits)
Có cơ hội thăng tiến (Promotion opportunity)
On the other hand, there are a few cons that might make you consider learning Vietnamese and improving your speaking skills before applying for this kind of job, because it will help you adapt better to the environment.
Mức lương trung bình (Average salary)
Sử dụng nhiều tiếng Việt (Using a lot of Vietnamese)
Ưu tiên người VIệt Nam với các vị trí thấp (Priority is given to Vietnamese in low positions)
Các vị trí cấp cao ở các công ty nước ngoài thường ưu tiên tuyển dụng người nước ngoài (Senior positions in foreign companies often prioritize recruiting foreigners)
6. Health, science, and technology-related jobs:
If none of the jobs mentioned above seems to interest you, here is the list of occupations in other fields that you can also consider when looking for a job in Vietnam.
Thiết kế (Designer)
Chuyên viên y tế công cộng (Public Health Specialist)
Giáo viên môn khoa học (Science Teacher)
Kỹ sư dữ liệu (Data Engineer)
Kỹ sư công nghệ thông tin (IT engineer)
Người thử nghiệm (Tester)
Bác sĩ (Doctor)
Y tá (Nurse)
Công việt viết lách (Writing job)
The medical industry always has a shortage of professors and doctors due to the high level of expertise and great work pressure. It happens in science, technology, and other specialized industries as well. Since these kinds of jobs require more experience than others especially in special areas, there are certain advantages in the industry such as:
Lương cao (High salary)
Phúc lợi tốt (Good benefits)
Môi trường làm việc chuyên nghiệp (Professional working environment)
Cơ hội thăng tiến rõ ràng (Clear promotion opportunities)
Mở rộng mạng lưới chuyên môn (Potential to expand professional network)
However, based on the complexity of the work, challenges may exist:
Yêu cầu kinh nghiệm và kiến thức chuyên môn (Requires experience and professional knowledge)
Áp lực cao (High pressure)
Trách nhiệm lớn (Great responsibility)
Yêu cầu đảm bảo tiến độ (Requirement to ensure progress)
The fact is, there are a large number of experts and specialists working in these fields in Vietnam and achieving a lot of success. Working with head-hunting companies such as HR Channels, Navigos Group, Man Power, or HR2B can also be a good option in this case because they have a wide connection with different big companies and corporations where they don’t often use regular job search platforms to post available important positions.
7. Start your own business
There are two ways to legally start a business in Vietnam as an expat, which are through direct and indirect foreign investment. Direct foreign investment entails forming a joint venture or a 100% foreign-owned company with a Vietnamese partner. Indirect foreign investment, on the other hand, entails purchasing shares in Vietnamese corporations.
Either way of investment, the four types of taxes to be aware of are:
Thuế thu nhập cá nhân (Personal Income Tax)– PIT : 5-35%
Thuế VAT (Value Added Tax): 0-10%
Thuế nhà thầu nước ngoài (Foreign Contractor Tax) – FCT: varies according to the business sector
For many company areas, a beginning capital of $10,000 USD is a good place to start before investing in Vietnam. However, choosing the right market and your partners can also be challenging due to cultural differences. There was an English teacher that I know in Hanoi who is now having a very successful business. He shared with me that he started by joining a small capital with one of his acquaintances for a small bar in the old quarter. Getting more experience in running businesses in Vietnam, he now owns a few other bars and pubs with similar concepts that attract a lot of young people. “Choosing the right partner is the key” – he said. And I believe it’s true in every situation.
8. Conclusion
You now have a basic understanding of the working environment in Vietnam, and it’s up to you to decide what to do next.
Working in other countries can be challenging initially, but it will be a lifetime experience for people who want to explore the world. Vietnam, fortunately, is an amazing country where lots of expats have already built successful careers. Nevertheless, learning about the culture or etiquette before traveling to Vietnam is essential and I will share it more with you in a near-future article.
On top of that, learning the Vietnamese language gives you many chances of getting good jobs in Vietnam not only to improve your career but also your personal life when living here. Are you ready to work in Vietnam? Don’t forget to check out VietnamesePod101 before applying for a job. We provide you with tons of lessons, audio files, vocabulary lists, or flashcards and you can also sign up for a free lifetime account to master your language.
Guess what? Your language learning goals just got a little easier!
As you’ve probably realized by now, there have been some major improvements made to your dashboard! These updates have been designed to improve your overall experience with the website and help keep you organized and on-track! Here are a few of the changes:
Your progress is now tracked right, smack in the middle of the page to keep you motivated and organized.
A new, sleek and easy to navigate design allows you to worry less about where to click and more on learning Vietnamese!
An enlarged profile picture that gives your dashboard a unique and more personal feel.
A new layout for the “Latest News” feed to keep you informed on all of the most recent VietnamesePod101.com updates.
Bigger buttons to make it easier on the eyes. Locate your all of your lessons and materials faster than ever.
Stay tuned, as more updates are being rolled out later in the month!
Enjoy your new dashboard,
Team VietnamesePod101
P.S. Get Access To Our My Teacher Tool For Extra Help!
As you may have noticed, on the left side of your dashboard is our My Teacher feature. This tool allows you to have 1-on-1 interaction with your very own personal teacher! This is only available to our Premium Plus subscribers, so be sure to upgrade if you want to take your studies to the next level!
Are you currently debating whether or not to learn Vietnamese?
You aren’t alone. Learning a new language requires a huge investment of time, and often money as well. That’s why so many people are hesitant to spend the amount of effort required to become fluent in another language. However, learning a new language can be one of the most rewarding experiences in life and there are a number of reasons why you should start studying one… and start studying now!
More Opportunities
That’s right. It’s not rocket science. A new language can open up many new doors. You’re able to work in countries other than your own, leading to a world of new opportunities. It can also qualify you for many new jobs in your home country as well! There are tons of employers who look to hire multilingual professionals every year!
Meeting New People
This may be one of the most rewarding parts of learning a new language. You’ll be able to get to know speakers of other languages on a more personal level. Meeting people from around the world is one of the main reasons people begin to study a language, so don’t ever feel like making new friends isn’t a good enough reason to start studying!
Exploring A Different Culture
Whether you decide to live abroad, or you’re just taking a vacation, knowing the local language will give you the ability to better understand the people and culture of a different country. This can open your eyes to not only their country, but your country as well! You can understand how people see your home from their perspective.
Health Benefits
Good news! Studying a new language actually comes with health benefits! Studying a new language helps keep your brain sharp! By studying every day, you’re helping your mind fight off the old age and stay fresh!
Because It’s Fun
When it comes down to it, learning a new language is just plain fun! There’s always something new to learn and the rewards are endless! Whether your goal is to meet new people or to get a job in a new country, language learning is something that is actually enjoyable!
There are millions of reasons to learn a new language, so what are you waiting for? Dive in head first and start studying with us! You can sign up for a FREE lifetime account and start achieving your Vietnamese language goals today!
If you ask us what we’re thankful for, it’s people like you. People who choose to learn Vietnamese. People who know they will master Vietnamese because it’s just a matter of time. These are the ones who truly do learn the language.
How do we know? 10 years of teaching experience and feedback from learners like you. You’ve shaped VietnamesePod101 into a fast, effective and FUN system. Thank you.
So during the Thank You Sale, Get a BIG 30% OFF All Basic and Premium Plans! Master more Vietnamese for LESS with real lessons by real teachers – that’s 100+ hours of audio and video lessons. Your dream of truly learning Vietnamese is a lot easier and much more affordable. But only ‘til November 25th, 2015.
With the Thank You Sale, you master MORE Vietnamese for LESS:
As Low As $2.80/Month or $0.09/Day with Basic!
As Low As $7.00/Month or $0.23/Day with Premium!
Up to $72 in Maximum Savings!
ALSO, You’re getting a second BONUS gift. As a special Thank You for helping us reach 500 million lesson downloads and become the largest language learning system…
We’re giving away a free video lesson with every upgrade that’ll help you learn to say “Thank You” – in 31 different languages! Just in time for Thanksgiving.
But best of all, you master Vietnamese with real lessons by real teachers. Here’s how – you start speaking minutes into a lesson. Your lessons are designed around practical, everyday conversations that you master easily – from Beginner to Advanced. And our teachers guide you through step-by-step.
So, with 100 hours of audio and video lessons (and counting), you get the biggest lesson library in the world.
And, you can learn anytime, at your pace, via any mobile device with Internet access.
Here’s exactly what you unlock with VietnamesePod101:
Learning Guidance: We help you start learning Vietnamese so you don’t have to worry about the details. Select your learning level (Absolute Beginner to Advanced) and follow our lesson recommendations.
Access To Our Lesson Library: 570+ Vietnamese audio and video lessons, from Absolute Beginner to Advanced.
Feedback from Teachers: Have a question about a lesson? Leave a comment and get feedback from our native Vietnamese teachers.
New Audio & Video Lessons EVERY Week: On top of the current Library, several new Vietnamese lessons are published weekly.
Lesson Notes For Every Lesson: Get each lesson in writing with Lesson Notes. Read along as you listen or review after a lesson.
24/7 Mobile Access: Access all lessons and notes anywhere on any device.
Progress Tracking: Track your progress to see how much you’ve accomplished and know which lessons to study next.
We’re grateful for having you learn with us. With 10 years of teaching experience and feedback from dedicated learners like you, we’ve been able to turn VietnamesePod101 into a fast, fun and effective learning system. And 10,000s are realizing their dream of learning Vietnamese – now it’s your turn!
Lock in your 30% discount today and learn Vietnamese with full VietnamesePod101 access. That’s up to $72 in savings and as low as $1.61 per week. Your subscription is secured by our 60-day money-back guarantee! And remember, you’re getting a second BONUS gift as our way of saying thank you.
Joining is risk-free, because you get our rock-solid 60-day money-back guarantee. That’s 2 FULL months to fully experience VietnamesePod101. If you’re not making progress as fast as you’d like, simply contact us for a full refund! No questions asked.
Ready? Here’s how you sign up and claim this discount:
Click on any link to be taken to the coupon page.
Choose Basic or Premium. You’ll be taken to the next page.
Enter your payment information and choose the length of the subscription.
Finally, click on “Complete” at the bottom of the page.
You’ll receive an instant confirmation email.
Start learning Vietnamese with over 100 hours of Vietnamese lessons!
P.S. Take the final step to realizing your dream of learning Vietnamese during our Thank You Sale and lock in your 30% instant savings – you can keep the free video lesson even if you decide to cancel and get a refund later. You have absolutely nothing to lose, so act now!
Did you know that every new VietnamesePod101 lesson is yours free?
Fact: All new lessons are open to everyone for 3 weeks after the publish date. This is one of the major benefits of the Free Lifetime Account. Just sit back and learn. High-quality Vietnamese audio and video lessons come out every week.
But here’s what’s new…
You now get the newest lessons on your mobile device, anywhere, anytime!
Users requested this. We listened. Innovative Language 101 for the iPhone, iPad and Android – the App that gives you your lessons on the go – has an awesome new update: Newest Lessons.
If you’re learning Vietnamese and want to get all new lessons all the time, you absolutely can’t miss out on this. With this update, you get:
Access to lessons from the past 3 weeks
Access to every single new lesson that comes out
…and you can download them to your device for extra study!
When you log in to the App, simply tap on the “Newest Lessons” icon for all the latest and greatest lessons. Every time a lesson is published, you will find it here. High-quality Vietnamese audio and video lessons come out every week.
Remember: Every new VietnamesePod101 lesson is yours free. This a major benefit of the Free Lifetime Account. New lessons are open to everyone for 3 weeks after the publish date. High-quality Vietnamese audio and video lessons come out every week.
P.S. Want to unlock the entire VietnamesePod101 learning system? That’s 80+ hours of lessons from Beginner to Advanced – that you can take on the go – exclusive Apps, Progress Tracking, Premium Study Tools, Feedback from Teachers and much more! Simply upgrade to Basic, Premium or Premium PLUS for more access.
The year’s about to come to a close. While you were improving your Vietnamese, we were busy churning out great new updates, features and lessons. 2014 was a fantastic time to learn language with us.
Here are a few reasons why:
3,343+ New Lessons spanning over 31 languages published this year.
300 Million Lesson Downloads across all sites, since our start in 2005.
2 New Language Learning Sites: CzechClass & DanishClass101. That’s a total of 31 languages you can learn with Innovative Language.
Innovative Language 101 App launched for the Android, iPhone, iPad & Kindle Fire so you can learn Vietnamese on the go.
New Features: Vocab Lists, Season Vocabulary & Premium PLUS My Teacher tool for 1-on-1 Vietnamese learning at VietnamesePod101.
As our final thank you to you, dear listener, we’ve included 3 gifts inside this December Newsletter: a New Year’s video lesson, a Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions in Vietnamese phrase list and the Newly upgraded Core Word Lists.
Thank you for learning Vietnamese the fast, fun and easy way in 2014. Starting in January 2015, we have EVEN MORE free lessons, gifts, giveaways and new features for you.
From all of us at VietnamesePod101 and Innovative Language Learning – including our lesson writers, hosts, teachers, editors, customer care representatives and technical staff – we wish you and your family a safe, happy and healthy New Year!
Thanks for reading,
Peter Galante, Founder, and the Innovative Language Team
P.S. New lessons begin on Monday, January 5th, 2015!
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