Living and Working in Thailand

An interesting thing is emerging as I read through some blogs and articles written on various writing sites.

It seems as if more Americans are choosing to move to Thailand for work and residence.

There must be plenty of jobs for teaching English abroad.

The amount of resources on the web are great to help expatriates prepare for the Land of Smiles.

Knowing what to expect in my opinion is probably one of the best ways to go about making the move to another country from the U.S.

Many of the blogs that I have read are written from Americans who grew up in the states most of their lives and they have decided to move to what is mostly considered tourist or vacation spots.

Low Cost of Living

What seems to make the South East Asia location so attractive is the low cost of living for those in Thailand or the Philippines.

Things You Will Need

You can find information that covers where to stay in Thailand from hotels to buying health insurance, buying or renting a house, as well as getting a car or motorbike.

Knowing how to get a Visa and Work Permit will probably be the most important thing to learn.

Is living abroad only for single men and retirees?

Most of the time the sites that I see that cover the experiences related to traveling, airfare and living conditions are written by men who are single or couples who are retired.

So I was delighted to find a interview done by Amy Praphantanathorn who was born in California. She discusses learning to speak Thai, observing Thai customs, as well as the cost for expat's life in Bangkok.

Expat Women Living Abroad

Amy wrote a book called "The Expat Woman's Guide to Living in Bangkok" which covers tips to help female expats living or working abroad.

You can read about individual experiences at (Chicky Net) the social network for expat women who have relocated to Thailand or who are visiting in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hua Hin, Koh Samui, Pattaya and Phuket.

Issues woman expats encounter abroad

It is interesting to note that american women will need to keep in mind things such as clothing size differences, home decor shopping, western style eating and nightlife options which puts a new perspective on the whole Thailand experience for american women.

Expat Parenting

One thing that I thought would be really useful is the section that covers hiring a nanny, picking the right schools and hospitals for parents and expecting mothers.

American mothers and fathers who choose to raise a family in a foreign country may want to read the resources provided on (The Parent Vine) by Sarawan Dever a forum and blog for Expat Parents in Thailand

Living a Mobile Lifestyle

I became interested in this subject because of how many people are able to earn a living from their laptop computers making it easier to be mobile and basically live anywhere in the world.
Resources: http://www.expatinterviews.com/thailand

Top Paying Jobs with Big Salaries

A higher standard of living is possible when a jobseeker chooses to work in a specific industry that is going to earn them a six-figure annual salary.

This article will go into which careers pay the most and what you can expect of your job duties. To start off the list we will be visiting the medical profession which is one of the industries that is experiencing job growth.

Anesthesiologist - top pay is $400,000 a year and they are responsible for seeing that patients are safe, the administering of drugs before, during and after surgery takes experience and training. Some surgeries are life threatening so anesthetists must monitor patience who are put unconscious.

OB/GYN Physician - top pay is $300,00 a year and they are medical doctors who often times deliver babies and treatment to women as a Obstetrician and Gynecologist. This profession is in high demand with high malpractice insurance premiums.

Psychiatrist - top pay is $250,000 who treat patients with therapy and medication, independent practitioners charge high hourly rates for therapy sessions and usually are self employed.

Nurse Anesthetists - top pay is $200,000 and they work with anesthesiologists to make sure patients are safe providing drugs to render those undergoing surgery unconscious.
The medical professions is not the only sector that pays well, you will see that sales and finance are seeing growth and high salaries as well.

Sales Director - top Pay is $200,00 and they manage a group of sales personnel who help boost the companies bottom line and profits.

Actuary - top pay is $250,00 where a person who is responsible for assessing the financial risk of a company. It is important to use mathematics and they work for insurance and asset management companies.
Finance Director - top pay is $200,000 are responsible for the company budget and these finance professionals are usually certified public accountants with MBA degrees.

Software Architect - top pay is $150,000 they design the software that we use on our computers. These information technology specialist work with software developers to produce coding for software design.

Attorney Lawyer - top pay is $250,000 and they are the legal team for corporations and individuals with high profile litigation and billable hours.

Insurance Broker - top pay is $250,000 commission based insurance agents earn high salaries because business firms need coverage in the oil, construction and pharmaceuticals due to liabilities.

If you are in school it is a good idea to start planning now for the career you want to pursue that will pay high dividends in your profession.

Source: money.cnn.com/news/economy/jobs

Top 50 Job Cities in The U.S.

Most college graduates already have an idea of which city they would like to work in. The challenge is finding a City that has enough job openings and pays a decent annual salary. The cost of living in a particular county can cut into your earnings if you move to a location where the wages are slow to increase.

Searching for employment by City is one of the top ways to compete in the current economic job market. Unemployment for some industries are above 10% in certain geographical locations.

The key is to find the best employment job markets to seek a career after completing your academic degree. One clue will be population. How many people live in the city you have chosen to work in? What is the median household income per capita? Also look at job creation as a whole for your industry.

Where is your job going?
Not all occupations will be around for the next 20 years. Careers that are hot for the moment may fizzle out. As you studied to become a doctor, lawyer, real estate developer or graphic design artist did you consider what the job outlook would be years from now? It is a good idea to take the time to do research on each specific job you want to pursue.

The best way to go about doing this is to see where the industry is headed and how much growth is expected.
Lets look at the history because there will always be the working poor, these are individuals who have a job but live in poverty. Your goal is to do more than just punch a time clock, you want to earn a living that will allow you to experience life to the fullest as well as make a difference.

The History of Work
Lets go back and briefly look at how far we have come and where we are going in the workforce.
During the depression era life expectancy was shorter and men had to leave home to go find employment to feed their families. There were less opportunities and any type of work was necessary no matter how menial.
World War II provided plenty of jobs because of demand for war supplies, those enlisted were mostly men leaving woman behind to work at manufacturing facilities and to provide the labour.

Post War World II The woman who replaced the men who went to war to fight stayed in the workplace even after the war had ended leading to jobs in road construction and real estate development.

The largest generation working in the 1980's were the baby boomer generation and after the oil crisis and slow economy of the 1970's consumerism picked up at a fast pace causing many workers to buy homes, vehicles and put their money into investment instruments.

As the boomers retire out of these professions it leaves employers at a disadvantage to find qualified replacements to fill these jobs.

A new type of workforce is seen today with a generation who has grown up with technology they have more choices when it comes to employment, seeking careers that will provide life work balance and flexible work environments.

Top 50 Cities For Work

Arlington
Atlanta 
Austin 
Baltimore 
Baton Rouge 
Birmingham 
Boston
Buffalo 
Charlotte
Chicago 
Cincinnati 
Cleveland 
Colorado Springs 
Columbus
Dallas 
Denver 
Detroit
Houston 
Indianapolis 
Jacksonville 
Kansas City 
Knoxville
Las Vegas
Los Angeles 
Louisville 
Memphis 
Miami
Milwaukee
Minneapolis 
Nashville 
New Orleans
New York 
Norfolk 
Oklahoma City
Orlando
Philadelphia 
Phoenix
Pittsburgh
Portland
Raleigh
Richmond
Rochester 
Sacramento
San Antonio
San Diego
San Francisco 
Seattle 
Tampa
Tucson
Washington 

Deciding on which City to choose for your next job will have a few factors to consider. One will depend on if you are part of the baby boomer generation and are seeking a career change or if you are part of the generation x group who wants a flexible work schedule keep in mind that each city will have its pros and cons associated with the industry you specialize in.

Jobs That Require OSHA Certification Training

Enforcement of protective workplace safety and health standards ensures that workers in certain industries can avoid serious and often deadly hazards.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was set up by the congress of the United States. The goal is to prevent work-related injuries, illnesses and fatalities.

Approved state programs under the Federal Government jurisdiction covers the public and private sectors in: Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wyoming and Puerto Rico.

The purpose is to help manufacturers of industrial equipment to include OSHA-compliant safety features on new machinery also since ergonomic injuries as in the case of carpal tunnel syndrome account for a third of all serious injuries suffered by American workers so OSHA has issued three ergonomics guidelines under the general duty clause.

As you may be aware employers are required by law to comply with these published rules promulgated under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.

Types of jobs that require a Hazardous Safety Card
  • Construction Workers
  • Emergency Response Workers
  • Welders
  • Manufacturer Equipment Operators
  • Hazardous Specialists and Technicians
  • Forklift Operators
Health Care Workers are also included in this list because they are often exposed to blood-born pathogens such as Hepatitis B and HIV. Construction workers also have the occupational exposure to asbestos.

Required Training and Certification

OSHA 10 Hour Training for the Construction Industry - will cover safety and health hazards workers may encounter on construction sites. Courses include hazard identification, avoidance control and prevention.
Entry level workers will receive training about, material handling, hand and power tools, scaffolds, stairways and ladders, excavations, electrical, protective equipment, nail gun safety, and canes.

OSHA 30 Hour Authorized Safety Training for Construction - includes everything from the OSHA 10 class but includes welding and cutting, fire prevention, concrete and masonry, confined space entry, oil spill response and record keeping.

OSHA 8 Hour HAZWOPER Training - is usually a refresher for hazardous waste occupations and emergency response workers who learn about detecting hazardous materials, toxicology, respirators, decontamination, safety planning along with hazardous communication.

OSHA 24 Hour HAZWOPER Course -  gives lessons similar to the 8 hour training plus information about respirators, types of hazards, regulations, site emergency preparedness response, and fall protection.
Hazardous specialists and technicians who receive this training will be in compliance with the OSHA requirements for their jobs. The main reason is because certain industries have chemical exposure limits requiring process safety management to reduce large scale industrial accidents.

Source:
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health for prevention of work-related injury and illness. - osha.gov
NIOSH is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention / U.S. Dept.of Health and Human Services.- cdc.gov/niosh

Fastest Growing Occupations Projections

The type of job you choose to work in could be the best decision of your life. Simply because if you do career research you can see which industries are expected to have the highest growth potential.

The U.S. Department of Labor website lets you search for jobs by state, topic and location.
A few tips on areas to focus your attention would be on the documented wages, health plans coverage benefits, occupational safety health as well as unemployment insurance.

One thing that I have noticed while researching jobs online is that the economy for each state will dictate the future job growth of the geographic region.

Also knowing the history of the industries patterns will help job seekers prepare for new work trends.
For instance the industrial revolution was a time between the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology effected the socioeconomic and cultural conditions of the world.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor compiles statistic projections every two years to include the high demand professions and occupations showing the fastest growth rates.
During economic crisis and increasing unemployment among certain cities, those looking for a career change or those looking to start a new job should first find out where the jobs will be through 2018.

Top 10 Fastest Growing Occupations Expected in the Coming Years
  1. Dental Hygienists
  2. Home Health Aides
  3. Biomedical Engineers
  4. Computer Applications Software Engineers
  5. Veterinary Technologists and Technicians
  6. Personal Financial Advisors
  7. Physical Therapist Aides
  8. Claims Adjuster and Compliance Officers
  9. Physician Assistants
  10. Substance Abuse Behavioral Disorder Counselors
(to get a more detailed list of job projections check out Boston.com/jobs)
Source: U.S. Department of Labor - dol.gov, U.S. Bureau of Labor -  bls.gov
Biotechnology Jobs Outlook

Degree in Podiatry to Treat Foot Injuries




The need for foot care is on the rise with many active people getting involved in sports to stay fit.
It will lead to more injuries of the feet and lower leg to be treated by a doctor of podiatric medicine. 
Disorders of the foot also include problems associated with diabetes, arthritis or heart disease.
In the case of foot ulcers and infections which can be due to poor circulation, surgery may be necessary.
Physical therapy in sports medicine helps with treating fractures from physical activities such as running or jogging.
Pain medication and muscle relaxants can be used to solve a variety of foot problems and aliments.
As a podiatrist you can work in public health or orthopedics it will require that you receive a license as well as training in a podiatric college program.  
Once you pass the state exam you can begin your hospital residency where you will learn internal, emergency and podiatric medicine.
Occupational Opportunities
The employment outlook is expected to increase, since many health insurance carriers and medicare will make it possible for the elderly to receive diabetic foot care, and surgical foot services for specialty healthcare.
Graduates can look forward to a rewarding and high paying career in managed care facilities.
The earnings are in the six figures so you can receive an annual salary of over $110.000.
You will have the choice of working in primary care, geriatrics, biomechanics and surgery.
It is important to look for an podiatric medical schools in the United States that is accredited by the Council on Podiatric Medical Education.
Students attending academic courses will want to become proficient in:
science
anatomy
chemistry
pathology
pharmacology
    Once you apply to medical school you will receive further experience related to preparation for podiatric procedures. 
    Alternative careers in Podiatry
    You can also work in this specialty as a podiatry assistant or an orthodontic technician where you can get training helping licensed physicians with patients in a health care facility or clinic. 
    Many of these types of positions only require an associates degree and gives you a chance to determine if the study of the foot podology is something you will want to advance in further.
    Source: American Board of Podiatric Orthopedics and Primary Podiatric Medicine or the American Board of Podiatric Surgery.

    Gold Mine Employment and Silver Mining Jobs



    Metal ore mining is an industry where geologists study the earth's resources such as oil, precious metals and climate changes in the atmosphere. 
    Petroleum mining companies hire gold miners and engineering geologists to locate copper, silver, gold and oil. This is done by using techniques to extract and remove gold from the ground.
    Mining processing technology
    You may have noticed in recent years that the growth of natural resources is from the mining technology available to help with generating materials for us to use. In areas such as gas for energy, copper for wiring and gold for electronic components.
    What is amazing is how the continuous discovery and extraction is what helps build our economy. The interesting thing about natural occuring minerals is that in their raw state they look like an average rock from the earth. It takes a trained eye to see the manifestations of gold, silver, iron, copper, lead and zinc which is converted into useable metal such as jewelry, batteries, steel, wiring, or electronics by the metal manufacturing industry.
    Scientists educational requirements
    As for Geologists they are scientists and are required to have a Masters Degree or PhD in the geosciences fields. Primarily they are used to study the composition and history of the earths minerals including the analysis of plants and animal fossils. 
    In school your primary academic courses will include mineralogy, petrology, paleontology, stratigraphy, structural geology, geophysics, and hydrology.
    Another thing to consider is that the occupation is primarly done outdoors with some lab work that uses technology such as the Geographic Information System for computer modeling, data analysis, digital mapping, and remote sensing.
    Employment growth and demand
    The push for a quality environment has propelled employment growth increasing demand in developing nations. Salary ranges in the six figures depending on years of experience, job location and academic degree.
    Job growth is expected to grow due to high oil prices and the need for management of water resources in the enviroment. These opportunities will allow geoscientists to be consultants with government institutions and private corporations.
    Gold and Silver Mining Job Openings 
    You can find job openings on most online job boards such as careerbuilder. Some positions just require a high school diploma while others will want you to have some vocational training. Advanced positions will require a graduate degree.  
    Jobseekers interested in working for a mining company it probably would be best to start with the largest prospecting companies:
    • Barrick Gold
    • Goldcorp
    • AngloGold Ashanti
    • Newmont Mining Corporation
    If you do not mind traveling job openings will be located in Mexico, Peru, Bolivia, Australia and the United States.

    Court Research Specialist Jobs


    There are companies that need data from public records. Independent contractors are used to go to the city or county courthouse to research and collect information from mortgage records, tax liens, civil case filings, judgments even marriage and divorce records. The names and addresses are then entered into a database or spreadsheet.
    Business professionals who purchase real estate notes, land contracts, trust deeds, or deeds of trust may hire a deed collector to get the names and addresses of persons who own these properties so that they can borrow from the seller of these notes. 
    The reason a company would pay you to research a property title is because they are going to purchase a home, a parcel of land, or a foreclosure property.
    Other types of job titles are title research and document retrieval. Most of the positions are part-time, so you are considered an independent contractor. Your job will consist of locating and recording the names and addresses of sellers of owner financed real estate notes.
    Research is done by each county records office nationwide. The data is usually stored on microfilm, books, ledgers or on the computer. If the documents are not online then handwritten information will need to be entered into a spreadsheet after you leave the courthouse.
    Experienced court researchers can compile a high number of mortgage records in an hour if they have a fast typing speed. 
    Courthouse research specialists can work from home and set their own schedule but remember you are required to physically go to the courthouse in your specified state or county.  
    Most Federal buildings operate during the weekday hours of between 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. so you will need to allow for enough time to get to the office and collect the data before they close for the day.
    A list of Nationwide Public Records Retrieval Companies are:
    • Wolfgang Research - is a research firm that retrieves information from courthouses in the following areas: Bankruptcy, Foreclosures, Judgments, Lis Pendens, Marriages, Mortgages, Personal Injury, Probates, Seller Carry Backs, and Tax Liens. Get more details at wolfgangresearch.com
    • AMD Research - they provide market research on industry trends and forecasts. Get more details at amdresearch-marketing.com
    • C.R.S - Courthouse Research Specialists who provide professional public record research retrieval and right of way acquisition services. In Dallas Texas. Get more details at crstex.com
    • Jellybean services- offers JBS court researcher jobs training. Get more detailed information at work4jbs.com
    • ABCheck - hiring researchers to access public records. get more details at abcheck.com/researcher.asp
    • Sunlark Research - is a public records researching firm for businesses and hires independent court researchers. Get more details at sunlarkresearch.com/Work-for-Us.php
    • First National Acceptance Company- is a subsidiary of first national bank of America, advertising company of America, is continually expanding its network of courthouse researchers. Get more details at fnacusa.com/researchrequest.html
    Types of Court Records from the Recorder, Registrar of Deeds, County Assessor and Conveyance office are:
    • public records
    • vital records
    • background check
    • court records
    • criminal records
    • phone records
    • people records
    • business licenses
    • census records
    • real estate appraisal records
    The downside is that in this type of job many divorce cases, insurance lawsuits, voter registration and just about any transaction people conduct with the government or courthouse, is put into public records. Third parties known as information brokers can use the public records to compile profiles on people. Making it easy for anyone to see it online. Then they turn a profit from the service of data mining.
    This is different from the U. S. Government public domain data which is defined as not copyrighted or whose copyright has expired.
    The upside is that in some cases, it may be possible to have a public record sealed or expunged after a certain amount of time has elapsed.  
    Information brokers and data miners
    To find title researcher or courthouse research jobs you will need to contact the companies directly otherwise you will be listed with a mediator who will take a cut of your pay wage per document. Remember that if a site asks you to pay money to get access or to get hired do not pay just look for free sources.
    Its not easy to find court research companies online, so you might want to talk to someone who works at the courthouse to find legitimate companies to work for.

    Document Coder Legal Jobs


    Information management and data services use litigation support staff for document coding and indexing legal documents for processing. This is a specialized service for law firms and legal departments.
    The job qualifications require that you are familiar with legal terminology because you will be doing what is known as subjective coding to organize things such as dates, title, and bibliography.
    The best candidate for the job will have speed reading and accurate typing skills to enter data into a computerized system. Lawyers need to access legal documents quickly, so having case files indexed helps them save time.
    Legal transcription is a occupation that requires the coder to be detail orientated, organized and have good time management skills. Companies that hire work at home coders, must be able to read and comprehend documents while entering data into a form template, which is then saved into a database.
    The cataloging of the documents makes them easier to sort, review and prioritize at a later date. The organizing of the information helps the legal team focus on other aspects of the legal case they are working on.
    Your job duties may include: data capture, determining physical or logical breaks in each document., optical character recognition, bibliographic coding which are usually performed by law clerks, law secretaries or jurisdiction attorneys.
    When it comes to high volume document production from litigation cases filed each month, freelancers are used for objective coding. That involves entering data into a searchable system for retrieving document data such as the author, title, batch number or document type. 
    This is a great occupation for a paralegal or someone who wants to get started in the legal field providing litigation support. You will be assisting attorneys in managing, sorting, indexing and abstracting large volumes of data produced in litigation.
    Those having knowledge of document management systems, trial presentation software, technical and data entry skills will be successful in this growing career.

    Is Biotechnology Jobs the Next Big Thing?


    The life sciences industry is growing creating a rise in venture capital for biotech companies that use the biological sciences to produce, design and develop commercial products. 
    Genetic engineering has seen the most explosive growth in discoveries for DNA, genes, proteins and cells. Applied biology uses living organisms in engineering, technology and medicines to produce bioproducts. 
    As you can see the knowledge and methods used draw from genetics, microbiology, animal cell culture, molecular biology, biochemistry, embryology, and cell biology. 
    The future looks bright for individuals who are interested in working in occupations that combines molecular ecology with chemical engineering, bioprocess engineering, information technology and biorobotics.
    Popular Biotech Companies
    According to Fastcompany.com the top 10 companies in biotech are:
    Novartis -  Basel, Switzerland, produces pharmaceuticals, generic drugs, over-the-counter drugs, vaccines, diagnostics, contact lenses and  animal health.
    Synthetic Genomics - La Jolla, California, uses modified or synthetically produced microorganisms to produce the alternative fuels ethanol and hydrogen. 
    Cytori Therapeutics - San Diego, California, regenerative medicine company that develops and manufactures medical devices for therapeutic use of adult stem regenerative cells in cosmetic reconstructive surgery and cell banking. 
    Roche Genentech - San Francisco, California research facility for molecular biology, protein chemistry, bioinformatics and physiology to specialize in neuroscience and infectious disease in areas ofoncology, immunology, tissue growth and repair.
    Osiris Therapeutics - Columbus Maryland, stem cell company that develops products to promote tissue regeneration and prevent pathological scar formation in the inflammatory, autoimmune, orthopedic and cardiovascular areas.
    Amyris Biotechnologies - Emeryville, California, provides petroleum alternatives with the use of sugarcane converting plant sugars into a variety of hydrocarbon molecules and sustainable renewable ingredients for cosmetics, flavors, fragrances, polymers, lubricants and consumer products.  
    Biogen Idec, Inc - Weston, Massachusetts, specializes in drugs for neurological disorders, multiple sclerosis treatment, autoimmune disorders and cancer.   
    Novavax - Montgomery County, Maryland, biopharmaceutical company develops highly potent recombinant vaccines with cell culture, biological therapeutics and diagnostics to prevent infectious diseases, such as pandemic and seasonal influenza of respiratory syncytial viruses.  
    Regeneron Pharmaceuticals - Tarrytown,New York, discovers, develops, medical treatment of oncology medical conditions such as cancer, autoimmune diseases, and ophthalmology.
    If you have been wondering what the next big thing will be or shall I say has already arrived then it will be career opportunities in biotechnology and drug development. Biomedical drug discovery research is used in gene therapy, pharmacogenomics and agriculture. Jobseekers can can look at start-up companies hiring for jobs.
    Types of Biotechnology jobs:
    • Biochemist
    • Biostatistician
    • Cell Biologist
    • Genetic Engineer
    • Microbiologist
    • Bioinformatics Scientist
    • Analytical Chemist
    • Molecular Biologist
    • Research Biologist
    • Biomedical Engineer
    Reference: Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News - genengnews.com
    Resource: newscientistjobs.com - research science jobs database by location, sector and hours