Job market for journalists?

Hi there,

I can safely say there is little market for journalists in Vietnam, especially considering that the country doesn't have a free press. The expat magazines will pay a pittance per word, and full-time jobs are not only hard to come by, but also low paying. Some local dailies and pubs have a budget for their writers, but it's hard to make a living as a writer -- unless you have good contacts with magazines abroad who can commission articles on Vietnam.

Having said that, there is a market for good copywriters and there is money to be made in PR, if you're willing to go in that direction. The only journalists I know who do okay here are those writing for magazines abroad, even an EIC position at the expat magazines is less than 2000 USD per month.

Hope you're able to find something that suits you.

Best,
Esther

Vietnam is one on the worst places to go to, if you want to earn a living doing journalistic or PR works.  This is still a socialist state.  The media here is controlled; and they do it a lot better than Pravin on this blog.  If you are not familiar with Vietnam, I highly suggest that you make your breads back home.  You will go very hungry, even crazy, out here.

Hey Pan,
I think you should fild a job now. You might go to vietnamworks.com/ . It offers some job for foreigners.
I list some foreign languages (Eng) newspapers in Vietnam and you might search & contact them: Vietnam News, Vietnam Investment Review, Saigon Times...
And I think some foreign advertising company also welcome you like JWT...

There is one popular Vietnam blog written by an English teacher cum Journalist. Google "Along the Mekong Vietnam" or something and you could contact him for tips I suppose. He seems pretty open to talking about things and is very sympathetic to the people of Vietnam while being very frank about the country's shortcomings politically.

But yeah.. The odds are certainly stacked against you and I wouldn't put all my chips on it.

If journalism is in your veins, just stay there is better
Or if you have lot of money, you can start some media business here even though publishing is not easy.
The other option, may be work out - CELTA. If you are willing to transfuse "Teaching" instead of "journalism" there is a hope for your life in Vietnam. Good luck!
Ken Charma

Some very good and thought-provoking replies, and I'll make sure to check out that blog. Thank you very much!

2000 USD per month is a shitton. Even half that is enough to lead a very decent life in Saigon.