Is speaking vietnamese a real advantage to find a job for an expat ?

Learning the local language is essential for everyday life, not just work.

Hi Benoit,
Yes it’s definitely an advantage , purely enabling you to communicate with people, and get your reasoning and point of view on things across.   
Otherwise your just basically handling the meet & greet , asking for prices & ordering food......which for most expats is where they’re at.

You say In your profile your  in water management ....a friend of mine here is an engineer in the same field.   He speaks good Vietnamese, been here 15 yrs and without the language onboard ,,,he says his job would be far more difficult, frustrating and time consuming & not meeting contract deadlines. 

Two other guys I know in light manufacturing simply HAVE to be on the factory floor to communicate with the workers & team leaders. 

But there is a downside......Some Vietnamese get very nervous around foreigners that can speak VN.   It’s as though their little secret code has gone viral.   It’s a bit childish really,,they like to talk about & mock us without being heard. 😆

That did backfire badly for a few of them recently.  We were eating with a group of VN and they thought we knew Zero VN. My friend is close to fluent......so....they were saying some pretty nasty racial things about us and laughing.   At the finish of the meal my friend then gave them a nice talking to.  Yogi also done his best with an expletive laden rant and then we left them with the bill$. 

So..yes,,.the language thing does have its advantages.

BenoitZdr wrote:

What are the real benefits of speaking vietnamese for an expat who is looking for a job in HCMC ?

According to your profile, you lived in Vietnam for a full year, Jan 16 to Dec 16.  What is your opinion?

BenoitZdr wrote:

What are the real benefits of speaking vietnamese for an expat who is looking for a job in HCMC ?
Easier to find a job?
More responsibilities ?
Better salary ?
How true ?
Or maybe it does not change anything ?

Thanks

  Isn't the answer obvious?  Of course speaking the local language will improve your relationships, both professional and personal.  It will NOT improve your salary options, as VN's will work for less.

IME, speaking VN has opened many windows.....that has let in some really nice and beautiful things.  Also, a lot of shit buckets have been shloshed into my apartment, metaphorically speaking.

BenoitZdr wrote:

What are the real benefits of speaking vietnamese for an expat who is looking for a job in HCMC ?
Easier to find a job?
More responsibilities ?
Better salary ?
How true ?
Or maybe it does not change anything ?

Thanks

It may keep them from discovering that you are French...