Remote Working Options for someone with an English Degree

[fcgamer | 4,730]

After being in the ESL teaching game for over twelve years, I've decided that I want to get out. Unless you're doing something like @OptOut is doing, where you are the owner of a language school in Taiwan, the market is pretty much dead, and things are going to get a lot worse, quickly. Cost of living is rising, wages are 60% what they were fifteen years ago, and it's likely that wages will decrease even more, with the large influx of South Africans now coming over and willing to work for even less money. Years ago I had wanted to open up a language school too, but that's a project that is quite difficult to do without the help of a Taiwanese business partner (or wife); furthermore, birthrates are at a crawl, so I personally don't feel that this market is the way to go either, unless something changes drastically in the next few years.

Next year I should be eligible to apply for permanent residence here, and once I gain that status, the first thing I want to do is quit my job and take a holiday. After that, I plan on getting back to work, and that's where this thread comes into play.

I'm involved in a lot of projects, from writing books to music. That being said, I am also interested in the idea of working remote for some company abroad, though I've been out of the "real" workforce for so long that I have no idea what sort of options there even are. A buddy of mine said that a lot of companies need people who can write well. I'm personally interested in online marketing. I know for sure that I have little interest in being a programmer or something like that.

Anyone here work remotely, who has an idea of what sort of options might be available?

[phart010 | 1,708]

If Taiwan is getting too expensive maybe try Malaysia 

[fcgamer | 4,730]

1 hour ago, phart010 said:

If Taiwan is getting too expensive maybe try Malaysia 

Nah I've been here too long, I'm not leaving.

[phart010 | 1,708]

47 minutes ago, fcgamer said:

Nah I've been here too long, I'm not leaving.

 

[Gloves | 11,800]

1 hour ago, fcgamer said:

Nah I've been here too long, I'm not leaving.

Ah yes, the sunk cost fallacy.

[CodysGameRoom | 2,008]

Remote work? Uh yea, I sure hope it does!

[darkchylde28 | 1,546]

18 minutes ago, Gloves said:

Ah yes, the sunk cost fallacy.

Based on years worth of context clues, I'd say that's not it at all, but rather having enjoyed and acclimated to the culture environment so much that he doesn't want to go live elsewhere.  Based on @fcgamer's particular collecting proclivities, etc., he doesn't strike me as someone who's adverse to a challenge if he wants to do something else, even if it's a PITA to do so.  I mean, realistically, if he wanted things easy, he could just buy a ticket and come back home versus staying where he's at, or as suggested previously, moving elsewhere in Asia where the cost of living would be lower (but which would most likely introduce new financial/cultural/language/etc. barriers).

[Gloves | 11,800]

16 minutes ago, darkchylde28 said:

Based on years worth of context clues, I'd say that's not it at all, but rather having enjoyed and acclimated to the culture environment so much that he doesn't want to go live elsewhere.  Based on @fcgamer's particular collecting proclivities, etc., he doesn't strike me as someone who's adverse to a challenge if he wants to do something else, even if it's a PITA to do so.  I mean, realistically, if he wanted things easy, he could just buy a ticket and come back home versus staying where he's at, or as suggested previously, moving elsewhere in Asia where the cost of living would be lower (but which would most likely introduce new financial/cultural/language/etc. barriers).

Given the whole context of FCGamer, yes, I agree. I just found the singular statement funny: "Nah I've been here too long, I'm not leaving."

It very much reads as his having been there a long time being the sole reason for his not leaving. His statement in and of itself lacks context, so in a vacuum it's a clear example of sunk cost fallacy - "I've been at this too long to quit".

[captmorgandrinker | 1,649]

I know there's some online places where you could be the ESL teacher, but no clue what they pay.

[phart010 | 1,708]

Taiwan is trending right now in western news. Make a YouTube channel about living in Taiwan

[MrWunderful | 2,927]

What about technical writing? Translating things like textbooks, manuals, guides from Taiwanese to English?

[Tenjikuronin | 1,738]

Digital advertising agencies are always looking for copywriters in the APAC region -- it may be worthwhile to reach out/apply to one of the Big 3 holding companies (Publicis, WPP or Omnicron).  The main thing you need for interviewing for one of these jobs is a portfolio of writing samples - make sure to put one together and it will be easier to get noticed.

[Daniel_Doyce | 475]

Why are you there at all? Teaching ESL overseas for peanuts in (presumably) your 30s seems pretty miserable. When I was working in China, I knew a lot of language teachers barely scraping by and it's didn't look very appealing.

Do you have some idea of where you want to be lifewise and careerwise in 5-10 years?

[phart010 | 1,708]

26 minutes ago, Daniel_Doyce said:

Why are you there at all? Teaching ESL overseas for peanuts in (presumably) your 30s seems pretty miserable. When I was working in China, I knew a lot of language teachers barely scraping by and it's didn't look very appealing.

Do you have some idea of where you want to be lifewise and careerwise in 5-10 years?

Some people focus on the destination. Some people enjoy the ride

[Daniel_Doyce | 475]

56 minutes ago, phart010 said:

Some people focus on the destination. Some people enjoy the ride

A lot of people do both at the same time

[phart010 | 1,708]

12 minutes ago, Daniel_Doyce said:

A lot of people do both at the same time

[CT | 96]

I like to tell people that are looking for work or changing paths, find the companies that YOU want to work for. Reach out to them, try to set up an "informational interview" at the least, and learn more about them from someone who works there.  Perhaps they are not hiring now, but they will remember you when they will.  And they could potentially create a role for you. Take initiative. 

I work part-time for a non-profit and I volunteered three times with them before the job interview.

Also if remote is the main selling point, you can search via Indeed for remote work.

[CT | 96]

Also, think about starting your own business or side business with writing or marketing.

[OptOut | 8,889]

Cam whore.

[fcgamer | 4,730]

25 minutes ago, OptOut said:

Cam whore.

Some locals down your way just got arrested for something like that.

[RH | 4,924]

On 10/24/2022 at 11:57 AM, Gloves said:

Given the whole context of FCGamer, yes, I agree. I just found the singular statement funny: "Nah I've been here too long, I'm not leaving."

It very much reads as his having been there a long time being the sole reason for his not leaving. His statement in and of itself lacks context, so in a vacuum it's a clear example of sunk cost fallacy - "I've been at this too long to quit".

I agree that it sounded like a "sunken cost" fallacy, but the reason why it might not be for FC is that sometimes over-reaching statements like that cover issues like owning a lot of property (which I think he does) and moving isn't worth the extra work.

If it was a matter of real sunken costs, the losses would be losses and have little to no bearing on the future.

It was still a funny comment tho.  To me, anyway.

On 10/24/2022 at 1:19 PM, phart010 said:

Taiwan is trending right now in western news. Make a YouTube channel about living in Taiwan

If you'd be into something like that, @phart010 might be onto something.  I know South Korea and Taiwan are miles apart, but there's an SK vlogger (can't recall her name) that's gotten a lot of traction simply talking about life in SK before she defected.

Granted, Taiwan is a first world, capitalist nation but starting a vlog about life in Taiwan as a foreigner and discussing the sociopolitical environment, why there's tension with the PRC and why they really want to take over Taiwan could do very well--I think there are a lot of people that would like to hear from someone with your specific perspective.

Alternatively, I would also recommend you could try to become an IT Business Analyst.  Your much closer to India than us in the US and if you get a couple (really not hard to get) BA certs, you could try to position yourself as a Native English Speaker who is close to developers in India and can bridge the time zone gap.  I doubt you want to do the work to become a Software Engineer, but all a BA does is basically come into a business, you're given a need with desired end-results, you ask questions and write documents to help the design and development team accomplish their tasks.  You're also often an intermediate between we nerds and management or key users.  It's really a job anyone could do if they are great at building systems and communicating well with people.

[phart010 | 1,708]

2 hours ago, RH said:

I agree that it sounded like a "sunken cost" fallacy, but the reason why it might not be for FC is that sometimes over-reaching statements like that cover issues like owning a lot of property (which I think he does) and moving isn't worth the extra work.

If it was a matter of real sunken costs, the losses would be losses and have little to no bearing on the future.

It was still a funny comment tho.  To me, anyway.

If you'd be into something like that, @phart010 might be onto something.  I know South Korea and Taiwan are miles apart, but there's an SK vlogger (can't recall her name) that's gotten a lot of traction simply talking about life in SK before she defected.

Granted, Taiwan is a first world, capitalist nation but starting a vlog about life in Taiwan as a foreigner and discussing the sociopolitical environment, why there's tension with the PRC and why they really want to take over Taiwan could do very well--I think there are a lot of people that would like to hear from someone with your specific perspective.

Alternatively, I would also recommend you could try to become an IT Business Analyst.  Your much closer to India than us in the US and if you get a couple (really not hard to get) BA certs, you could try to position yourself as a Native English Speaker who is close to developers in India and can bridge the time zone gap.  I doubt you want to do the work to become a Software Engineer, but all a BA does is basically come into a business, you're given a need with desired end-results, you ask questions and write documents to help the design and development team accomplish their tasks.  You're also often an intermediate between we nerds and management or key users.  It's really a job anyone could do if they are great at building systems and communicating well with people.

Yea right now all we hear about Taiwan is what westerners that don’t live there have to say about it. And also what Taiwanese people living there have to say (in Taiwanese either subtitled or dubbed).
 

Would be cool to hear from a Western person on the ground living there that we can give us a more familiar perspective while also having a deep understanding of the culture and issues over there

Edited November 1, 2022 by phart010

[Tanooki | 4,939]

That's it we need Taiwan Uncensored on youtube, now.  Find out how it's really going, politics, social, impact of the CCPs raging viagra style boner about the island country they deny is one when it is.