Should I go to Bangkok?

[antitravolta]

I am registered with Search Associates and my associate has recommended that I attend the Bangkok job fair. I am a math teacher with 10 years experience and the last 5 overseas as well as MYP experience. I will have a trailing spouse. In one sense, I'm encouraged that my associate thinks I should attend, but reading the site, they say that less than 1% of the job offers at the Bangkok fair go to candidates with a trailing spouse. I'd be curious to hear if everybody thinks it would be worth it for me to attend. I will have to miss a week of pay to go there. It's worth it if I get a good job, but the math teacher in me doesn't get excited by less than 1%.

[wrldtrvlr123]

Maybe things have changed dramatically since we went to a BKK fair but that 1% sounds ridiculous. Did you specifically ask them about that because that does not sound like anything close to the reality from what I have heard, seen, read, etc.

Like I said, maybe that is the reality but it sounds very strange. On the upside, experienced math teachers are in high demand and if true, it would not shock me if that 1% was made up entirely of math/science teachers.

I would ask your associate about it directly.

[shadowjack]

I landed a job with a trailing spouse who was transitioning into teaching. Be prepared to explain what your spouse would do...

[PsyGuy]

The rule is you go to the most competitive fair you can get an invite too. I would concur with @WT123 that if the 1% citation is accurate, than that 1% is likely composed of high need/demand ITs with backgrounds such as yours.
You will need to have an explanation what your spouse is going to do, even if its staying at home and writing a gold fish book. It doesnt need to be anything substantial, just an acknowledgment and understanding that you appreciate the situation that the IS is not going to provide you something for your spouse, though its these types of scenarios that are are prime for a vacancy creation if it means the IS is going to need to provide something to your spouse to get you.

[antitravolta]

Thanks for the responses, guys. We've decided to go to Bangkok assuming nothing comes up before then. I've already had a good school in our desired location and another top tier school set up interviews so we're thinking it will be worth it to go. My wife has good prospects for jobs in many of the places we're looking so it shouldn't be hard to address the trailing spouse narrative. We're looking to start a family too so that could work well in some of the other locations. I'll be prepared for the questions though. Thanks again for the responses.