Not getting Hired After College? Heres Why I Left the U.S. to Teach Abroad

I thought a degree from a top university would be my golden ticket, until no one wanted to hire me.

If you슬롯사이트�re a recent grad who feels invisible in the U.S. job market, you슬롯사이트�re not alone. I was there too; burned out, frustrated, and questioning everything I worked for. But instead of waiting around for another rejection email, I made the boldest move of my life.

I left.

After applying to more than 100 jobs after graduation and receiving rejection after rejection, I found myself questioning the value of my college degree. As a 2024 graduate from UCLA; America슬롯사이트�s #1 public university, I expected to find meaningful work, or at the very least, a pathway into a full-time job. Instead, I was met with a job market that was not built for recent college graduates. Without years of experience or an influential network, it can feel almost impossible to get hired. And for me, that struggle had a serious effect on my mental health and sense of self-worth.

It wasn슬롯사이트�t until my partner asked a simple but profound question:

슬롯사이트�If they don슬롯사이트�t have jobs for us here, why don슬롯사이트�t we just go abroad?슬롯사이트�

Discovering a Path Abroad

With that idea in mind, I started researching alternatives. I searched phrases like 슬롯사이트�work abroad after college,슬롯사이트� 슬롯사이트�teaching English in Asia,슬롯사이트� and 슬롯사이트�entry-level jobs abroad.슬롯사이트� One organization that repeatedly appeared in my results was 슬롯머신 (Council on International Educational Exchange).

슬롯머신 stood out for several reasons:

• A four-year degree was all that was required (no teaching credential necessary)
• It had a long-standing reputation with top U.S. universities
• It offered full program support: housing, visa assistance, orientation, and cultural guidance

Eventually, I applied to the Teach in Thailand program, which is specifically tailored to recent graduates.

My 슬롯머신 Experience

The experience began with a four-day orientation in Bangkok. This covered everything from Thai language basics and cultural etiquette to classroom survival tips. More importantly, it gave me the chance to meet other educators who were also taking the leap, building a strong support system from the start.

After orientation, my partner and I were placed in Rayong, a coastal beach province in Eastern Thailand. There, I began teaching English both high school students.

Every morning, I was welcomed with an enthusiastic:

슬롯사이트�Hello, Teacher Rick!슬롯사이트�

It was an experience I never imagined having, yet one that felt incredibly natural and fulfilling.

Living and Working in Thailand

One of the best parts of teaching in Thailand was the balance between work and life. 슬롯머신 made the transition smooth by assisting with:

• Visa and work permit processing
• Housing placement
• Health insurance coverage
• Local language and cultural guidance

With rent covered and meals often costing less than $2 at local street markets, the modest salary went a long way. I was able to live comfortably, travel on weekends, and enjoy a lifestyle I hadn슬롯사이트�t thought possible so early in my career, especially coming from the United States, where people live day by day and a meal at a fast food chain now costs $20 minimum.

Cost Breakdown and Getting Started

Here슬롯사이트�s an estimate of the startup costs I incurred:

• One-way plane ticket to Thailand
• 슬롯머신 program fee (discounted with a referral code)
• Visa documentation and processing fees

Estimated total: approximately $3,600 USD

If you슬롯사이트�re interested in applying or want to receive a discount referral link, feel free to reach out via or .

From Unemployed Grad to Global Educator

In just a few months, I went from feeling hopeless to finding purpose, not just in my career, but in my identity. I wasn슬롯사이트�t just teaching English. I was connecting cultures, building confidence in young minds, and rediscovering my own.

I did it without a master슬롯사이트�s degree, corporate internship, or personal connections, just the willingness to take a chance and trust the process.

Interested in Teaching Abroad?

If you슬롯사이트�re tired of being told 슬롯사이트�no,슬롯사이트� maybe it슬롯사이트�s time to say 슬롯사이트�yes슬롯사이트� to something new. Working abroad gave me the fresh start I didn슬롯사이트�t know I needed.

If you슬롯사이트�re feeling stuck, overlooked, or burned out from job hunting in the U.S., consider looking outward.