What Thailand’s booming digital economy means for job seekers

It’s undeniable that during 2018 we all heard a lot about “Thailand 4.0”, and the discussion continues in 2019. It’s everywhere. Thailand 4.0 is an initiative to transform major cities into digital and technological hubs which will create new businesses and more job opportunities for those who embrace this transformation.

Here are five things that Thailand’s digital economy will bring to digital job seekers.

1. New job types and more opportunity

The digital economy has created many brand new roles that never existed before such as Digital Marketing, Performance Marketing, CRM, SEO and SEM. Even coming from a marketing background, I didn’t know that these roles would become crucial positions and change the way we do marketing. A 2011 study by McKinsey’s Paris office found that the Internet had created 1.2 million jobs. The growing role of big data in the economy and business will create a significant need for digital professionals and big data analysis.

2. Higher pay than peers

I already talked about the rise in digital jobs. Especially in Thailand the demand is exceeding supply which means that the value of the product is increasing along with the price. A recent survey found that digital salaries rose faster in 2014 alone than in the previous five years. What’s more, the pace of growth is set to increase. For example, the average salary for a digital marketing manager in Thailand is 80,000 THB. It’s not just managerial level digital marketing positions that are experiencing a salary surge – entry level PPC positions have jumped from 40,000 THB last year to 55,000-60,000 THB this year.

If you want to stand out to potential digital employers, invest in building a powerful social media presence to boost your CV and showcase your digital knowledge.

3. Flexibility

Sipping mango juice while doing working poolside – who wouldn’t want that?  

A digital career allows you to do that, as it offers you plenty of flexibility. Digital roles generally do not require you to be in an office all day long. You can work from home or anywhere in the world, as long as you have access to a computer and internet. A digital career can give you real freedom with opportunities to travel, explore the world and work at the same time, even if you are not in the office!  

4. Work for yourself

If you are not the type of person who enjoys working in a big corporate environment, dealing with different departments or being tied down to a company, then don’t. We are in the digital era; you can be your own boss using your digital expertise. I’ve seen more and more freelance digital candidates saying that they don’t want to go back to being full-time employees, as they enjoy being a freelancer, working for different companies on various projects. This keeps them motivated all the time because of the variety of tasks and goals.

5. Less emphasis on formal education

The great things about a digital career are that companies will focus on and value you for your skills and experience. Having said that, you don’t need a 4-year degree to show that you are a good digital professional in the field. You can just enrol in a digital marketing certification to gain important knowledge, test your skill building online platform to create online presence, which will show potential employers that you have the right skills. The emphasis on experience decreases the traditional emphasis on having the right degree.