Empowering Graduates and Improving Job Market Fit w/ Simon Birkett

In this episode of Made it in Thailand, we have the pleasure of speaking with Simon Birkett, a Brit who first moved to Thailand in 1991. Featured in the viral video “This walk with Brit in Bangkok changed my view of Thailand” by Max Chernov, Simon shares insights from his extensive experience living and working in Thailand, including how he built friendships with Thai locals and what foreigners often misunderstand about Thai culture.

After marrying a Thai wife and spending over 25 years here (with an 8-year break in Singapore), Simon transitioned from commercial property to becoming a tech innovator. His groundbreaking work in digital mapping has revolutionized urban planning in Bangkok and had an impact during a U.S. presidential campaign.

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-birkett-926698/
• https://tinman-asia.com/

Building a resilient career in Thailand demands adaptability to its low-unemployment job market, demographic challenges, and evolving opportunities for expats and graduates. Here are five key insights from our conversation with Simon Birkett, a long-time resident since 1991, each addressing common hurdles in navigating Thailand’s employment landscape.

• Embrace Thailand’s Tight Labor Market for Strategic Advantage: With unemployment at around 1% since the mid-90s and 100-150,000 open positions, Thailand lacks sufficient skilled workers, necessitating imports from neighboring countries. Many overlook this human capital shortage, limiting growth. In my consulting work since 2012, I’ve seen companies thrive by upskilling locals; focus on automation and training to boost productivity in a super-aged society by 2029.
• Prioritize Fit and Soft Skills Over Academic Credentials: The best graduates aren’t always the best employees—humility, adaptability, and communication matter more for long-term success. Employers fixate on grades, missing true potential. From advising firms here, I know aligning roles with personal interests reduces turnover; platforms like Tinman help match based on traits, not just GPAs, in Thailand’s competitive entry-level scene.
• Learn from Historical Economic Shifts for Resilience: Thailand’s 90s boom offered flat hierarchies and easy access, but the 1997 crisis exposed vulnerabilities like over-reliance on rapid growth. Newcomers underestimate cultural shocks like noise and humidity. In my experience, expats succeed by building networks early; reflect on past downturns to pivot strategically in today’s stable yet stagnant economy.
• Overcome Barriers in Graduate Recruitment: Fresh graduates face limited career advice (only four mandated hours in universities) and hesitate on job boards due to spam, while recruiters avoid them for low commissions. This leads to mismatches and high churn. I’ve worked with businesses where targeted internships bridge gaps; advocate for skills transcripts to highlight practical abilities beyond academics.
• Foster Egalitarian Interactions and Continuous Learning: Not understanding socio-economic nuances allows expats to interact openly, but bureaucracy and value-over-price mindsets complicate business. Simon dropped out of university yet built successful startups through persistence. From my years in Thailand, embracing “mai pen rai” while pursuing self-education ensures longevity; network via chambers to navigate protected industries.

Simon’s perspective from 30-plus years in Thailand gives him a view most expats will never have. The 1% unemployment figure is wild when you think about it. That’s not a sign of a thriving economy creating perfect jobs for everyone. It’s a tight labor market where businesses are scrambling to fill positions, often settling for whoever’s available. The human capital shortage is real, and it’s only getting worse as Thailand ages rapidly. By 2029, it’ll officially be a super-aged society, meaning over 20% of the population will be 65 or older. If you’re running a business here, you need to be thinking about automation, upskilling, and retention right now, not five years from now.

The point about fit over credentials resonates deeply with me. I’ve hired people with perfect resumes who flamed out in weeks because they couldn’t adapt or communicate. Meanwhile, some of the best hires I’ve made were people who didn’t check all the boxes on paper but had hunger, humility, and the right attitude. In Thailand, where relationship-building and cultural awareness are critical, soft skills often matter more than technical chops. Simon’s work with Tinman to match candidates based on traits instead of GPAs is addressing a real gap. The traditional recruitment model here is broken, especially for fresh graduates who get zero meaningful career guidance and then face spammy job boards that make them distrust the whole process.

Simon’s historical context about the 90s boom and the 1997 crash is a reminder that Thailand’s growth story hasn’t been linear. A lot of expats show up during good times and assume it’s always like that. The reality is there have been massive disruptions, and the ability to adapt and pivot is what separates people who make it long-term from those who bail after a few years. Thailand today is stable but kind of stuck. Growth is modest, inequality is high, and there’s a lot of red tape. If you’re coming here expecting fast-moving Silicon Valley energy, you’ll be disappointed. But if you understand the constraints and work within them, there’s still opportunity.

The graduate recruitment problem is something I see constantly. Universities here don’t prepare students for the job market. Four hours of career advice over four years is a joke. Students graduate with degrees but no real sense of what jobs exist, what skills employers want, or how to present themselves. Then they hit job boards full of scams and low-quality listings, get discouraged, and either take whatever’s available or stay unemployed longer than they should. Businesses that invest in internships and structured onboarding programs can tap into this talent pool effectively, but most don’t bother because it’s easier to complain about skill gaps.

Finally, Simon’s own story of dropping out and building multiple businesses is proof that formal education isn’t the only path. In Thailand, persistence and network-building often matter more than credentials. The expat advantage of not fully grasping socio-economic hierarchies can actually be helpful because it allows for more egalitarian interactions, but you still need to understand the culture enough to avoid major missteps. Chambers, networking groups, and mentors are critical for navigating the protected industries and bureaucratic maze. If you’re serious about building a career or business here, invest in those relationships from day one.