As a small country of just 15 million people, Ecuador is often overlooked by expats looking for work. In fact, Ecuador has a well-trained network of professionals and a good educational system which feeds into a strong job market. Unemployment is currently around the 7% mark.
Crude oil accounts for almost half of Ecuador’s economy, and many Ecuadorians are involved in the industry. It also attracts a lot of expats to the country, most of whom tend to work at the top-end of businesses, where remuneration packages can be lucrative.
Another large chunk of the economy comes from agriculture - namely the growing and exportation of fruit, mostly bananas. Again, huge numbers of Ecuadorians are involved in agriculture - most of them working in the labour-intensive side of the industry.
For both of these major industries, the downside is a lack of competition. They are dominated by a handful of large firms, meaning the market isn’t as dynamic as it could be. Government involvement in these industries is also high, which is seen as a negative for some.
For those who aren’t high flyers in the the export business, opportunities in Ecuador can be limited. Many Ecuadorians themselves are unemployed, and if you don’t speak Spanish and aren’t prepared to do voluntary work, then your best option is probably teaching English. Most places will require you to have a TEFL qualification for this (either CELTA or certTESOL), though some schools might not even require this. Dave’s ESL Cafe is a good web resource with a job postings board. Another useful site is TEFL.com , which has a searchable jobs board as well as advice on getting started. If you have a general teaching qualification such as a PGCE, you might consider sending your CV to a few of the bilingual and international schools in Quito or Guayaquil who are often looking for native speakers to take on.