Job Discussion Forums

Martinaj · Joined: 07 Sep 2014 Posts: 35

I have posted here a couple of times as I was getting ready for applications in Japan, but now I am beginning to apply for work in earnest. I am pretty fixated on teaching here, and have a very general idea of what to expect once I arrive, but I'm NOT so sure of what to expect before then, so I am hoping to get an idea of how long the process takes, how many dodgy schools there and what their names are, and what sort of job I should be aiming for with my credentials. So here we go, get ready for a wall of text...

To start with, the highlights of my resume are 4 years of teaching experience in China, during which I worked with high school students, set long-term curriculum and agenda for our writing classes, and trained local teachers. I was making 20,000 RMB per month here when I left (at the time this would have translated to about 320,000 yen). They loved me here and have given me a glowing letter of recommendation, but they gave me so much autonomy that they aren't super familiar with my in-classroom performance, simply being satisfied with the end results of each class.

In October, I finished my IDELT Online certification with an A grade. I know it's an online cert, but it seems marginally more credible than many others, though perhaps not top tier - I had been told that with pre-training experience the on-site cert wasn't necessary. I have learned since then that this may not have been the case, but it's done now, and this is what I've got to work with, so I'd rather not spend too much time belaboring this point.

In the last two months, I have been teaching at a local language center, teaching ESL to adult students in a variety of areas (TOEFL prep, everyday English, accent reduction). This is the job where I can actually furnish some reviews from my references and not just recommendations, because they are stricter about lesson plans and take student reviews at the end of each 8-week course.

So my first question is what sort of job can I reasonably expect to achieve with this resume? Should I stick to ALT positions, or can I get a bit more ambitious? I have sent out several resumes already and heard back from one employer (we'll get to that in a minute), and I have also applied for the JET, though I would be willing to take a lower paying job if it allows me more control in where I go and more autonomy in the classroom. And on the topic of pay, what should I expect? It seems 250,000 is a common entry-level baseline, but that seems to be aimed at a lot of positions that assume teachers with little to no experience and in some cases no certification. Would it be reasonable to aim for something closer to 280k to 300k per month? Is it common for teachers to have to pay for their own plane tickets, or should I be able to find a school that covers that cost?

My other major question - who should I watch out for here, and what are the best venues of application? I have been applying via Gaijinpot, and Borderlink wants to interview me, but I have done some reading and they seem to have a pretty gnarly reputation. I know that I will probably have to put up with a few shenanigans wherever I go. I'm expecting to deal with last-minute scheduling and fluxuating schedules, and I can put up with that, but I have no patience for employers who try to find bogus excuses to dock my pay or otherwise essentially re-write the contract after I have started work. I have thought about looking into Aeon as well - what is their rep like?

Basically, where should I be applying for the best results? Which names should be sending up red flags?

nightsintodreams · Joined: 18 May 2010 Posts: 558

Without experience in Japan and Japanese language ability, I highly doubt you'll get anything more than an entry level position. If you want to make up to 300,000 yen a month or more then my advice to you is to take an entry level ALT position, then slowly build up privates or other part time work.

250,000 is a good salary for an entry level ALT. You can find slightly higher salaries at some Eikaiwa (such as Aeo), but you'll also be working unsocialble hours, have more work and fins it hard to fit part time/privates around that kind of job.

Apply to all the big ALT dispatch companies directly.

nightsintodreams · Joined: 18 May 2010 Posts: 558

As for JET, if you can get it, take it, but don't put all your eggs in one basket. I know people who have been strung along for over a year with the possibility of getting a job, only to be told at the end of it that they're not needed and will have to start the application process from the beginning if they wish to apply again.

rxk22 · Joined: 19 May 2010 Posts: 1629

Hate to be the one to say it but....Why Japan? You will be stating at the bottom. Which includes possibly not even having benefits, as well as months will reduced pay. Seems like you have a real career in China, maybe try a different area in China, and see if you like it there? As Japan, really really has nothing to offer you.

Or maybe even a decent vacation here may satisfy you. Maybe take a short leave of absence, or between jobs, and come here for 6-8 weeks. You could get a lot of sightseeing and experiences here in that time frame, without sacrificing your career.

Shimokitazawa · Joined: 16 Aug 2009 Posts: 458 Location: Saigon, Vietnam

My suggestion: Don't come to Japan.

And if you do, don't expect anything from the Japanese people.

Martinaj · Joined: 07 Sep 2014 Posts: 35

It was time to get out of China. After four years there, the chaos and belligerent inferiority complex of the culture was really starting to wear thin. I started looking into other countries where I wanted to teach, and did an 18 day trip to Japan. Found the place absolutely enchanting. I know there is still going to be some bullshit to put up with, but it seemed like the people had a genuine appreciation for their own culture, and I appreciated that. I also got to go 18 days without seeing a single stranger pooping - the place was just so clean. I'll admit to being a bit of a japanophile, but I'm not going in with blinders on. I am hoping to do like two or three years in Japan, then go for a DELTA certification.

Shimokitazawa · Joined: 16 Aug 2009 Posts: 458 Location: Saigon, Vietnam

Martinaj · Joined: 07 Sep 2014 Posts: 35

I am still not 100% certain where I'd like to teach after DELTA yet, but I know that I am making my career in ESL, and DELTA opens a lot of doors. That's a few years down the road though, right now I am much more focused on simply reaching that juncture. My experience in China was mostly with fairly advanced ESL, even working with students on prepping for AP English tests. On top of that, it was very test-oriented, and it seems that neither of those things are very reflective of the broader ESL/EFL field, so I am hoping to get some more experience working with elementary and intermediate learners, and working with English in a more general sense, before I apply for the DELTA. It seems like this can be done just about anywhere, and I figure my existing experience in East Asia would be a boon in that region, and Japan has the best pay (and highest cost of living, I know) of any of the East Asian countries. Plus, they've got all those cool Tokugawa Period buildings, and the public transit networks to see them when you have a day. At least that was my impression

Shimokitazawa · Joined: 16 Aug 2009 Posts: 458 Location: Saigon, Vietnam

Martinaj · Joined: 07 Sep 2014 Posts: 35

Actually I do NOT have a CELTA. After finishing in Japan, I took about 3 months to get my IDELT Online. I know that the on-site IDELT is often considered to be CELTA-equivilant, but I have heard a lot of mixed stuff about how credible its online cert is. It involved reading a text by Jeremy Harmer, weekly posts and feedback from an instructor, an introduction to PPP and ESA methodology, some supplemental materials provided by said instructor, and a final lesson plan + research paper.

I still have about 12k saved up from China, so I am actually starting to think about saying "Eh, screw it," tossing my IDELT, and applying for a CELTA course early next year....

Shimokitazawa · Joined: 16 Aug 2009 Posts: 458 Location: Saigon, Vietnam

Martinaj · Joined: 07 Sep 2014 Posts: 35

Yeah, it's starting to look like the IDELT isn't recognized ANYWHERE. I was originally looking into some places in Eastern Europe along with Japan, but the feedback I got on various forums was basically "CELTA or gtfo."

nomad soul · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world

rxk22 · Joined: 19 May 2010 Posts: 1629

Working in the EFL language industry isn't that great, here. Japan is much cleaner, and you prolly feel that is attractive coming from China. But, a lot of shallowness here, as well as isolation. DUe to people being really busy all the time. Not a lot of history here either. Outside of Kyoto and rural areas, everything is new. As all their cities were leveled during WWII.

As has been said, most jobs pay little, and there is no room for advancement. To top it off, you'd be stepping down several levels here. I got a private school job, only via a friend. Anyhow, just really think it through, as you might be just so sick of China, that Japan looks idealized.

nightsintodreams · Joined: 18 May 2010 Posts: 558

Please take everything you read here with a pinch of salt. Forums are the habitat of people with lots of time on their hands, not where successful happy people spend their days.

Japan if far from perfect but it has not been as cruel to me as some of the others on this forum, if you've got an interest in Japan, then give it a shot. Just don't expect to be raking in the cash during your first year.