Job Discussion Forums

[BBQchips]

Hi. I lived in Japan 2011-2015 doing ALT work. It drove me crazy for all of the reasons I'm sure you're familiar with. My social life and stuff were good and I still have good friends there now. But Low wage, little room for growth, felt like an undignified English monkey took its toll. I speak Japanese but have no actual skills that transferred to anything else but teaching and all my friends in similar situations who ended up being OLs just ended up being mistreated even worse than as English teachers.


So I decided to go back home to better myself and see if I could go back to Japan under better terms and find better work. I've been working as a teacher, currently work in public school with a teaching cert, and am set to complete my masters in educational leadership next year. That would mean 8 years exp with teaching license and masters.


So many things point to japan not being a place for reaching anymore. Do you think it is possible to find good paying job at an international school that brings personal satisfaction? Would the wages be OK? Or is it just way too competitive because of the amount of qualified people already on the ground? I would prefer to NOT live in Kanto area. I prefer Nagoya/Chuubu area but am willing to go further west or south from there.


What do you think? Japan again or just... take myself elsewhere? Thanks anyone who can chime in. I'd also like to hear your own experiences!

[mitsui]

Look for work and apply, but yes it really is very competitive.
There is less turnover too.
Kanto is the only part of the country with any growth.

[BBQchips]

Thanks. I figured Kanto region was where ti was going to be most poppin but if I widen my search outside of Nagoya to Kansai or Chuugoku region there should be something, right?

Anyone here currently working at an international school that can chime in on hiring practices? I'm looking at international school job boards/recruiters but it would be nice to hear anyone's thoughts on how things are on the ground rn.

[nomad soul]

[BBQchips]

Hehe that's the bad part. It's not competitive like if I teach STEM.

English and Social Studies. I've been teaching Special Ed and am the IEP care coordinator so I have exp in that but not certified

[nomad soul]

How do you plan to utilize your Master's in Educational Leadership in Japan and beyond?

[BBQchips]

Right now I like being in the classroom. I can see myself doing it for a few more years and then taking more responsibilities in school like Dept head. The job I'm eyeing is eventually curriculum coordinator. If I can't find something in Nagoya or the other areas I said I was looking around at other countries as well because I have a Wanderlust. If I can't go back to jp I want to be doing more.

I guess I want to have my cake and eat it too. Is it too much to want a fulfilling job and be in a place I like?

[kzjohn]

[yurii]

[BBQchips]

Thank you for all of the feedback

[thomthom]

The situation for English teachers is, of course, closely connected to the general economic situation. When I first came to Japan 7 years ago, I had this idea that it was a futuristic economic powerhouse. From what I've since learned and experienced, however, decades of stagnation lead almost to the impression that Japan is a developed nation slowly regressing into a developing one.
Indeed, the amount of cash you can actually pocket after tax & expenses is probably now comparable to working in Thailand or Vietnam. I'm sure for anyone who was here in 1998, much of Tokyo (especially planned areas like Odaiba) would still have felt relatively shiny, new, and modern. These days the 60s/70s/80s architecture and infrastructure is all rather crumbling.