Job Discussion Forums

[Kestrel]

Hello all. I'm a 30 year old American (male, if it matters) looking for a job teaching English in Japan, and this seems like the place to go for sage advice. I have no classroom teaching experience per se, but for the last four years I"ve been working as a sail trainer, teaching people how to sail traditional tall ships. By the end of June (assuming all goes well) I will have both the CELTA and SIT certifications. I also have the requisite BA, which includes a couple of years studying Japanese. That being said, that was quite a few years back, so my Japanese is more than a bit rusty.

Now come the reassurances as to my motives: I'm not coming to Japan hoping to make ridiculous piles of cash. Subsistence is fine for me. That being said, when all else is equal, more money is better than less. I'm also not looking to spend all my time drinking sake and chasing women. I've pretty much had my fill of drinking binges and am more than content with a quiet drink in the evening. I'm actually worried a bit about being pressured to drink more than I want to while in Japan, as I've heard repeatedly of the ritual of the after-work drink. I'm also not viewing teaching as only a means to the end of being able to hang around in Japan. I enjoy teaching and explaining things to people, and I like to think I have the patience to do it pretty well. I'm getting my certifications in order that I can do a better job and make my classes worthwhile for my students.

Next I suppose is what I'm looking for: I don't really like big cities, for a number of reasons. I"d like to end up in a fairly rural, or at least small town sort of environment, preferably without too many other gaijin around to reduce the temptation to fall back on English. I'd like to improve my Japanese. I'd like to experience as much as possible Japanese culture.

My big question here is: Given all these things, what course would you guys suggest I follow in looking for a job in Japan? I'd be most comfortable arranging something here and then heading over, but I've heard repeatedly that only the Big Four and the Jet progam will do that. That being said, I've noticed some ads on the job board that say they accept applicants from outside Japan. Is there something shady going on here, or are other companies beginning to follow the lead of AEON et al?

Thanks for the patience, thos of you who've read this far, and thanks of course for any and all responses.

[Glenski]

The big 4 and JET sponsor visas and (for the most part) interview candidates from overseas. Not all of them pay for your airfare. JET does up front. Some of the others reimburse you for it, or provide a "bonus" if you complete their contract.

JET pays more than the big 4, and you are much more likely to end up in a rural environment, so this is the option I would point towards you. However, realize that the application process takes a long time. Applications are due in December, interviews (if you pass the paper application stage) are in Feb/March, and acceptance notices are in April/May, but you don't fly over (as a group with other JET ALTs) until late July/early August.

So, you should also work on alternate plans. Go with one of the big 4 that seems reasonable to you, or find a rare school that accepts applications from abroad. You will likely have to show up for the interview in Japan, however.

In any case above, you should be prepared to come here with US$4000 in hand as setup & emergency money.

For more info, feel free to send me an email.
[email protected]

[guest of Japan]

I'm just curious. Where was your home port? I used to work in yachting, and I wonder if we might have crossed paths. Were you in the NE of the US?

[Kestrel]

Hey guys, thanks for the responses. The JET program sounds good to me as well, the only catch being that it takes so long to process the application and all that. I was hoping for something more in the area of this coming fall, rather than 13 months down the road... With that in mind, how diificult is it to find work in rural Japan in fall by just showing up? My impression is that if you just show up in Japan and start job hunting, your best bet is Tokyo, or perhaps Osaka. How possible is it to dig up jobs in rural areas, given a month or two to travel around and put in the resumes? And mentioning that, is it possible to do so while travelling, or would I be best off staying in one place to facilitate people contacting me?

Thanks again....

[tjpnz2000]

Hi,

Here is what I would do.

Apply for a job with one of the big 4 (Nova will give you lots of choice but they are not the greatest company to work for) and say you want to work in a small rural town.

This will get you to Japan, where you want to be and where it is easier to find work, and get you a visa.

Then look for a job as an ALT (assistant language teacher in a public school) with an ALT recruiting company in a small town. This will put you in a Japanese environment, and I think, this is what you want.

I lean against comming to Japan and looking for a job simply because it is not nessesary. Your work visa is valid for 1 year regardless of whether you change jobs. Having a job before you come with a big company gives you income and an apartment from the day you arrive. This just makes life easier.

That's my 2 cents (2C).

On a side note: I think the japanese work visa system is much better for teachers than what I have seen written about the visa system in Korea or Taiwan. Anybody for Korea or Taiwan care to comment?

Tamai