Job Discussion Forums

[hip-hop boy78]

hi!
i taught english in japan at one of the "big 3" eikaiwa schools in yokohama for three years. i left just over a year ago and i'm now thinking of going back sometime early next year. i haven't had much luck finding a job yet and was wondering whether it would be a good idea to go over to japan and look for work there.
i have a japanese friend(my ex-private student) who said i was welcome to stay at his place which would really help me save some money whilst i look for a job and then a place to live. so i have a few questions that i hope you guys can help me out with:
1)will 400.000yen be enough to see me through my first two months. i'm good at saving money and was able to limit myself to around 10-15.000yen a week when i lived there last time.
2)how difficult is it to actually find teaching work just by turning up in japan? i don't have a teaching certificate but i do have a BA degree and three and a half years of teaching experience(3 years in japan/6 months in italy). i've heard about the monday morning "japan times" method.
3)are there any real estate agencies that rent apartments to foreigners with a guarantor but without charging key money and like 5/6 months rent in advance? i don't think i could afford to pay all that up front.
4)if not, then what are my realistic options accommodation wise?
i can't stay at my friends house forever, maybe he wouldn't mind me staying 3/4 weeks but i wouldn't want to overstay my welcome. his sons recently married and moved out of home so he has got the space.
well i hope someone can give me some useful tips, thanx for your help.

[Glenski]

1. Probably. Just don't wear out your welcome at that friend's home.

2. how difficult is it to actually find teaching work just by turning up in japan?
Depends on location, when you come and what your credentials are. You have plenty of credentials, so when are you planning to come, and where are you going to look for work? With your experience, you could apply not only at eikaiwas, but at mainstream schools, too.

3. Yes. Look at this thread for some of those places.
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=4264&highlight=guarantor+key+money

Useful tips:
Plan ahead. That is, look at online ads before you come just to line up what's available, and perhaps to contact to say that you will be here.

[Nismo]

1. Be prepared to at least offer three times to pay him a bit of rent, Japanese custom. If he rejects the offer 3 times, he really does not want you to pay him.
$4000 should get you through 90 days of tourist stay.

2. You'll have many more options for jobs if you apply from within Japan than you would from abroad - the trade off is that it is a costly process.

3. I don't know if you can get around the key money unless whoever hires you already has an apartment for you. There is one place I know in Shinjuku that will definitly help you find a place to live - they even have at least one English speaking employee.

4. There are very few options for housing outside of the traditional key money and deposit. If you are in Tokyo, look into Azalea House in Nerima-ku - I didn't pay any key money, and there was a refundable $700 deposit. You don't need to sign a year contract there. Great bunch of diverse foreigners living there, mostly students though.

[David W]

You worked in Japan for 3 years and you are asking this question? Do it mate, you know the ropes, it's not that hard.