Job Discussion Forums

james_baldrey · Joined: 26 Nov 2004 Posts: 31

I want to come to Japan in March 2005 and what to know what my options are. My qualifications are a degree and masters degree in business, a TESOL certificate and I will finish my CELTA in late February, and 2 years teaching in a college in Thailand. I only want to teach students 16+�.so NO KIDS!!

I am not too fussed about location,but would prefer a biggish city. So far I have found nothing!! NOTHING! I have only found a few jobs on DAVES ESL CAF� and tefl.com and eslteachersabroad.com. I thought I could find a job quite easily..guess not! Could anyone answer my questions..

1) How can I find a job? No jokes about being lazy..my eyes are sore from 2 months of searching the web!!!
2) Where are some websites for jobs in colleges/high schools?
3) Am I qualified for colleges?
4) What's the best job/salary/location i can hope for with these qualifications?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks.James

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

shmooj · Joined: 11 Sep 2003 Posts: 1758 Location: Seoul, ROK

Nothing? In all of Korea AND Japan... there must be something missing here somewhere.

AndyH · Joined: 30 Sep 2004 Posts: 417

If you really want to work in Japan, I'd recommend that you reconsider your reluctance to teach kids, at least at first.

Smooth Operator · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 140 Location: Japan

This many sound harsh, but in my 5 years here I have seen quite an influx of foreigners and the simple fact is that jobs are getting harder to find. Thus, foreigners 'on the ground' often stuggle to find something, let alone people from overseas. Your best best, as always, is the JET Programme but I think you have just missed the deadline. GEOS, Nova and AEON are your best bets if you don't want to wait another 19 months to arrive as a JET....

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

If those are the only job web sites you have looked at, here are a few more to consider.

www.ohayosensei.com (twice a month)
www.eltnews.com (daily)
www.gaijinpot.com (daily)
www.jobsinjapan.com (daily)
http://www.kfm.to (weekly)
http://www.kto.co.jp (weekly)
http://www.japanjoblink.com/japan/index.asp

These sites cover jobs of all kinds, mostly eikaiwas, though.

Willy_In_Japan · Joined: 20 Jul 2004 Posts: 329

Conversation schools are actively courting young learners. When I was at GEOS, they were trying to fill my schedule with kids. I am talking 3,4,5 year old kids. Not even in elementary school yet!

I taught all ranges of ages, yet, I am more happy teaching as an ALT in a Junior High. They are more like 'young adults' and not kids. My advice is to work with teens, cause you can't really avoid teaching little kids these days in conversation schools.

Oh, and I was dreading doing elementary school, but once I got there it wasn't so bad. The kids were cute and enthusiastic. So, just tell them you love kids even if you hate them if you want a job in japan.

ryuro · Joined: 22 Apr 2003 Posts: 91

James,

Throwing my 2 yen in- which is mostly seconding what everyone else here has said. I've been in Asia for nearly 8 years in the capacity of a teacher, recruiter and adminstrator for a variety of ESL organizations (conversations schools and public schools to college/university) and in my opinion here's why you haven't had so much as a sniff...

1. On paper you're a bit overqualfied for some of the 'entry level', get ya in the coutry jobs with outfits like GEOS, NOVA and AEON. When I was recruiting for conversation schools, people with masters were automatically skipped- sorry, but simply the truth. As someone said, leave the masters off your CV and for lack of a better way of saying this 'dumb it down' a little. But definitely play up your practical teaching experience- this usually counts for a lot more than the TESOLs and Celtas in Japan.

2. Don't expect to have a crack at ANYTHING other than a conversation school or the JET program if you're not in Japan. Even in Japan PaulH, Glenski and Gordon will tell you just how difficult it is to secure university/college giggs, but if you're outside of Japan- IMPOSSIBLE. Plus you're a bit 'underqualified' for those to be honest, but not terribly so. Glenski, PaulH and Gordon can give you full details on how to 'level up' so you would be eligible for college/uni giggs (ONCE YOU'RE IN JAPAN)- you're kind of stuck in a very frustrating nether region.

3. Get over your issue about not wanting to teach children- I'm not picking on you, I'm not keen on them myself- but this is THE market right now in conversation schools and NONE of the big one's (or little ones) will consider you unless you're willing to teach kids- yes, even one's as young as 3-4 years old. As someone said, at least tell them you'll teach kids even if you hate it. Once you're in Japan with a visa and have established yourself a bit, you'll definitely have more flexible opportunities.

The Japan market is VERY tight and competative these days, more so than it has been in a long while. On top that, 3 year visas are being handed out left and right which creates a pretty large pool of eligible teachers 'in-country'. Therefore you really can't be as picky as you might want to be if you're outside Japan (or even in Japan but without a proper work visa).

If being IN JAPAN is more important then that first teaching job, then set your sights a bit lower and just get 'in the door' with whatever you're offered and get the visa. If you're more interested IN THE JOB than being in Japan, then I think you might have better luck teaching in another country.

Hope that's helpful. Good luck in whatever you decide to do.

Cheers,
ryuro

nomadder · Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2004 11:40 pm Post subject:

Yes the market is not so good these days. Bad conditions in Western countries coupled with 3 year visas and Westerners(mainly men) marrying Japanese-not to mention a soso Japanese economy make for a bad job market overall. It may be necessary to look elsewhere.

noki · Joined: 25 Nov 2004 Posts: 8

its been sometime since you posted your message, so hopefully htings are looking brighter. but if not, hang in there. i can totally empathise with you, i was in a similar situation and had been looking for jobs since september with abolutely no response. but just today i got exactly the job i wanted. so really, keep the faith (!) it will happen. after all, they need you.

all the best!!

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

noki · Joined: 25 Nov 2004 Posts: 8

yes...

this is the place i had an interview with today. however, i did ask them all the questions that were suggested - the sponsorship, salary, working hours and i will recieve a list of current teachers' contacts shortly.

it isnt' perfect really, a lot of corporate classes and travelling, but one of the most important things for me was to be close to my friend and her family, who i will be staying with.

i was just feeling this tremendous joy and relief and wanted to pass on the happiness! it is true, i should be wary, and not grab anything just because i'm desperate, and i am probably in some danger of doing that.

that's why this forum is so helpful! it has helped me keep my perspective.

however, for the time being, i am just revelling in the fact that i've got my first job.

ronin · Joined: 22 Feb 2003 Posts: 50 Location: canada

Yeah there is to much competition in the teaching market in Japan as Japanese culture gets more popular in the west (anime, movies) people are scrambling to get there. The jobs are getting scarce and this is why I came back to Canada so that I can do a degree in international relations so when I come back to Japan I'll be working at an embassy or consulate.

Or if my Asian pop culture magazine takes off then I'll be coming to Japan and other countries in short spurts to do stories and research, which ever comes first.