Job Discussion Forums

[AndyP]

Ok, in addition to not being 100% clear on what my problems are, I've had a couple of pints (hey! it's St. Patricks Day... give me a break!) and am a little worse for wear. Still, I'd like to choose this particular moment in time to ask for opinions, advice, help, stupid comments, smug remarks, flames, ANYTHING regarding getting a teaching position in Japan - particularly at an Eikaiwa.

Wait, don't spit at me in disgust! Before you judge me, let me tell you my story (which is probably quite similar to one you have heard before.)

Well, I used to be good at art, but then I got into computers and thought programming might be fun. I finished my A-Levels (qualifications we English finish at around 18 years of age) and went to university to study computer science. After finishing university with a bit of fancy paper that had stuff printed on it, a large debt and generally feeling that programming was a bit rubbish, I decided to look for videogame art jobs. A short while later, I got one. Two years later, I'm fed up and want to escape to Japan to teach English.

As you can see, I've never really focused on English, teaching or working with children or people in general. This is the first of my problems. I understand that there are a lot of people who also want to go to Japan to teach English at the moment, and looking at this forum, most of them are more qualified to do so than I am. Right now, the highest English qualification I have is a B in English language and an A in literature at GCSE (we Brits finish these at around 16.) These two qualifications are now worthless. I have nothing else related, with the exception of a TESOL course I'm doing that starts at the end of May.

Now, I have reasons for wanting to teach in Japan in particular. Japan wasn't chosen during an alchol induced moment of clarity involving a dart and a map of the world (or a careers guidance councillor, for that matter.) Please allow me to explain.

I had originally written quite a lot of extra stuff, but to get to the point:
1. I have a Japanese girlfriend who I met in England, but who returned to Japan. We've been together nearly two years, and have gone on several holidays together, but the time spent apart isn't easy.
2. I'm learning Japanese. It's bloody hard. It's especially hard having nobody to practice with and no forced immersion into the language.
3. My holidays in Japan have made me realise that it's where I want to spend at least a year or two of my life. I know Japan isn't a perfect country, but what I've seen as an outsider has been far preferable to what I've seen as an insider in Britain. Sadken tells the truth.
4. I am not phased by the lack of Marmite in Japan. I have heard that some foreigners have had trouble acclimatising to a land free of Marmite, and whilst I realise this will be a challenging time for me, I think Japan offers enough alternatives to take my mind away from tar on toast.

In case anyone was wondering why I want to teach, here is a quick rundown:
1. Teaching English doesn't seem entirely pointless - unlike making crap games for crap money for crap people. As Ali G once pointed out, "we need education throughout the nation to get into the space station"... Helping people learn English seems like a fairly worthwhile persuit. I get some satisfaction at work from helping people learn the tools we use, I think I could enjoy teaching.
2. There isn't a lot else better for a foreigner in Japan with fairly basic Japanese language skills, and far less that pays well.

Since I'm not someone that has studied English, teaching or teaching English, I can't really say that I KNOW in my heart that I will either be a good teacher or enjoy teaching. However, I will try bloody valiantly to do the job properly and do my best. Should I find a job, I will try and avoid skulking off to the pub after work with my disillusioned eikaiwa workmates and moaning until I no longer remember how to smile, or what the word 'happy' means.

Right, I'll try and wrap this post up with my problems.

1. As I mentioned before, I have no teaching or English background (other than the obvious being a Brit thing,) so my CV is going to look pretty barren, once I trim the crap (I trust that even the most forward thinking and high-tech schools don't use 3d Studio Max to teach English.) My reasons for wanting to teach are fairly selfish and practical. I've read the resume writing sticky post, but still don't know if what I have will be enough to get into even an eikaiwa.
2. As I mentioned, I want to leave for Japan in mid-July. This means I need to find a job and get a visa sorted asap. Will the pre-TESOL course status affect my chances of getting a job? Will companies favour a TESOL certificate holder significantly more than me, despite my intention of having the qualification before I start work?
3. I want to leave for Japan by mid July - even if I can't find a job before then. Does anyone know if I can get a working holiday visa and use it to look for permanent employment whilst supporting myself with non-permanent employment and pretending to be on holiday? I'd plan to get a work visa once I'd found a job.
4. I am normally very honest and blunt about everything (perhaps my bluntness doesn't come across in this fairly obtuse first post.) How honest would you recommend I be in my resume, covering letter and any potential interviews I have? Is it worth mentioning the whole girlfriend thing? Should I request a placement, or say "Honestly, anywhere is fine, I'm just about ready to lick the dirt off your shoes if you give me a job!"? Should I try and hide my thoughts about how teaching may work out for me and say "I was hit by a car and nearly died. I saw a tunnel, and at the end of that tunnel was a bright light. As I came close to the light, I saw God, who told me that I must first fulfill my potential as an English teacher."? Any tips here?

I'm thinking of sticking to just the eikaiwas when submitting job applications. I'll be sending my resume to Aeon, NOVA, GEOS, ECC, Interac and possibly a few others. I am pretty much willing to work for anyone, anywhere, although I'd prefer to work in the Kinki/Kansai area, since my girlfriend lives in Shiga.


I greatly appreciate any help that anyone can give me (in addition to the indirect help I've received by reading this forum for the past few weeks.) Also, thanks for bothering to read through to the end. THANKYOU


p.s.
I've tried JET twice now, and failed both times. The first time I submitted late, but got an interview, which I royally screwed up. The second time, I submitted on time, with more experience, better idea of what I wanted, more Japanese language ability and a TESOL qualification pending and didn't even get an interview in which to make a fool of myself. Still, I was less pissed off the second time, since plan B was already in action.

If you are, or have been a JET, it is likely that I will be extremely jealous of you. Please don't take this jealousy as dislike, should it somehow come through in one of my posts

[Glenski]

AndyP,

[Albright]

1. You speak English as a native language? You have a college degree (in anything)? You're in. This is the basics of what eikaiwa look for. Don't worry about it.

2. Having a TESOL will definitely be a nice addition to your CV, but as mentioned above, it's not necessary. At some places it will earn you a slightly higher salary, but not enough to sweat over.

3. I strongly suggest trying to score a job before you get to Japan; it'll make life easier by a huge factor, as the company will help you find housing, find your way around town, and other things that will be rather difficult at a place where you don't know the native tongue. It's currently the hiring season, so start applying to schools now. That being said, many people do as you mention; come over on a tourist visa to search for a job, then make the switch to a worker's visa when they find one. As for supporting yourself with other employment while you search (what employment did you have in mind?), I can't recommend that; there are plenty of stories around about people being deported when they're caught earning income on the wrong visa. It'd be best, were you to do this, to simply bring as much money with you as you can and use that to live off of until you land a job.

Again, though, I must emphasize that your way will be infinitely better if you can find a company to work for before you leave.

4. NO NO NO NO! Do NOT mention your sweetie anywhere in the application or interview process; even if you do have a real desire to teach, it will just make you look like you're trying to get over here for all the wrong reasons. You can request to be placed where your girl lives, but if you really want the job, I would be sure to make it clear that it's not a deal-breaker if you don't get placed where you want. If that happens, you'll just have to take the train to your girl's place on your days off or something.

Good luck.

[JimDunlop2]

[canuck]

I'd say do a TEFL or a CELTA certificate. At my high school, we only hire teachers with one. It will give you some more insight and you can hit the ground running when you come here.

No, you won't be able to teach 3D Max, Maya, XSI or Lightwave. I almost started a 3D Modeling club...but most school computers don't have the power to run any of the programs...licencing is another issue altogether.

[Cshannon]

I think JimDunlop was right... don't sound so desperate - you make yourself out to be somehow 'lesser' than the other hundred-thousand dudes teaching English here. Honestly, most of us are just shmucks with good intentions and the same ideas as you. Not many PhD's around that I've met, just on this forum it seems. Basically, it's easy to find 'some job' (despite what others might tell you), and if you're a good guy who tries hard it will show and things should work out.
The grass sure ain't greener, though. You probably won't find a job 'just right for you' unless you stay for a long time and get connected, but you can find 'a job' at an eikaiwa etc.. There are plenty of opportunities, part-time especially if you come with a WHV. I find you've just got to use the system, that's what the Japanese do. Just make yourself look very English (speaking), professional, polish the resume etc. and don't really offer so many confessions. Just tell them what they want to hear, and nothing more (I wouldn't tell them you NEED their help, for example), and you'll be fine. TEFL/CELTA does help, so I'd get that (again despite what some other people say).
I can't speak Japanese much either, so I feel your plight. Tokyo is kind of a brutal place to be honest. You'll probably just want to work a lot 'till you get $$$ (after that I don't know what happens, I guess it becomes 'fun', but I haven't passed that stage yet...). Anyway, don't sweat it too much, you can do it. Best of luck, happy St. Paddy's.

[AndyP]

Many thanks to everyone who replied.

I think I knew the answers to some of my questions but wanted extra assurance before I finalise my resume and send it out to people.

Thanks in particular for telling me that I'm not neccessarily any worse than anyone else. I've been reading this forum for a little while, and there are a lot of really smart people with qualifications and experience all over the place, in addition to many who just write very good, clear posts. It was starting to worry me a bit, since I had heard that although there are a lot of jobs, there is also a lot of competition and the jobs got snapped up pretty quickly.

Glenski, I meant that teaching seems like a worthwhile career. There was no emphasis on entirely. I certainly wasn't trying to put down anybody's job other than my own

Jim, thanks for the slap back to reality. I still want to go for it even if the students are all gits. There may well be other jobs I could enjoy and make a living off, but I'd assume such jobs would be more difficult to find - certainly a car wrecking yard won't have offices in the UK I can apply to

I recognise that there is a good chance I will end up being a human tape recorder. Still, I think that I will enjoy human-human interaction a little more than human-computer interaction. If I don't enjoy teaching, my backup is to try and last the year, and then return to the games industry - after such a break, it might feel fresh and exciting again.

Oh, and the grass is greener on the side my girlfriend is at. Hey, we might break up, but at least I won't beat myself up about not trying.

Japan did seem pretty great to me as an outsider. I know England has a lot to recommend too, and inversely Japan also has some things to stay clear of, but I see the two countries as fairly even really. I just need to take time away from England and try something new. Let's just say the grass is fresher and more tantalising (also imagine that I'm a cow.)

Canuck, TESOL (teaching english to speakers of other languages) is a TEFL qualification. I'll be starting at the end of May. It's good to know that there are schools that look for such a qualification, so it might give me a bit of an advantage.

I don't want to teach Max to students, I was just saying that my Max experience seemed like one of many things currently on my cv that will be irrelevant when applying for a teaching position.

Out of curiosity, what background did you come from before starting to teach? Did you use 3d packages at work, or is it a hobby?

Cshannon, thanks for the encouragement and happy St. Paddy's to you too.

Albright. Thanks to you too I doubt I'll go to Japan before scoring a job. The working holiday visa does like it could be useful if I can't get a teaching job before I leave, so I might try and get one anyway.

Again, thanks everyone.