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InLimbo
Joined: 25 Jun 2003
Posts: 11
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 Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2003 8:49 pm Post subject: All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Go (Recent CELTA grad. no job) |
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Hi.
I am a 4-year university graduate and just completed my CELTA training.
Over the past week, I submitted my resume to 12 different organizations,
including GEOS, Nova, and ECC. I'll apply to AEON soon enough.
I have received only a single reply (from GEOS). The other 11 haven't
even so much as acknowledged receipt of my application.
In any case, nothing seems to be different for me (with the CELTA) than
before. I applied over the years to language schools before I had my
CELTA. Now that I have it, I don't see any difference in perception from
prospective employers.
I would like some advice (as detailed as possible). I am hoping to
work in Tokyo, Japan. However, the job posting board at this website
has about 10 or so openings dating back over the past several months.
My only hope lies with GEOS, but that isn't for a couple of months.
By the way, anyone knows how long GEOS takes to send you over to
Japan once they make the decision to hire you? I sure hope I impress
them enough.
Thanks. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2003 2:01 am Post subject: |
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Over the past week, I submitted my resume to 12 different organizations,
including GEOS, Nova, and ECC. I'll apply to AEON soon enough.
I have received only a single reply |
A week is not long enough, even with email. Wait 2-3 weeks.
| Quote: |
The other 11 haven't
even so much as acknowledged receipt of my application.
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And, they may never do so. I wouldn't sit around waiting longer than 2-3 weeks. On a rather sensitive issue, I wonder what your resume and cover letter look like. I've seen plenty from linguistics majors (PhD) who couldn't write their way out of a paper bag. No offense meant, but if you don't get many responses at all, perhaps it would be a good idea to have an outside party review your resume/letter. One more thought, did you apply to those 12 places in response to ads, or just as "cold calls"? If they aren't hiring/advertising, they may not have a reason to reply.
| Quote: |
In any case, nothing seems to be different for me (with the CELTA) than
before. I applied over the years to language schools before I had my
CELTA. Now that I have it, I don't see any difference in perception from
prospective employers |
This just goes to show that having such a certification doesn't really matter in Japan for the language schools. No offense meant, just a simple statement of fact.
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| I would like some advice (as detailed as possible). |
Where have you searched for work?
www.ohayosensei.com (updated twice monthly)
www.eltnews.com (updated daily)
www.gaijinpot.com (updated daily, and will send you ads automatically)
www.jobsinjapan.com (updated daily but not weekends)
The Japan Times (Monday edition)
Are you only interested in language schools, or have you thought about high schools, kindergartens, elementary schools, too? These aren't advertised as widely, as having contacts are more important, but they can be found on the sites above. |
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cheryl
Joined: 01 Apr 2003
Posts: 119
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2003 3:13 am Post subject: |
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Glenski:
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| I've seen plenty from linguistics majors (PhD) who couldn't write their way out of a paper bag. No offense meant, |
No offense meant?? hehe No offense taken. My faculty we knew we stank at writing...
InLimbo: have you tried applying to your University's ESL program? I found my University preferred internal hiring. Also are you in Canada? the U.S.? Britian? I'm only asking because in Canada you woudn't be able to work in the public school system unless you'd been to teacher's college. |
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angelshade
Joined: 09 Jun 2003
Posts: 6
Location: San Francisco, CA
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| Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2003 3:30 am Post subject: |
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Hi InLimbo,
I agree with Glenski. Wait at least 2 weeks. I think GEOS is the exception when it comes to response time.
From the FAQ section of the GEOS website:
When should I apply?
Please apply within 2 to 4 months of your availability date.
It takes approximately 1-2 months to approve your work visa. During my interview with GEOS, I told them I was available to work asap. They decided to hire me 2 weeks ago, and I will be leaving for Japan in about 4.5 weeks. So total time: about 6.5 wks.
I also think it really depends on how fast you can get your visa documentation to them as well as what openings they have available. I was able to send everything in the same week I accepted.
Good luck with the interview! I'm sure you'll do fine. There are threads in this forum regarding the GEOS interview in particular for your reference. |
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TokyoLiz
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 1548
Location: Tokyo, Japan
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| Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2003 4:46 am Post subject: CELTA? |
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I'd say if you have just done your CELTA training, or any TESOL/EFL training certificate, stay away from places like GEOS, NOVA, etc. They are not interested in your qualification and you may find that their prescribed methods of teaching actually run counter to your training.
You may find that high school jobs give you more satisfaction and demand more of your teacher training and skills. I'm with Glenski on this one - check out other job situations besides Eikaiwas. |
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InLimbo
Joined: 25 Jun 2003
Posts: 11
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| Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2003 8:03 pm Post subject: |
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Hello, all.
Thanks for your responses.
I am located in the U.S. Yes, I am
interested in high schools or
universities (but I think you need
an M.A. for that..?). However,
advertisements for such locations
are few and far between.
You said I pretty much need a
contact for that. Most of my
application submissions were in
response to posted ads. Only 2 or
3 did I send an unsolicited
application.
I'm really at a loss as to get
into the system, other than
monitoring the ads all over the
web. However, I've seen most of
such ads either require you to
currently reside in Japan, which I
am not, or are looking for part-time
teachers, which I don't want.
The rest of them only want you
to teach children, which I am
unprepared for and perhaps
unwilling to do.
In any case, I'll take anything I
can get, even if it means teaching
at an eikawa runs counter to
my training.
I really am amazed at how
unexperienced, uncertified teachers
get hired into the public school
system (perhaps jealous too).
By the way, I'm getting a NOVA
interview too. That's sooner
than the GEOS one, so I might
go that route if they pick me.
Thank you for reading. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2003 8:29 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| Yes, I am interested in high schools or universities (but I think you need an M.A. for that..?). |
You need the MA for university work. You don't need it for high school work.
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| However, advertisements for such locations are few and far between. |
High schools don't always post openly. Often, you have to have a contact or know how to read Japanese to see the ads. But, the ads are out there! In April's ohayosensei.com, there were a dozen ads for such positions (including full-blown teachers, ALTs, and PT jobs at high schools, kindergarten and junior college), and none of them required or even preferred a master's degree. A BA or BS was sufficient, but nearly all of them also wanted some kind of experience. A few wanted experience plus a certification. They all paid the same as eikaiwas.
| Quote: |
I'm really at a loss as to get into the system, other than
monitoring the ads all over the web. However, I've seen most of
such ads either require you to currently reside in Japan, which I
am not, or are looking for part-time teachers, which I don't want. |
Not all of them require that you live in Japan when you apply, but look at it from the employer's point of view. If you are already here, you can interview more easily, and you are probably more serious about teaching than someone who is still in his homeland. Plus, you are probably more financially able to survive the start-up. This may sound unfair to fresh college graduates, many who want to pay off student loans, but teaching EFL is not a free ride and sometimes involves a bit of a risk. If you find an employer while you are still in your homeland, you will have to shell out the money to fly here and put yourself up, and there is no guarantee that you will pass the interview anyway, so why not look at this from the financial perspective first? Prepare, and jump in prepared. |
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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| Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2003 11:34 pm Post subject: |
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| InLimbo wrote: |
Hello, all.
Thanks for your responses.
I am located in the U.S. Yes, I am
interested in high schools or
universities (but I think you need
an M.A. for that..?). However,
advertisements for such locations
are few and far between.
You said I pretty much need a
contact for that. Most of my
application submissions were in
response to posted ads. Only 2 or
3 did I send an unsolicited
application.
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Here is the page from ELT news on getting jobs at universities. Firstly you will need a Masters to get an interview and if you are after full time jobs you will need at least 3 academic publications
There are a couple of places that advertise but you will need to be able to read Japanese and competition for jobs within Japan is stiff. Usually you need to need to know somebody who is leaving or has an inside track on vacancies, as well as having all the requirements that the job posting asks for including a resume written in japanese, references, and sometimes a video of one of your classes.
Some Do's and Don'ts for Getting Hired
Don't get a list of schools in Japan and then waste incredible amounts on copying and postage costs sending your resume to all the schools listed. Most schools do not maintain files of applicants, especially not ones coming from overseas in a foreign language. Schools accept applications when they are conducting searches to fill specific jobs in their organisational structure. Do target your job search to those jobs which are available. The key, then, is to be effective in finding out about what jobs are open.
The Web and its many search and directory facilities open up incredible possibilities in finding job listings for Japan, and many if not most schools put out certain job announcements overseas. However, the better publicised an attractive job is, the more likely it is to have a large number of highly qualified applicants. Because of this, one of the smartest ways to do effective job searches is the old fashioned way: personal contacts and connections.
Check in at your undergraduate or graduate school to find job announcements; some of these may be targeted particularly at your school because it has some sort of special sister school relationship with a college or university in Japan.
About Duties and Qualifications
Internationals are often hired for select positions that are meant to complement the majority of staff positions held by Japanese nationals. International ELT professionals are almost invariably expected to teach English speaking and listening skills as a primary responsibility. At the tertiary level, duties may also include English writing and reading skills as well.
Especially at national and public schools, foreign instructors teach the larger, survey-type, "service" courses, while Japanese nationals teach the smaller, so-called "advanced" classes geared towards junior and senior students working to complete their majors. Since university instructors and professors are expected to plan, implement and evaluate their own classes without help or collaboration, it is vital for candidates to show experiences and abilities that indicate a capacity to adapt quickly and teach independently.
Experience
Generally, it is preferred that all applicants have at least two years of experience teaching (in order of desirability) 1) at a Japanese university or college, 2) at a junior or senior high school in Japan, 3) at an overseas college where the subject taught was EFL. Being able to show a successful track record with Japanese students is extremely helpful. The reason is simple: hiring a non-Japanese represents a great investment in time and money; this will have been wasted if the international proves unable (as a significant proportion do) to complete the full-term of his or her contract.
Qualifications
Having a master's degree in either TESOL or applied linguistics has been considered de rigueur (though such a qualification is only now becoming common among Japanese teachers). Recently, however, a significant number of positions have required a degree in another speciality (such as business), either in addition to, or in lieu of, the more traditional TESOL-related degree. Three publications are the usual minimum requirement for employment consideration at many schools, especially for the "kyouin" positions. Having more is helpful, but be careful about seeming to pad your resume with marginally relevant publications.
Age
Age is another important issue: it is often very difficult for foreign nationals above the age of 35 to find full-time employment in Japan at the tertiary level unless they have either a significant amount of experience teaching in Japanese universities or an impressive publishing record. Having both is often necessary. If older teachers do manage to find work, it is often because a particular department really wanted them for a particular speciality.
To be fair to those departments who seem guilty of "age discrimination" here - one thing else must be said: if promotion in many places is still based on seniority, and if departments are under scrutiny and criticism for making promotion too much a matter of course (i.e. ageing), then it makes very good sense for a department to hire the youngest candidate available. Such age bias often applies to Japanese nationals as well as international candidates.
Japanese Language Skills
Finally, there's the sticky question of Japanese ability. Some universities include intermediate to advanced Japanese skills among their minimum requirements; many do not. The general rule seems to be this: Japanese skills are rarely necessary to qualify for short-term, "gaikokujin kyoushi"-type positions; most schools offering long-term "kyouin" positions, however, expect you to be reasonably conversant in the language before applying.
Furthermore, while schools located in the bigger cities (e.g., Tokyo, Kyoto, etc.) rarely ask for Japanese ability, schools located outside these metropolises almost invariably make Japanese skills one of their requirements. As the competition for employment among foreigners is often quite fierce in the major metropolises, learning some Japanese might be just the thing to separate you from the pack.
Conclusions
The fact that even an official at the Ministry of Education thinks that it is a good thing that Japan will lose half of its colleges and universities in the next decade due to demographic decline might make it sound like this part of the ELT job market in Japan is a dead end. To be sure, it is a sector that is undergoing much pressure to adapt to the new Japan.
First, remember, as an international, you do not fit in the Japanese idea of lifelong employment. But second, also keep in mind that many schools will try to hire as many people as possible on short-term contracts and for part-time employment because they want to have a "flexible workforce"-this extends to Japanese nationals as well. Circumstances mitigating the somewhat bleak picture we have painted include:
(1) many universities are altering their curricula to reflect the real world needs of the market place; this often places an increased emphasis on EFL learning, since it is seen as a very practical, marketable skill.
(2) even as school-age populations continue to decline, colleges and universities will keep their enrolments up by expanding standards for admission and offering courses to non-traditional students.
(3) more young women will continue their education on to 4-year and even graduate schools, also thus helping to maintain and even grow enrolments.
(4) 2-year colleges traditionally geared toward young women will become 4-year co-ed schools in order to try and survive, and those that do will surely be offering more teaching jobs. |
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bohinj
Joined: 03 Mar 2003
Posts: 30
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| Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2003 4:11 pm Post subject: How's your essay? |
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| I can't say for certain but for the big chain schools I think the essay is a big part of getting in the door. You need to come across as flexible, excited about exploring Japan and Japanese culture, helpful, etc. I would not specify that you want to live in Tokyo unless you will absolutely not take a position elsewhere. Have you been to Japan? So many people think there's no life outside of Tokyo but actually there are a number of great cities with plenty to do. Another point about your essay and resume, even though the chain schools get bad mouthed on this board, I think they are looking for employees who come across as professional, polished and eager to learn their way of teaching and doing business. |
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Jax
Joined: 28 May 2003
Posts: 16
Location: UK
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| Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2003 2:36 pm Post subject: |
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Have you tried giving the places you applied to a follow up call?
I recently applied to several places myself and, like you, heard nothing. After about two weeks' I got the numbers and called the places to (politely) check on my application and it seemed to work.
Though it could have been coincidence I suppose... |
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fion
Joined: 03 Feb 2003
Posts: 69
Location: tokyo
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| Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2003 11:32 am Post subject: |
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These companies who recruit abroad are, basically, rather strange companies. I also applied to Nova years ago and 'wasn't favoured with the courtesy of a response'. No complaints, from where I stand now I wouldn't use a Nova contract as toilet paper, but I'll never know why my application was ignored and there's not much point worrying about it. If you want a visa (and it is the easiest way to go) keep trying but with a view to moving on to better things once you get here. TEFL certificates for some reason don't count for much in Japan, but teaching skills do and if you have a TEFL certificate you're one step ahead on teaching skills as compared to the boy backpackers. Gambatte!
Fion |
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