Job Discussion Forums

[The Goblin Queen]

I'm wondering the best way to go about things, as I assume most of us are.
I apologize if these inquiries are repeated constantly within these forums.
My name is Meghan and I'm 21, and I live in Vancouver, BC.
I've just finished my classes for getting my TEFL certifcate at Vancouver Community College. I still have yet to finish a couple of take-home exams and a 28-hour practicum of volunteering in classrooms. I also need to apply for my passport and get a working holiday visa (or something similar) from the local Japanese embassy here. I also plan on taking as many Japanese classes as possible before I go until I can stand it no more.
I don't have a degree. And no, I'm not trying to mock all of you who claim to take their teaching careers seriously, or whathaveyou. I am just really interested in broadening my horizons, creating experiences, learning, and being awesome.
I took the TEFL certificate course with the knowlege given to me by the school that not all ESL schools require a bachelors degree (or something similar.)
I've never been to Japan, but it is my #1 choice of destination. I'm not really there to make money, but I'm hoping I will make enough to fund my experience there, and not lose a bunch of cash in the process.

So I'm wondering quite a few things, and I'm hoping for some honesty, cuz I would really appreciate it...

-is it better to go to Japan and THEN look for a job, or look for one here, and THEN go?
-what schools are respectable, yet still hire beginner teachers with TEFL certification? (If there is a contract required, a 3-month one would be preferable.)
-what are the key things that need to be taken care of before going? (ie: medical, clothing, certain items that can't be found in Japan, getting a computer, insurance, etc.)
-where are affordable/safe places to stay while looking for a place to live/a job? (ie: hostels, etc.)
-what areas of Japan are more affordable to live in/not rural and ten thousand lightyears away from cities?
-what areas of Japan are the most open-minded/casual/artistic?
-what are some good tips on saving money? (going to/from and being in Japan)
-what are some of the best ways to learn how to get around?
-what are some tips on not getting screwed over for being a first-time visitor/caucasian/first-time teacher/not a fluent speaker of Nihongo/etc.?
-what other key considerations am I missing?

Basically, I need a game plan. Ideally, I would like to end up in Japan in the spring of 2006.

Thanks very much for your patience.

^_^

-Meghan

[marblez]

Meghan, there are a few things in your post which require attention.

#1- Japan requires a BA to teach. Lucky for you, your age and citizenship qualifies you for a working holiday visa in Japan. The only thing I could see is that you would be bottom-of-the-list when it comes to educational qualifications (since most would have the BA).

#2- The 3-month contract. As far as I have read, this isn't common and may be near impossible to get. What school wants to hire someone who will up and leave during the year?

Anyways, hostels.com is a good place to find deals. Sorry I don't know more about Japan, but I'm planning on going there after I finish uni.

[Glenski]

While I have answered Meghan's questions on the Japan forum, here is one for marblez.

You do NOT need a BA to teach here. People with working holiday visas, spouse visas, dependent visas, and student visas do not need degrees, yet they can teach here.

[marblez]

Sorry, I meant to qualify for the 'standard' visa.

Glenski, if someone came to Japan without a BA (but legally), how would their job prospects be? I'm curious. Is there a lot of competition?

[Glenski]

marblez,
Coming to Japan legally without a BA still means going with the plans I have listed. The market is quite saturated right now, and salaries are falling. What used to be a standard wage for over a decade (250,000 yen/month) is changing. Some employers are offering as little as 170,000 yen/month, which is barely enough to break even on basic necessities unless you share housing with someone. The main reason they get away with offering such a pittance is because there are enough people here with no experience who are willing to take such pay. Each has his own reasons for doing so, and they really shouldn't, but that's the current situation.

Job prospects will therefore partly be based on whether you are willing to accept such crummy pay.

Another aspect is whether you have any experience at all back home despite the lack of a BA. If you have it, it will obviously be in your favor. As long as you are here legally fit for work (with any of the visas I mentioned), it is up to the employer to decide whether your chemistry fits his operation. Sometimes age plays a part in this, sometimes a bit of racism does, too.

The type of work such people can get is usually limited to the bottom rung of the ladder -- conversation schools. No experience is needed, no EFL/ESL certification is needed, and employers sometimes offer meager training in the methods they want you to use in the classroom. Sometimes, however, you have to create lesson plans. My first job had a couple of books to follow, but they were so thin on material that an 80-minute lesson was impossible unless teachers built supplemental materials. All we had to do was meet a deadline of chapter A by date B.

If I were an employer, I would treat people with spouse visas with greater acceptance simply because the spouse visa suggests that they are here for a longer term and/or that they are more adaptable to the culture. Generalization, I know, but that's all you have to go on. Next in line would be dependent visa or working holiday visa, again because of certain stability in their situations. Student visa holders would be too young, and their studies should come first, so as an employer, I would rate them least employable. I really don't know what employers think, though.

Lastly, it seems that there has been a rise in the number of part-time work here, so if people in any visa category can string these together, it can sometimes be more profitable. Scheduling such things, though, is either not always possible, or it is simply too grueling to keep so many lesson plans straight.