Job Discussion Forums

[theprof00]

Hi this is my first posting to this awesome website. Just wanna say thanks to everyone in advance.

Anyways,
I want to find a job in Japan teaching English, however, I have no previous experience, am only in my second year of college, have been turned down by NOVA and have no qualifications.

Now I know that sounds pretty horrific, but, I can read Hiragana and Katakana, I can understand a little conversational Japanese, I have been there twice previously for a total time of 1 and a half months, and I'm a laugh in a pinch. I'm a 22 year old male, and i'm VERY good looking... well I look a lot like an anime character ! I'm also a French-American citizen(dual citizenship). I would like to be in a large city where I can make a lot of friends. I'm also a very fast learner and can take direction well. I am highly adaptable and have experience at living in foreign countried for extended periods.

Now, I have read a lot of posts and the plan I've formulated is to go to Japan in early Febuary with about 4000 dollars US stay with some friends (if possible, not for sure yet) and hunt for jobs. I would like to stay for a year if possible.

Thanks for any feedback on this! thx

[JimDunlop2]

Not in February 2006, I hope.

I apologize in advance if this comes across as rude....

1. Why would you abandon completing your degree in favour of coming here?

2. The reason why no company will touch you (like NOVA) is because you have no degree. The qualifications part is not so important, but you gotta have at least something.

3. Unless you can get a Working Holiday Visa through your French citizenship, j'suis desole mon ami, but you'll have to finish your college degree first in order to get a Working Visa in Japan.

4. What other, more specific feedback were you looking for?

[theprof00]

well, i know that obviously no company will take without a degree, but I was wondering how difficult it was to get a part time at a mom and pop or anything in that respect.

And as for my degree, I am a major in linguistics and I really want to get my Japanese a lot better. Over here I'm really learning nothing, college in the U.S. is like high school in France. You need to go for masters before you learn anything, and even then you wouldnt be able to learn the full language. My mother is a professor of french in a university over here, and she has many Japanese friends. She gave me the idea of going to teach as she was informed that "people do it all the time".

[JimDunlop2]

Part time/full time, big/small company, makes no difference. If you get caught doing it without a work visa, WHV or another visa that allows you to do so, you risk getting deported. Many companies, even if it's only part-time will ask to copy your passport's visa page to ensure you are legal.... If they get caught hiring someone who's not, they face massive fines.

If you come on a tourist visa (90 days) you definitely cannot do any kind of work. You technically aren't even allowed to look for work -- although many, many people do it anyway. Some of the other visas that will allow you to work at least part-time and stay for longer than 3 months at a time include: a dependent visa, a spousal visa, a student visa (P/T only and you must be registered in a proper Japanese school who records attendence).

Depends what you mean by "people do it all the time." Do WHAT exactly? Work for a year while still in uni and not having a degree? Yes, I have a friend who did exactly what you want to do -- except he was Canadian so he was able to come in on a WHV.

Like I said, can you get a WHV through your French citizenship? If so, I'd say that's the only way to get your foot in the door at this time. If you ARE elligible, and want to come in February, I'd starting working on it very soon -- you can't get the thing overnight. My wife and I did it and it took us about 2 weeks (and we were rushing to get it done).

[Sweetsee]

Where in France are you from?

[Glenski]

Unless I'm mistaken, you have to apply for a working holiday visa in the country where you have citizenship. Since Americans are not eligible for the WHV, you must apply in France.

People "do it all the time". Yes, people get jobs all the time, but they meet visa requirements first. You will have to, too.

Even so, with a WHV in hand, you will have to come here to interview for the "mom and pop" employers.

By the way, you won't need any Japanese to teach most students, and you won't even be allowed to use it in the classroom anyway. Japanese will be useful only for teaching younger children and for daily survival.

Your looks won't matter much, either. Your sense of humor will, and you won't have to be in a pinch, either. Your experience at living in foreign countries will probably be looked upon favorably, too.

[PAULH]

[canuck]

Unless you come on a working holiday visa, you have no chance, no matter how much hiragana and katakana (bit whoop ), how much you look like Dragonball Z and how good-looking you perceive yourself to be.

[PAULH]

[Jizzo T. Clown]

[Stosskraft]

[Brooks]

conceited.

he should get a degree first.

[Gordon]

Maybe he is looking for "I'm too sexy" English school.

[PAULH]

Maybe he's the Charisma Man.

http://karatethejapaneseway.com/photos/charisma_man_01.jpg

[JimDunlop2]

Now, now people. Remember to give the guy the benefit of a doubt... Not everyone writes like Hemmingway at age 22.

I think the senior forum contributors have done more than enough to answer the OP's original questions... If you have nothing more to contribute, there's plenty of people in China Off-Topic to go pick on....