Job Discussion Forums

[bosintang]

I'm here. I'm an ALT. I can't help but wonder if I made a mistake in choosing Japan. It feels like I arrived 10-15 years too late.

For all the conversation schools and foreign teachers around, you would think that most Japanese would at least be conversational by now, but they don't seem too serious about learning the language.

The money in Japan these days is comparatively very low compared to other Asian countries like Korea and Vietnam, possibly even China. You can't live the same kind of lifestyle on your salary here as you can in Thailand.

As for being an ALT, its an easy enough job. Its probably better than working in a conversation school, especially a chain one like NOVA or GEOS, but my job satisfaction is still very low. I feel both underutilised and underchallenged, and thats not going to change. To be frank, the job is boring as hell. I feel like what I am, a low-paid, low-skilled worker.

As for perks of being an ALT, excluding the JETs, there are few. In my BoE, there's no job security and no matter how good of a job I could do I would not be guaranteed a position next year because the contract bidding for ALT dispatchers doesn't take place until March. At best they could reccomend me to whatever company wins the contract. As ALT dispatchers try to underbid each other for these contracts, salaries and benefits are actually dropping. If I planned on staying in this position long enough, I would need to buy a car. That would eat up any opportunity I have for savings.

I'm sure there are much better jobs than the typical conversational schools and ALT positions, but they are rare enough that I don't see them cross the job boards often. People who have been here awhile already and have built up solid connections would be the ones likely to be in these positions.

Is Japan really worth it? Why? If I was giving advice to someone back home, right now I'd say no. Life in other countries may be a harder grind than Japan, but at the end of the day you'll have something to show for it.

Anyways, I thought I'd just throw this out for a discussion.

[PAULH]

I probably wouldnt recommend japan if they are coming for the money but the experience is probably worth it. Just as long as they know streets are not paved with gold and you wont get treated like a rock star unless you are out in the boonies.

The only decent paying jobs now seem to be in universities and high schools but even then there is no job security. Im a long term resident here, decades of experience but am still on one year contracts. Its a fac t of life unfortunately but i have mouths to feed.

If anyone wants to work up in to the higher paying, more secure jobs than ALT and dispatch work it will mean upgrading skills and qualifications, they must start networking, but most entry-level teachers are busy thinking about daily survival than about getting extra qualifications that don't come cheaply.

[bosintang]

[Jazz1975]

Not sure if you're here for the long term or not, but I'll ask anyways: What are your plans should Japan NOT work out for you?

[kdynamic]

You made some interesting points and I hope people address them. I only wanted to comment on this part:

[PAULH]

[abufletcher]

Too late for the boom? Yes. Clearly. Too late to have a good experience? No. Will this experience be "better" than experience in any other country (e.g. is Japan EFL experience in any way unique among the world's EFL experiences)? No. Not unless to adopt the attitude that EACH AND EVERY COUNTRY AND CULTURE IS UNIQUE -- which sort of cheapens the word "unique."

I'm in Japan for the job, not the culture. I have a professionally challenging, diverse, and satisfying work situation (a mixture of EFL, culture studies, applied linguistics, etc. at the undergrad and graduate level). There are also some very nice perks to the "compensation package." Japan is as interesting as anyplace else to be. But after 5 years, well, I'd just as soon have packed up and gone to the next place for a fresh new set of experiences. If all was were doing in Japan is teaching straight EFL I would have been gone long ago.

Still, Japan does still over a somewhat (not enormously) greater opportunity for saving (or repaying loans) than places like China. In China and other places in southeast Asia you may be able to "live large" on the local economy but you're broke the moment you set foot outside the country. There are exceptions but that's largely the picture.

[Sweetsee]

Hi Bos,

Interesting thread, thanks. When you mention the lifestyle in Thailand, is that from first-hand experience?

Thanks,
s

[shuize]

[abufletcher]

[abufletcher]

On the other hand, Japan's not a bad place to "end up" (as opposed to, say, Saudi). My recommendations to the EFL newbie professional?

1. Spend a couple of years abroad (anywhere will do)
2. Get a repsectable MA
3. Find a university EFL job (anywhere really to begin with)
4. Work your way up to better university EFL jobs (wherever)
5. Get a few things published.
6. Come to Japan, if and only if, you get a great job offer.
7. Stay as long as it is professionally advantageous.

((...and don't get married your first year in Japan to someone who's not willing to go along with points 2-7)).

[bosintang]

[Khyron]

[PAULH]

[abufletcher]