Job Discussion Forums

[ravel]

Hello everyone,


I am an ESL teacher coming to Japan to teach there. I am currently in Korea and wanting advice about revising my resume for Japan. I have what I would consider a good resume, but I showed it to an experienced ESL teacher here, and he suggested it sounded too "cocky". I have read that anything that appears to be bragging in Japan would not be seen as positive. So can anyone experienced in writing ESL resumes for Japanese jobs give me some pointers? My resume would be suitable for the west, but I am now concerned it may work against me in Japan. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated as I am coming to Japan at the end of this month.

Thanks,
ravel

[keister]

I styled my resume as a Western style resume, and have gotten good feedback so far. I think it's the same as if you were applying for a job in the West. It's confidence, not cockiness.

[bornslippy1981]

If it's a large company, your CV will probably be read by a Westerner.

If it's a small company, and read by a Japanese person, they've read plenty of hyped up resumes, and still hired the people.

I'm not sure about university positions (as I have no experience applying to one), but I think others want somebody with experience and enthusiasm. Let your resume show that.

[Glenski]

Lots of advice on resumes has been given here. Have you done a search?

Don't know what the censor *beeped* in your message, and since we have not seen your resume, it's hard to give relevant advice. Sometimes a few of us look at resumes for free and dispense advice. That's the best way.

Otherwise, a common mistake is to write the resume with paragraphs to describe work history. Cut them down to bullets, and use simple English. You never know when a fellow westerner may read it, but he/she will have no problems reading between the lines on a simple resume, while a Japanese reviewer will appreciate the simplicity and be able to grasp what you mean more easily.

[ravel]

Thanks for the insight. My resume is one page, and I used the simple English whenever possible. I focus less on work history and more on the results/effect my teaching methods had. I have my resume posted here on the resume bank and would send it to anyone in who was willing to help me with it. No I am not sure what was bleeped.

ravel

[Glenski]

ravel,
PM me the name you used to post it, and I'll take a look at it.

[sethness]

In my experience, Japanese employers expect a rather stripped-down resume compared to American/Western resume standards.

Try to keep your resume down to a barebones 2 pages listing name, contact information, degrees and certificates, and VERY VERY brief lists of former employment and jobskills.

Keep in mind that Japanese employers are, compared to Western counterparts, impressed by certificates and licenses and not impressed by smooth talkin' bluster.

Mission statements, copies of degrees and certificates, letters of recommendation, lists of hobbies and extracurricular activities-- those're fine by Western standards, but dire overkill by Japanese standards.

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Backpedalling a bit... if you're applying long-distance for an English teaching job and there's a chance that a little multimedia now will take the place of an interview, then you may want to include letters of recommendation, sample lesson plan, video or audio tape of yourself teaching... whatev.

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Also, in sharp contrast to Western standards, it's commonplace to include a photo of yourself & mention your age.

You may possibly want to mention marital status (since a foreigner's spouse can make a big difference in the decision whether to stay/continue staying in Japan.)

[Glenski]