Job Discussion Forums

[shmooj]

Been on this board a few months now and noticed that people often post stuff like... I'm off to Sweden next month and so... or I'm leaving Azerbaijan in a few weeks and...

But I don't think I've been able to follow someone through the whole journey from one place to another.

So, in the interests of public awareness and in the hope that it might inform, as well as interest, others here, I thought I'd put myself under the spotlight and log my experiences as I move from Japan to wherever I end up. In the next post I'll detail the decision to leave and then, I'll put up posts as news occurs. Hopefully, you'll be able to follow me to a happy conclusion at another school in another country. We'll see!

[Gordon]

Thanks buddy, do you think you could have a webcam on you 24 hours a day and we can log on and see where you are?

Didn't take long to get your first smart-ass remark eh?

[shmooj]

After nearly 6 years here, it was hard to make the decision to leave Japan. But there have been adminstrative changes at the eikaiwa I've been working at and, though I love the people I work with and the students I teach, the job as it will change to be, and me as a teacher will diverge in the near future. So, it is time to call it a day.

Firstly, I had to consider whether I was calling the country or simply the school I was at a day. I realised that there is really only university teaching left open to me as I don't want to keep teaching in the eikaiwa world. I'm not cut out for general ed in an international school type of thing and I think university wouldn't suit me as I like teaching a range of student ages and the smaller scale that language schools are.

With an MA under my belt, I want to work for a professional organisation that can provide me with the career opportunities that allow me to develop as a teacher and give me the support I need to provide for the wife and any little ones that may come along.

So, being British, I decide the British Council is for me and apply online for a post in Syria which interests me. As I have to give three months' notice at my current position (my choice though not the mandatory legal two weeks' I know), this is the only post available for three months in advance.

Having applied, I now have to break the news to all and sundry here... and elsewhere.

[shmooj]

Hmmm.... the Council now have an opening at their large centre in St. Petersburg. The wife and I talk the location over and check out posts on this forum as well as stuff at Virtual Tourist online. We aren't 100% convinced. Decide to give it some thought and delay a decision as the deadline for applications is not until mid December anyway.

Notice that the Syria job application deadline has been extended from Nov 18th to Dec 1st. Wonder what that really means...

Told a few close people here. Mostly shock and of course sadness but some encourage and say "good on you" for successfully making a tough decision to leave.

[FGT]

Good luck Shmooj. Wherever you decide on going. British council must be good. Please keep us posted.

[nomadder]

Changing your life is not always easy and you can never be quite sure where you're going until you get there as the last year plus has taught me. Love the idea to keep a log Shmooj.

[KidAndMe]

Has anyone seen the 'reality' show called "English Teachers - Taiwan"? Maybe you could augment your teaching salary by starring in an episode or two of "English Teacher - Insert country here".

Man, TEFL teachers -- as portrayed through the series -- are a sad lot of misfits, lovelorn losers and (generally) incompetent teachers (most without any training at all).

You (and all others!) have the opportunity to champion our profession and change this TV 'reality'.

i'm sure there is a grant or advertiser out there ready to hand over cash and help you log your journey -- i'll tune in.

myra

[Wolf]

I've seen the webpage of that show.

That's all we need . . . an even worse public image than the one we already seem to have. We need better PR people.

Shmooj, good luck on finding what you're looking for. It just so happens to be what I'll be looking for in a few short years. I hope that everything works out. Best of luck - especially with the logistics of moving house.

[Gordon]

Shmooj,
I hope everything goes well, wherever you end up.

Could you comment a little on the basic recruiting/hiring process at the British Council? Do they hire in a general manner and send you to a country or do you apply separately for each location?
Do they hire only Brits or can those from the former colonies also work for them?

[shmooj]

Good idea Gordon.

THe British Council have a website where they post all positions open at the time. Right now, there are something like twenty positions there ranging from your average teacher right through to one for manager of their newly refurbished office in Seoul.

Most of the jobs are for January and December right now. I can only apply for those in March or April.

Basically, you apply online filling in about five pages of data about yourself. It was a little tricky, especially when they said that I needed three professional references when I've only had one job I can give a professional reference for. I got round this by putting down an old colleague too. The form wouldn't let me advance until I had put down at least two people. Finally, you submit a statement supporting your application - basically selling yourself for the position you are applying for.

You get an acknowledgment which you print out and they say if you hear nothing within six weeks of the closing date to consider yourself ignored. They say jobs are oversubscribed so can't reply to every application.

I've been watching their website for a few months now. Often application deadlines are extended. There is a job in Cameroon that has been vacant for at least three months and another almost as long in Azerbaijan. Seems no one wants to apply there. I don't think I'm that desperate that I want to go there just yet.

A new job came online yesterday for April and I was excited to see it was in Nairobi where I'd love to work. HOwever, it turned out to be for a Professional Development Trainer, whatever that is. Ironically, I have the basic qualifications they are asking for. I really want to teach though - not run seminars for teachers.

I've also been having strange dreams about working in Russia. Not convincing enough to apply for the St. Petersburg post just yet though. I did check out the St Petersburg centre website though and was impressed by teh Council building. It looks like a palace!

So, no news so far... but I hope this brings you more up to date with where i am in the System.

[Gordon]

Do they only hire Brits?

[Midnightstar]

Dear shmooj,
Great idea about keeping a log. Here is my two cents. After 6 years teaching at a university in Tokyo, I have decided it is time to leave when my contract expires next year. I won't bore you with my decision-making process, but lets just say there is stagnation here professionally and socially. In other words, it's time to move on. I'm in the process of deciding where to go. Anyways, shmooj, good luck in your search and your move.

Best Regards,
MS

[shmooj]

Well thanks Midnightstar. It is very interesting to hear what I had suspected from someone with so much experience at a university. That would have been, the only other place I would have considered working at after all and it is relieving to know my hunch was right.

Are you finding it difficult to leave Japan? I'm kind of torn. I have days when I go through a gamut of emotions. This cruddy little ugly town is, believe it or not, the longest place I have ever lived in my 32 short years. I've grown quite accustomed to it and, because of the length of time here, leaving it will be a new experience for me.

[Midnightstar]

Dear shmooj,
Yea, I can relate.... Leaving Japan is making me run the gamut of emotions, too. But I have had these same emotions when changing other assignments - especially changing from small town to big city. I came from Chicago to Tokyo, so the big-city atmosphere of Tokyo wasn't so much of a shock. What was shocking was the change in people's lifestyles and attitudes just a few kilometers away from Tokyo. What an incredible difference there is between Tokyo and the small little hamlets around Mt. Fuji and Lake Hakone. I can easily have a great time both relaxing while hiking Mt. Fuji and drinking and general carousing in Roppongi. Or, just a couple of hours away, experiencing the historical atmosphere of Kama Kura while passing through Yokohama. Well, I'll stop waxing nostalgic, here. I guess what I am trying to say is: YES, I can relate to the gamut of emotions you are feeling about making a change, but I have had these feelings before about this situation and it is natural. These feelings might feel terrible now, but deep down you now that the change is for the best. Hang in there, and I'm confident you'll do the right thing.

Best Regards,
MS

[shmooj]

Gordon, sorry, forgot to answer your query. I don't think they only hire Brits but their requirements often state something like "British educational background". At their centres they have a policy of employing and training a lot of local teachers too so you are often working alongside national teachers.

I've just noticed that there are still 9 positions available for the centre in Korea. I could have sworn that this ad was removed from the vacancies page but today I noticed it again. Maybe I just missed it. The deadline for applications is the 10th of December but having talked about it, the wife and I feel that moving from here to Korea might be tough. It simply isn't different enough from Japan and, what with being only an hour's flight away from where we live now, the temptation to not really settle in Korea but use it to maintain all our relationships here might be difficult to avoid.

Still time to consider it though before the deadline is out. It is a very impressive teaching centre by all accounts as it has just been refurbished. They have just employed a new centre manager too so there will be a lot of new blood in the building which means that we will all be starting out together as it were which would be interesting. Make me feel less green (no comments ).