Job Discussion Forums

Patrique · Joined: 19 Sep 2007 Posts: 16 Location: Toronto, Canada

This is a very ADD question on my part...I'm in Toronto, sending my resume out to the offices of the major companies here. Everyone is interviewing in November for jobs in January which I can live with. But what would you do if you were in my situation and wanted to leave for Japan as soon as possible?

chollimaspeed · Joined: 11 Sep 2007 Posts: 120

Hold your horses!

groothewanderer · Joined: 14 Sep 2007 Posts: 33

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

What exactly is your situation (ie, the rush)?

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

Come over with enough money to last you for 90 days to 4 months (the 90 days is as long as your tourist visa would last, the 4 months is how long it would take for you to get a paycheque if it took you 3 months to get a job) and start looking while in Japan, if you want to be here now.

Upside- more choice, and you are here for interviews.

Downside- slow time of year anyway, and there are hundreds of Nova teachers jumping ship right now who you will be competing with. Be prepared for the possibility that you won't get a job, and that you will go through a lot of money while looking if you end up being here for 3 months without finding anything.

AgentMulderUK · Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 5:27 pm Post subject:

Patrique,

Wait and do it all by-the-book. I have come here twice now without proper planning and setting stuff up. Its not worth the stress. Sit back and come with a company in January or even later, it don't matter, Japan ain't going anywhere.

Spend the time you have now doing stuff that you think you might miss. Hang out with your friends, hobbies, etc, etc

Patrique · Joined: 19 Sep 2007 Posts: 16 Location: Toronto, Canada

Bah humbug. I guess I'll wait it out and see how my ECC and GEOS interviews go. A friend of mine got back to Toronto from teaching in Japan two weeks ago, and is leaving tomorrow for a new job in Korea after searching for two days. On a fully paid flight, no less. Oh, if only Japan was as simple...

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Don't compare your friend with you. Korea is not like Japan, and your friend will find out. Managers there are known to be a lot more unscrupulous, and that matters a lot when you realize that they are the ones who own your work visa, unlike in Japan.

Plus, your friend has the benefit of work experience.

Be patient.

And, please answer my earlier questions: why the rush? what is your situation?

Patrique · Joined: 19 Sep 2007 Posts: 16 Location: Toronto, Canada

To answer your question, Glenski - no particular reason for my rush. But I am graduated, doing temp jobs, and more than ready to leave Toronto where I have lived for almost two decades. It's restlessness at having to cool my heels for several months yet before I can get going.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Thank you, Patrique.

There are those who enjoy the challenge or adventure of up and moving at a moment's notice, and there are those less secure with that sort of thinking.

If you are the former, I'd still say prepare yourself as much as possible (starting with reading the FAQs here and on other forums). Realize, too, just what sort of market you are getting into. Japan is in a state of flux overall right now, but this time of year is not the best for getting hired, so you will have to be lucky and/or aggressive to find what you want.

If you are the latter, you will do the above planning more extensively. That includes targetting a time to enter that favors getting hired, or interviewing with the few places that recruit from overseas, and being patient with the circumstances.

Earlier, I said you shouldn't compare yourself with your friend. That's not 100% true. Compare, but compare fairly. Compare your educational backgrounds and teaching experience, compare your personalities and adaptability towards foreign cultures, compare your goals. Then, you can make a fair assessment of how well you would fare in your friend's shoes.