Job Discussion Forums

[Coit]

Hello,

I have been working in Korea for three years with both adults and children and have a TEFL. As it goes there are many rumors here about working in Japan about being hired because of your age. The rule of thumb seems to be under 40 is ok, over 40 is a liability. How true is this? Is it also a general steroetype in Japan that youth rules? IE, if I tell a younger girl my age will she judge me by that only (as it is generally in Korea) and also with friends (in Korea there was an older standard that you could have friends your own age) as I have heard schools do.

Thanks

Coit

[Shonai Ben]

I personally have not had any problems with my age.I came to Japan at the age of 43 to work with an eikaiwa and have been hired by several other eikaiwas since then.
That was 6 year ago.Don't worry about it.

[chi-chi]

Actually, I agree with the previous poster who told you not to worry about it...outside of the cities, even in the suburban areas of cities, it seems that older teachers are actually preferred.
Chi-Chi

[fat_chris]

Another question,

Would older foreign teachers possibly be preferred in Japan because of older people being perceived (sometimes correctly) as more reliable and less flaky as well as bringing more teaching experience to the table perhaps?

[shmooj]

my eikaiwa would prefer an older couple actually to younger single people. They tend to stay longer, are less demanding salary wise because they usually have other income, are less volatile and easier to please. I don't know this for sure but I have a feeling that the students would also prefer someone older i.e. 40s up than in their twenties too - partly because they themselves are that age.

It might depnd a lot on what kind of school you are working at I would think.