Job Discussion Forums

drifty · Joined: 07 Jan 2009 Posts: 2

Hi everyone,

I�ve been reading the forums and researching ESL for a long time now and I�m finally getting up the nerve to apply for some positions in Korea and Japan. The biggest hurdle at the moment is writing my resume. The problem is my bachelor�s degree is over 5 years old and my work experience is spotty and totally unrelated to teaching.

I�m 35 and graduated over 5 years ago with a BA in Media and Theater Arts (filmmaking). Since then I�ve owned two small business partnerships: a trail construction company and a video production company-both very smalltime. I�ve also had several part-time and temporary positions (mostly semiskilled labor) to fill in gaps between summer trail work and slow periods of video production.

The result is a resume more resembling swiss cheese than a solid chunk o�cheddar. So I�m hoping for a little advice from the experts who know what ESL employers are looking for on a newbie�s resume.

My impulse is to just focus on my small business ownership experience and make it look seamless. The problem is that both businesses, although marginally profitable, would not be considered by most to be formal or very successful (read: �fly-by-night�). The good news is I have former business partners who would be willing to at least confirm that both of the businesses did exist and that I was a reliable partner. I�m also planning on having both of my former partners write reference letters for me since I really don�t have any other good work references and I�ve been out of school too long to ask any of my former professors for letters. Since neither of the businesses are still active I�m not sure how much weight this will cary, nor do I want to mislead any hiring managers into thinking I�m some kind of business expert.

I guess I�m just looking for either confirmation that this approach might work or suggestions for other approaches.

My other thought is to get a TEFL cert. to improve my resume (not to mention lack of teaching skills) but I�ve pretty much ruled out getting a full-blown on-sight cert. for now due to time and cash constraints, the fact that it�s not required for most entry-level jobs, and that I�m not sure I want to teach for more than a year or two. Alternatively, I�m considering an online cert. from a reputable company like i-to-i. Can anyone tell me how much an on-line cert. would help improve the overall appeal of my resume?

Sorry for the long post but this has been weighing on me for awhile. Thanks in advance for any help.

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

drifty · Joined: 07 Jan 2009 Posts: 2

Glenski,

Thanks for the advice. It's really helped me sort out some details.

Sounds like I'm sweating the reference thing a little too much and that the cover letter carries more weight. I guess that makes sense given the basic requirements. I'm assuming the same is true for Korea but I'd love to hear from someone there since I feel like my chances of getting hired in Korea are probably a lot better than in Japan, especially if applying from the US, which I'll most likely be doing.

Btw, Hokkaido would be my first choice of any destination-it looks pretty amazing. Do you happen to have any suggestions for schools or areas that might not be so flooded with applicants? I don't mind living in the sticks, although I'm aware of the increased difficulty for a newbie to adjust.

Anyway, seems like references are a minor detail compared to deciding whether to get certified, what type of certification to get, etc... It's good to hear that getting an online cert. wouldn't necessarily be a total waste of time in the eyes of some hiring managers.

Thanks again!