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flyer
Joined: 16 May 2003
Posts: 539
Location: Sapporo Japan
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 Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 2:46 am Post subject: |
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very true concerns (above) but then, on the other hand, many people people back home right now who are in "careers" have been or will soon be laid off!
so .....
but yes, it is a thing to think about |
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RollingStone
Joined: 19 Jan 2009
Posts: 138
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| Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 3:17 am Post subject: |
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One thing that still bothers is what people plan to do in Japan when they are much older (past the point where they can return back to their origin and pick up another career).
Whenever I ask people I have come across I generally get answers like "Something will turn up" or "I will have enough money by then".
Hmmm |
Out of curiousity, what age is `past the point`? |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 08 Feb 2003
Posts: 778
Location: Hong Kong
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| Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 3:24 am Post subject: |
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| Glenski wrote: |
| I started out teaching older than you are now. |
I think you and I came to Asia at around the same time...although I might have beat you by a year or two.
Anyways, late 50's for you now...just a guess.
Although that's assuming you never taught before Asia, and assuming your first job in Asia, was teaching.
Last edited by Tiger Beer on Fri Jan 30, 2009 3:25 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 3:25 am Post subject: |
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Mulder,
I have the same question as Rolling Stone. Heck, I came here at the age that many think one should be leaving!
Obviously, many stay here longer than they originally planned. They either get into the work, or find significant others that become spouses. Or they simply springboard into other things.
It's wise, of course, to plan ahead, but how many whippersnappers do? 
Tiger Beer,
Not so late... 
My first job in Asia was in Japan in 1985, when my American company sent me to Tokyo to help set up a branch office and tend to customers. Totally different business. Teaching came about a decade and a half later. |
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AgentMulderUK
Joined: 22 Sep 2003
Posts: 360
Location: Concrete jungle (Tokyo)
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| Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 1:40 pm Post subject: |
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| RollingStone wrote: |
| Quote: |
One thing that still bothers is what people plan to do in Japan when they are much older (past the point where they can return back to their origin and pick up another career).
Whenever I ask people I have come across I generally get answers like "Something will turn up" or "I will have enough money by then".
Hmmm |
Out of curiousity, what age is `past the point`? |
Well in my case returning to a career in IT when you've been out of the loop for almost a decade. I think is are cut-off points for some careers as those careers demand you evolve with them.
Not that I want to return to that. No thanks. |
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Nabby Adams
Joined: 08 Feb 2008
Posts: 215
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| Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2009 2:27 am Post subject: |
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| Glenski I'd love to know your feelings about how living in Tokyo stacks up against living in Hokkaido. Which do you prefer? It would be also cool to know which of your two careers in Japan you find the most rewarding. I mean, would you go back to your old job in Tokyo if it magically appeared? |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2009 3:26 am Post subject: |
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Nabby,
I'll send you a PM. |
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Seibu
Joined: 29 Nov 2006
Posts: 65
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| Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 2:45 pm Post subject: |
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So..it looks as if old farts are getting hired, huh?
Reason I ask, I (will be 38 this year) recently interviewed with Aeon in the US as a ways of hopefully getting BACK INTO Japan. I have nine total years of ESL experience with most of that spent in Japan. However, I wasn't even invited past the group interview and have not had responses to other job applications with other companies.
A very frustrating experience to say the least. |
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Sweetsee
Joined: 11 Jun 2004
Posts: 2302
Location: ) is everything
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| Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2009 11:48 pm Post subject: |
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I was 46 when hired for my current job two years ago.
C'mon back, geeza! |
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cvmurrieta
Joined: 10 Jul 2008
Posts: 209
Location: Sendai, Japan
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| Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 1:22 am Post subject: |
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| Seibu wrote: |
So..it looks as if old farts are getting hired, huh?
Reason I ask, I (will be 38 this year) recently interviewed with Aeon in the US as a ways of hopefully getting BACK INTO Japan. I have nine total years of ESL experience with most of that spent in Japan. However, I wasn't even invited past the group interview and have not had responses to other job applications with other companies.
A very frustrating experience to say the least. |
Seibu:
I also think a lot of who gets asked to further interviews also depends on the personalities of the interviewers. In other words, change to interviewers who are more like you, and you are suddenly one of the favorites.
I am also starting to apply since my JET contract will not be renewed. I haven't had many bites myself, but I did have a school in Sendai contact me. This suits me fine since my contract doesn't end for another 4 and half months and I currently live in Sendai myself.
I know my support may sound trite, but hang in there! |
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GambateBingBangBOOM
Joined: 04 Nov 2003
Posts: 2021
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 2:28 am Post subject: |
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| natsume wrote: |
| Whether they know it or not, Japan needs qualified (slightly) older ALTs! |
I think this is the basic point with Japan. The problem is that 'they' don't seem to know it. They keep doing the same thing (with regards to teaching style and hiring decisions) over and over expecting to get a different (read 'better') result.
But it's not just Japan. It seems to be a pretty common problem everywhere. |
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cvmurrieta
Joined: 10 Jul 2008
Posts: 209
Location: Sendai, Japan
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| Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 4:05 am Post subject: |
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| GambateBingBangBOOM wrote: |
| natsume wrote: |
| Whether they know it or not, Japan needs qualified (slightly) older ALTs! |
I think this is the basic point with Japan. The problem is that 'they' don't seem to know it. They keep doing the same thing (with regards to teaching style and hiring decisions) over and over expecting to get a different (read 'better') result.
But it's not just Japan. It seems to be a pretty common problem everywhere. |
And you know what they say doing the same thing over and over expecting to get different results is?
INSANITY! |
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steki47
Joined: 20 Apr 2008
Posts: 1029
Location: BFE Inaka
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| Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 12:04 pm Post subject: |
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| cvmurrieta wrote: |
And you know what they say doing the same thing over and over expecting to get different results is?
INSANITY! |
Not learning from your mistakes is a mark of the anti-social personality disorder, what we used to call psychopaths.
For all the schools that hire mainly twentysomethings, I have heard of schools that prefer people over 30. Partially for the students, partially an issue of assumed maturity. |
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cvmurrieta
Joined: 10 Jul 2008
Posts: 209
Location: Sendai, Japan
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| Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 1:24 am Post subject: |
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| steki47 wrote: |
| cvmurrieta wrote: |
And you know what they say doing the same thing over and over expecting to get different results is?
INSANITY! |
Not learning from your mistakes is a mark of the anti-social personality disorder, what we used to call psychopaths.
For all the schools that hire mainly twentysomethings, I have heard of schools that prefer people over 30. Partially for the students, partially an issue of assumed maturity. |
I won't argue that on average for junior high school and senior high school students that they probably prefer twentysomethings because these students will find them more attractive. I mean, you don't want to see as having a crush on someone who is the age of your father or mother 
But I also think there are cases where those over thirty have learned how to turn on the "young people" switch and relate to them. I am sure the 13 year old I taught Japanese to in the US would have preferred a twentysomething teacher, but honestly there weren't even any JAPANESE in the area available to teach her. So she got me. But I think I aimed toward her interest (manga and anime).
I don't think "mature" has to mean acting "old" I think one of the meanings is knowing which lines NOT to cross. Another means acting professionally all times at work. Then again, there are immature people over 30 as well.... |
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flyer
Joined: 16 May 2003
Posts: 539
Location: Sapporo Japan
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| Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 7:00 am Post subject: |
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but the point is the students don't get much of a say
its the companies or BOEs etc that make the choice and we all know they don't make 100% good decisions all day
My BOE was surprised when I told them that I would probably find it hard to get a job in another town/company (due to my age). They said they preferred a more mature teacher
but then in the long run, it is very much hit and miss as to what your particular company/BOE actually wants. I suppose their decissions/points of views are formed from experience with past teachers?
who knows? |
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