Job Discussion Forums

[Trojanduck]

Hi all, I'm heading to Japan around Feb 2010 to live with my wife (japanese national) and am hoping to teach English but I'm confused by the options. I was hoping for some advice on which way to proceed. My situation is this;

-I'm a native Australian resident.
-I plan to apply for a Japanese spouse visa before I leave.
-I have a bachelor in Music Performance (I've taught Trombone for a few years).
-We have a place to stay for as long as we need to get on our feet.
-I will be living in Himeji, Kansai (where my wife is from) and hope to work and find an apartment in this area.
-I speak almost no Japanese. (I suck)
-I'm 22.
-I would prefer not to have to drive (I ride bicycles alot) if possible.
-I would lean more toward schools where I could have some control over the lesson plan.
-I don't really mind how many hours I work as long as I'm payed okay.

Really what I need to know is;

What is the ideal situation to be in?
What type of school/job would suit me best? and
Should I apply before I leave or wait till I get there?

Any advice would really help me out, I seem to be getting more confused the more I read!!!

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

If at all possible, make it very early in February, or better would be January, all set up already (visa, resume with picture , appropriate interviewing clothes, your degree etc). Then apply to jobs through internet sites, and you'll probably be starting work April 1st as an ALT someplace. Or else at a language institute (fancy, professional sounding word for 'eikaiwa'). There are now people with masters degrees in TESOL / Applied Linguistics working at high schools and getting paid not-quite enough to live off by public boards of education (especially, though not exclusively, if they are working through a dispatch agency), and some at eikaiwa as well (I've been reading more and more of people working part-time at a university, and supplementing it at eikaiwa etc). The market is that saturated.

Jobs that would suit you are entry level positions:
ALT through dispatch company
eikaiwa (conversation school)
Juku (cram school)
the odd direct hire ALT position that could come up.

Especially with a spousal visa, you may find that people want you to work part-time (you are considered to be less likely to just leave on them and so they don't have to do as much to keep you happy. That's part of why recruiters want to know if you're married. They want people who are stable, so married is good. They often like married foreigners because they can be considered to be basically 'trapped', especially females married to Japanese males, and so will likely do a job for less than a foreigner who may leave the country).

It would help you to get a TESOL certificate of some form between now and then.

[Glenski]

I don't think a person with zero Japanese skills is likely to land a job at a juku.

Gambatte is right about your other choices, though. But you don't have to limit yourself to just teaching English. A spousal visa lets you do almost any sort of work, including setting up your own business. Teach music, do proofreading, whatever.

You have no "ideal situation". Age 22, no work experience in TEFL, no Japanese language ability. Think about it. What would a foreigner be able to do in Australia with that age, lack of work experience, music degree and no English ability?

There is nothing "confusing" about it. Figure out what you want to do for a job. If teaching is what you figure will get you off the ground, then prepare for it! The market is flooded. Competition is steep. And, you are on the bottom-most rung of the ladder. Apply before and after you arrive.

[Trojanduck]

Hey guys thanks so much for the replies. I had no idea that it was so saturated over there, I suppose a lot of what I've been reading must be old material. I have definitely considered other job options, last time I was in japan I was paying for everything by doing jazz gigs, but from what I've been reading teaching English just seemed like a good job and I really like teaching.

From what you guys have said I might try and move my flight to mid Jan some time. I'll also get a TESOL qualification of some kind. I didn't know that it was that competitive! I was more worried about being in the wrong kind of school for me, not worried that I'll not get employed at all!! Looks like I'll have to lift my game!

[Glenski]

MidJanuary is not a good time, IMO. People are just coming off the New Year break and still partying with shinnenkai. Mid-February is perhaps the earliest for teaching jobs.

Yes, your information sounds outdated. NOVA's bankruptcy in 2007 put thousands on the streets. ALT dispatch agencies have erupted in the past 2-3 years to take over places otherwise ruled by JET Programme. There are dozens of people vying for just one entry level job sometimes. Even places like the Big 4 eikaiwa have reportedly been telling people that they have stopped recruiting, or that they will hire now but that they can't put a teacher to work until a year down the road.

It's not a good time to be a total newbie and looking for work here.

Learn Japanese.
Get some training (in any profession you intend to pursue).
Learn the market BEFORE you come here.
Contact employers before you set foot on Japanese soil.

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

[Glenski]

[anne_o]

Personally, and I'm speaking from what I've seen in Tokyo,I don't think there is a shortage of teaching jobs, especially if you can be flexible and teach kids, work weekends, etc. The economy might slow, and the big schools may not be hiring, but there is always work available. Everyone still wants to learn English! Yippeeeee!

[Glenski]

There are jobs, yes, anne, but there is a surplus of teachers.