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Spaceghost2
Joined: 10 Nov 2009
Posts: 5
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 Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2009 10:08 pm Post subject: If the market is flooded, why are there many job listings? |
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Hi,
I would like to first give an introduction as this is my first post:
I have been interested in teaching in Japan for many years, but first I had to get a degree, and then I did a MA, not related to teaching though. I am 25 and from the UK.
I am disappointed to read many posts saying that Japan is flooded with teachers now. I am still determined to get there. I went on holiday to Japan for two weeks back in April and I loved it and it reignited my passion to live there. It was only two weeks but I felt quite at ease there, I am familiar with most of the cultural differences and I speak some very basic Japanese.
I am planning on gaining a CELTA in a few months, I would like to at least be trained and know what I am doing so I can be a (hopefully) good teacher. No doubt experience will educate me the most, so I need to get a foot in the door first.
There seem to be many job listings but here on the forum, the opposite appears to be the case. Why?
My plan is to apply to all the companies that recruit overseas: Aeon, Interac, ECC, Westgate, James English School, please let me know if I have missed any out. Once I am there and settled, and have the visa then I can look elsewhere if need be. I am flexible in where they put me, I don't mind if it is a village or a city, North or South.
So I am determined to reach Japan, I don't mind where they put me and I will work hard. If you have any useful advice, please let me know.
Thanks. |
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ShioriEigoKyoushi
Joined: 21 Aug 2009
Posts: 364
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2009 10:40 pm Post subject: |
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Text deleted
Last edited by ShioriEigoKyoushi on Fri Mar 19, 2010 2:02 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Apsara
Joined: 20 Sep 2005
Posts: 2142
Location: Tokyo, Japan
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| Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2009 10:52 pm Post subject: |
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Shiori is right- a) there are definitely fewer jobs these days than 5 years ago- the market being flooded doesn't mean there are no jobs, just fewer, and b) there can be hundreds of applicants for each of those jobs, which wasn't usually the case before.
The conditions of the jobs are getting worse too- someone yesterday was writing about a job which paid 180,000 yen per month- that was unthinkable for a full time teaching job 10 years ago when I started working here. I wouldn't like to have to live and try to save money on that salary here. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2009 11:48 pm Post subject: Re: If the market is flooded, why are there many job listing |
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| Spaceghost2 wrote: |
| My plan is to apply to all the companies that recruit overseas: Aeon, Interac, ECC, Westgate, James English School, please let me know if I have missed any out. |
The old NOVA (managed by G-COM now)
Peppy Kids Club
David's English School
GEOS
ALTIA
Language House (Shikoku)
| Quote: |
| So I am determined to reach Japan, I don't mind where they put me and I will work hard. If you have any useful advice, please let me know. |
Look at the right time. Now (Nov.) is a terrible time.
Put all that's necessary on your resume. You can get buy with a western style resume, but many employers will ask for some info that you'd consider to personal, so you might as well put it on the resume and shorten the application process.
Also, don't write your resume with paragraphs. Use bullets. |
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bailey73
Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 7
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| Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 1:50 am Post subject: Re: If the market is flooded, why are there many job listing |
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| Glenski wrote: |
Put all that's necessary on your resume. You can get buy with a western style resume, but many employers will ask for some info that you'd consider to personal, so you might as well put it on the resume and shorten the application process.
Also, don't write your resume with paragraphs. Use bullets. |
Sorry, another newbie here with a question. When is the best time to look for a job? I gather Nov/Dec aren't the best time no matter where you are.
Also, I'm intrigued by your statement about putting things you would normally consider too personal on a resume. What do you mean by that, exactly? Hobbies? Interests? Or more personal than that?
Thanks in advance. |
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Threnody
Joined: 13 Nov 2009
Posts: 26
Location: Pennsylvania
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| Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 3:11 am Post subject: |
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Sorry, another newbie here with a question. When is the best time to look for a job? I gather Nov/Dec aren't the best time no matter where you are.
Also, I'm intrigued by your statement about putting things you would normally consider too personal on a resume. What do you mean by that, exactly? Hobbies? Interests? Or more personal than that?
Thanks in advance. |
I was hired from abroad in December 2007 for a position at ECC beginning in [the customary] April. They wanted to have a few months' leeway for visa acquisition, training and such. Makes sense to me, but I am not certain how common winter hiring like that is in Japan (JET excluded, of course) - any veterans have more info? |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 3:43 am Post subject: Re: If the market is flooded, why are there many job listing |
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| bailey73 wrote: |
| Sorry, another newbie here with a question. When is the best time to look for a job? I gather Nov/Dec aren't the best time no matter where you are. |
As you've already read, some ALT positions are advertising now. Academic year starts in April here, so some ALT dispatch agencies are looking this far in advance. Visa processing may take 2 months or more, that's why.
As for eikaiwa jobs (what you are probably otherwise qualified for at this point), they have an April start date because that is also the beginning of the fiscal year here. Some eikaiwas plan the start of their "academic" year at that time, too. They will hire year round, but April start dates are the most common. That said, plan on Feb and March to be the busiest times for eikaiwas to be looking, especially the ones who don't recruit outside of Japan. For those that do recruit abroad, you are going to have to check their web sites for schedules and locations. Plan on a 1-3 day affair at those places, all at your expense.
| Quote: |
| Also, I'm intrigued by your statement about putting things you would normally consider too personal on a resume. What do you mean by that, exactly? Hobbies? Interests? Or more personal than that? |
Sounds like you have not yet had any teaching experience. Plan on a 1-page resume for that reason. I've proofread literally scores of them, so here's my take:
Name
Contact mailing address
Contact email and one phone number (preferably not cell phone)
Nationality
Gender (if your name does not imply one)
Marital status (helps bump some salaries a wee bit if you're married)
Date and place of birth (despite what you list for nationality)
Visa type and expiration, or passport expiration date if you have no visa
Those should be at the top. Some people think a few of those items are too personal, but they will be asked, so do it right off.
Oh, and you will be expected to provide a couple of passport-sized photos anyway for a visa application (if you are hired, and if they sponsor), but they also often ask for similar photos for their school catalogue and such, so put one on your resume. Professional attire, neutral background, no cropped party or bar pics with a friend's arm in view.
If you have other questions about resumes, do a search or PM me. |
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Imseriouslylost
Joined: 09 Nov 2009
Posts: 123
Location: Tokyo
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| Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 5:35 am Post subject: |
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| ShioriEigoKyoushi wrote: |
Also, where genuine reasonable vacancies exist (and they do, especialy if you already have a visa and experience and are at the right time in the hiring calendar), they do need to be advertised. That doesn't really tell you anything about the number of people queueing up to do them, though. The market being flooded doesn't mean there are no jobs... it means there are more people looking for them than are needed.
Hope that answers your question.
Shiori |
I'm trying to get to the bottom of the numbers so I know what my chances are. When an ALT company like Interac is looking to fill positions, what is the ratio between available positions:applicants? Gaijinpot has shown me that there are usually 300+ people whom have applied before me. Are there enough positions to match most of those people?
If the odds against employment for someone with reasonable experience (aka me) are stacked very highly and its near impossible, I'd like to know. |
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Deep Thirteen
Joined: 23 May 2009
Posts: 39
Location: East Sea Japan
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| Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 3:28 pm Post subject: |
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| Just to echo Threnody, I think that the season for hiring from overseas starts earlier. Some of the large companies started interviewing for positions in 2010 in the summer of this year. I had an interview last month with such a company. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 10:25 pm Post subject: |
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| Imseriouslylost wrote: |
| I'm trying to get to the bottom of the numbers so I know what my chances are. |
Don't. Nobody can really tell you except the employer and they don't tell.
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| When an ALT company like Interac is looking to fill positions, what is the ratio between available positions:applicants? |
Again, nobody knows and tells.
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| Are there enough positions to match most of those people? |
There are far more applicants than openings. Deal with it like that.
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| If the odds against employment for someone with reasonable experience (aka me) are stacked very highly and its near impossible, I'd like to know. |
The odds are always stacked against you, unless you have an inside track. That's life. Just prepare as best as you can, and cross your fingers. Asking about how many jobs vs applicants is pointless, IMO. |
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bailey73
Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 7
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| Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2009 4:54 am Post subject: |
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Glenski, thanks for your feedback. Very helpful!  |
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ShioriEigoKyoushi
Joined: 21 Aug 2009
Posts: 364
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2009 7:48 am Post subject: |
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Text deleted
Last edited by ShioriEigoKyoushi on Fri Mar 19, 2010 2:02 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Fina1
Joined: 19 Oct 2009
Posts: 22
Location: Philadelphia, PA
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| Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2009 5:26 pm Post subject: |
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I also heard that the market was flooded before I applied to AEON.
I applied early in October for an interview date set at the end of the month.
I told myself "You'll never make the goal unless you take the shot."
So I wrote up my essay and resume and sent them in.
I received an interview and did excellent during the group interview and got a personal interview.
I was informed shortly after that I received the job.
So you won't know unless you try.
Keep in mind that AEON says they cut 60-70% of applications from their essays alone, so make sure you write a good one!
Remember, you're looking for a job teaching English, so when you write your essay triple check your spelling, punctuation, and grammar.
Then have someone else check it.
Then check it again.
Plus, you have a lot more in terms of education than I have. I have a Bachelors and it's not even remotely related to English.
So even if you hear the market is flooded, and maybe it is, just take your best shot! |
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womblingfree
Joined: 04 Mar 2006
Posts: 826
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| Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 6:58 pm Post subject: |
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| Fina1 wrote: |
Keep in mind that AEON says they cut 60-70% of applications from their essays alone, so make sure you write a good one! |
A good Aeon essay would go something like this:
It has always been my dream to work in Japan. I am very committed and the idea of 'light sales' makes me very excited. I can speak and write in my own language. I am not just coming for the manga/videogames and apparently easy schoolgirls. I will not run away before one year is up.
That should do the trick
A bad Aeon essay would be something like.
I am have love Japan becorse I am always been a Nintendo fanboy. I have bin study Inglish for ten yeer in Nigeria. I have a Phd. I belief that selling peeple stuffs they don want is a sin. Can I bring my wife?
Qualifications do not matter for an eikaiwa job beyond the necessary BA in anything. In fact an enthusiastic young graduate may be employed far more easily than an experienced teacher with an array of MA's and Bed's. They are most interested in enthusiasm, as this is what keeps the punters coming in. Teaching competence is waaaaaay down the list as you are expected to rigidly follow their 'method' anyway.
Last edited by womblingfree on Wed Dec 02, 2009 10:35 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Deep Thirteen
Joined: 23 May 2009
Posts: 39
Location: East Sea Japan
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| Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 7:21 pm Post subject: |
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That was a classic post.
I've seen one guy's blog where he posted his AEON essay. I couldn't believe he got the job interview (and eventually job) with some of the quaint things he wrote. But, what can I say, I couldn't get past the essay part with them, so he must have been better. |
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