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dddaiyamondo
Joined: 27 Mar 2010
Posts: 6
Location: San Diego
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 Posted: Sun Apr 04, 2010 12:36 am Post subject: Physical appearance during interviews |
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So I'm going to be interviewing with ECC in about 2 weeks and I have some questions about physical appearance. I'm on the younger side (21 years old) and while many Japanese people tell me I look older (24 or so) I'm afraid I look a bit too "young and hip". I was looking through ECC's Facebook group pictures and most of the people look late twenties and overall pretty tragic (high pants, 80s dress clothes, etc). Is looking young and modern a good thing? Should I try to look older and more professional? I'm confused because I know a lot of these eikaiwa want youthful, energetic people, and the pictures I've seen of teachers there is the complete opposite.
Thanks in advance! |
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GambateBingBangBOOM
Joined: 04 Nov 2003
Posts: 2021
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Sun Apr 04, 2010 1:34 am Post subject: Re: Physical appearance during interviews |
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| dddaiyamondo wrote: |
So I'm going to be interviewing with ECC in about 2 weeks and I have some questions about physical appearance. I'm on the younger side (21 years old) and while many Japanese people tell me I look older (24 or so) I'm afraid I look a bit too "young and hip". I was looking through ECC's Facebook group pictures and most of the people look late twenties and overall pretty tragic (high pants, 80s dress clothes, etc). Is looking young and modern a good thing? Should I try to look older and more professional? I'm confused because I know a lot of these eikaiwa want youthful, energetic people, and the pictures I've seen of teachers there is the complete opposite.
Thanks in advance! |
What is 'modern' (I'm assuming you mean 'latest trend') in North America isn't going to be the same as what is 'modern' in Japan. If you are 21, then you are definitely on the young side. Some companies may jump at the chance to get someone that young. OTOH, people that young often just can't hack it. They quit mid-contract and go home. I'm not saying that will happen to you, but it's pretty common and so some schools don't want people that young.
It sounds like when you write 'youthful, energetic people' you are thinking of 'high school students'. You need to look professional. Japanese people usually begin their careers at 20 or 22 (depending on whether they went to a junior college or if they went to a university). They are expected to wear plain black suits with white shirts almost all of the time. It's a very hierarchal culture. Japan is formal compared with other countries in dress and conduct. (The surface appearance is very formal, underneath it's very casual, is how it was described to me by a Japanese friend of mine). Newbie foreigners in Eikaiwa often don't get beyond the surface level.
Finally, if you show up thinking about how 'tragic' people look, then there's a good chance you will balk at hanging out with people older than you (common in North America). That's a quick route to isolation in this country. There's nothing wrong with wanting to follow the latest trends, but remember that if you are here for three years, then you will be following the trends of your country from three years ago, or else the trends of Japan or something in between. Meaning that you will also be 'pretty tragic'.
I very highly doubt that you were seeing people wearing 80s dress clothes. Most people go home after only a couple of years. So unless they raided the goodwill before they showed up or took old clothes from their parents' closets that their parents would no longer be seen dead in, then they are probably wearing ***slightly*** conservative level suits bought within a year or two of when they arrived in Japan at the absolute oldest (so probably not more than four years ago, and very likely not more than two years ago). |
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Bread
Joined: 24 May 2009
Posts: 318
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| Posted: Sun Apr 04, 2010 2:03 am Post subject: |
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| I just looked at the ECC Facebook group's pictures. It's a bunch of guys in suits/dress shirts and girls in normal business casual kinds of clothes. If you're really getting a superiority complex over that, then you're not going to do well at all living in a foreign country. |
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Rakis
Joined: 20 Sep 2009
Posts: 32
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| Posted: Sun Apr 04, 2010 2:22 am Post subject: Re: Physical appearance during interviews |
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| Dress formally and put on a professional face. I got a job with ECC at age 22, you should have no problem. Be aware that you are going to be applying with older candidates, regardless its no big deal if can sell yourself well. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Sun Apr 04, 2010 2:39 am Post subject: |
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| 21, 24. What's the difference? Sounds pretty juvenile. Dress in a suit. |
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projectrook
Joined: 08 Jan 2010
Posts: 45
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| Posted: Sun Apr 04, 2010 3:06 am Post subject: |
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as others have said, dress in a suit or at the least nice dress slacks, white collar shirt, tie (nothing too wild or bright), and a blazer.
The interview is no time to try and make a fashion statement nor pick up the ladies.
If you get the job, then you can kinda follow how lax (if at all) the rest of the staff is. Some places or schools are a little bit more relaxed. This could mean wearing shirts with a little more color or some more wild ties. But again that depends on location and school.
But as others have said, if what you can and cannot wear for the interview or while working is really bothering you a lot, then I wonder just how some real issues will affect you. Think about what is important. |
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my_way
Joined: 16 Feb 2010
Posts: 72
Location: tokyo
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| Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 3:41 am Post subject: |
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As a woman who is fashionable and generally enjoys art, fashion, etc....i see where you're coming from.....but for a big company you have to wear a suit.....that's it! Buy a nice one and rock it!
Smaller schools will allow you to wear casual clothing, but even then, you probably won't want to wear the same clothes you wear out and about that you do when you teach......just keep it simple and you won't have any problems.
I have had these kind of questions before and had people attack me for it......what to wear is a legit concern......I don't wear a suit unless I absolutely have to, which is very rare.
I have found that in general, and especially in Japan, people teaching English don't put fashion on the top of their list of concerns.......and I continue to witness tragedy after tragedy! I even have a few like minded friends......so don't worry! |
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Bread
Joined: 24 May 2009
Posts: 318
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| Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 5:36 am Post subject: |
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| my_way wrote: |
| As a woman ......I don't wear a suit unless I absolutely have to, which is very rare. |
Well, yeah, but men need to wear them for pretty much everything over here. |
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Sody
Joined: 03 Oct 2003
Posts: 55
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| Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 5:59 am Post subject: |
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| I remember before I went to Japan I was worried about wearing a suit or formal attire but once you see even elementary school students in their uniforms it'll sorta click and make sense to you. I dunno it's kinda hard to explain. It'll just feel right. In other countries or other places it'll feel like a burden or a chore, but not in Japan. |
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projectrook
Joined: 08 Jan 2010
Posts: 45
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| Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 6:07 am Post subject: |
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| my_way wrote: |
I have found that in general, and especially in Japan, people teaching English don't put fashion on the top of their list of concerns.......and I continue to witness tragedy after tragedy! I even have a few like minded friends......so don't worry! |
I guess I am just a little old fashioned and worry about things like insurance, good pay, and a decent place to live. Having a crappy place to live or a company that doesnt give a (blank) is a real tragedy, not wearing "omg...so last year's fashion".
Knowing what is ok to wear for the interview is a good concern to have because it can make the difference between getting or not getting the job. However, worrying that a job is going to cramp your "free spirit fashion sense" is just ridiculous. |
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my_way
Joined: 16 Feb 2010
Posts: 72
Location: tokyo
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| Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 7:59 am Post subject: |
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| Sody wrote: |
| I remember before I went to Japan I was worried about wearing a suit or formal attire but once you see even elementary school students in their uniforms it'll sorta click and make sense to you. I dunno it's kinda hard to explain. It'll just feel right. In other countries or other places it'll feel like a burden or a chore, but not in Japan. |
i hate it....when i have to wear a suit i feel unnatural and uptight......i also feel as if i'm being forced to conform, which just does not work for me anywhere in the world, even japan! |
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wayne432
Joined: 05 Jun 2008
Posts: 255
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| Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 11:37 am Post subject: |
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| Wear it a couple of times around... if you have Japanese friends who have never seen you in a suit, show them, you'll get showered with compliments (real and fake)... use them as an ego boost and start imagining you're like James Bond. |
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yangyoseop
Joined: 30 Mar 2010
Posts: 47
Location: #1 Sandra Bullock fan in Tallahassee, FL
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| Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 11:42 am Post subject: |
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| projectrook wrote: |
| I guess I am just a little old fashioned and worry about things like insurance, good pay, and a decent place to live. Having a crappy place to live or a company that doesnt give a (blank) is a real tragedy, not wearing "omg...so last year's fashion". |
That's not "old fashion." There have been stylish and fashion-conscious people since the beginning of civilization, so to imply it's some ~modern trend for youngins~ or something is way off-base.
my_way, I agree with you 100%. When I was teaching in Korea, the students and the Korean staff at my school were fine, but some of the English teachers were just hot mess after hot mess. Didn't really have any luck meeting like-minded people when I was there like you did. |
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anneinjapan
Joined: 09 Apr 2010
Posts: 7
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| Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2010 7:49 am Post subject: |
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ECC? Um I know loads of people who work there and they never wear suits!
Some guys do but that's usually if they teach business classes. If you teach kids you can get away with stuff on the more casual side of business casual because you have to be active. Hard to do in a suit! If you're a woman your best bet is skirts, nice pants, office appropriate stuff, etc. A guy? Wear a tie and nice shirt with pants. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2010 10:21 pm Post subject: |
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Some people have responded here about what to wear on the job. The OP seemed more concerned (or should be) about interview clothing, which is totally different. Keep that in mind, folks.
Nice shirt, tie, and slacks will lose out to a business suit in many/most cases in Japan. |
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