Job Discussion Forums

[QuasiJL]

I was just wondering what the Tokyo job market was like for Canadians with asian ethnicity?

I know that the preference is for a foreign face but how tough is it to find a job. I'm looking to work as an ALT or at an Eikawa for elementary kids. I worked in Taiwan as an ESL teacher for 6 months and found that it was tough finding a job in the city.

Also, what would be a good time to come? I understand that the best time would have been March and that schools hire year round but I only have $3000 saved up and want the best chance possible for finding a job before my savings run out.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

[Hoser]

As long as you are a native English speaker then it shouldn't be a problem. If you want to work at an eikaiwa then there are opportunities throughout the year. If you want to work as an ALT then your best bet would be to come in January maybe-at least in time for the new school year in April. March is cutting it pretty close. If you have a job before you come over then $2000 is plenty. I think I came over with about that in travellers cheques when I started in 2005 with NOVA and I didn't burn through too much before getting my first pay cheque.

[Glenski]

Sorry to disagree with Hoser, but it will be a problem for some employers here. Some are so myopic that they believe native English cannot come out of an Asian face, even if that person was born and raised overseas. Just ignore those slobs.

Here's my usual tip, though. Don't refer to yourself as "Asian-Canadian" (or Asian American, for that matter). You're just Canadian, ok? Reduces confusion at this end.

As for when to apply, you know the best time. Anything else shortly thereafter will be somewhat risky because you never know why there is still and opening. Either someone bailed at the last minute from a previous contract (for a good reason), or a recent hire saw something he didn't like. This is not true for all cases, mind you, hence the risk is not 100% (if it was, I'd have said "certainty"). Ask here if you see something along those lines.

Otherwise, you might want to think about late August/ early September.

[QuasiJL]

Thanks for the info. On my resume, I will just add a picture and say Canadian. I only wanted to clarify for this post. I remember when I applied for my first job, the recruiter told me he had 3 or 4 jobs ready and was so eager for me to apply. After we met and he realized I was a CBC, he totally had a 180. I can understand the reasoning so I just wanted to get a better understanding of the matter.

I'll probably hold off until August then. It takes about a month to get a visa anyways so I've totally missed my chance for April.

[steki47]

[Deep Thirteen]

You might want to expand your location preference. Not only is Tokyo saturated with foreigners, but it is rather expensive compared to other parts of Japan.

I think that dispatch companies generally tend to be less concerned with your physical appearance, to a degree of course. But there are eikaiwa out there that are more open-minded to different faces speaking and teaching English.

[Sody]

I know a lot of Asians who got jobs teaching in Japan. It's definitely possible, many of them worked for JET as well.

You will face more prejudice in China and Korea for sure.

I would take the advice of some posters though and avoid Tokyo. It's VERY expensive.

[Apsara]

What is expensive in Tokyo, Sody, other than the rent?

[Imseriouslylost]

I haven't been here long but the company I work for (an ALT dispatch) hires people from all different ethnic backgrounds. I've spoken to some ALTs who have been living here awhile. Some of the long-term ALTs are Asian Americans/Canadians and most of them are native speakers while others aren't. They hadn't mentioned anything about discrimination, profiling or anything like that.

Actually, the city hall here picked an Asian Canadian girl over a blonde haired, blue eyed, young American guy (that surprised me having came from Korea where one of my old employers turned a guy away after he had worked a month just because he was black and apparently the business was losing money/students over it).

I have felt a bit of weirdness about the fact that I'm Canadian though. It's kind of funny, actually. Everyone keeps assuming I'm American, even my employer. I have to keep interjecting during meetings between my employers/schools and clarifying that I'm Canadian, not American. Nothing serious, there are just very few Canadians teaching here in comparison to Americans and Brits even.

[Apsara]

[Imseriouslylost]

[Apsara]

I'm not expecting anyone to distinguish between an Aussie or Kiwi accent, especially with mine which has got very mixed in my 15 years outside NZ. It's when people I have known for years ask me if I've been back to Australia recently, or something similar. I'm like - they are two distinct countries, 2,000km apart, and I am very much from one, not the other. I don't get it.

[Bread]

One time I was talking to a Kiwi, having a really hard time understanding a word he was saying, when an Irishman came in the room. We talked to him for a while and then he left. The kiwi turned to me and said "I couldn't understand a word that guy said." I just about lost it.

[Apsara]

Yeah, accents that we aren't used to can be hard to understand. It works both ways. Some Kiwis have strong accents, some don't.

[Sody]