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NoNamer
Joined: 18 Apr 2010
Posts: 3
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 Posted: Wed May 05, 2010 8:42 am Post subject: A Few Questions, Please Advise |
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Hi everyone,
A little about myself so you have a little background for my questions. I'm currently an English tutor working through a center in Cairo, Egypt. I was working at a school previously, so I have some experience working with both children and adults. Because I worked at a private child development center in the States before I moved here, I didn't need to obtain a teaching certification.
I've had quite a few questions answered by reading through posts, but none have quite been able to answer (that I've been able to find) my questions:
1. Should I get an ESL certification before coming over? Or will my experience be enough (I'll have over a year and a half by the time I arrive)? In other words, will it be worth the time and money to get a certification, or will my potential salary not be significantly affected either way?
2. I would like to ski as much as possible. It seems like Hokkaido is the place to go. Am I right in assuming that Eikawas would afford me the most time to ski as I could work evenings? (I'm also a certified ski instructor, but from what I've read so far, teaching seems more lucrative in Japan and has a higher probability of having more free time during the day.)
3. The earliest I could arrive would be right at the end of September. I read on another post that there's a hiring season in the Spring and that there's another one in September. Would I be arriving too late for this? From what I've read it seems best to look for a job once I'm there physically.
4. If I am too late, does anyone suggest a program for my level of experience and certification (or lack thereof)?
Any other advice would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Wed May 05, 2010 8:52 am Post subject: Re: A Few Questions, Please Advise |
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| NoNamer wrote: |
| 1. Should I get an ESL certification before coming over? Or will my experience be enough (I'll have over a year and a half by the time I arrive)? In other words, will it be worth the time and money to get a certification, or will my potential salary not be significantly affected either way? |
I hate "should I" questions that require people to make judgment calls. First and foremost, do you have a bachelor's degree so that you are even eligible for a work visa?
Next, assuming you have a BA/BS degree, what is your goal in teaching here? If it's just short-term and you have no inclinations to teach afterward, forget the certification unless you are petrified in front of students. The market is flooded here, in case you hadn't realized, so despite all of the above, it might still be a good idea to get certification because you are going to face a lot of competition, and a cert may be a bit of an edge over the many newbies who don't have it.
It will not affect salaries you get as a newbie.
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| 2. I would like to ski as much as possible. It seems like Hokkaido is the place to go. |
That depends. Japan is 75% mountains, and there is ample skiing elsewhere, too.
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| Am I right in assuming that Eikawas would afford me the most time to ski as I could work evenings? |
No. Eikaiwa hours are 5-6 days a week from noon to 9pm. Your weekends will probably not even be 2 consecutive days, more like Sun and Tues. An ALT job would give you afternoons/evenings off (from about 5pm anyway) plus Saturday/Sunday.
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| (I'm also a certified ski instructor, but from what I've read so far, teaching seems more lucrative in Japan and has a higher probability of having more free time during the day.) |
I have no idea about ski instructor pay, but the job itself is seasonal, as I'm sure you realize, which means you won't be earning anything part of the time.
Sounds like you only want to play and not teach here.
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| 3. The earliest I could arrive would be right at the end of September. I read on another post that there's a hiring season in the Spring and that there's another one in September. Would I be arriving too late for this? From what I've read it seems best to look for a job once I'm there physically. |
End of September is when exactly? Last week of the month? The tail end jobs that get hired here will begin in October. If you arrive without a visa and expect to get hired, and then wait 4-8 weeks for visa processing, the end of September is too late.
Yes, to look while being here affords one more opportunities to land a job than to stay outside Japan, but you still have to come at the right time and have enough money to support yourself for 2-4 months.
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| 4. If I am too late, does anyone suggest a program for my level of experience and certification (or lack thereof)? |
You are as qualified as 99% of all newbies. No "program" will really be helpful. Get more experience, learn some Japanese, perhaps even publish a little if possible, and send out feelers before you land here. The market is in a glut with teachers and wannabes, so you have a hard row to hoe. |
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NoNamer
Joined: 18 Apr 2010
Posts: 3
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| Posted: Wed May 05, 2010 12:07 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for your quick response.
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| Next, assuming you have a BA/BS degree, what is your goal in teaching here? If it's just short-term and you have no inclinations to teach afterward, forget the certification unless you are petrified in front of students. The market is flooded here, in case you hadn't realized, so despite all of the above, it might still be a good idea to get certification because you are going to face a lot of competition, and a cert may be a bit of an edge over the many newbies who don't have it. |
My idea is to stay for a year, maybe longer. I have a BA degree in Psychology and Business Administration. And yes, from other posts I've realized the the market is a bit flooded.
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| Sounds like you only want to play and not teach here. |
I was worried I was going to come off sounding this way, but I love to teach. I also love to ski, and since I haven't been able to do this for a year and a half, I'm itching for it. Just because I want to ski doesn't mean I don't want to work hard when I teach. I like to think I abide by the mantra 'work hard, play hard.'
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| End of September is when exactly? Last week of the month? |
Yes. Thanks for your concise answer. Are there any teaching jobs that get hired outside of this time frame?
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| You are as qualified as 99% of all newbies. |
So you're saying that over a year of teaching experience doesn't really matter in Japan (including teaching IELTS and business English)? I'm curious because even though it's not a very long time, it definitely makes a difference here (and I do realize that the two markets are probably entirely different).
Or is it the fact that I'm new to teaching in Japan specifically?
Once again, thank you for the time you've taken to answer my questions. I really appreciate it. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Wed May 05, 2010 10:16 pm Post subject: |
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| NoNamer wrote: |
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| End of September is when exactly? Last week of the month? |
Yes. Thanks for your concise answer. Are there any teaching jobs that get hired outside of this time frame? |
Yes, but September is the beginning of the dry period lasting to end of January.
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| Quote: |
| You are as qualified as 99% of all newbies. |
So you're saying that over a year of teaching experience doesn't really matter in Japan (including teaching IELTS and business English)? |
To many/most employers, yes. If it's not experience with Japanese students, they usually figure it's not something that carries over.
A year of experience or slightly over is nothing in this biz. Realize that up front. Anyone, and I mean anyone who holds a generic BA/BS degree has been eligible for landing entry level teaching jobs in Japan (and presumably in many/most other countries). No experience necessary. No proper education necessary. If someone like that were to have a mere 12 months of teaching under their belt, what could that really add to the pot anyway? You have to compare yourself to the expats who are already in country and have been slugging it out with bankruptcies like NOVA and GEOS and NCB, etc. and in some cases who know the lay of the land or the sometimes conniving ways of employers. Why else do you think the big outfits often prefer to hire from outside the country?
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| Or is it the fact that I'm new to teaching in Japan specifically? |
That, too, but it's more the lack of teaching in Japan experience. |
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NoNamer
Joined: 18 Apr 2010
Posts: 3
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| Posted: Fri May 07, 2010 4:56 pm Post subject: |
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| Once again, thanks for your straightforward response. I really do appreciate it. |
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