Job Discussion Forums

[corinl]

Hi, I've read lots of the great information on here, but am still undecided as to my best option right now for work.

Recently GEOS in Japan fell, so many teachers experienced in Japan are in the market looking. There are not many jobs advertised on the forums now - when I looked back in jan-mar there were 3 a day!

I have recently completed a CELTA and done about 2 months teaching in New Zealand, so I'm still new to the game!

I'm a British Citizen so have a UK passport, as well as NZ residency.

There don't appear to be many jobs in Japan advertised at the moment and I read a long article by an experienced teacher on the "Jobs in Japan" website where he recommends just flying to japan on a tourist visa and then sorting work out when you're there...said immigration don't really care as long as you have onward ticket and don't say you are planning to work...then if you get caught he said most of the time its no biggie from what he's seen in ten years teaching..

What are people recommending at the moment?

I heard in Japan that it's not easy finding accomodation, and so with no job to go to, maybe its even harder to find a place to live! I worked in Switzerland and also landlords there don't really like non-swiss!

I am also wondering where would be best to place myself if I didn't have a job pre-arranged - Tokyo is big, many opportunities, but maybe expensive if no work and running around all over this big city trying to arrange things.

I have seen jobs advertised in Fukuoka, Hiroshima and other areas - would basing myself here for a couple of months to find work be easier...and could I find an apartment here more easily?

I heard about 'key money'...do you always need to pay this if not sponsered by a school, or can you just find a houseshare or flatshare (like at uni) to start with and then look later on ?

Oh one more question. I'm getting degree transcripts signed and sealed and sent from u.k. to n.z. ready to leave. Also I'm getting police check from the U.K sent over - do I need this 'apostilled' in the u.k. before being sent over or does Japanese immigration not require this apostilling to be done?

Thanks in advance for your help with my many questions!

[Glenski]

[corinl]

Thanks a lot for your detailed reply.

So as I've missed the peak hiring time, what's the likelyhood of finding a job if I come over now on a tourist visa - I have no experience working in Japan.

Would you say there is a good chance to find work now in Japan or is it better to wait until start of next year...which also means I have to slug it out to find a job year and competition is tough in N.Z. at the moment.

I want to work with young adults or at the after school (2pm to 10pm kind of thing) really, but to get a start I'll look at anything with school kids as well...I applied to JET the other week and am waiting to hear back.

I notice Gaba seems to advertise a lot online but I'm not sure exactly what they are offering from the adverts and their website, it doesn't look a good deal...not guaranteed hours and the working conditions I'm sceptical of.

Basically I am a confident enough person in my own skills and ability to try anything once. I have worked in many jobs and worked out how to get what I want out of a position...but that's in the uk or nz...I don't speak Japanese and apart from having a girlfriend who went back in March, I really know little about the work culture and way of hiring there.

Another option is to head up to Auckland and study Japanese for 6 months, then try heading over in January...would that help? or are these all just small advantages?

Thanks again.

[corinl]

Oh and a further question - part time work. My girlfriend is at uni and is signed up with a couple of agencies to teach kids for an hour a time in the evenings.

She seems to get quite a lot of this work, but I think they like the fact she can teach English by speaking Japanese, if you know what I mean.

It's not focussing so much on English speaking but helping the students with the grammar side of things and reading/writing.

[seklarwia]

[corinl]

Sorry I have been looking at quite a lot this week and had brain overload - it wasn't Jet, as you said that involves quite a lot!

It was an application for the AEON selection which takes place soon.

The question I meant to ask was with regard to my gf working part-time, you have pre-empted it, but you misunderstand me. I am not talking about working under visa in this way, rather the opportunity to work on a tourist visa doing part-time.

You say this is not possible, I know this 'officially' is not possible, but I've been reading that half the Japanese job market is 'unofficial' work by people on tourist visas funding their stay until such time as they get a sponsor to give them full-time paid work and sort their work visa.

Do you think there is a lot of work out there for people on tourists visas or have you experienced difficulty yourself or with others trying to get work with no working visa?