Job Discussion Forums

[Tamatea]

Greetings to you all,

I am about to move back to Japan after three years' teaching in the US and Brussels and after reading several threads, I've noticed several references to the phenomena of the "overqualified language teacher".

I am a native English speaker with 12 years' teaching experience, hold an MA in TESOL (NYU, GPA 4.0), Cambridge CELTA and a BA in Japanese and Linguistics. I taught extensively at high schools in Japan, worked as a Member of Faculty at a community college in New York and am currently teaching at the EU Parliament, Council and Commission in Brussels.

I have been sending my CV and references to a number of language schools in Okinawa but have only recieved one reply. Even schools which are currently advertising for teachers are not responding and I fear that my qualifications and experience may be interfering with my ability to get a job. I really do not want to remove my MA from my CV but have read of others having done so in other threads.

I realise that my current position, and those I am currently applying for are of a significantly different nature, but I am prepared for such a change. I intend on working on some publications during my time in Okinawa and will not require a terribly large salary or even one commensurate with my experience and qualifications. My wife has secured employment in a different field and so fortunately, money is not an enormous factor.

Could anyone who has been in a situation similar to my own give me some tips when applying and interviewing for jobs? I would appreciate any advice shared.

Thanks very much.

[Glenski]

[Tamatea]

Thanks for your reply, Glenski.

In response, I have also applied to universities and other educational institutions in the area where we're moving to. I have one very pleasing offer but it will not commence until 2012.

You may be right, but I'm pretty sure that my cover letter and CV are fine. I have acquired very good jobs with them in the past and have been updating them accordingly.

I have published in the past, am working on a "survival" Japanese language textbook currently, and intend to continue such work in the future.

I realise that Okinawa isn't the best place to look for work as an English instructor and I am currently contacting businesses to try to set up some free-lance work.

[Tiger Beer]

[Glenski]

[bluetortilla]

I've been in the same position as you not long ago and find myself there again now.
However, I don't have an MA, and from listening to all my grumbling friends, I'm not sure that I'd want to work in a college/university anyway.
If it were me, and if money was not a pressing issue for the moment, I'd work at opening my school. That can mean a number of things, from simply have 10 or so private lessons to opening a bonafide storefront school.
Having your own school and being your own boss will, in my opinion, give you much more job satisfaction and happiness than working for someone else. As far as your visa is concerned, it sounds like your OK with your wife working, but you can be self-sponsered too, you know.
I don't about your connections for publishing, but if you really want to publish in academic journals, it seems to me that you should be able to regardless of whether you're currently working at a higher education institution or not. And there are also the local language teaching associations that always welcome articles.
The best organization for you to check with would probably be JALT. I don't know about Okinawa, but they have a big presence in Fukuoka, which should run around 20,000 yen round trip should you want to attend any of their conferences or workshops.
Good luck,
Philip

[bluetortilla]

One other thing: I think that being 'overqualified' (and probably older than most other candidates) isn't necessarily an inhibiting factor in getting a job. I'm not sure about the bigger schools (though I do see older teachers employed there- just not in the ads!), but I know as a small school owner I definitely preferred teachers who had been around for a number of years as opposed to kids in their twenties. The former were settled, more reliable, and mature. Younger people tended to be less effective as teachers and much more likely to quit suddenly.
Not a rule set in stone, but I'm sure many other school owners have had the same experience.
I doubt that anybody is getting their pick of the harvest these days, so your age and qualifications may have less to do with the listless response than you think.
There are exceptions- I was told flat out by a high school ALT manager that, sorry, but they wanted a 'young westerner that can work with Japanese female assistants.' I wouldn't want to work there anyway if that's their attitude toward people.
Finally, contacts are almighty in this country as I'm sure you know.
Grandpa Philip

[cvmurrieta]

A company actually said that it wants a young westerner that can work with Japanese female assistants? I'm surprised it did not go further and specify whether they wanted a western female who will talk about cosmetics with them or a man who might try to get his way into the sack with each of them

[cvmurrieta]

A company actually said that it wants a young westerner that can work with Japanese female assistants? I'm surprised it did not go further and specify whether they wanted a western female who will talk about cosmetics with them or a man who might try to get his way into the sack with each of them

[bluetortilla]

LOL
ain't it the truth though. weird freudian stuff.

[Tamatea]

[Tamatea]

Blue Tortilla, I also thank you for your words of advise. I'm still only 35 but I guess that makes me a bit older than many English teachers currently in Japan.