Job Discussion Forums

weigookin74 · Joined: 30 Mar 2010 Posts: 265

So, if you're over 40 maybe you can still be hired? I'm curious about someone in their 40's. What if they were younger looking, relatively decent or ok looking, good shape, etc and have experience teaching ESL (but not in Japan)? Is it possible, if you're willing to be placed in a rural area? Also, in JET, do you get crappy apartments with mold, like in Korea? I assume in a rural area you can save money? I'm not in my 40's, just curious about how strict that 40ish rule is.

pnksweater · Joined: 24 Mar 2005 Posts: 173 Location: Tokyo, Japan

If you�re not 40 why are you so concerned with the age limit? They don�t kick you out of the program when you have a birthday. Plus they do make exceptions to the age limitations. If you are interested in the program, apply. They take on a variety of people, fat, tall, ugly, young and old. They care more about your attitude, flexibility, and to a lesser degree, experience, than numbers on a calendar or scale.

As for your housing concerns, that�s a little less rosy. JET isn�t a company. As such there is a lot of ESID (every situation is different). While CLAIRE sets guidelines for the schools and boards of education that contract JETs, what each contracting organization provides and requires varies. Some housing is subsidized or free. Some people, like me, pay full costs, including move in deposits. Some single people end up in a house large enough for a family. Giant people get stuck in apartments with miniscule baths. A lot of us live in depressing looking teacher housing- usually old, but sufficient and cheap to free. There are no guarantees. With a little initiative and ability to navigate the office hierarchy you should be able to find your own housing. But you�ll likely get stuck with all the moving costs that entails.

While JET pays more and has a sizable support system it is a bit of a crap shoot. I got placed in my first choice for prefecture, though not city. Most people�s placements seem utterly random. You either go where they send you, or you turn the job down. Most of the time that means rural. Sometimes it means really rural. And for some people it means getting stuck in the middle of a bustling urban area.

As for saving money, the salary is the highest in the ALT sector that I know of. Still many of my coworkers are counting the days to pay day. If you can save at home you can save here, regardless of location. If money flows out of your bank account like water, this job will do nothing to change that. Something else to consider, rural locations often require a car. Cars ownership is very expensive here. Gas is double the price of what I pay back home and my insurance rates for my first year driving in Japan are insane. A single person with a moderate ability to save should be able to travel a bit and send money home.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

weigookin74 · Joined: 30 Mar 2010 Posts: 265

I asked because I'm currently in Korea. There is some looks discrimination, though some others do still squeek through. I really have no idea if Japan is like Korea at all. That's why I ask. If I want to try Japan in the future, I may be 40 by then. I wouldn't get picky about rural areas. In Korea you take a bus to get to your schools, but I had never travelled more than 40 minutes to get to a school. But often had at least a couple of days at a school near my home. I took my first trip to Japan last summer and might want to try it someday in the future.

where2next · Joined: 30 Sep 2010 Posts: 6 Location: Ontario, Canada

flyer · Joined: 16 May 2003 Posts: 539 Location: Sapporo Japan

Yes, there are quite a few people over 40, but NOT JET (??)

G Cthulhu

_smaug · Joined: 08 Sep 2010 Posts: 92

I applied to Westgate, got through the third stage -- send your transcripts, diploma, references, six current photos -- never heard from them again. Not even a "Dear applicant, we're sorry" email.

Masters in Education, 20 years classroom experience, three years TEFL experience, Oxford cert., good references . . .

I'm 55

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

_smaug · Joined: 08 Sep 2010 Posts: 92

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

I'm sorry, but you expect too much. It doesn't matter if you gave blood and a DNA test. If they have a lot of applicants, it's too much work to respond to all of them. Can we assume that they at least gave you a deadline by which you would have been told you got the job?

I have a friend who was turned down for a very high executive position in the U.S. for a very picky, nebulous reason that (as it turned out) the interviewer had misread. No matter. My friend still didn't get the job. Who can say why you didn't, either? Like I said before, it could have been any number of reasons, and when you get to final stages like that, it doesn't often take a major point to say person X is our candidate, not person Y.

I sent out over 30 resume packages to universities to get the job I have now. Each cost me a lot because they were required by registered mail, and there were a lot of documents to provide. I knew universities got 20-100 applicants per job. Knew how many responded to say I didn't get hired? About 2-3, and they sent back my materials. I could have taken it as a slap in the face, but I didn't.

Move on. Getting hired is a matter of percentages.

_smaug · Joined: 08 Sep 2010 Posts: 92

And I have two friends who were hired by Westgate, nether of whom have my credentials, experience or references; both hired out of ILA Vietnam where all three of us worked; both 25 years my junior.

One of them, who had absolutely no previous teaching experience, was on probation at the time and required to submit his lesson plans to ILA academic managers before every class he taught; while I rarely taught a class without new ILA teachers present on account of those same academic managers requiring the new hires (along with the current crop of CELTA candidates) observe them.

Now, when the op asks whether there may be any age discrimination among Japanese employers, I say, yes, I believe there may very well be.

And I hope you're convinced that I have my reasons.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

I'm sure you have reasons. Age is possible, but I doubt it here. Just a feeling. I work at a uni and am lose to your age. Personality is a big factor. Also, we don't know how you answered certain questions.

Like I said, move on. Not being told about a rejection is normal in any hiring process. At your age (no offense), you should realize that.

Piri-Piri · Joined: 23 Mar 2010 Posts: 24 Location: Osaka

Personally speaking, not being told about a rejection after reaching the third stage of a hiring process and sending transcripts, diploma, references, and photos tells me a lot about the company that's hiring and nothing about my own expectations.

benshi · Joined: 16 Feb 2007 Posts: 48

I don't know about JET, but I was hired at age 47. I'm 56 now, and do the hiring for the company I work for. I have hired (and will continue to hire) teachers of all ages, including some older than myself, as long as I think they'd be a good fit with our program here.

Often older students and business people prefer a teacher with a few miles on them and some life experience, rather than cute, wet behind the ears kids fresh out of college with no work experience.