Job Discussion Forums

[nightsintodreams]

I have a friend who recently moved back to the UK to get his PGCE. After hearing about his experiences, I wonder if it's worth the effort. The amount of work he has to do before, during and after school is crazy.

Get a direct contract position (or some of the better dispatch jobs for that matter) and you're already making as much as a young teacher in the UK anyway. Add a few private lessons to that and you're on a very comfortable salary with very little stress and a lot of freedom/holidays.


I do believe that it's definitely worth improving one's Japanese though. I've only been in Japan a short time but my Japanese ability has already given me a raise at my previous company and was a requirement for the direct hire position I'm now in. Even if you don’t care about your career, it’s still worth learning just so you can function as an adult member of society rather than a baby who needs looking after all the time.

I think I'll do a masters in the next few years but I often wonder if it’s worth it. Many university teachers I’ve met are basically just doing conversation classes anyway, is a masters really a necessary requirement for that? Even if you do get a uni position, it will probably only be renewable for four or five years. When you're settled with kids do you really want the stress of finding and moving to another job every five years?

To me, it seems the only way to settle down and have a comfortable family life as a gaijin is to get a job at a Japanese company (which I don’t think I’m so keen on), start your own school or business of some sort or have a combination of part time jobs and privates.

Anyway, to get back on topic. I don't think it's such a bad thing to stay at an entry level position for a number of years. But I do think that working at an entry level eikaiwa chain for any length of time is a bad decision.

-You'll be working a lot of evenings and weekends and often your working hours will change weekly or even daily making part time work or privates near impossible on any day other than your day off.

-Your Japanese WILL suffer.

-You'll miss out on learning about a lot of the cultural stuff you'd learn in an all Japanese environment.

-They'll work you much harder and you won't have the free time to study or relax that you may have at an ALT position (especially dispatch).

-The number of holiday days they offer are low and in my experience they're extremely tight when it comes to giving said days.

[Pitarou]

I'd like to draw this to some kind of conclusion. Do people agree with these statements?

1. There are career opportunities in Japan but, even at the highest level, your chances of getting tenure are slim. So either accept that you'll be a perma-temp, or move on.

2. If you want to stay in Japan and have some stability, you'll need to be a bit more creative. Starting your own school / business is an option.

3. Learning Japanese is very important.

4. If you just need a way to make ends and put away some savings while you pursue other interests (or start a business, or study for qualifications) the lower-end jobs can still make a lot of sense.

[fat_chris]

[Pitarou]

[PO1]

[rtm]

I think Pitarou summarized the general consensus pretty well.

[Pitarou]

[mitsui]

If you are single or have a spouse who has a good salary, EFL is fine.
EFL can work if you want a flexible schedule.
But if you want decent career prospects, to stay you need to get good at Japanese, and keep making your resume look better.
It just gets more and more competitive.
I have known people who got stuck and now are too old to return.
I kind of wonder at what age is it too old to go back to your own country?

[RM1983]

[rxk22]

[rxk22]

[mitsui]

Back in the 80s and 90s it was better.
People could get $100 for an hour lesson.
People could make a lot doing privates, which are tax free.

By 1998 the times had changed. I got here 2 years later.
The yen was at 148 to the dollar and people had to get second jobs, or people just left.

People liked language exchanges better since they did not have to pay.
Usually, private classes for middle aged and retired women are better since they have money and free time. The problem is when they are free, which usually is when you are at work. And when they cancel class you do not get paid, although groups are better.

Money can still be made but you really have to hustle. There are too many teachers. It used to be that there were not many Americans but that has
changed over the last four-five years.
I know an Italian woman who makes a lot on privates, but mostly since she has many students.

[Solar Strength]

[Solar Strength]

[mitsui]

Certification costs vary per state.
Ohio and Tennessee are cheap.

At this point it looks like I will just might work part-time and try to get a full-time job for September.
I could go back to the US, if I could get an adjunct position, then get certified.