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Alien1982
Joined: 27 Aug 2013
Posts: 59
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 Posted: Thu Nov 14, 2013 6:15 am Post subject: Newbie from Canada looking for advice |
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Hey everyone. I am interested to work in Japan teaching English. My previous experience was in China, and this may be my first time in Japan. I'm sure reading the threads I'll find more info as I do my own research. But I thought it would also help to ask some questions up front.
About the jobs available. Would I have to come to Japan to find a job? Or can I still job hunt online and still have a chance at having someone hire me? Working in Japan, is the dress code important? And what would the hours be like?
Making friends with locals. Living in Japan, I of course want to befriend local people. Learn their culture and immerse myself with it. How are the Japanese locals when it comes to making friends with foreigners?
Oh and another thing about finding a teaching job. Is age a factor to them? I'm aged 30.
Just thought I'd ask |
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Alien1982
Joined: 27 Aug 2013
Posts: 59
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| Posted: Thu Nov 14, 2013 6:34 am Post subject: |
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Another thing I wanted to know. I read on the internet that:
1. If another foreigner commits a crime against you, the police will do nothing if you report it.
2. If a Japanese person commits a crime against a foreigner, the police will also ignore it.
3. If a foreigner commits a crime against a Japanese person, the police WILL take action.
How true are these claims? |
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HLJHLJ
Joined: 06 Oct 2009
Posts: 1218
Location: Ecuador
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| Posted: Thu Nov 14, 2013 6:49 am Post subject: |
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| Are you coming here to teach or to set up an international criminal enterprise? |
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Alien1982
Joined: 27 Aug 2013
Posts: 59
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| Posted: Thu Nov 14, 2013 6:57 am Post subject: |
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| HLJHLJ wrote: |
| Are you coming here to teach or to set up an international criminal enterprise? |
uh... Teach.
I only ask those last 3 questions only because I just want to know that as an individual living in the country, I actually have some rights. |
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rtm
Joined: 13 Apr 2007
Posts: 1003
Location: US
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| Posted: Thu Nov 14, 2013 8:42 am Post subject: Re: Newbie from Canada looking for advice |
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| Alien1982 wrote: |
| I'm sure reading the threads I'll find more info as I do my own research. |
Yes, you'll find when you read through other threads (and use the search function) that most of your questions have been discussed many times before.
| Quote: |
| About the jobs available. Would I have to come to Japan to find a job? Or can I still job hunt online and still have a chance at having someone hire me? |
You still have a chance to be hired from outside Japan. However, your chances are better if you are inside Japan, and even better yet if you are inside Japan and already have a visa. It's not necessary to be in Japan already, but it is advantageous (but also riskier and more expensive).
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| Working in Japan, is the dress code important? And what would the hours be like? |
It depends on the job. For most ALT jobs, you should wear at least semi-casual (though it depends on whether you work in an elementary school, junior high school, or high school). Dress code is important in that you should dress according to the job and fit in with the other teachers. If you show up to a kindergarten in a full suit every day, it would probably be inappropriate. If all the other teachers in your high school wear suits (even the PE teachers), and you show up wearing something else, it would probably be inappropriate. For eikaiwa places, some require you to wear a suit, others have no requirements.
As far as hours, for ALT jobs, you could plan on roughly 8am or so to 4 or 5pm, M-F. For eikaiwa it varies a lot, but it would be good to expect something like 1pm-9pm, 5 days a week, which might include weekends, and you might not have 2 consecutive days off.
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| Making friends with locals. Living in Japan, I of course want to befriend local people. Learn their culture and immerse myself with it. How are the Japanese locals when it comes to making friends with foreigners? |
Without speaking much Japanese, you will likely be limited to people who want to use you for free English practice, or as the token foreign friend. I often found it difficult to make real friends until I spoke enough Japanese to interact with them in Japanese only, about a shared interest (and even then, it wasn't easy).
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| Oh and another thing about finding a teaching job. Is age a factor to them? I'm aged 30. |
Some places might prefer someone younger, but, overall, being 30 shouldn't affect you much.
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1. If another foreigner commits a crime against you, the police will do nothing if you report it.
2. If a Japanese person commits a crime against a foreigner, the police will also ignore it.
3. If a foreigner commits a crime against a Japanese person, the police WILL take action. |
I've never heard any of this. I've always found the police to be helpful. I've also never known a foreigner who committed a crime against someone, or had a crime committed against them. |
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Pitarou
Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 1116
Location: Narita, Japan
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| Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2013 12:31 am Post subject: |
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| Alien1982 wrote: |
Another thing I wanted to know. I read on the internet that:
1. If another foreigner commits a crime against you, the police will do nothing if you report it.
2. If a Japanese person commits a crime against a foreigner, the police will also ignore it.
3. If a foreigner commits a crime against a Japanese person, the police WILL take action.
How true are these claims? |
The police have powers far in excess of those in a liberal democracy. They "investigate" crimes by locking somebody up until they confess. I don't know what goes on in the interrogation cells, but a lot of innocent people confess.
Their primary role is as an instrument of social control. If they see you as a "trouble maker", you're in trouble. They also do little to control racism and bigotry in their ranks, so you certainly can't assume you'll be treated fairly. And if you're in Japan illegally, you're screwed. Their default policy is, "Deport first, ask questions later."
Having said that, if they take pity on you, they can be very helpful. Like I said, they have enormous powers, and they can use those powers to help you if they're so inclined. |
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Pitarou
Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 1116
Location: Narita, Japan
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| Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2013 12:51 am Post subject: Re: Newbie from Canada looking for advice |
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| Alien1982 wrote: |
| About the jobs available. Would I have to come to Japan to find a job? Or can I still job hunt online and still have a chance at having someone hire me? |
Getting your first work visa is hard, but there are schools that recruit from overseas. In general, I recommend getting a job with one of those recruiters, and then looking for better jobs once you're settled in Japan.
Some people come to Japan on a visitor's visa, and then convert to a work visa once they've found a job. This is risky. Living in Japan is expensive, there's no guarantee of finding a job, and you may well have a spell of working illegally while you're waiting for your visa. Also, be wary of schools that hire illegal workers, lie about applying for the visa, and don't pay. It's rare, but it happens.
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| Working in Japan, is the dress code important? |
For men, it's strict. Bring a dark suit. In summer, when the air-con is set to 28C, they'll let you take your jacket and tie off.
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| And what would the hours be like? |
A typical private conversation schools has classes late morning through to evening.
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| I of course want to befriend local people. Learn their culture and immerse myself with it. How are the Japanese locals when it comes to making friends with foreigners? |
If you're white and you don't mind being somebody's "pet gaijin" to show off at parties and practice English on, you'll have no trouble. I've even heard of guys who make a living as semi-professional "white boyfriends", if you see what I mean. If you're black or brown, it might be harder. If you're yellow -- I'm not sure.
Real friendships? Good luck with that.
| Quote: |
| Oh and another thing about finding a teaching job. Is age a factor to them? I'm aged 30. |
Not a problem. |
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rxk22
Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 1629
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| Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2013 1:20 am Post subject: |
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ALT jobs, tend to be easier, but have lower pay, and pay gaps.
Eikaiwa, tend to pay better, but work you harder.
I did BJJ in a gym for several years, and I was always a foreigner to them. Even with decent Japanese, one is always seen as an outsider by most. That is a break through that I think very few have over come. |
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Pitarou
Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 1116
Location: Narita, Japan
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| Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2013 1:46 am Post subject: |
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| rxk22 wrote: |
| I did BJJ in a gym for several years, and I was always a foreigner to them. |
What's BJJ? |
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rxk22
Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 1629
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