Job Discussion Forums

[CPUESL]

I realize that there are many threads that discuss this issue but my situation is unique enough that I decided to start another. I would like to find work teaching English in Japan, preferably to young adults/adults, and I am trying to determine what will give me the best chances of securing a decent position at an eikawa. I am a 30 year old Canadian. Here is my work history:

I have strong reference letters from two teaching positions, but I have no TEFL qualifications. Because of a recent 3 year span of unemployment in a traditional sense, I suspect that some (or many) teaching companies would be reluctant to hire me. So, I am seriously considering doing a TEFL certification now, in the hopes that it would show my seriousness to employers. For those who have recent experience teaching/job hunting in Japan, what do you think my chances of finding a teaching position are if:

a) I start applying for jobs online now without pursuing any TEFL certification.

b) I take an online TEFL course, then apply for jobs online in March.

c) I take a traditional, in-person 120 hour TEFL course with teaching practice and supervision, then apply for jobs online in March.

d) I take the CELTA course, then apply for jobs online in March (would this give me better odds than b and c?)

e) I do either a,b,c, or d, but instead of applying online I just show up in Japan and knock on doors. I have sufficient savings to do this, but would only consider it if I felt like the odds were in my favor of getting a work visa quickly. I would likely be arriving in Japan in May, so I understand this is not peak hiring time.

Thanks for your help!

[fluffyhamster]

TBH I don't think specific TEFL qualifications are at all necessary for securing general eikaiwa or similar entry-level work (esp if you already have a teaching licence - you mention having taught HS English for 6 months, so you may well be qualified to do more than "just" teach EFL in eikaiwa). They certainly aren't necessary for the purposes of the visa (for which any old vanilla-flavour degree will do).

What I'm trying to say is that gaining a TEFL cert, CELTA, or whatever equivalent might not be that magic bullet you're apparently thinking it is. All you can really do is start applying to the usual suspects, whether from abroad (to companies that hire outside Japan), or then from within Japan (as a tourist). I always advise the former, and if that draws only blanks then by all means use the downtime to perhaps enrol on a cert.

It's hard to say when the best time to apply for eikaiwa is (much depends on when teachers leave, which is often sudden and mid-contract), but if you aim for the public school semesters (e.g. apply in Feb/Mar for the March-April start, and in the summer for the Sept-Oct start) then there'll be the option of pursuing dispatch AET work also (but a lot of those agencies are dodgy! Just ask if you want some names, "good"/not too bad, and bad lol). From your plan to arrive in May (or later) it would thus make sense to aim to start work from the beginning of the autumn-winter semester. Bear in mind that getting the work visa or permission to work paperwork sorted can take weeks if not months.

[CPUESL]

Thanks for the helpful response. Even though I taught in a high school for a short time, I don't have any teaching license. But considering the gap in my employment history, do you think eikawas will be more likely to take my application seriously if I have some TEFL certification? Also, would the starting salary be higher with TEFL or CELTA certification?

[fluffyhamster]

You have a bachelor's degree, right? (Just checking ). A cert will make little or no difference to the pay (I don't recall a single job where I got paid a yen more for mine lol). Where a cert IS useful tho is in gaining more up-to-date references (from the tutors), and if you complete one at a school just prior to peak foreign student enrollments (say the spring or early summer) then you might even be offered some very useful temping experience (say a few weeks) that would help make the gap in your employment history less obvious.

[CPUESL]

Yes, I do have a bachelor's degree! So, I might take a TEFL course that ends the first week of March, and do temp work through March (I'll be leaving my current location then). Do you think there will be eikaiwas accepting online applications in mid-late March and during the month of April? I would prefer not to have to wait until Sept-Oct to start working, and it sounds like eikaiwas may not typically run on that schedule anyways. Also, I'm concerned about my application just getting tossed to the "bottom of the pile", even if I did have that recent TEFL certification and experience, do you know if this is frequently occurring now that there is much competition for positions?

[fluffyhamster]

The eikaiwa I've worked for were small, non-chain types so I can't really tell you how often or quite when the larger, chain ones (with whom you'll probably stand the best chance, esp if applying from abroad) recruit throughout the year. Check back in the sticky threads and in online job listings (including of course Dave's). I guess you can apply anytime and they'll keep a record of your resume and get back to you if there are any genuine openings or recruitment drives. Usually they'll say if they don't want repeat applicant(ion)s, but I'm sure it'll be OK to enquire back from time to time to just remind them that they already have your details, and that you're just quickly re-checking for any openings. There might be some part-time openings applying directly door-to-door, branch-to-branch, but I get the idea that most of the FT bulk with the big chain eikaiwa is filled from seasonal overseas recruitment drives. There's always been a fair bit of competition, and it can only have got worse TBH.

[fluffyhamster]

One point that I've often seen posed, but which I forgot to bring up earlier, is how a number of these eikaiwa like to do their own initial training (they may have their own uniform methods and materials, and not encourage much thinking or creativity in their teachers), and while they may not be too hostile to outside qualifications, you have to appreciate that they may not exactly be that interested or impressed with them either! But you'd need to read around and ask if certs and the like actually negatively affected any applicant's chances (can't say I've ever recalled reading anything quite like that though).

[Big_H]

Hello CPUESL,

I appreciate you listing your situation in details and making it clear, but it is not that uncommon for you to worry about it. If you were an employer, you are more likely to check an applicant's qualifications and strengths first before looking at his/her disadvantages; and gap years aren't necessarily a drawback.

Anyway, based on feedback from this forum's community, the better choice would be to earn a degree on-site than online. In terms of TEFL vs CELTA, it is too vague than to give a straight answer or tell you that most schools prefer one over the other.

As for traveling first before finding a school, it depends entirely on you. Did you experience living in Japan during your travels? I'll assume that your Japanese language is basic at best since you didn't mention it.

[CPUESL]

FluffyHamster and Big_H, thank you both for your help! I visited Japan for two weeks six years ago and I absolutely loved it. Never lived there though. Besides a few pleasantries my Japanese is nonexistent, but I love learning languages so if I were to get an offer I'd start studying up right away.

I'm checking the job listings now on this site now and am considering applying to GABA, although without a TEFL I'm not sure if I'm just spinning my wheels given the (potentially certified) competition. The CELTA costs twice as much as the TEFL, and it is geared toward teaching adults, so depending on the position I apply for it may not be of great use anyways.

Would mid-late March be too late to arrive in Japan on a tourist visa and have good prospects finding teaching work given April start times for schools?

[Pitarou]

I believe that the "traditional" TEFL and CELTA are held in approximately equal esteem by most employers. I think a cheap on-line TEFL course might be considered a pretty good substitute when combined with your other teaching experience.

If you have any experience with pre-school or elementary school kids, that would be a bonus, because there's a good chance you'll end up working with them, too.

I know that "90% of success is just showing up", but only if you can be persistent about it. The problem is, you'll only have a short time before you visa or savings run out. So should you just show up? It depends on your attitude.

If your attitude is "I want to visit Japan for a few months. And if I can also secure a job while I'm there, that would be awesome." then, sure, just show up.

If your attitude is "It's extremely important for me to find a way to support myself in Japan" then you should treat the "just show up" strategy as a last resort.

Don't worry too much about the resume gap. I had a much worse gap on my resume when I got my first eikaiwa gakkou job back in 2010. And your "gap" shows that you can cope with living in another country. Just prepare some good travel stories for the interview.

[CPUESL]

Great advice Pitarou, thanks for the help. What are your thoughts on arriving in May and looking for jobs then? Do you think there will be significantly fewer opportunities than if I arrive in late March or early April?

[RM1983]

Why not just say you taught privately for that time? They wont check it, it makes sense because you were on the road and couldnt have been expected to find a long term thing. Plus, if youre gonna be teaching adults here them the chances are itll be in a one-to-one setting.

Even say you taught some Japanese on the way

[rtm]

[Pitarou]

[rtm]