Job Discussion Forums

[Lamarr]

I think they ask for the MA and publications mainly for show. If they don't check out your credentials properly, I wonder whether you could get away with faking it? Get a fake degree certificate from Thailand and lift some papers and articles on ELT off the web and maybe rehash them. If they're so unconcerned with choosing the best candidate, you might as well just lie through your teeth and say whatever they want to hear to try and get the job. Totally immoral of course, but how moral is a system that doesn't hire based on merit? They're not even bothered whether you're genuine or not.

[Sudz]

With all these hurdles, I wonder why so many people are so commited to staying here. I feel like some people have their hearts so set on living here, but aren't very objective at seeing the whole picture.

I realize of course that some people are in long-term relationships here, have a love for Japan etc. However, I tend to meet a lot of long-termers just doing enough to get by, with little in the way of wiggle room financially.

It seems a bit easy to get stuck here.

[Sudz]

Just to add some evidence to our claims: I have just received an application rejection stating 'thanks', but that they are looking for applicants 'whose length of experience in Japanese junior and senior high schools' is greater.

I kinda, sorta, don't really get it. It seems so dismissive of other, relevant experience (for which I have a lot).

[RM1983]

[RM1983]

[steki47]

[matador]

My experience has ...generally... been that its better to be interviewed by a Brit, US, Australian, etc. The interviews are more fun, interesting, interactive and relevant Or is that only me....? Is my experience with pompous, stuffy, bureaucratic interviewers unusual...?

[mitsui]

In my opinion, when the person is British I am more likely to be rejected.
The last Brit to reject me asked four personal questions, which insulted me.
How old are you?
How old is your wife?
How long have you been married?
Do you have kids?

Here is a quote from my rejection, which just strikes me as totally fake:
"Search committee members enjoyed meeting with you at the interview,
but we find ourselves unable to offer you a position at this time."

[Sudz]

Didn't want to sound judgemental by my last post. I have some people who are very content here. I just seem to run into a lot of people that I would classify as anywhere from 'vaguely disattisfied' all the way to miserable - more than I met while working in Vietnam. I suppose a lot of people can fit that category though, not just in Japan. These also don't tend to be people working at the better jobs.

I also meet people here who seem to have no interest in seeing the rest of Asia. This could be either because of their funds, or because they have the perception that Japan is the be-all-end-all of Asia.

There are things I appreciate here after living in a developing country: the transportation, courtesy (even if it isn't always personal), the cleanliness etc.

With regards to private ALT gigs: is there much of a difference - besides income (granted, that is a big one!)

[Shakey]

Rejection letters mean nothing. They are form letters. That's all. The content of a rejection letter and sending it out to applicants who did not get the job is merely a formality.

Someone above mentioned foreign teachers who have used forgery to obtain positions. I think this has been rampant in Japan, and other Asian TEFL destinations, for decades. For some reason, I've met a lot of Canadians who have used fake degrees adn TEFL certificates to find work in countries like Korea, Japan and Taiwan. Americans come in at a close second.

Two of my last employers, and high profile employers, have each had an American "Professor" who used forged master's and doctorates to get their positions. This was only revealed when disgruntled and vindictive colleagues investigated each of the two American teachers. So be careful who you piss off if you're using forged documents! Your enemies and rivals could be sureptitiously doing a background check on you.

In the end, each of the two American professors were, very quietly, sent down the road. They were both contract teachers, so the universities were able to easily cut them loose.

And this happened quite recently, like within the last 4 years. So there are foreign teachers out there who are not shy about awarding themselves master's, doctorates and CELTAs to get jobs. Believe it or not, many of them have been successful.

In fact, forgery of degrees and transcripts was so rampant in Taiwan and Korea that the governments in those countries finally had to require applicants to have all of their academic documents notarized or apostilled, etc.

As one colleague put it many years ago in Korea: Forged degrees are about as common as immitation Louis Vuitton handbags. But I think things have tightened up in Korea over the last few years. In Japan, however, there are no government controls set in place to verify documents, and so it is the responsibility of individual schools to check and verify an applicant's background. And most schools in Japan don't seem to want to spend time messing around with this.

[RM1983]

[Sudz]

The forged degree thing pisses me off, but then again if these Japanese schools aren't bothering to check for authenticity, I totally understand why people would do it. Plenty of fake degrees to go around on Khao San Rd.

Like here, plenty of teachers in Vietnam are just in it for the short-term, though there are quite a few people in it for the long haul. I was there during what people considered to be the golden period, though it doesn't sound like it has changed much. What has happened though is that there are way more graduates in their early 20s heading there - I remember being one of the few at my school when I first arrived. Overall, the cost of living/wage ratio allowed a more comfortable living there (and the proximity to other countries allowed for ample, cheap travel opportunities). While Vietnam did have it's negatives, it just felt like a more up beat place in many ways. Granted, I've never lived in one of the bigger cities here in Japan. I would say overall there are elements of Japanese society that lends itself to loneliness and unhappiness (and I think this sometimes bleeds into some of the expats living here). I can see it on people's faces while riding the trains.

Again, I do like many things here - and like to avoid too much negativity - so I'll avoid another 'Japan sucks' post. Not sure whether to stay or go, though I currently don't really have the cash to relocate (to a new country) so I might stay put here for another year should I not find something else. Not the worst thing (I actually enjoy ALT - for now - and like where I live) though I will be moving on after this, whether it's a new country or new city (on the condition that it's the kind of job i'm after).

If you don't mind me asking RM1983: where are you located, and where do you find these private ALT gigs? Feel free to PM.

[RM1983]

Just applied through the ones on gaijinpot and ohaiyosensei plus a few I found on random browsing sessions!

[matador]

Its a good idea to start your own training company. At the same time, plug into some p/t teaching work in order to keep some money coming in. I teach at a uni and run my own company. Best of both worlds!

[Sudz]

Applied for about 10 jobs through those websites, though haven't heard anything back - granted, this was only on Monday.

By training company, do you mean teacher training company?