Job Discussion Forums

Vince · Joined: 05 May 2003 Posts: 559 Location: U.S.

After six years teaching EFL in Tokyo, I returned to the US last April. I got a job, but the money and atmosphere are nowhere near what I want. Since I know Japan well and have so many eggs in the Japanese EFL basket, I'm thinking it isn't worth it for me to stay in the US and claw my way up from the bottom again. I'm already considering going back.

I've also realized how much I liked the gaijin lifestyle. I enjoyed floating around Tokyo in my gaijin bubble, hanging with other gaijin in our collective bubble, inching up on Japanese fluency... Tokyo also has enough English bookstores and import foodstores to keep me happy. If you have a sense of humor about the occasional annoyances, it's not a bad lot.

My question concerns upgrading my qualifications. My BA in English will get me only so far, so I'm thinking about using my time in the US to get a graduate degree or at least set myself up with a distance learning program that I can complete in Japan. An MA in TESL/TEFL is the most obvious route, but I'd prefer something more transferable to other fields. Would a general MA in education and a separate certificate in TEFL open the same doors? Any other suggestions for graduate degrees?

Also, how's the job market now?

Billy Chaka · Joined: 20 Oct 2003 Posts: 77

Well, usually I"m not one to tell people how to live their lives, but since you asked for advice, I'll give you my opinion. If when you said that you "returned to the US last April" you meant April, 2004 (as in just a little over 3 months ago), I would say give things more time in the US. In respect to your job, you said that "the money and atmosphere are nowhere near what you want." After 3 months I wouldn't expect you to be doing any better. In fact, I'm pretty impressed that you have a job at all. You said that "it isn't worth it for you to stay in the US and claw your way up from the bottom again." Well, what exactly did you expect? For employers to say, "Well, here's Vince, and since he spent 6 years in his self-proclaimed "gaijin bubble" teaching EFL in Tokyo, making a nice tax-free salary because his native language happens to be English, he shouldn't have to struggle like everyone else. We should make things nice and comfy for him like they were in Japan." Of course they're not going to say that. Welcome to reality of living and working in your own country.

Quite frankly I've never met or heard of anyone who after returning from teaching English in Japan didn't think about going back after a few months, especially if they didn't have any family ties (wife, children), keeping them in the US. Every time you go through a tough period, you'll be tempted to go back, and at some point it may be justifiable to do so. But if you've only been back 3 months, then I would say that it's way too soon. If it's only been that long, then try to remember why you left Japan in the first place.

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

Whether it was this year or last year that you left Japan, the job market has not changed much. How could it, even in a year?

Billy raises some good interesting questions, and I won't say anything more than that. As for answering easyasabc's direct questions, I'm a little surprised that 6 years in Japan didn't already provide them. Anyway...

If you want to continue in the EFL world back here, a master's degree will open a couple more doors, but it will still be hard work. Universities have a master's degree plus publications as a minimum hiring standard, so I'd say if you want to do university work, make sure you get publications. The salary is certainly higher than most other jobs. (Don't know your age, though, so landing a university job may not be all that easy. Besides, there is usually a language requirement that you have to meet.)

What did you mean by a master's in "other fields"? Engineering? Biochemistry? Accounting? Or did you just mean something more like Linguistics or Literature? As you should know, non-teaching jobs will almost always require near fluency in Japanese, so the degree itself is not always a gold card to freedom. The exceptions to this are jobs in companies from outside Japan that have branch offices in Japan. And, not all of them fit this description, either. As for the degrees like Linguistics or Literature, I'm not sure what you mean by "transferrable".

I think the closer you are to degrees in the English teaching field, the better are your chances of landing university jobs. Not too many people teach courses other than English here, and if they do, I suspect they have a very strong command of Japanese.

GambateBingBangBOOM · Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Posts: 2021 Location: Japan

Do a google search on "reverse culture shock". What you find might help.

And I agree with others, three months after you get back just isn't a long time to establish yourself.

easyasabc · Joined: 13 Jul 2003 Posts: 179 Location: Japan

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

Vince · Joined: 05 May 2003 Posts: 559 Location: U.S.

Thanks for the advice, everybody. I'm talking about April '04.

I realize that three months isn't that long and that getting a job in that time isn't a small feat in the current US job market. and I didn't expect that employers would give me bonus mileage for having lived in Japan (as for the gaijin bubble and living tax-free, they wouldn't know anything about that; they just see that I've been off the map for the past six years). An entry-level job such as customer support at an insurance company or admission counseling at a university was all I expected. But anything beyond low-paying mall retail is proving to be very difficult.

Don't misunderstand what I said about living the gaijin life. I don't dislike life in the US, and I don't feel like I'm out of touch with the people or lifestyle here. I'm just having misgivings about trading what I built in Japan for the long haul ahead of me in the US. I'm talking about income shock and bleak prospects shock, not reverse culture shock. If I were to go back to Japan tomorrow, within a week I could use my connections to string together a few part-time jobs and be making at least Y350,000 a month. It seems like it'll be quite a while before I make anywhere near that here. But your point about giving it more time is well taken. At least I can apply for jobs at banks, stores, and offices in the US; in Japan, I'm limited to teaching EFL. But EFL still pays better. And back and forth I go.

Glenski, I was talking about a degree that would qualify me to teach EFL in Japan, but would also be valuable in other professions if I get the chance to make that move. An MA in education has more range than does an MA TESOL. I understand that the more focused MA TESOL or MA in applied linguistics is most attractive to someone looking for an EFL teacher, but I wonder if an MA in education (with a separate TEFL cert) would strike a practical balance between the qualification that a school wants and the range I want.

guest of Japan · Joined: 28 Feb 2003 Posts: 1601 Location: Japan

An MA in Education does not open that many more doors. It opens less in Japan, and in the US you will still need to go through the process of getting certified to teach in your home state. State certification rules differ. It's possible that you could get certified, come to Japan for a couple years, then go back to the states only to see that your certification has expired. You're not likely to have any other doors open because of the MA in Education because you will have only limited experience in teaching in the US. It's not easy to make big career changes in the field of education. If you want to make a career in education in the US, get an MA in education, get state certification and get classroom experience there. If you want to make a career in teaching in Japan get an MA TESOL or Applied Linguistics and get working on publications. There are no jack-of-all-trades teacher positions. No matter which direction you decide to go in you will need specialized education. One does not lend itself to the other without more education.

Vince · Joined: 05 May 2003 Posts: 559 Location: U.S.

hamel · Joined: 03 May 2004 Posts: 95

Vince,

From my perspective, I think you should get back to your wife right away. Don't live apart. When you get to the states you can work it out together. Just try to save money in Japan.

I recently spoke to a friend who teaches esl in a private school in los angeles and makes about twenty bucks per hour. He taught english
in a public high school and hated it. esl work is unique and you probably miss it. what is a senmangakko?

teacher's certs can be useful in areas where there's a shortage of teachers and i believe people skills are key (i'm a bit lacking in that area). i'd like to get into special ed in the states, but going back to school for two years after already doing an unrelated ma a long time ago is not easy.

best of luck and congratulations on your marriage. six years of esl experience sounds great.
hamel

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

Vince · Joined: 05 May 2003 Posts: 559 Location: U.S.

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

Vince, if you are thinking of getting a Masters degree, don't rule out getting it by distance education. This will allow you to continue working f/t ( I take it money is a priority for you) and they can be done for 7-10,000 US. As long as you have the time and work ethic, they can be completed in 2 years p/t. I'm currently doing my Masters while teaching in a university. It isn't easy, but what is?
I second the advice about returning to your wife. To me family is first priority. You will also find that you'll have more time to study in Japan than in the US and your wife will find work more easily too.

Vince · Joined: 05 May 2003 Posts: 559 Location: U.S.

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

The tuition at Temple and Columbia also turned me off (that and the fact I'm nowhere near their campuses.

Check out USQ (where I am studying), UNE and Macquarie. They're all Australian universities with good Master's programs. Happy hunting.