|
Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Dominique
Joined: 26 Aug 2004
Posts: 141
Location: Juso, Osaka
|
 Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2004 9:42 pm Post subject: What kind of job can you get when you return? |
 |
|
I was just wondering from those who went and came back, what type of employment were you able to find?
I'd imagine teaching experience and the ability to adapt should land you with a pretty good job! |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Ajia
Joined: 22 Jun 2004
Posts: 31
Location: Mie-ken
|
| Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2004 4:45 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
I was just wondering from those who went and came back, what type of employment were you able to find?
|
I was thinking the same exact thing........I just got here(Japan) less than a month ago and I know I will only be here for 1 year so I am thinking ahead and wondering what I will do when I go back to the US. I only have a BA in Linguistics and I think in most cases that a BA in the US gets you absolutely nowhere(especially in my case), unless your degree was in education. So, what I am left with, if I want a decent job, is to go back to school probably in TESOL or something. I think that even though I will have 1yr of teaching in Japan to add to my resume, I don't think it will land me a good job if I were to go that route but it might help me get into a good school.
You never know.....other people might have a different experience when they come back to their home countries...... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Gordon
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 5309
Location: Japan
|
| Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2004 5:03 am Post subject: |
|
|
I'm sorry to say that a year teaching overseas, doesn't amount to much for most jobs. It really depends where you want to work. Do you want to teach ESL? Some employers may think you have the travel bug (you might) and may take off at any moment. Some even fear or are intimidated by people who have travelled a lot. You may want to play up your job skills, and downplay your travels. It really depends on the job, this is just a generalization from someone who has been there and who has employed people.
Me, I always hired people with overseas teaching experience when I was running an ESL school. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Joannda
Joined: 07 Jun 2004
Posts: 43
Location: Japan!
|
| Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2004 6:10 am Post subject: |
|
|
This is a pretty broad question really, without knowing what your degree is and what experience you've got already? I can't really speak for teaching, if that's what you're looking into, although I suppose it would be a bonus to have actually lived in Japan and if you can speak the language, if you want to be a Japanese teacher in your home country for example? I have a friend who went on the JET programme and is now the head Japanese teacher at a public High School here. (She also has a teaching cert).
For me, I've done a degree in Business Management, and will be looking to get into the marketing side of things once (when/if?  ) I return from Japan. Having done Japanese at Uni as well, it will be an advantage (I feel) for me to go to Japan and improve my language skills there. Hopefully I will then be able to get a job in the area of marketing/export related to Japan as well. A guy who now works for the export side of a big ice cream comany here basically did the same thing as I will have done once i've done my year(s) in Japan.
I mean, in the end the opportunities are endless, and yes, hopefully your experience in Japan will do something for you. If nothing else, it will have given you the opportunity to deal with different cultures, motivate people (your students!), step outside your comfort zone, all that stuff! So, even if your experience in Japan doesn't land you a job per se, the skills you gain from it will no doubt be of use no matter what you intend to do later in life! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Sweetsee
Joined: 11 Jun 2004
Posts: 2302
Location: ) is everything
|
| Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2004 6:21 am Post subject: |
|
|
| I drove limo out of LAX and worked for Arnand Milchan for a stint as his personal driver. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Dominique
Joined: 26 Aug 2004
Posts: 141
Location: Juso, Osaka
|
| Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2004 2:30 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I was just wondering if people went into completly different fields or just stayed teaching.
I met a former ECC employee at Chapters(Canadian Bookstore), the other day. That was really cool because I can ask her all sorts of questions now.
At the ECC interview, there was also a former NOVA employee who just wanted to get back to Japan.
I never thought that there might be some negativity for those coming back looking for a job. I thought that the ability to adapt in a new work environment would be an asset, since I believe most employers want that.
As for myself, I plan on saving enough money in Japan to either a) put a downpayment on a house and/or b) pay tuition for an MA in education. If teaching is truly my thing. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
taikibansei
Joined: 14 Sep 2004
Posts: 811
Location: Japan
|
| Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2004 6:54 pm Post subject: Re: What kind of job can you get when you return? |
|
|
| Dominique wrote: |
| I was just wondering from those who went and came back, what type of employment were you able to find? I'd imagine teaching experience and the ability to adapt should land you with a pretty good job! |
I think, considering the wide range of reasons people have both for going to and returning from Japan, that you're going to get a lot of different responses. As for me, I've always been interested in teaching, and continue to teach at the university-level in the States, so this is the only area I can speak to with any knowledge.
One general caution: the fact that you've taught a little overseas--by itself--means very little, even if you are only looking for ESL positions upon your return. The problem is that there are so many people looking for positions right now, many of them with similar overseas experience. 120 people applied for the tenure-track position I accepted here this past spring. At the university I was teaching at before this, we ran four job searches in English-related subjects and received over 500 total applications. Finally, while part-time jobs remain plentiful, you'll have a difficult time living off of them...and forget about either long-term stability or health insurance....
This said, your stay abroad can be very helpful--if you use the opportunity correctly. First, and especially if this is your only work experience, try to stay at the same job at least one year (and leave on terms good enough to get a recommendation from SOMEONE). This shows, besides your maturity and sense of responsibility, that you did your job sufficiently well not to be fired (or have to quit) for a full year--a surprising number of applicants have never done this!
Second, if you don't have at least an M.A., get one. Save while you're in Japan so that you can afford to go to graduate school when you get back. Indeed, your Japan experience may make you even more attractive to an admissions committee (also, a good program will give you assistance with your job search as you prepare to graduate). Remember, though, that an M.A. will only rarely get you long-term, full-time work at a 4-year university. (In the United States, however, it will--if combined with sufficient work experience--qualify you for full-time positions at 2-year colleges.)
Third, try to publish as much as possible. People everywhere are still interested in Japan, the Japanese, and working in Japan--use this interest to your advantage. Submit stuff about your experiences (whether as nonfiction, fiction, or poetry) to literary journals. Try to get something published in an academic journal as well. Even if it is only a "My Share" article in The Language Teacher, or something similar in ETJ Journal or Snakes & Ladders, it will be more than a number of your competitors.
Finally, learn the language as much as possible. A reasonable amount of Japanese fluency (say, at least to level two on the proficiency test) will help you find a job, in any field. Indeed, despite having nothing to do with what I was ostensibly hired to teach, I have been told by almost every colleague here that a major reason I got the job was because of my Japanese language ability. (Don't ask me why....)
Here's the best free site I know of for an academic job search in the States:
http://chronicle.com/jobs/10/200/
Of course, the one's offered by AWP and MLA are better...you just need to pay for them.
Hope this helps someone. Good luck.
Last edited by taikibansei on Sun Sep 19, 2004 10:34 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
nomadder
Joined: 15 Feb 2003
Posts: 709
Location: Somewherebetweenhereandthere
|
| Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2004 8:27 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I think many go the university route. Get Masters, become "real" teachers.
I've heard of some doing homestays or even opening up a school. One is working with emotionally disturbed children. 
Others picked up foreign husbands while abroad and never went home.
Or there's Uncle Fred or the Call Center.  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Mike L.
Joined: 28 Feb 2003
Posts: 519
|
| Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2004 12:16 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| As for myself, I plan on saving enough money in Japan to either a) put a downpayment on a house and/or b) pay tuition for an MA in education. If teaching is truly my thing. |
These are both good ideas!
If your not interested in the academic side of ESL back in Canada you can always get your teaching certtificate in Ontario which will give you a pretty good chance of landing a FT poistion in the public / private / catholic school system..
Whatever you save as much money as you can! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
GambateBingBangBOOM
Joined: 04 Nov 2003
Posts: 2021
Location: Japan
|
| Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2004 2:53 am Post subject: |
|
|
I think it depends on what your degree is in, what you want to do, and how long you actually spend in Japan. A year isn't all that much, but if you stick it out for three years, it at least shows employers you can stick out a job for a long-ish length of time, and probably won't quit on them as soon as the job no longer feels new.
But then, a year or two or three teaching English in Japan isn't likely to get you much if all you have is a BA. employers in Ontario generally do not train new employees to do any job. This is the basic scenerio:
| Quote: |
An employer"s number one question: "So, what are you able to do for me right now?"
Response from those with a BA and not much else: "Whatever you can train me to do, I can learn!"/ I have international experience and am confident I will be awesome at anything you ask me to do!"/ "I'm hardworking, loyal and honest! Teach me to do something once, and I can do it forever!"
Employer: "We don't have much need for that around here at this time."
|
I'm not saying that going overseas is not useful, just that in itself it may not get you far.
As others have mentioned, it can help you get into graduate programmes and the B.Ed (that only one in ten who applies can get into each year).
If you decide against doing the MA route (due to costs, or grades or whatever) you can also do a one year certificate or two year diploma in a career area at a college. Here's a list of them from Scarborough UofT
http://www.scar.utoronto.ca/~career/postdiploma.htm
After you take one of these, when employers ask you what you can do, you can actually tell them. But they tend to be very specific about the area in which they train you. You need to do a lot of research into availability of jobs. Most certificate institutions will tell you that 85-95% of their graduates have jobs within four weeks or 8 weeks or whatever. That doesn't necessarily refer to working within the chosen industry, oe else they are in the "industry", in that they work for a company connected with it. But they are working in the warehouse or something. Anybody who does't have a job at all is normally labeled as "freelancing", but they are unemployed. The difficulty is that so many jobs are contract. It's hard to know who is actually in the field, and who is sending out resumes and calling and isn't actually getting anywhere. And who has just given up.
*Note that a certificate in TESL is one of the options. You can do this in a university as well (UofT offers one through Woodsworth, and other universities outside of Toronto offer them too). |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
LA Galaxy
Joined: 24 Jun 2004
Posts: 19
Location: Los Angeles
|
| Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2004 3:37 am Post subject: |
|
|
I taught in Japan for 4 years and always knew that I wanted to continue teaching going back to the states. I enrolled in a multiple subject credentialing program and a year and a half later landed a job teaching 4th grade at an elementary school. I dont think the employers really cared if I taught in Japan or not. I am sure some might be impressed, but mainly if you want to teach ESL. Most school districts mainly look to see if you have the teaching credential and qualified to teach.
If you know that you want to return to your home country someday then its a good idea to plan ahead an even take courses for attaining a higher degree. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
stillnosheep
Joined: 01 Mar 2004
Posts: 2068
Location: eslcafe
|
| Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2004 7:16 am Post subject: |
|
|
Ever thought of Teaching English as a Foreign Language?
And if not what are you doing over here? Experiencing a different culture and widening your cultural horizons?
sns
Last edited by stillnosheep on Mon Sep 20, 2004 3:14 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Sheep-Goats
Joined: 16 Apr 2004
Posts: 527
|
| Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2004 12:04 pm Post subject: Re: What kind of job can you get when you return? |
|
|
| Dominique wrote: |
I was just wondering from those who went and came back, what type of employment were you able to find?
I'd imagine teaching experience and the ability to adapt should land you with a pretty good job! |
The best job I could find after coming back from teaching in China was working in a lumber mill with a bunch of *beep*-ups on an early release program that the prison had organized, and it took me two months to find that job. This was during the worst period of time for unemployment in the US since the great depression -- but I can certainly tell you that no one in the US gives a flying *beep* about teaching English overseas.
Most of the interviewers I talked to were interested in what it was like, and, of course, asked the "If you don't speak Chinese, then how..." question. But when it came to questions about the my ability to do the job (rather than the interviewer's personal interests) the fact that I type 65 WPM was more valuable than the fact that I lived in a forgeign country and taught rooms full of 70 middle schoolers who didn't understand the language I was speaking.
Also, I applied for one ESL job while in the states, which I was fairly well qualified for. But, if you live in any kind of a desireable location, there'll be plenty of people there who have also taught overseas and, as such, ESL jobs are hard to land in the states.
So, to echo what's already been said: Without an advanced degree, overseas teaching experience is worth nothing. With an advanced degree, it's worth very little and then only sometimes. Why else do you think you meet so many 50 year olds who are still teaching English for the equivalent of about 10 USD an hour? Just for fun? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
nomadder
Joined: 15 Feb 2003
Posts: 709
Location: Somewherebetweenhereandthere
|
| Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2004 3:18 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Why would you ever want to go back?  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
lajzar
Joined: 09 Feb 2003
Posts: 647
Location: Saitama-ken, Japan
|
| Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2004 10:16 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I agree. After rent and tax, I am earning 2.5 times what I could reasonably hope to get back 'home'. No incentive there.
Also, many employers don't like looking up references from abroad, partly due to language barrier concerns, partly due to the fact they can't independently verify that it isn't your best drinking buddy giving that reference. This may in some cases invalidate all your work experience abroad. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling.
Contact Dave's ESL Cafe
Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
