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alfred_utton
Joined: 23 Dec 2004
Posts: 26
Location: Costa Rica
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 Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2004 7:26 pm Post subject: following Hamish�s advice |
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Having read Announcement: Before you post:
I tried to check out other people�s posted resumes, before posting my own, but couldn�t get in. My log-in name and password came up invalid. What am I doing wrong? Is there somewhere I can look at other people�s resumes to get an idea of what other people include? Furthermore, would anyone like to take a look at my resume and cover letter before I post them and offer suggestions? I�d really appreciate some advice from people already working in TESOL. |
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Roger
Joined: 19 Jan 2003
Posts: 9138
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| Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 1:10 pm Post subject: |
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I suggest you post it hre albeit with key particulars modified to put would-be SHerlock Holmeses off your trail.
I don't mind reading your CV - but it may take a couple of days before I can reply because I am going to be on a holiday trip.
Good luck
Roger |
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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| Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 2:11 pm Post subject: Re: following Hamish�s advice |
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| alfred_utton wrote: |
Having read Announcement: Before you post:
I tried to check out other people�s posted resumes, before posting my own, but couldn�t get in. My log-in name and password came up invalid. What am I doing wrong? Is there somewhere I can look at other people�s resumes to get an idea of what other people include? Furthermore, would anyone like to take a look at my resume and cover letter before I post them and offer suggestions? I�d really appreciate some advice from people already working in TESOL. |
Alfred
I read a lot of CVs for people looking for jobs in Japan (and by extension, Asian non-western countries) and have a checklist of points that I recommend people watch out for when writing a CV for jobs here. If you are looking for a job in Mexico not all these may apply but you can use some of these which you see fit, in your situation.
1. A CV is a work and education record. It is not a sales pitch of all your achievements and every prize you have won. Keep the CV simple and to the point and relevant to what the employer needs to know. Rid the CV of clutter and extraneous detail. They need to know where and when you when you went to school and your highest qualification. A degree is for immigration, not your employer so you can get a work visa. Your employer is simply the sponsor. You can have a dgeree in basket weaving and still get a visa to work here
2. Do not assume the reader is a native speaker or English or even that they are Americans. A Japanese employer may know some English, but they may be intermediate level or lower. they are not stupid but any CV filled with jargon, cliches, big words will get trashed. keep sentences simple and to the point. Dont talk down to them but keep it simple.
3. Avoid abbreviations e.g TX, NY. Write out degrees in full e.g. Bachelor of Arts. Masters of Science. MBA is pretty meaningless for getting a teaching job at a university for example. Dont assume they know where in the US you are from.
4. You will not use computers in a conversation school, so listing all the computer software you can use is a waste of space. You wont go near a computer in a lesson.
5. Knowing some languages is useful, from the point of view that you know how difficult it is to study a foreign language, learning vocabulary and grammar. The first language is not used in the classroom here and employers dont expect you to know or use any (Japanese). You can say you are learning but it will not be a big factor in your getting hired here. You will use the language when dealing with shopkeepers, landlady and understanding your phone bill. Students pay to hear you speak English, not broken Japanese.
6. Leave off goals and objectives on your CV. G & O are in the future, not the past, and they can change withing a short time . You could quit your job in 3 months and fly home again. Only write what has happened to you, not what will happen.
7. Having a Masters or a CELTA can sometimes be counter-productive and make you overqualified, or more qualified than the perosn interviewing you. You then become a threat to them. You are not being paid to re-invent the wheel or run the school. Tailor your CV to what they are asking you to do. Teaching at a conversation school is not rocket science, but be careful not to qualify yourself out of the running.
8. You can mention hobbies and interests but IMO they are a little irrelevant. They are paying you to teach English, not learn about Manga and japanese culture. they want someone who is punctual and wont quit because of home sickness. Remember why they are hiring you. Avoid mentioning having Japanese girlfriend or boyfriend. They are not runnning a dating agency.
9. keep the CV to one or two pages, maximum. Employers here are very busy, maybe have a lot of resumes to read and have no time to wade through details of every past job you had.
10. Keep past job descriptions to a minimum. Just say when, where and how long you worked, and perhaps a job title. Someone with management experience and hiring people may get bored with a lowly teacher position, so the less you tell them the better, unless they ask. Most of your past work experience in your own country will be irrelevant to what you do in Japan, and vice versa.
11. If you include a photo make sure it is a professional passport type photo with clear head -shoulders shot, and no cameo poses taken at the beach. Teaching in Japan is a professional type job working in an office atmosphere, wearing a suit, at least try to act like one.
12. You can include references (email is probably best) but its unlikely they will contact them if they live overseas
13. One thing I always impress on people when applying for jobs here is to get away from "whats in it for me" by asking about salary and holidays and accomodation and plane fare etc, rather seek to impress upon employers what you bring to the table, what you have to offer the school and students. Dont act like you are Gods gift to teaching and you are doing them a favor by hiring you. You and 20 others.
14. Make yourself stand out from the crowd by giving them a reason to hire you. |
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alfred_utton
Joined: 23 Dec 2004
Posts: 26
Location: Costa Rica
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| Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2004 5:09 pm Post subject: |
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Roger. I don't want to post my resume on-line but I would like to e'mail it to you, if that's alright. You could get it back to me at any time.
PaulH, thanks for the advice. I'm going to rework my resume keeping your criteria in mind.
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