Job Discussion Forums

[johnny_a]

I'm a 28-year old Swedish male with a BA in Japanese. I'm planning to get a CELTA soon. I want to go to Japan, China or Korea (well, Korea seems to be pretty much out of the question for non-natives) as an English teacher. I also have a Certificate in Advanced English, if that helps...

It'd appreciate any advice or comments. I know that there are Swedes working as English teachers in China and Japan, but I also understand that native speakers are preferred.

What are my chances of getting a decent job? Will getting a CELTA help me? Do I have to meet potential employers in person to convince them that I can speak English?

I suppose it could be an advantage for me that noone outside of Europe knows what the h*ll Sweden is, perhaps I can just tell employers that we speak English in Sweden - I've actually met Americans who think so.

Thanks in advance,
Johnny

[Glenski]

Let's not bash my fellow Americans, no matter how stupid they are. Stay on track.

You want a job in Japan? Non-native speakers do teach here (and languages other than English, too). It's not easy, but you have a degree, which will satisfy immigration's requirements. Be careful, though, as immigration might want to know whether your education has been entirely in English or not.

Now, as you wrote, it's up to you to convince an employer that you can do the job. You don't have to meet with them in person, but a well-written cover letter will help. Perhaps an audio or video tape, too. Nobody recruits in Sweden, I believe, so you are going to have to come here, set yourself up (it's expensive), and job hunt, or rely on a very few places that are willing to do a phone interview while you are in Sweden. Come to the Japan forum and ask around. Some Dutch and Belgians just did, and this was the general consensus.