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ravel
Joined: 28 Jan 2007
Posts: 50
Location: Pyeongnae, then Osaka
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 Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 7:35 am Post subject: WTF am i missing something? ESL jobs in Osaka or Tokyo |
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This is related to my job find strategy thread I started....WTF I have been applying for jobs daily, looking for jobs daily. I have yet to get a single interview. I don't have a work visa yet and I want to work specifically in Osaka. I'm in Osaka. Am I expecting too much to want to NOT work for the big 4, get sponsored and get paid at least 250,000 yen?
Is the supply of teachers here such that these basic expectation are truly too much to ask, or am I missing something that vets here know about the Japanese way of doing business? Do Japanese businesses leave everything until the last minute and then panic? Is this not supposed to be job seeking prime time in Japan? How long can one reasonably expect to wait before finding a job here? I know that I have to expect at least a months expenses before getting paid, but how many weeks or months can I expect to wait before getting a full time job here. Fortunately I have other options, but I would really like to work in Japan, however I'm not sure the complete emptying of my savings to do it is worth it. Is there alternatives to applying to NOVA, getting the visa, then leaving?...I'd rather just get a decent employer and stay with them.
WTF? |
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canuck
Joined: 11 May 2003
Posts: 1921
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 8:45 am Post subject: Re: WTF am i missing something? ESL jobs in Osaka or Tokyo |
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| ravel wrote: |
This is related to my job find strategy thread I started....WTF I have been applying for jobs daily, looking for jobs daily. I have yet to get a single interview. I don't have a work visa yet and I want to work specifically in Osaka. I'm in Osaka. Am I expecting too much to want to NOT work for the big 4, get sponsored and get paid at least 250,000 yen?
Is the supply of teachers here such that these basic expectation are truly too much to ask, or am I missing something that vets here know about the Japanese way of doing business? Do Japanese businesses leave everything until the last minute and then panic? Is this not supposed to be job seeking prime time in Japan? How long can one reasonably expect to wait before finding a job here? I know that I have to expect at least a months expenses before getting paid, but how many weeks or months can I expect to wait before getting a full time job here. Fortunately I have other options, but I would really like to work in Japan, however I'm not sure the complete emptying of my savings to do it is worth it. Is there alternatives to applying to NOVA, getting the visa, then leaving?...I'd rather just get a decent employer and stay with them.
WTF? |
How long have you been looking and applying? Is your phone number correct on your resume? There are lots of jobs in Osaka outside the big 4. Do you fax your resume to jobs that want it by fax, or do you skip them and just email other companies. Remember, you are also competing with people who live in Osaka, work at the big 4 and are looking to leave and do something better or different.
The Kansai Flea Market comes out every Thursday or Friday, with new jobs all the time.
It is possible to find a job in Osaka.  |
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ravel
Joined: 28 Jan 2007
Posts: 50
Location: Pyeongnae, then Osaka
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| Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 8:58 am Post subject: |
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How long have you been looking and applying? Is your phone number correct on your resume? There are lots of jobs in Osaka outside the big 4. Do you fax your resume to jobs that want it by fax, or do you skip them and just email other companies. Remember, you are also competing with people who live in Osaka, work at the big 4 and are looking to leave and do something better or different.
The Kansai Flea Market comes out every Thursday or Friday, with new jobs all the time. |
I have been looking for 2 weeks. I don't have a phone number, I have tried repeatedly to get a cell, but because of ******* stupid Japanese rules, I can't get a phone without an Alien card.
All jobs with a fax also have email addresses.
I have been downloading the Kansai fleamarket, Kansai Scene, scouring the Japanzine (last issue had a good internet feature about many site including jobs).
Strangely the ones with phone numbers either don't answer or can't speak English and ask to have the resume emailed, or aren't sponsoring. I have been putting in a legitimate effort, but so far the result are are crap! All suggestions are welcome.
Thanks,
ravel
I'm in Osaka also, appreciate the suggestions though Canuck, Thanks. |
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canuck
Joined: 11 May 2003
Posts: 1921
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 9:24 am Post subject: |
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| ravel wrote: |
| I have been looking for 2 weeks. I don't have a phone number, I have tried repeatedly to get a cell, but because of ******* stupid Japanese rules, I can't get a phone without an Alien card. |
If you don't have a phone, your chances go down about 50%. Where are you staying? At a gaijin house? If so, put their phone number on it and ask the house manager to take a message for you. If you're staying with a friend, put your friend's phone number down on your resume.
Two weeks is not a long time either.
Another option would be to go to one of the foreign bars, start buying people drinks and ask if they know of anywhere hiring. I know a guy that got a full-time just doing that. |
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ravel
Joined: 28 Jan 2007
Posts: 50
Location: Pyeongnae, then Osaka
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| Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 10:03 am Post subject: |
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Thanks Canuck,
I knew it was a disadvantage, but not that bad. I will have to go to Kansai airport and get ass raped on one of their phones....$3 a day plus airtime. But hey if it make that much difference it's probably worth it. |
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Gordon
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 5309
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 10:32 am Post subject: |
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| ravel wrote: |
Thanks Canuck,
I knew it was a disadvantage, but not that bad. I will have to go to Kansai airport and get ass raped on one of their phones....$3 a day plus airtime. But hey if it make that much difference it's probably worth it. |
Yes, get a phone. I also think you can get one at the tourist info booth at the Kyoto train station. |
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cornishmuppet
Joined: 27 Mar 2004
Posts: 642
Location: Nagano, Japan
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| Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 10:40 am Post subject: |
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3 dollars a day is barely more than I pay on contract, without hardly ever ringing anyone. Phones aren't cheap in this country.
Head up! You on a working holiday or tourist visa? Go into a couple of international centres and look for part time job ads up on the walls, hand written and all that. I know a guy who got visa sponsership from a school where he was only doing ten hours a week. At the very least you might be able to start some money coming in.
Good luck! |
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canuck
Joined: 11 May 2003
Posts: 1921
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 12:00 pm Post subject: |
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| cornishmuppet wrote: |
| Go into a couple of international centres and look for part time job ads up on the walls, hand written and all that. I know a guy who got visa sponsership from a school where he was only doing ten hours a week. At the very least you might be able to start some money coming in. |
This isn't very practical advice. You're not going to get a visa by just working part-time at a job 10 hours a week unless is very well paid. If you're going to go the part-time route, you're going to have to get multiple part-time jobs. However, this isn't practical in the OP's situation, as he doesn't have a visa now and he will be getting his first visa to work in Japan. The multiple part-time job scenario is suited more to someone who already has work and is looking at staying with the same employers, renewing his visa.
Get a phone. Put the number on your resume. Follow up on the jobs, if possible. You don't have to use your phone to call, but more important to be able to receive calls and schedule interviews.
My phone bill is around 4000-6000 yen a month. Again, two weeks isn't a long time.
| ravel wrote: |
| I will have to go to Kansai airport and get ass raped on one of their phones.... |
Whatever floats your boat!  |
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bluefrog
Joined: 28 Feb 2005
Posts: 87
Location: Osaka
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| Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 12:49 pm Post subject: |
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Another point, by stipulating schools that aren't one of the big four you are severely limiting your options. The big four aren't good places to work but if you really want to work in Osaka and want to get your foot in the door, they are a place to start.
In all of Kansai there are probably just a handful of schools that sponsor visas and are hiring. Also as previously stated you are competing with people who are leaving one of the big four for those jobs.
Another resource is ohayo sensei. It tends to list better paying jobs and places that offer sponsorship. |
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canuck
Joined: 11 May 2003
Posts: 1921
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 1:08 pm Post subject: |
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| bluefrog wrote: |
| Another point, by stipulating schools that aren't one of the big four you are severely limiting your options. The big four aren't good places to work but if you really want to work in Osaka and want to get your foot in the door, they are a place to start. |
The Big 4 do the bulk of their hiring overseas. Often, they won't hire domestically because they believe people are just going to jump ship once they get their visa. If you're going to go that route, going to NOVA and hoping for the best would be the easiest, as they have the most turnover and they are based in Osaka. (Namba area) |
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Firestarter
Joined: 12 Feb 2006
Posts: 55
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| Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 1:59 pm Post subject: |
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| If you don't have a visa, I think you'll find options limited. Opportunities are out there, but you'll have to give yourself more than two weeks I'd suggest. Are you on a tourist visa? If so, I don't even think you should be looking for work and immigration could give you a run around even if you do find a sponsor. This happened to a friend of mine last summer.....got the visa in the end, but only after two months of hell and many missed opportunities. Still keep at and eventually you WILL find something. |
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canuck
Joined: 11 May 2003
Posts: 1921
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 2:24 pm Post subject: |
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| Firestarter wrote: |
| Are you on a tourist visa? If so, I don't even think you should be looking for work and immigration could give you a run around even if you do find a sponsor. |
What do you mean? You can look for work on a tourist visa. You just need to find a company that will hire you and is willing to sponsor you. Immigration doesn't give you the runaround. They wait for you to come to them and fill out the appropriate paperwork. |
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markle
Joined: 17 Jan 2003
Posts: 1316
Location: Out of Japan
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| Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 2:27 pm Post subject: |
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Again 2 weeks is not long. My last job search took about 3 weeks and came down to the wire (I was losing the apartment) and I had a phone and visa.
Don't be too proud to take a Big 4 job, I was seriously considering an offer from Interac just to get a toehold. |
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furiousmilksheikali
Joined: 31 Jul 2006
Posts: 1660
Location: In a coffee shop, splitting a 30,000 yen tab with Sekiguchi.
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| Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 2:53 pm Post subject: Re: WTF am i missing something? ESL jobs in Osaka or Tokyo |
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| ravel wrote: |
Is the supply of teachers here such that these basic expectation are truly too much to ask, or am I missing something that vets here know about the Japanese way of doing business? Do Japanese businesses leave everything until the last minute and then panic? Is this not supposed to be job seeking prime time in Japan? How long can one reasonably expect to wait before finding a job here? I know that I have to expect at least a months expenses before getting paid, but how many weeks or months can I expect to wait before getting a full time job here. |
It looks like you're not really in the position to ask for too much. You're on a tourist visa and the clock is ticking so if you're really dead against the big four eikaiwa then you are already narrowing down your options. It is true that these schools often prefer to hire abroad (I think that GEOS exclusively do this) but there are times when NOVA and perhaps one or two of the others will hire in Japan.
What do you mean by saying "Do Japanese businesses leave everything to the last minute and then panic?" They are not running according to your schedule but to their own. They sometimes end up stuck for teachers but this is often when an inordinate number of teachers leave at the same time. For smaller companies losing just one teacher can cause problems for them.
Two weeks is almost nothing for most places of employment and you should remember that for a lot of places after your interview you may end up having to do a period of unpaid training. This could take you past the end of the month meaning that you will end up being paid for the following month one month later (in other words I hope you don't envisage yourself being short of cash anytime in the next six to eight weeks because it may be that long before you see any money.)
As others have said you should definitely get yourself a phone. Try and get a prepaid one which doesn't require an alien card. Without one you just increase the trouble an employer will have to contact you and why should an employer go out of his or her way to do that? |
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sidjameson
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 629
Location: osaka
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| Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 4:06 pm Post subject: |
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If teaching is ment to be a profession.....yes, I know  then 2 weeks is nothing.
I mean try going to London and getting a professional job within 2 weeks without a work permit. |
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