Job Discussion Forums

[MrCAPiTUL]

the internet? I'm not terribly young (not terribly old, either) and I can remember life pre-internet (all through high school, really). How did you find out about the companies? Was it a recruiting event? Did you just fly over and start looking?

[furiousmilksheikali]

Newspaper ad.

You should have had 3 other options to your poll.

c) Don't know.

d) Don't care.

e) Don't know and don't care.

Put me down for E.

[canuck]

E

[MrCAPiTUL]

There you have it - C, D, and E. Better????

[canuck]

[furiousmilksheikali]

[MrCAPiTUL]

I don't see how you can say it is garbage. It is a valid question and a valid poll. I have my own thoughts about the market and feel the internet HAS contributed to the stagnation of the market. I think this is abetted by complacent vets who don't see the need to assist a younger generation. And also by a 10+ year deflated Japanese economy. Having that said, I value the opinions of others - especially those who have seen the changes that have taken place in the industry. It gives me additional insight.


Canuck. . . seriously, why ARE you so bitter? Really. You seldom have something to say that is not flooded with some bitter seeming remark. Have you not found the success and happiness that you anticipated finding in Japan? Are you stuck in a rut because you've been in Japan so long doing this line of work that it would be impossible to make a comparable living in your motherland or almost any place else, for that matter (barring the middle east)? You can counter by saying - I've found plenty of happiness here in Japan, CAPiTUL, hence why I am still here - it is just people asking retarded questions that frustrate me. You could say all of that, but then I'd have to remind you that you really don't have to respond or bother with crumby questions on forums at all, no? I'm sure there are other things you could do with your time. If something is garbage, why contribute to it? Why bother?

I've said my peace - moving forward.

[MrCAPiTUL]

[seanmcginty]

I don't think it had much effect. When I got my first job with GEOS in the late 90s the internet was around but (being a bit behind the times) I didn't have a computer and had almost no experience with it. I got the job the old fashioned way, by responding to a paper ad placed in my university career centre.

There isn't really any difference, people had to look for jobs then too. So people who used to have to physically go to the career centre to look for jobs 10 years ago can now do so online. Big deal. People had to look for jobs then as they do now and were probably just as likely to come across ads for jobs in Japan while searching then as now.

[furiousmilksheikali]

[canuck]

[TokyoLiz]

Did the internet flood the teaching market in Japan, thus stagnating the market?

You're assuming two things here - that the teaching market (are you talking about teachers or eikaiwas or cram schools or all of the above?) is flooded, and that the Internet is a possible suspect.

Big assumptions, dude.

Go do some homework about the Japanese English education market, and get back to us before you conduct a poll.

[MrCAPiTUL]

Liz, I will say the market for education in Japan is stagnant (hell, maybe even in regression). From bottom to top, things are not as rosey as they used to be. At the Uni level, requirements have become a lot more stringent, people are worried about job security (though, perhaps one could say this has always been an issue to some degree). Fewer and fewer people are getting those cushie (spelling?) contracts. Alts are killing public school positions and there is a plethora of Alts. English mills have an abundance of applicants and have thus become much more scrutinous on who they offer positions to. Additionally, wages have not increased across the board. In fact, many sectors of the profession have DECREASED. Big language schools facing bankruptcy.


I think that the internet DID play a part in it, abetted by other factors mentioned earlier. The internet has allowed FAR MANY MORE people to apply to the same positions and has allowed them to do so with greater ease. I can learn about almost any place in the world whilst taking a crap - you couldn't do that in the past. It was more difficult. It took more effort. It really is simple supply and demand. The internet has increased the potential supply exponentially, whilst the demand is decreasing (shoot, it has to be - Japan has a dying population). Without the internet, things would appear to balance out at a healthy level. Your supply would've increased a little bit due to sheer growth in English speaking countries, but not as much as it has. Due to the internet, I feel the supply increase has outpaced the demand decrease.

[Glenski]

[zorro (3)]

OFF TOPIC

Canuck,
I just read the funniest thread of the year that you have on your signature. I think you're right. It is the funniest thread of the year without a shadow of a doubt

My favourite part.