Job Discussion Forums

[leeroy]

hi

ive been working in a supermarket for a wile, but its boring.

i heard you can get a job in japan that pays loads but that you need a degree. i dont have one but is it still ok? maybe if i just say i have one will they check?

i dont really want to be a teacher, but it would be cool to see manga films in chinese. is all tv in japan like that?

thanks

[leeroy]

[Lynn]

Hey Leeroy!
Nice topic! Interesting to see what the newer members will have to say. If you want to do a quick read on what some former members posted, check out Glenski's thread. I noticed most of the people who posted don't post anymore. (I guess they are not "addicted" like me)

[Will.]

Hello Leeroy,
Greetings from the Essex borders. What a question. A degree? Wossat?
Much to my chagrin I was surprised to find that it is not a necessary requirement to teach in this country. I have even trained (potential)teachers who did not possess a degree. I am sure you have heard of the basic skills and the ESOL bandwagon that the learner providers are all jumping on. Get me a teacher, drag 'em off the streets, learn on the job.
No. this is not the backwoods of China or outer Mongolia but LONDON!
The deal seems to be obtain a certificate within a year of starting work.
then change job if you don't, and get paid more if you do. I saw an ad the other day at �4/hr!!! No experience necessary, training given, needs to have GCSE level ability(not the proof) in English.
We don't need to go abroad to be a cowboy now.

[Twisting in the Wind]

Dear Leeroy,

I'm an ESL teacher, but I think I want to become a doctor because I've heard they make more money. Specifically a neurosurgeon. I've been studying it on my breaks at the private EFL school, and practicing when I get home on the family cat. I think I'm just about ready to move up to the neighbor's toddler. I've heard I need some kind of degree, but maybe King/Drew Medical center will overlook it since the state of California yanked its license to train new doctors, so I think they're kinda desperate right now and maybe they wouldn't notice. Whaddaya think?

[dduck]

Seriously, Mr Twisted, how can you promote cruelty to animals? Surely you should have started on your neighbour's toddlers from day one. I think I need to lie down and rest a while after reading that one.

Angry from Halifax.
Iain

[fluffhead]

Degree, schmegree...who needs 'em? I wish I could send mine back!

[Albulbul]

Basic Literacy in English helops if you want to teach. Alas, possession of a university degree these days is no guarantee that the graduate can read and write.

[dreadnought]

When I was a DoS at various private schools, I did a fair amount of recruiting. Despite the ads we ran stating quite clearly that any potential applicant needed to have a CELTA and at least one year's experience, about 90% of the CVs I got were from unqualified, uninformed morons whose one 'shining' quality was the fact that they were native speakers and who really rather liked travelling. My personal favourite statement was from one American guy who said: 'Despite not having any experience or necessary qualifications, I've watched Dead Poets' Society on more than one occasion and think I could inspire my students in the same way.' Hold the phones, we've found our man!!

The two applications that stick in my mind the most were from:

(1) An ex-member of the South African secret police. No qualifications of course, and clearly a little underemployed after that meddling Mandela fella brought his work to an abrupt halt.
(2) A Malaysian logger who sent me a 23 page resume. Again, no qualifications, but he was kind enough to detail everything he'd ever done (and indeed every tree he'd ever cut down) since the day he was born.

The most frequent applications I would get were from 40-something Americans going through some kind of mid-life crisis (divorce, waking up and discovering they were accountants) who seemed to see TEFL as their one last chance in life to throw caution to the wind. I was working in Eastern Europe at the time, and I think this largely meant coming over and trying to molest as many nubile Natasas and Svelte Svetlanas as they could show their passport and American Express card to.

And people say our profession lacks credibility. Pah!

[Twisting in the Wind]

[Glenski]

[Steiner]

Glenski, is your reply tongue-in-cheek? It's a little too subtle for me if it is. Leeroy's original post is obviously tongue-in-cheek and his followup post of is there so everyone, absolutely everyone, knows that it's a parody.

[leeroy]

Hi Glenski

It was indeed a parody, but in answer to some of your questions...

I first heard you could make money teaching in Japan from a guy I met in India - he was planning to go there. Among the backpacking community it is a common myth that Japanese streets are paved with gold. This irritates more than a few teachers, yourself included (evidently!). That was the basis of my post...

I like teaching very much, if I didn't I wouldn't do it.

I am well aware that they speak Japanese in Japan.

Actually, I don't like manga films very much - and am sure that there is more to Japanese TV than that.

This post is half true as I don't have a degree (yet) - and as you know was thinking about going to Japan on a WHV for a few months.

[dduck]

[Glenski]

steiner,

No, my reply to leeroy was not a parody. His second post (the wink) was too subtle for me. In fact, I've just finished answering about half a dozen real posts that were exactly like his, which is another reason I was fooled.

Looks like I contributed some worthwhile advice, based on leeroy's third post.