Job Discussion Forums

[think_balance]

Hello, I'm 35 with a B.A. in English and am half-way through my M.A. in TESOL but have no experience with the Japanese language. I do have experience working as an ESL tutor in the U.S. as well as 500 hours experience working as an English assistant in France. I also have over 10 years corporate experience at a world renowned U.S. company.

What are my chances of getting a job working in the EFL field or doing English-related corporate work in Japan and making at least 300k yen/mo? And, should I slog it out and finish up my M.A. TESOL, would better opportunities open up to me? Or does my lack of exposure to the Japanese language hold me back?

Thank you.

[Glenski]

Your chances are pretty good. You don't need to be a fresh college graduate with a degree in linguistics. Don't worry about your age or near-completion of the master's.

Realize that most people here start with zero to little experience teaching and with a degree that is unrelated to teaching. You need to realize, too, that you'll likely start out in eikaiwa or as an ALT (dispatch or JET programme) for a year or two.

JET pays 300k/month, and a few eikaiwas do (usually in the bigger cities), otherwise expect something closer to 250k/month. Get your feet wet and be able to supplement your income with private lessons, and you can easily go over the 300k mark. You may also start with corporate classes at a slightly higher wage. Look at the links in the FAQ stickies to some of the more well-known business English agencies and see what they offer for salaries (but realize that most want people with experience in some field that is related to what the clients are doing).

Your lack of Japanese will not hold you back in the early stages, but study anyway if you want a better chance later on.