Job Discussion Forums

Henry Chinaski · Joined: 04 Jan 2007 Posts: 22 Location: AUSTRALIA

Good Afternoon All,
I am a 35 year old Australian male. I am currently a lecturer in a college in Hong Kong. I have approximately 7 years of experience, an M.A in Applied Linguistics and my wife is Japanese. I have been reading this forum for quite some time and would like to ask for some advice.

I would dearly love to make the move to Japan. Hong Kong is an interesting enough place but after two years I am finding it has very little appeal beyond the opportunity to save money. My problem is finding a suitable position in Japan. Now, I have read this forum extensively and I realize how competitive University positions are. I guess what I would really like to know is if anyone (Glenski?) could suggest some suitable places for me to apply to or begin my search. My Japanese language skills are very limited but I am quite confident I can improve them significantly over time. While I have experience and qualifications on my side I do not have any publications to speak of. To be honest I am not looking to get a job in the best University in Japan nor even the tenth best. Rather I would be very happy in an average university in a smallish city. For example, my wife's family live in Shikoku and if I could find a place down there or even way up North (or West for that matter) I would be delighted. I realize Westgate may be one option but from my research it does not seem to be a very good one.

Also I was wondering if I could find such a position what would be an acceptable salary? I just did a currency conversion and my current monthly salary in Hong Kong is approximately 430,000yen + housing. I fully realize I may have to take less than this in Japan and that is something I am willing to do. I have managed to save close to $100,000AUD in Hong Kong and am more than ready to take a position that provides me with more happiness in return for less money.

I would very much appreciate any advice or suggestion forum members may be able to offer.

Thanks,
Hank

AgentMulderUK · Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 6:32 pm Post subject:

Strange, I would leave Japan at a shot to have a chance to work back in Hong Kong.

Wonderful place, in Central one minute, 20mins later hiking in the hills.

I found the places very similar in many ways though, having said that. But the disappointment I felt after seeing Japan after HK was epic.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

No publications.
Very little Japanese language ability.
No experience in Japan.

Your chances are somewhat slim. Have you looked at the FAQs to see some links on where to look and what to read? (I know that the PALE wiki link may not work, so PM me and I'll send you the file in the link.)

Essentially, look here.

http://jrecin.jst.go.jp/seek/SeekTop?ln=1
English section
http://jrecin.jst.go.jp/seek/SeekTop
Japanese section
[NOTE: English and Japanese listings may be different.]

http://www.jacet.org/
English and Japanese listings

http://chronicle.com/jobs
Countries other than Japan are listed.

JALT Job Information Centre (also listed in The Language Teacher)
http://jalt-publications.org/tlt/jobs/
Contains other links as well. Consult the JALT Journal, too.

The JALT PALE Wiki site is also a good place to get some (as yet limited) information. http://www.palewiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page
"Preparing to Search" is a good article there with excellent links to use for job hunting at universities.

Those are the prime sources for uni jobs. Don't disregard any other sources like the general ad sites.
The Japan Times (paper edition on Monday, plus web site www.japantimes.co.jp )
www.ohayosensei.com (twice a month)
www.eltnews.com
www.gaijinpot.com
and more (see the FAQ 3)

And get published! You're going to face steep competition, and a lot of it is based largely on how much Japanese you know and what your publication record is. Most uni jobs these days are for PT work, so get your Japanese spouse visa, pound the pavement for anything to tide you over temporarily while you network, and don't expect anything for quite a while. Universities have pretty much stopped hiring for the 2009-10 academic year, but you might get lucky.

Shikoku is extremely limited in its options, so have a serious talk with your wife about desired locations. You won't have much choice.

Westgate has classes on university campuses and may be a way in the door, but it is not a university itself. It is a dispatch agency that has avoided the law with a loophole in how it provides "teachers". You will be very busy working for them, too, and the contract is very short and usually not renewed consecutively.

Join JALT and network with the SIGs. The annual conference is a ways off (November this year, in Shizuoka), but attending to meet people and scout out the job postings is a good move.

Henry Chinaski · Joined: 04 Jan 2007 Posts: 22 Location: AUSTRALIA

Glenski - thanks for taking the time to offer such a thoughtful and informative response. I more or less perceived the situation to be as you described. Thanks for the links they are a good starting point. On a positive note I do have time and money on my side. I am still gainfully employed in a pretty good Hong Kong position so perhaps I can publish and improve my Japanese over the next year and then launch a serious attack on the Japanese tertiary market. Thanks again.

AgengMulder - The grass is always greener on the other side my friend. If you are really that keen on Hong Kong try to PM me and I could help you to be set up and working here by August if you are qualified and can interview well. But trust me while life in Hong Kong is quite good and lucrative, it will wear you down and if you have a soul you may be in danger of losing it.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Henry,
If you are only interested in uni jobs, you don't have a whole year. Most job ads start in late summer for the following spring. Anything after October ads is fairly rare.

Smooth Operator · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 140 Location: Japan

If you know some Japanese, have an MA in TESOL and don't have fixation with working in Kanto or Kansai there are not a flood of applicants for some jobs. In the last couple of years I have sat on hiring committees for jobs where you could count the applicants on 1 hand for 'tenure track' positions.

Check the Japanese section of JRECIN website with your wife's help, and apply to the smaller cities. You could get lucky as I would guess they don't get too many qualified applicants. Whilst January is a bit late the places advertising now will be desperate. I got my first uni position here from a job advert posted in January or February.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

AgentMulderUK · Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 10:43 pm Post subject:

taikibansei · Joined: 14 Sep 2004 Posts: 811 Location: Japan

Smooth Operator · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 140 Location: Japan

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Smooth Operator · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 140 Location: Japan

Well his wife could certainly help prepare any Japanese application materials and not all jobs require fluency in Japanese if the teacher is not expected to attend meetings.

Besides which, all the postings here will be archived and other interested teachers will search through them in future.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Darashii · Joined: 16 Jan 2007 Posts: 5

Eehhh? They expect a handwritten resume? Laughing

Smooth Operator · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 140 Location: Japan