Job Discussion Forums

ElJuero · Joined: 24 Jan 2009 Posts: 58

Hi Folks,
I wanted to post here as I'm weighing which countries to try working in or not even bother with.
I've got a B.A. and I'm TESOL certified from SIT with about a year of experience.
My "issue" is I'm changing careers and I'm 50 y/o.
What are people's experience with this or what do you know? I saw an opinion posted by someone on a blog saying Interac, for example never hires someone over 40?
Thanks for your ideas and any responses.

GambateBingBangBOOM · Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Posts: 2021 Location: Japan

My opinion is that age discrimination is bad. It is also common in Japan, but its not everywhere.

It's an issue that Japanese people face more often than foreigners. That's why the mid-thirties people who just lost their jobs are looking at being temp workers for the rest of their lives. It's a result of the lifelong employment situation they had here until recently. Because people get their job in their early twenties, then there must be 'something wrong' if they are looking for a job when they are older (career changing for women who raised children is common). Being downsized in Japan can be far, far worse than in other countries (and that's partially why when presidents of companies quit to take responsibility for something that wasn't actually directly their fault, they aren't really quitting the company, they are quitting the position- they usually end up in another position in the same company).

But it is true that because of the way most foreign contracts run in this country, foreigners have far less job security than Japanese people, so if you've been working at a single school for ten years, they can often just say "Sorry. You're out next year" (because most foreign teachers are working for dispatch companies that skirt the law). They can't do that with Japanese people.

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

There will be a large number of employers who want the under-35 crowd, but you will still have a fair chance of landing work at 50. It depends on what you want to do.

Plan to start as an ALT or eikaiwa instructor. Realize that your boss may be a kid half your age and with pretty much the same amount of experience as you.

I presume you already know that the market is full of teachers and teacher wannabes.