Job Discussion Forums

[ryuro]

Forgive me for this rant, but�.

I have had a rather trying week of dealing with potential candidates looking for work in Japan and it appears that the vast majority of candidates out there do NO homework- not even bothering to fully read the ads of the jobs for which they are applying.

Then to compound it, those that make it through the first screening process seem to think they�re �in� and the follow-up materials requested are unnecessary or can be supplied at their leisure- think again!

In all honesty I have just finished deleting the files of nearly 50 (yes that�d be 50) potential candidate who can�t seem to follow simple instructions or fulfill basic requests for additional information in a given time frame. The best ones are those that contact me sometime later wondering about the status of their application. I have a bit of a chuckle when I fire off an email stating that their file has been deleted due to this or that (basically they dropped the ball).

I�m not an evil or vindictive person, but I have found the quality of applications coming through my inbox and fax in the last two years has truly taken a huge drop. I�m not necessarily referring to the credentials of the candidates, rather how they have chosen to prepare and submit their applications and the effort put into following up on their applications.

Good lord! I find myself sounding like some of my previous teachers on occasion- have schools all but given up on teaching people how to write a proper cover letter and CV/resume?! Does anyone bother to actually read the ads and job descriptions anymore?! Do people really want the job?! If they did, they certainly shouldn�t expect me to come begging after follow-up material that�s already been requested. I find it ironic some candidates expect (and I�ve even received emails where they�ve DEMANDED) a response to each and ever email query they send. Yet, when I need some very basic piece of information (that should have been given in their application), candidates feel they can get back to me �whenever�. I don�t get it sometimes.

I do apologize to some of you out there. I realize there are those who do take the time to put effort and thought into their applications and follow-up, because I have interviewed you and placed four of you in recent weeks.

To the rest of you, you�re efforts might be good enough for some outfits over here, but not for me and should you ever leave this cozy cocoon that Japan can easily become, you�ll find most other places won�t even look at some of the garbage that�s being sent out as cover letters, CVs/resumes and applications and the lackadaisical follow-up skills that seem to be prevalent these days.

Sorry, had to get that off my chest.

ryuro

[Mike L.]

I'd say your difficulty, finding qualified people, has much to do with declining pay in the "business" side of ELT in Japan.

If you want quality and experience you've got to pay for it. Not saying you aren't as I know nothing of your situation.

From your post I'll guess your hiring for an eikaiwa or dispatching company. Also going out on a limb here.

Recently, these companies, suffering finnacially, have cut sallaries and benefits, so attracting anything other than newbie / inexperienced job hunters is unlikely.

These are the same applicants clogging your fax and e-mail with terrible resumes as they are often straight out of college and new to job hunting and Japan.

They also started giving out 3 year visas like candy a few years back. This seems to have greatly increased the number of potential apllicants.

I understand your frustration.

By the way what type of hiring are you doing? PM is ok!

[ryuro]

Mike L.

I think you're spot on in your observations- and it's led to a downward spiral...

lower pay, attracting less qualified applicants, resulting in lower pay being offered, attracting less qualified applicants, resulting in lower pay...

Anyway you get the idea.

Also, and I'm not bashing here, but the WHV scheme in my opinion seems to be a major contributing factor. The trend I've noticed in the last couple of years is what I refer to as the 'disposable teacher practice' (of course, most places consider us disposable regardless).

It's something like this...
Companies are far more willing now to bring candidates over on WHV's, regardless of whether they have a degree, experience or can get a regular work visa. They employ them for the year and then sayanara. Send the next one over on a WHV. This has allowed them to recruit much younger and in most cases less qualified candidates. Along with major immigration changes (no min. requirement for salaries any longer) has allowed the industry to lower it's salaries offered. Thus the downward spiral I mentioned before.

A few years back, companies were far more strict on insisiting that candidates have uni/college degrees (3 or 4 years whatever the case may be). This was probably because immigration was a lot tougher years ago and Japanese eikawas, high schools, colleges, etc... preferred it when their teachers stayed-on at least two years- impossible even now under the WHV scheme.

Again, because things have been eased and Japanese companies can 'mark' down the salaries they offer now, most Japanese companies have gotten over their anathema to changing the teacher every year because it's far eaiser and cheaper to do it these days using the WHV scheme.

Don't get me wrong- I think the WHV scheme is a GREAT idea and those that can take advantage of it should. But I have never seen so many applicants with no degrees or any experience (some very young mind you) applying for postions they have no business even considering simply because they can swoop over here on a WHV. I had one applicant who was 19, had no real experience other than the typical part-time jobs one has at that age, but felt he was a "strong candidate" (his words) for a high school/college level positon- come on?! Barely being out of high school himself- the institutions I work with would've thought I was insane if I put him forward for even an AET/eikaiwa position.

On the high end of the education market (university jobs) I have NEVER seen the market as tight as it is now. So many people now with the three year visas and masters or working on a masters, that universities can really demand applicants with masters and published works. Again, sometimes delluded aplicants think that being a native speaker with a WHV is enough to be considered at a college or uni-ain't gonna happen anymore, not even with a BA and HEAPS of expereince (unless of course you know someone).

Again, I really like the WHV scheme, but I think with the lower salaries being offered it it just compounds things here by attracting less qualified and experienced applicants.

And although I realize youth can excuse many things, I don't buy it as an excuse for poorly written and presented cover letters, CVs and applications. I distinctly remember learning all these skills in HIGH SCHOOL (not university) and that wasn't that long ago for me (long enough maybe). To me its just unprofessional not to follow the requirements laid out in an ad and that in itself speaks volumes of a candidate before I even talk to them.

I realize I may come off as sounding anal and over-bearing, but in the end it really does weed out the dead wood and without being a braggert, the people I eventually land are usually the best of those available.

Alright, I think I've said more than my 2 yen on this.

Cheers,
ryuro

ps. I currently recruit for a private company (not exactly a dispatching company, but similar) that works with eikaiwas (both its own and others), jukus and public schools (kindergarten-high schools). In the past my work has included colleges.

[Mike L.]

YOU'RE RIGHT IT IS A "DOWNWARDS SPIRAL."

Was just speaking to an old friend of mine who is an ALT. I was also an ALT there for 3 years. Now teaching in a private school.

It seems after this year the BOE will you one of these "discount" dispatching companies.

I spent 3 years in that city trying to convince the admin of the wisdom of such revoutionary ideas like speaking English in class and hiring qualifed staff.

Myself and others actually made progress after a few years, especially while introducing English into elementary schools.

Many of the Japanese teachers and my immediate boss wanted qualfied teachers who spoke Japanese and were dedicated!

At one point they even had me find several qualified candidates to fill a position but only to have it cancelled by the kyouic cho once another warm body became availbe through the JET host.

Aparently the old Japanese saying "the cheapest thing is most expensive thing" has no ressonance here.

I doubt the new teachers, on slave wages, will give a toss about their job!

With managment like this is there any wonder why qualifed teachers are hard to find? It's not just a money issue.

[ellienihon]

I just finished my job search. I didn't reply to a number of requests for follow-up materials because I was applying to so many places, and it wasn't worth it for me. The schools are all offering very similar salary and benefits. I sometimes didn't answer because I found the questions to be intrusive. I ended up with 4 job offers, and chose the one that seemed to have the best working situation. I guess we'll find out.

[PAULH]

[fat_chris]

On the other side of the coin, there are those employers who write poor advertisements that don't even give the applicant an idea of what the position is or with whom it is.

I have come across several advertisements that make glamorous promises of working conditions offered but make absolutely no mention of the job duties!

Then there are those that leave only a fax number, but neither a name or location of the school nor a contact person to whom one should address the cover letter. To top that off, if one should somehow find a phone number to contact the school and ask for the name of a contact person, one is answered with "I don't know," thus having to address the cover letter with a very unprofessional "Dear Sir/Madam."

Such advertisements are promptly passed over and never given a second consideration. Why would anyone in their right mind give personal information to a company that doesn't give its own information out?

I'm not directing this at you ryuro as I'm not familar with your work and reputation, but as I am in the States applying for work, it's very frustrating to have to deal with some of the ads and employers out there. Unprofessionalism is definitely found on both sides of the employee/employer coin.

[fat_chris]

[einsenundnullen]

I appreciate that fact that sending a properly formatted cover letter is important, but as fat_chris has pointed out, that information is sometimes (often in my opinion) not included in the ad, and the people on the other end of the line who should know don't. Based on email domains, I can often find a company's homepage, and that has an address, but so far many have lacked the name of a/the recruiter.

So ryuro, et al., what is the proper thing to do? "Don't apply" isn't the correct answer.

Thanks,
Chris

[ryuro]

To everyone who responded...

You've all got valid points and as I said my original post was a bit of a rant- just blew a fuse and logged-on.

Often ads don't include some of the information that I talk about (contact name, etc.), and when they don't, a generic salutation and other generic statements are perfectly acceptable.

However, my point is that others DO include this information and for those that do, candidates should take the time to include this information in the cover letters.

The organizations I've worked for have always included a contact name and so when I recieve a generic cover letter with a generic greeting it tells me that the candidate is a bit lazy. Sorry, that's just the way I see it. Replacing a generic greeting takes seconds, so I really don't have sympathy for those that use this "shotgun" method. Also, I don't take kindly to being on the receiving end of a 'group' email application sent out to many prospective employers- also lazy.

What I look for in a candidate is someone who is specifically intertested in THE job I'm offering, not just ANY job. That may be a bit narcissistic and I know I'm probably fooling myself (most candidates have applied to a number of places) but candidates who've done a bit of homework (and what I'm talking about is VERY minimal homework) rank a little higher in my book.

Those using the shotgun approach, well... I avoid them. Maybe not everyone who recruits feels the same way, but I know enough of them that do so I don't feel I'm being overly picky.

Alright, gotta run.

Cheers,
ryuro

[sidjameson]

Just a side issue but I wonder how much a correlation there actually is between interview skills, including the application process and real teaching abilty.
I used to work for a company that taught business English in house. 10 teachers or so full time. When a new teacher was needed I often got to see the candidates. It was sometimes quite strange how the person with the great cv and who performed well at the interview could turn out to be a real pain in the JackC- Richards (the Brits will get it ) to work with and not exactly the world's best teacher either.

[Mike L.]

Doubt you'll get a scientific corelation on that data but if you can't put together a proper cv with a cover letter you'll have a hard time getting a decent job.

Interesting that you mention business English.

Was the company in Tokyo?

I work at one, PT, and many of the FT people fit that profile exactly.

"Jack C Richards" I can only guess!

*******

ryuro is also dead on with the advice: targeting your perspective employers is the way to go!

Always good to get someone else to look stuff over too before you send it off.

[fat_chris]

To beat a dead horse deader....

[Celeste]

Ryuro-

I feel your pain. Not totally, but I was rather dumbfounded at some mail that crossed my desk this week. I am a JET ALT and I work in a municipal education centre. Someone sent an unsolicited cover letter/ resume to our centre. As it was in English, it was sent to us in the English department. My boss opened it and frowned and then passed it to me (asking me if I had ever heard of this person before- I hadn't) As well as being in what looked like 20 point font, the cover letter was riddled with capitalization, punctuation, and spelling errors. It resembled a cut and paste ransom note! I didn't bother reading the resume. Needles to say, after we all had a bit of a laugh, we binned it.

[fat_chris]