Job Discussion Forums

ScruffyPete · Joined: 17 Apr 2010 Posts: 12

Hi, before I start I will say that I have looked through the FAQs and old posts to try to find an answer to this (to no avail, of course), but if you can point me to older posts, then please do so.

So, I have recently graduated in Politcs from a relatively good UK University with a 2/1.

I intend to teach English in Japan, but could do with some quick advice regarding the best plan of action before I leave.

I plan on working in the UK doing casual jobs to save up enough money to pay for a CELTA course (about �1000, as far as I can tell, is this a decent price?) and another �1000 to take with me to keep me going until my first paycheck, etc... (Is this enough?)

So really, I suppose I am looking for some confirmation that I am not perusing a pipe-dream and likely to find myself unable to find any work, having invested time and money into this (including the cost of a CELTA). I would be happy for entry-level employment, as long as I have enough money to live as comfortable a life as I have become accustomed to as a student. (i.e. above absolute squalor)

Thanks for your time.
Pete.

seklarwia

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

I agree with seklarwia about the money. If you plan to come here and look for work, bring 400,000-500,000 yen. You may have to support yourself for 3 months or more.

Since you are British, you can come with a working holiday visa and start working immediately, whether in PT or FT jobs. In a sense that helps, compared to other non-WHV people, but you will still have to face those who are already here and searching.

Will you find work with your qualifications?
Yes, but there is no guarantee on how easy it will be to land the job once you found it. Competition is very steep. It also depends on when you plan to come, or when you start looking.

bobbysix · Joined: 07 Oct 2010 Posts: 23

In this day and age, I would be wary of coming to Japan to teach English after doing a degree. As you probably already know, competition is fierce for graduate jobs in the UK and a couple of years out will only disadvantage you when you return to the UK and apply for jobs competing against the fresh graduates.
And don't think about making a career out of ESL in Japan, it's a dead end job.
With a good degree from a good uni, you should look to getting a proper job in the UK. Just my two penneth.

ScruffyPete · Joined: 17 Apr 2010 Posts: 12

Okay thanks for those replies, I should have said I actually plan on applying while living in the UK and only flying out once everything is in order, but I will try to take another �1000 just in case.

rxk22 · Joined: 19 May 2010 Posts: 1629

rich45 · Joined: 26 Jan 2006 Posts: 127

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

Gotta agree easily with rich45.

1000 pounds is about 129,000 yen.

Divide by 12 and you get 10,000 yen needed to save every month in order to get back the 1000 pounds. Piece of cake.

rxk22 · Joined: 19 May 2010 Posts: 1629

OneJoelFifty · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 463

I also agree with rich45!

Most people seem to think that the life of an English teacher living in Japan is just above begging on the street. Just make sure you bring plenty to cover your initial outlay and you should be fine to save a bit each month on an average wage (say ￥230,000), while not confining yourself to your apartment.

Also if you're trying to have it all sorted out before you head over (I was the same) then you're limiting your options a lot to some of the bigger language schools and dispatch (working in the public school system by way of a placement company) work. There's plenty of information knocking around on this forum.

seklarwia · Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 9:51 am Post subject:

jillybean · Joined: 01 Jul 2011 Posts: 32 Location: JAPAN

I have a poli sci degree and no other qualifications and I found a job relatively quickly. Make sure your resume and cover letter are outstanding and that they really help sell you as the best candidate for the job.

seklarwia · Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 12:18 pm Post subject:

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

[quote=rxk22"]I make 230,00 a month, on a good month that is. I have to pay for insurance, and my city tax, which makes saving pretty hard. [/quote]I find this hard to believe.

Insurance the first year is ~2000 yen/month. What are you paying?
City tax is different in every city and may differ depending on your situation. But it won't be all that much, roughly 6% of your income (http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2206.html). How much did you pay?

With average rent, utilities, food, and phone, you can expect to spend about half that 230,000 per month. City tax and insurance will nibble a bit at that, but you will still have about 100,000 left after paying those, perhaps more. Even after the first year, a single person will pay roughly 25,000 yen in insurance, so that still leaves 75,000 or so. What did you do to cut so much into that figure that left you struggling to save?

While seklarwia points out some very salient figures about installation costs and such, and while you should be prepared for many/most of them, you might be able to avoid some.
1) Most employers nowadays have already paid for the key money on apartments, so unless you get one that hasn't, or one that is scamming you, or you get your own place, you will probably avoid that huge expense.
2) If you can't afford to pay at least a utility bill and some lunch fees (or pack your own lunch), don't even consider coming here, because you would be too poor to survive.

Ryu Hayabusa · Joined: 08 Jan 2008 Posts: 182

@seklarwia

I don't think there is any problem with rxk22's math--just his/her job!

Any decent ALT job pays a stable monthly salary that only decreases in August and December (mine didn't). It sounds like he/she works on a pay-by-the-day system. That sucks. But with a guaranteed monthly salary of even 230 000 yen, a person should be able to save 10 000 yen per month very easily in their first year.