Worth trying again? If not, who?

[JayCeeGee]

I have a degree in Journalism, a Celta and over 1000 hour's experience teaching abroad - but, I have failed to get a job with any of the big employers or agencies in Tokyo. Maybe the market's saturated at present, maybe it's because I'm in my 40s and have plenty OTHER work experience and maybe that has counted against me... dunno. Whatever. At the risk of being ridiculed, does anyone think it's worth trying again with all the 'Big Boys' who have rejected me, or is is worth trying with smaller outfits? it's just that 90% of jobs advertised here say 'must have Visa/currently reside in Japan' etc...

[KansaiBen]

I have a degree in Journalism, a Celta and over 1000 hour's experience teaching abroad - but, I have failed to get a job with any of the big employers or agencies in Tokyo. Maybe the market's saturated at present, maybe it's because I'm in my 40s and have plenty OTHER work experience and maybe that has counted against me... dunno. Whatever. At the risk of being ridiculed, does anyone think it's worth trying again with all the 'Big Boys' who have rejected me, or is is worth trying with smaller outfits? it's just that 90% of jobs advertised here say 'must have Visa/currently reside in Japan' etc...

Maybe because you only limited yourself to Tokyo where there is lots of competition and foreigners. You self limit by only applying to one geographical area. Also wages are pretty cheap right now and they worry you dont want to work for entry-level wages.

Are you in Japan now?

[JayCeeGee]

Maybe because you only limited yourself to Tokyo where there is lots of competition and foreigners. You self limit by only applying to one geographical area. Also wages are pretty cheap right now and they worry you dont want to work for entry-level wages.

Yeah, this is what I was thinking... I should've tried elsewhere, but I've got a couple of friends there who were helping me get sorted re. accommodation, etc... And the wages, yeah. I think you're spot on, and this was very much on my mind.

Are you in Japan now?

No, I'm back in London but am popping back in July for a few week's holiday, and was thinking of trying again, hence my question...

[Ken44]

I have a degree in Journalism, a Celta and over 1000 hour's experience teaching abroad - but, I have failed to get a job with any of the big employers or agencies in Tokyo. Maybe the market's saturated at present, maybe it's because I'm in my 40s and have plenty OTHER work experience and maybe that has counted against me... dunno. Whatever. At the risk of being ridiculed, does anyone think it's worth trying again with all the 'Big Boys' who have rejected me, or is is worth trying with smaller outfits?

I agree its best look outside of Tokyo but I think you should think hard before deciding on teaching here. The job is pretty crappy once the novelty wears off and someone your age and with your experience might easily become disillusioned.

[JayCeeGee]

The job is pretty crappy once the novelty wears off and someone your age and with your experience might easily become disillusioned.

And this is probably why they won't take a chance on me, 'cos they know the score... Hmmm.

Ta, anyway...

[KansaiBen]

And this is probably why they won't take a chance on me, 'cos they know the score... Hmmm.

Ta, anyway...

For what its worth a degree in journalism and a CELTA is overkill for the types of jobs you are chasing after anyway, you would be considered too old and too overqualified.

Language schools here want young off the boat preppies who are willing to work for peanuts and dont need to be re-trained. With a CELTA a school would have to make you unlearn everything you ever learnt there.

Sorry to be negative but thats the way things are going, stingy dispatch companies and bottom feeder language schools.

[JayCeeGee]

No, as I thought - ta for your bluntness... I'll just come for holidays and do some privates, just to keep my interest...

[jrp]

I have a degree in Journalism, a Celta and over 1000 hour's experience teaching abroad - but, I have failed to get a job with any of the big employers or agencies in Tokyo. Maybe the market's saturated at present, maybe it's because I'm in my 40s and have plenty OTHER work experience and maybe that has counted against me... dunno. Whatever. At the risk of being ridiculed, does anyone think it's worth trying again with all the 'Big Boys' who have rejected me, or is is worth trying with smaller outfits? it's just that 90% of jobs advertised here say 'must have Visa/currently reside in Japan' etc...

Maybe you should focus on the companies selling 'Business English' classes - they don't necessarily want young fresh faced teachers.

There's no rule against putting in a new application to companies you've tried before. I don't think many of them would keep a database on who has applied previously. But go over your cover letter and CV - there was either something they did not like, or something missing. I doubt they'd have anything against journalists as such, but you could tone that side of your employment history down a bit - maybe say you were a proof reader or researcher or something similar.

If you're planning on coming here whether you have a position pre-arranged or not, then three weeks before you plan on arriving you could send in applications to all the companies you have before and make out you already live here (use your friend's address) - that way you might have a couple of interviews lined up before you arrive.

Have you been trying the ALT companies as well?

[Effected After]

I don't think many of them would keep a database on who has applied previously.

It depends - if it's through Gaijinpot, it keeps a record of all applications and any interaction done using the site's system.

[Glenski]

If you don't mind some serious criticism, look at your opening sentence. Spelling mistakes galore (I count 3), and incorrect punctuation (improper use of hyphen and comma). Journalism majors should not make these, and don't tell me this is "only an Internet discussion group". If you are as slack with writing in your applications, that will be a mark against you.

If you say that 90% of advertisements want people with visas, you are not looking in the right places. That percentage is far too high. Look on other boards. It's probably closer to <50%.

It is "worth it" to reapply? I don't know. What are your alternatives? Work in Vietnam or Thailand or the UK? How much is it "worth it" to you to put in an application again? You have not stated WHEN you applied earlier, and that might be a factor in the rejections. If you plan to be here as you say, contact everyone ahead of time to let them know when, otherwise contacting the smaller outfits will generally be pointless, since they will not be able to interview you outside Japan. Meeting them inside Japan is usually your only option (some will do Skype interviews, but I wouldn't count on that being in the majority).

I'll just come for holidays and do some privates

Oh, great! Work illegally just to "keep your interest"... Just DON'T.

[KansaiBen]

And with privates you need a place to teach them, some teaching materials, and a minimum of a mobile phone. How do you expect to find these "privates" on a 90 day tourist visa? I live here and even I have trouble finding them. Mostly they are beer money, nothing more.

OP, I think you have a very outdated (dare I say, deluded) idea about how hard things have got for English teachers in general these days. It is no longer the Eastern gold rush here anymore where you could pick up privates like so much loose change.


Lots of people ask if its "worth" it to come here. That depends.

Depends on how hard you look for a job and where. Depends on how hungry you are for a job, or do you just cherry-pick those that look easy or offer sponsorship. Depends on where you want to live and how much you limit yourself. Depends on whether you are willing to put in two months of hard yakka just to find a job, let alone see a paycheck. Depends on whether you will do jobs that are beneath you or below your skill set, just so you can get some experience and your foot in the door. Depends on your reasons for coming here and what you hope to get out of it. Depends on if you are a person who bails out at the first sign of adversity or hardship. No one can answer these but YOU.

[Effected After]

don't tell me this is "only an Internet discussion group". If you are as slack with writing in your applications, that will be a mark against you.

But, this is only an internet discussion group, and as a journalist, I'd imagine he checks his resume a lot more carefully than a post on a forum. I know I do. I sometimes proofread my posts, but it's at best a skim. While I'll go over a resume 10 times, and get someone else to check it as well. They are two different mediums, with two different sets of rules.

[JayCeeGee]

If you don't mind some serious criticism,

No, go ahead!

Spelling mistakes galore (I count 3)

Please tell me what they are?!?!

incorrect punctuation (improper use of hyphen and comma)

Fair enough...

It is "worth it" to reapply? I don't know. What are your alternatives? Work in Vietnam or Thailand or the UK? How much is it "worth it" to you to put in an application again? You have not stated WHEN you applied earlier, and that might be a factor in the rejections. If you plan to be here as you say, contact everyone ahead of time to let them know when, otherwise contacting the smaller outfits will generally be pointless, since they will not be able to interview you outside Japan. Meeting them inside Japan is usually your only option (some will do Skype interviews, but I wouldn't count on that being in the majority).

Oh, great! Work illegally just to "keep your interest"... Just DON'T.

I applied from September of last year and came for a couple of interviews in February - previously I had a few Skype interviews which were also fruitless.
I did a few language exchanges and some of them were interested in taking classes... just a thought.

[JayCeeGee]

Depends on how hard you look for a job and where. Depends on how hungry you are for a job, or do you just cherry-pick those that look easy or offer sponsorship. Depends on where you want to live and how much you limit yourself. Depends on whether you are willing to put in two months of hard yakka just to find a job, let alone see a paycheck. Depends on whether you will do jobs that are beneath you or below your skill set, just so you can get some experience and your foot in the door. Depends on your reasons for coming here and what you hope to get out of it. Depends on if you are a person who bails out at the first sign of adversity or hardship. No one can answer these but YOU.

Yes, all fair comment...

[JayCeeGee]

'is is worth trying '

Ha!

[jrp]

It depends - if it's through Gaijinpot, it keeps a record of all applications and any interaction done using the site's system.

Good point. A direct email would be better - or if that's not possible, maybe starting a new profile with a new email address would get around that.

[Glenski]

But, this is only an internet discussion group, and as a journalist, I'd imagine he checks his resume a lot more carefully than a post on a forum. I know I do. I sometimes proofread my posts, but it's at best a skim. While I'll go over a resume 10 times, and get someone else to check it as well. They are two different mediums, with two different sets of rules.

I knew my remarks would draw fire. So be it.

My response to "it's only an Internet discussion group" is this: so what? Yeah, yeah, different rules for different media, but let's be aware here of two things:

1) He does want to be an English teacher, so there's no harm in pointing out this sort of thing. I mean, I didn't do it all that brutally, and who knows just how his earlier correspondence actually looked?
2) He seemed to take my remarks well, as a professional should.

However, I wouldn't imagine he checks his resume all that well, but that's just the cynic in me, based on reading scores of people's resumes for teaching over the last 15 years. Result? Every single one of them had plenty of flaws in many aspects including spelling.

Effected After, you are right that people should give their resumes (and cover letters) to trusted language-proficient associates to have checked, but in reality I don't think all that many do.

[ttokyo]

I have a degree in Journalism, a Celta and over 1000 hour's experience teaching abroad - but, I have failed to get a job with any of the big employers or agencies in Tokyo. Maybe the market's saturated at present, maybe it's because I'm in my 40s and have plenty OTHER work experience and maybe that has counted against me...

That is the curse of being over-qualified. An employer might be afraid that you are just after the working visa and will jump ship the first moment you see a better-paid opening in another field.