Applying as a teacher from America or Japan?

Nanajuu · (#1 (**permalink**))

I've been meaning to ask this for a while

I heard somewheres(Can't quite remember where) that it was easier to get a job as an english as a second language teacher(Teaching in Japan) in America, with companies like Aeon. Is there any truth to this?

Thanks!

jasonbvr · (#2 (**permalink**))

You heard that it was easier to be hired to teach English in Japan while living in the US? Is that what you are asking?

If it is, the answer is simply no. It is easiest to be hired from within Japan after you have already been teaching here for one or two years. Here are the reasons why:

1. Living in Japan makes it easier for you to have a face to face interview with the company hiring you. In fact, a lot of companies will not hire people from overseas until they are convinced they can't find someone here.

2. If you are already in Japan and teaching, companies feel rather confident that they can hire you and have you visa easily renewed rather than having to go through the hassle of getting a new visa processed.

3. Teachers in Japan are already fairly well adjusted to life in Japan and there is less of the walking you through every step of the way sort of thing when you have a problem or something to do like visa renewal, etcetera.

These are the reasons why in most cases companies will prefer to hire from within Japan.

Now if you are asking specifically about the Aeon Eikaiwa company, the answer is different. Also it is a bit more complex. Aeon hires overseas candidates for forseeable vacancies. Aeon sets up interviews in major US, Canadian, UK and Australian cities. You will most likely have to fly there and get a hotel to do the interview. Which doesn't sound like a lot of fun if you don't get the job. However Aeon also hires from within Japan but usually for immediate vacancies. So is it easier to get a job with Aeon by applying from overseas, I think the answer is still no but in some cases would be a yes.

MMM · (#3 (**permalink**))

It was my understanding that companies like Nova and Aeon hired specifically from outside the country so that would get people that didn't know Japan and Japanese, and were less likely to quit after they saw their messed-up work schedules. (i.e. 2 hours on, 2 hours off, 2 on, 2 off until they worked 8 hours a day).

Fooflowers · (#4 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by MMM

It was my understanding that companies like Nova and Aeon hired specifically from outside the country so that would get people that didn't know Japan and Japanese, and were less likely to quit after they saw their messed-up work schedules. (i.e. 2 hours on, 2 hours off, 2 on, 2 off until they worked 8 hours a day).

14 hours with 2 hour breaks every 2 hours, thats like the worst split shift/s ive ever heard of lol

MMM · (#5 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fooflowers

14 hours with 2 hour breaks every 2 hours, thats like the worst split shift/s ive ever heard of lol

That's only what I had heard from one rather drunk Nova employee...but if I had those hours I would probably drink a lot, too.

jasonbvr · (#6 (**permalink**))

Wow, that is pretty crazy. But honestly it is probably the only way to run an eikaiwa. Eikaiwas are not going to be busy all the time. Look at it this way, you get the bored housewives in the morning, then the little kids who get out of elementaries and kindergartens after lunch, and then in the evening there are the school kids and people doing it after work. It is just a fact of life in eikaiwas that you will work irregular hours. Also you end up working a lot of weekends and some holidays because this is when people have time to go.

If you ever end up working in an eikaiwa, the best you can really hope for is the guarantee that your two days off a week are guaranteed to be back to back to make a type of weekend.

Also forgot to mention, you cannot be hired by JET from within Japan. You can apply and then fly home for the interview. This is at least how I understand it. I may be wrong.

Natsume · (#7 (**permalink**))

I have a question what about Martial Arts. I'm a Blackbelt in TKD and Shotokan Karate and I study Kendo and I'm trying to get a job teaching martial arts in Japan. What would I have to do?

Kenpachi11 · (#8 (**permalink**))

I have an american friend that is a english teacher in japan.

jasonbvr · (#9 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by Natsume

I have a question what about Martial Arts. I'm a Blackbelt in TKD and Shotokan Karate and I study Kendo and I'm trying to get a job teaching martial arts in Japan. What would I have to do?

Speak Japanese really well and I imagine there may be some sort of licensing program or test you have to take. And something like that would require a lot of name recognition too I would imagine.