Thank you so much for the encouragement and the tips, samokan! I'll look up YMCA and GABA straight away! :D

~annelie

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I appreciate the information. When you say not to apply only for the "best offers and positions", are you saying we shouldn't aim only for the "highest salaries and least demanding working hours"? I'm not too picky about salary and workload when I apply for a position, but I do research the company to see what other people say about it. If many negative things are said about the job, I usually think twice before applying.

I applied for a position as an English teacher with NOVA just the other week. I didn't think they'd be interested in hiring a Swedish teacher (their homepage says they're looking for English, Spanish, French and German teachers), but maybe I should ask about other, less well-known languages as well?

~annelie

Yes I am saying that if this is what you what to do, being hired by a company of ill repute may be your last ditch effort to come over. Once you are in the country and have that work visa, you will find it much easier to get a better job or location.

As far as teaching Swedish, I am not sure but only heard that Nova has these multimedia teachers that give lessons in not just the big four you named above.

If I were in your shoes, I would market myself to companies as a person with a diverse, international background. This is what a lot of their students are interested in beyond English education. They are studying English for the exposure to foreign cultures and looking for people willing to share that with them. You could probably emphasize the fact that you know what it takes to learn English and define yourself as someone who has accomplished a native level of English. The truth is, you may be a better teacher than a native English speaker because they have no idea how they learned English. It just happened for them whereas you know the troubles facing the company's students.

Native level is something you really want to emphasize if you are not from an English speaking country. Be sure to really drive that point home.

I just went on Nova, and was reading about the holiday time it provides. It says it gives you 10 paid holidays. Does that mean 10 days off for the year?

This means that you are given 10 days you can ask to receive as holidays. You will get some national holidays off and they should be paid for as well. There will be most likely other holidays that are unpaid around like the New Year holiday. But yeah, by law they don't have to give you 10 until a half year of employment so they are being somewhat gracious in giving you them right out the gate.

Oh, okay, thanks.
Will it be 5, 6 or 7 days a week?
I know you can have the flexible employment, but if you don't choose to do that, how many days will you have to work per week?

By law, Japanese companies can only require workers to work for six days a week. I think at a place like NOVA, five would be the norm. At most any school five is the normal work week for English teachers. The only ones doing six days are usually ALT's at private schools where the kids are in school for six days a week and those who choose to find extra work or put in overtime.

Cool.
I'm planning to start applying just before I finish uni, which is quite a way away yet, but what do you think the chances are of getting employed by a place like NOVA?

Very high chances but I would look elsewhere as well. Nova is not exactly the cream of the crop and you can find better pay and a more relaxed working environment at a lot of other places. Working at NOVA you will be subject to a lot of corporate BS.