OT BA wanted to teach English in Japan
bobbie sellers
people with a Bachelor's Degree in any subject to teach English
in Japan. Resume and cover letters wanted by January 20, 2006
Hiring done in San Francisco from Jan. 27-29, 2006,
Cover letter should quote ad in SF Weekly and be sent to
Personnel Co-ordinator, Geos Language Corporation
Fax: 604-887-4367
E-Mail: vanc...@goescareer.com
So I hope someone on ram or raam might be intereste in finding
out more about this but I have no interest in Geos Language Corporation,
etc.
I know relatively few of the posters or the lurkers may be in
San Francisco but a chance to get paid to go to Japan sounds really
good to me and if I could qualify & was healthy I wouldn't bother to
tell you guys & girls about it.
later
bliss -- C O C O A Powered... (at california dot com)
--
bobbie sellers - a retired nurse in San Francisco
It is by the beans of cocoa that the thoughts acquire speed,
the thighs acquire girth, the girth become a warning.
It is by theobromine alone I set my mind in motion."
--from Someone else's Dune spoof ripped to my taste.
Captain Nerd
"bobbie sellers" <bli...@SPAMcalifornia.com> wrote:
> So it ain't anime but a company is running an advertisement for
> people with a Bachelor's Degree in any subject to teach English
> in Japan. Resume and cover letters wanted by January 20, 2006
> Hiring done in San Francisco from Jan. 27-29, 2006,
>
> Cover letter should quote ad in SF Weekly and be sent to
> Personnel Co-ordinator, Geos Language Corporation
>
> Fax: 604-887-4367
>
> E-Mail: vanc...@goescareer.com
>
> So I hope someone on ram or raam might be intereste in finding
> out more about this but I have no interest in Geos Language Corporation,
> etc.
> I know relatively few of the posters or the lurkers may be in
> San Francisco but a chance to get paid to go to Japan sounds really
> good to me and if I could qualify & was healthy I wouldn't bother to
> tell you guys & girls about it.
'06 is a little too early for my plans, but I have been thinking
about teaching over there, maybe starting in '07 or '08. I want
to go 'splorin' over there for a bit, see if I can handle the
culture.
I wonder if this is a yearly ad...
Thanks for the heads-up, Bobbie!
Cap.
--
Since 1989, recycling old jokes, cliches, and bad puns, one Usenet
post at a time!
Operation: Nerdwatch http://www.nerdwatch.com
Only email with "TO_CAP" somewhere in the subject has a chance of being read
Miles Bader
reputations as absolutely horrible places to work ("Nova" has about the
worst reputation -- and are one of the biggest operations).
-Miles
--
We are all lying in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
-Oscar Wilde
Bobby Clark
"Captain Nerd" <cpt...@nerdwatch.com> wrote in message
news:cptnerd-CE8041...@news.giganews.com...
> In article <1020975813123117...@News.Individual.NET>,
> "bobbie sellers" <bli...@SPAMcalifornia.com> wrote:
>
>> So it ain't anime but a company is running an advertisement for
>> people with a Bachelor's Degree in any subject to teach English
>> in Japan. Resume and cover letters wanted by January 20, 2006
>> Hiring done in San Francisco from Jan. 27-29, 2006,
>>
>> Cover letter should quote ad in SF Weekly and be sent to
>> Personnel Co-ordinator, Geos Language Corporation
>>
>> Fax: 604-887-4367
>>
>> E-Mail: vanc...@goescareer.com
>>
>> So I hope someone on ram or raam might be intereste in finding
>> out more about this but I have no interest in Geos Language Corporation,
>> etc.
>> I know relatively few of the posters or the lurkers may be in
>> San Francisco but a chance to get paid to go to Japan sounds really
>> good to me and if I could qualify & was healthy I wouldn't bother to
>> tell you guys & girls about it.
>
> '06 is a little too early for my plans, but I have been thinking
> about teaching over there, maybe starting in '07 or '08. I want
> to go 'splorin' over there for a bit, see if I can handle the
> culture.
>
> I wonder if this is a yearly ad...
>
They are continually looking for people. There is another similar group
called Nova. It's better than teaching with the JET program as you can and
are encouraged to see your students after school. :)
and
http://www.geoscareer.com/geos_difference_tanninsei.html
"Also, GEOS teachers may socialize with their students after work." and
"Outside of working hours, you will be encouraged to socialize with students
in order to build further cross-cultural understanding."
The JET program is here. There is an age cut off and since they are HS
students socializing after work is frowned upon.
Bobby
sanjian
> "Captain Nerd" <cpt...@nerdwatch.com> wrote in message
> news:cptnerd-CE8041...@news.giganews.com...
>> In article <1020975813123117...@News.Individual.NET>,
> They are continually looking for people. There is another similar
> group called Nova. It's better than teaching with the JET program as
> you can and are encouraged to see your students after school. :)
>
> http://www.geoscareer.com/
I can't help but remember the advice I gave first-term sailors who were
trying to decide what rating to strike for. "There's a reason some rates
have fast advancement - because they suck so bad they can't keep people."
Kind of got to wonder if it's the same for companies who are always hiring.
Bobby Clark
"Miles Bader" <mi...@gnu.org> wrote in message
news:87ek4fb...@catnip.gol.com...
> Be aware that many of the bigger English school chains in Japan have
> reputations as absolutely horrible places to work ("Nova" has about the
> worst reputation -- and are one of the biggest operations).
I agree. I keep hearing about how ridged the classes are. You are not a
teacher in that you can not run the class as you see fit, but must follow
the set pattern. The major benefit is living in Japan for an extended time,
if you can stomach being a robot during the class. It would be better to
work with a Japanese company or an American company doing business in Japan.
I personally know several people who are doing that and they are very happy
with the travel to Japan and extended time spent there.
Bobby
Bobby Clark
"sanjian" <mill...@vt.edu> wrote in message
news:dnqc3j$ib$1...@solaris.cc.vt.edu...
As Miles pointed out below, these companies can be hard to work for. If you
can take being a automaton then you are good. I am not sure if it is the
way that the Japanese people expect to learn or the difference in American
teaching styles that is the big hang-up, but I think it would suck big time
to be in a class room and not be able to help the students in a manner that
is best for them.
Bobby
Captain Nerd
"Bobby Clark" <bclark@REMOVE_airmail.net> wrote:
I've read a bit about Nova, apparently they also have a part-time
teacher program which sounds interesting.
> http://www.geoscareer.com/
>
> and
>
> http://www.geoscareer.com/geos_difference_tanninsei.html
>
> "Also, GEOS teachers may socialize with their students after work." and
> "Outside of working hours, you will be encouraged to socialize with students
> in order to build further cross-cultural understanding."
Looks like AEON and Nova tend to teach adults, so socializing after
class might not be quite so bad for an old fart... ^=====^
> The JET program is here. There is an age cut off and since they are HS
> students socializing after work is frowned upon.
>
> http://www.jetprogramme.org/
Well, I'm well past the "sell-by" date for JET participation, so
they're out.
Miles Bader
>> Be aware that many of the bigger English school chains in Japan have
>> reputations as absolutely horrible places to work ("Nova" has about the
>> worst reputation -- and are one of the biggest operations).
>
> if you can stomach being a robot during the class.
I'm talking about worse things than that -- some of these companies
apparently pull all sorts of scams on their employees to keep control
over them and prevent them from leaving. Not fun.
-Miles
--
Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra. Suddenly it flips over,
pinning you underneath. At night the ice weasels come. --Nietzsche
Miles Bader
>> Be aware that many of the bigger English school chains in Japan have
>> reputations as absolutely horrible places to work ("Nova" has about the
>> worst reputation -- and are one of the biggest operations).
>
> if you can stomach being a robot during the class.
I'm talking about worse things than that -- some of these companies
k9int...@yahoo.com
> So it ain't anime but a company is running an advertisement for
> people with a Bachelor's Degree in any subject to teach English
> in Japan. Resume and cover letters wanted by January 20, 2006
> Hiring done in San Francisco from Jan. 27-29, 2006,
>
> Cover letter should quote ad in SF Weekly and be sent to
> Personnel Co-ordinator, Geos Language Corporation
>
> Fax: 604-887-4367
>
> E-Mail: vanc...@goescareer.com
>
> So I hope someone on ram or raam might be intereste in finding
> out more about this but I have no interest in Geos Language Corporation,
> etc.
> I know relatively few of the posters or the lurkers may be in
> San Francisco but a chance to get paid to go to Japan sounds really
> good to me and if I could qualify & was healthy I wouldn't bother to
> tell you guys & girls about it.
Are you in luck. I'm an anime fan from the '90s getting back
into it after going cold turkey for the last four and a half
years. No, I didn't work in Japan, but I have lived and
worked in other Asian countries. I haven't been back to
Canada since I left (summer 2001), and I don't plan to.
Depending on what kind of a person you are, living and working
in Asia can be the best or worst experience of your life. I
know people who fell in love and got married, people who tried
suicide, and everything in between. There are many benefits
of working in Asia: low taxes, the life experience, proximity
to other countries for work and travel, etc., but there are
also many problems too (culture shock, language, religions,
food, and culture shock; it's that important it needs to be
said twice). Recruiters and schools are honest for the most
part, but even the best and most honest won't tell you about
some problems you may encounter. I will.
Bachelor's Degrees are required in almost all countries at
both public schools and private academies, but there is one
exception: Taiwan will hire people with 2 year Diplomas or
Associate Degrees *IF* you have a TEFL or TESOL Certificate.
(I can tell you how to get one of those, too.) Schools in
Japan and Korea will (usually) pay your airfare, but schools
in all others countries won't.
The four best places to work in Asia (comparing quality of
life, wages and cost of living) are Korea, Japan, Taiwan,
and Thailand (Japan is only second best due to the cost of
living). After that, the Middle East pays well, but is not
an option if you're unwilling to live in a muslim country.
Forget the PRC, the Philippines, Indonesia, Russia, or
anywhere else: the low wages and the problems (corruption,
disease, extremist muslims, smoking) make them undesirable.
You'll only go there for the thrill of adventure.
If you or anyone wants to know about my experiences or info
on where to look for work, I'll be glad to share, here or by
email. (The address in the headers is valid, but is only a
front. I'll reply from my good account if you write to me.)
For anyone with an open mind and a thick enough skin, living
and teaching abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity not
to be missed.
And no, I am not a recruiter trying to make money off you,
I'm a teacher. ^_^
K9 (a/k/a Kieran)
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Me and some friends, we'd been buddies since Boca Raton
Signed on a ship to take a trip to old Taiwan
Got as far as Siam, took it on the lam
Arrived in Hong Kong with all our money gone
We joined up with the gangland
We found that we couldn't go home
We still remain here where we don't belong,
That's why they call us 'Cowboys in Hong Kong'"
- Red Rider, "Cowboys in Hong Kong"
-----------------------------------------------------------
Cyde Weys
bobbie sellers wrote:
> So it ain't anime but a company is running an advertisement for
> people with a Bachelor's Degree in any subject to teach English
> in Japan. Resume and cover letters wanted by January 20, 2006
> Hiring done in San Francisco from Jan. 27-29, 2006,
>
> Cover letter should quote ad in SF Weekly and be sent to
> Personnel Co-ordinator, Geos Language Corporation
>
> Fax: 604-887-4367
>
> E-Mail: vanc...@goescareer.com
>
> So I hope someone on ram or raam might be intereste in finding
> out more about this but I have no interest in Geos Language Corporation,
> etc.
> I know relatively few of the posters or the lurkers may be in
> San Francisco but a chance to get paid to go to Japan sounds really
> good to me and if I could qualify & was healthy I wouldn't bother to
> tell you guys & girls about it.
Not bad, not bad at all. I have been thinking about this. From what
I've heard from Josh in Japan's podcast as long as you have any college
degree you pretty much have a guaranteed job in Japan teaching English.
And apparently if you don't have a college degree, they won't even let
you into the country (unless you're a tourist).
Ethan Hammond
I would recommend anyone going into JET to read up a lot about it first
rather
than jumping head long because they think it is a cool job opportunity in
Japan.
--
All Purpose Culture Randomness
http://www.angelfire.com/tx/apcr/index.html
Ethan Hammond
news:1134624552.0...@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> bobbie sellers wrote:
>
> Depending on what kind of a person you are, living and working
> in Asia can be the best or worst experience of your life. I
> know people who fell in love and got married, people who tried
> suicide, and everything in between. There are many benefits
> of working in Asia: low taxes, the life experience, proximity
> to other countries for work and travel, etc., but there are
> also many problems too (culture shock, language, religions,
> food, and culture shock; it's that important it needs to be
> said twice). Recruiters and schools are honest for the most
> part, but even the best and most honest won't tell you about
> some problems you may encounter. I will.
Heh, low taxes dosen't really apply to Japan though.
The way a foreigne has to avoid Japanese taxes, at
least when I lived in the country was to not be in Japan
on New Year's Day. Although we did spend some
New Year's in Japan, much to my Dad's chagrin.
Ethan Hammond
news:1134627232....@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>
> bobbie sellers wrote:
>
> Not bad, not bad at all. I have been thinking about this. From what
> I've heard from Josh in Japan's podcast as long as you have any college
> degree you pretty much have a guaranteed job in Japan teaching English.
> And apparently if you don't have a college degree, they won't even let
> you into the country (unless you're a tourist).
They don't pay you for crap though and I don't think they let you pick where
you want to go. I looked into it my last year in college and wasn't really
impressed, but it is an easy way to see Japan.
Cyde Weys
> "Cyde Weys" <cyde...@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1134627232....@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> >
> > bobbie sellers wrote:
> >
> > Not bad, not bad at all. I have been thinking about this. From what
> > I've heard from Josh in Japan's podcast as long as you have any college
> > degree you pretty much have a guaranteed job in Japan teaching English.
> > And apparently if you don't have a college degree, they won't even let
> > you into the country (unless you're a tourist).
>
> They don't pay you for crap though and I don't think they let you pick where
> you want to go. I looked into it my last year in college and wasn't really
> impressed, but it is an easy way to see Japan.
Wouldn't this depend on who employs you though? I'm sure there's a
company or a school somewhere in Japan that does pay their teachers
"more than crap".
And if I did that every weekday work be working and every weekend would
be another excursion to a different place in the country.
sanjian
> Ethan Hammond wrote:
>> "Cyde Weys" <cyde...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:1134627232....@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>>>
>>> bobbie sellers wrote:
>>>
>>> Not bad, not bad at all. I have been thinking about this. From
>>> what I've heard from Josh in Japan's podcast as long as you have
>>> any college degree you pretty much have a guaranteed job in Japan
>>> teaching English. And apparently if you don't have a college
>>> degree, they won't even let you into the country (unless you're a
>>> tourist).
>>
>> They don't pay you for crap though and I don't think they let you
>> pick where you want to go. I looked into it my last year in college
>> and wasn't really impressed, but it is an easy way to see Japan.
>
> Wouldn't this depend on who employs you though? I'm sure there's a
> company or a school somewhere in Japan that does pay their teachers
> "more than crap".
And, chances are, they're not hiring.
> And if I did that every weekday work be working and every weekend
> would be another excursion to a different place in the country.
Hold on, there, boy... what makes you think you get weekends off?
bobbie sellers
> "Cyde Weys" <cyde...@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1134627232....@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> >
> > bobbie sellers wrote:
Everything I wrote originally has been snipped.
Careful with your attributions, please Ethan-Dono.
> > Not bad, not bad at all. I have been thinking about this. From what
> > I've heard from Josh in Japan's podcast as long as you have any college
> > degree you pretty much have a guaranteed job in Japan teaching English.
> > And apparently if you don't have a college degree, they won't even let
> > you into the country (unless you're a tourist).
>
> They don't pay you for crap though and I don't think they let you pick where
> you want to go. I looked into it my last year in college and wasn't really
> impressed, but it is an easy way to see Japan.
>
> --
> All Purpose Culture Randomness
> http://www.angelfire.com/tx/apcr/index.html
later
bliss -- C O C O A Powered... (at california dot com)
--
bobbie sellers - a retired nurse in San Francisco
"It is by will alone I set my mind in motion.
runpup
his experiences teaching English in Japan. This is must reading for
anyone considering this!
http://www.peterpayne.net/2003/03/so-you-want-to-teach-english-in-japan.html
S.t.A.n.L.e.E
> Be aware that many of the bigger English school chains in Japan have
> reputations as absolutely horrible places to work ("Nova" has about the
> worst reputation -- and are one of the biggest operations).
>
And many of the hired "teachers" can't teach for beans
or have no previous teaching experience.
"Housewives" go to such classes to socialize (IYKWIM),
............. and maybe learn a little English on the side. ;)
Laters. =)
STan
--
_______ ________ _______ ____ ___ ___ ______ ______
| __|__ __| _ | \ | | | | _____| _____|
|__ | | | | _ | |\ | |___| ____|| ____|
|_______| |__| |__| |__|___| \ ___|_______|______|______|
__| | ( )
/ _ | |/ LostRune+sig [at] UofR [dot] net
| ( _| | http://www.uofr.net/~lostrune/
\ ______| _______ ____ ___
/ \ / \ | _ | \ | |
/ \/ \| _ | |\ |
/___/\/\___|__| |__|___| \ ___|
Captain Nerd
"S.t.A.n.L.e.E" <LostRu...@UofR.SlamSpam.net> wrote:
> Thu, 15 Dec 2005 8:27am+0900, eu...@gol.com <mi...@gnu.org>:
>
> > Be aware that many of the bigger English school chains in Japan have
> > reputations as absolutely horrible places to work ("Nova" has about the
> > worst reputation -- and are one of the biggest operations).
> >
>
> And many of the hired "teachers" can't teach for beans
> or have no previous teaching experience.
> "Housewives" go to such classes to socialize (IYKWIM),
> ............. and maybe learn a little English on the side. ;)
>
Oh, really?
Will I meet any English teachers like the one in "Colorful"?
Cap.
(... "Lllllll... LLLLLLLllll" ...)
S.t.A.n.L.e.E
> In article <Pine.LNX.4.44.051215...@uofr.net>,
> "S.t.A.n.L.e.E" <LostRu...@UofR.SlamSpam.net> wrote:
>
> > Thu, 15 Dec 2005 8:27am+0900, eu...@gol.com <mi...@gnu.org>:
> >
> > > Be aware that many of the bigger English school chains in Japan have
> > > reputations as absolutely horrible places to work ("Nova" has about the
> > > worst reputation -- and are one of the biggest operations).
> > >
> >
> > And many of the hired "teachers" can't teach for beans
> > or have no previous teaching experience.
> > "Housewives" go to such classes to socialize (IYKWIM),
> > ............. and maybe learn a little English on the side. ;)
> >
>
> Oh, really?
>
> Will I meet any English teachers like the one in "Colorful"?
>
> Cap.
> (... "Lllllll... LLLLLLLllll" ...)
>
You'd probably get that "oral" from a student instead. ^_^
Laters. =)
Stan
Captain Nerd
"S.t.A.n.L.e.E" <LostRu...@UofR.SlamSpam.net> wrote:
> Thu, 15 Dec 2005 9:49pm-0500, Captain Nerd <cpt...@nerdwatch.com>:
>
> > In article <Pine.LNX.4.44.051215...@uofr.net>,
> > "S.t.A.n.L.e.E" <LostRu...@UofR.SlamSpam.net> wrote:
> >
> > > Thu, 15 Dec 2005 8:27am+0900, eu...@gol.com <mi...@gnu.org>:
> > >
> > > > Be aware that many of the bigger English school chains in Japan have
> > > > reputations as absolutely horrible places to work ("Nova" has about the
> > > > worst reputation -- and are one of the biggest operations).
> > > >
> > >
> > > And many of the hired "teachers" can't teach for beans
> > > or have no previous teaching experience.
> > > "Housewives" go to such classes to socialize (IYKWIM),
> > > ............. and maybe learn a little English on the side. ;)
> > >
> >
> > Oh, really?
> >
> > Will I meet any English teachers like the one in "Colorful"?
> >
> > Cap.
> > (... "Lllllll... LLLLLLLllll" ...)
> >
>
> You'd probably get that "oral" from a student instead. ^_^
And the downside to that would be... ?
So, "Desparate Japanese Housewives"?
Cap.
Ethan Hammond
news:1134677135.0...@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
Peter is a good guy, I got to deal with him a couple of times when I
worked for TRSI, he was prompt and is a straight shooter.
Bob Clark
> In article <Pine.LNX.4.44.051216...@uofr.net>,
> "S.t.A.n.L.e.E" <LostRu...@UofR.SlamSpam.net> wrote:
>
> > Thu, 15 Dec 2005 9:49pm-0500, Captain Nerd <cpt...@nerdwatch.com>:
> >
> > > In article <Pine.LNX.4.44.051215...@uofr.net>,
> > > "S.t.A.n.L.e.E" <LostRu...@UofR.SlamSpam.net> wrote:
> > >
> > > > Thu, 15 Dec 2005 8:27am+0900, eu...@gol.com <mi...@gnu.org>:
> > > >
> > > > > Be aware that many of the bigger English school chains in Japan
have
> > > > > reputations as absolutely horrible places to work ("Nova" has
about the
> > > > > worst reputation -- and are one of the biggest operations).
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > And many of the hired "teachers" can't teach for beans
> > > > or have no previous teaching experience.
> > > > "Housewives" go to such classes to socialize (IYKWIM),
> > > > ............. and maybe learn a little English on the side. ;)
> > > >
> > >
> > > Oh, really?
> > >
> > > Will I meet any English teachers like the one in "Colorful"?
> > >
> > > Cap.
> > > (... "Lllllll... LLLLLLLllll" ...)
> > >
> >
> > You'd probably get that "oral" from a student instead. ^_^
>
> And the downside to that would be... ?
>
> So, "Desparate Japanese Housewives"?
It might be, but since a good 50% of the women in Japan are not married,
more like desperate Japanese singles.
Bobby
Captain Nerd
"Bob Clark" <bcl...@REMOVE.airmail.net> wrote:
It just keeps getting better...
^=======^
Megane
"S.t.A.n.L.e.E" <LostRu...@UofR.SlamSpam.net> wrote:
> Thu, 15 Dec 2005 9:49pm-0500, Captain Nerd <cpt...@nerdwatch.com>:
>
> > In article <Pine.LNX.4.44.051215...@uofr.net>,
> > "S.t.A.n.L.e.E" <LostRu...@UofR.SlamSpam.net> wrote:
> >
> > > Thu, 15 Dec 2005 8:27am+0900, eu...@gol.com <mi...@gnu.org>:
> > >
> > > > Be aware that many of the bigger English school chains in Japan have
> > > > reputations as absolutely horrible places to work ("Nova" has about the
> > > > worst reputation -- and are one of the biggest operations).
> > > >
> > >
> > > And many of the hired "teachers" can't teach for beans
> > > or have no previous teaching experience.
> > > "Housewives" go to such classes to socialize (IYKWIM),
> > > ............. and maybe learn a little English on the side. ;)
> > >
> >
> > Oh, really?
> >
> > Will I meet any English teachers like the one in "Colorful"?
> >
> > Cap.
> > (... "Lllllll... LLLLLLLllll" ...)
> >
>
> You'd probably get that "oral" from a student instead. ^_^
Oral, hell, if a certain web diary is to be believed, the fashionable
thing with Japanese school kids these days is the kancho.
The Eternal Lost Lurker
"Megane" <megane#fanbo...@127.0.0.1> wrote in message
news:megane%23fanboy.net-97ED...@image.newsreader.com...
> > > Will I meet any English teachers like the one in "Colorful"?
> > >
> > > Cap.
> > > (... "Lllllll... LLLLLLLllll" ...)
> >
> > You'd probably get that "oral" from a student instead. ^_^
>
> Oral, hell, if a certain web diary is to be believed, the fashionable
> thing with Japanese school kids these days is the kancho.
AND trying to grab your junk.
--
"I did battle with ignorance today...
...and ignorance won."
~~*~~
The Eternal Lost Lurker
{{ Founder and Pastor, }}
{{ Burn In Hell Ministries }}
www.lurkerdrome.com
Ethan Hammond
> Ethan Hammond wrote:
>
> And if I did that every weekday work be working and every weekend would
> be another excursion to a different place in the country.
You will work 7 days a week like a man and like it, LIKE IT!
Ethan Hammond
> Cyde Weys wrote:
>
>> And if I did that every weekday work be working and every weekend
>> would be another excursion to a different place in the country.
>
> Hold on, there, boy... what makes you think you get weekends off?
He hasn't had a job yet?
k9int...@yahoo.com
> So it ain't anime but a company is running an advertisement for
> people with a Bachelor's Degree in any subject to teach English
> in Japan. Resume and cover letters wanted by January 20, 2006
> Hiring done in San Francisco from Jan. 27-29, 2006,
Well, nobody asked for more info from me, but I'm going to give it to
you anyway. For those interested in teaching English in Japan or
elsewhere in Asia, this is very useful information to have.
There are two aspects to working overseas, professional and personal,
and they are equally important. The successful teachers (myself and
many others) are those who listened when given advice, asked questions
instead of assuming things, and were willing to adapt instead of
expecting to do things their own way.
Professional:
1. Work with a recruiter.
Don't try to contact schools directly. If it's a dishonest school,
they won't tell you everything because they want to cheat you. If it's
an honest school, they won't tell you everything because they don't
want you to know the downside.
Recruiters do more than serve as fronts for schools. They have lists
of many schools, information on different countries, and may be able to
answer questions that the school can't or won't (ie. legal
requirements). In fact, do research yourself and ask recruiters a LOT
of questions; the honest ones are those who give answers, the dishonest
ones say "we can discuss that later". After you've flown and signed a
contract, it's too late to be told the answer (especially when you paid
for the ticket). Recruiters get paid only when they place a warm body
in the school, so they want people to come and fill jobs; that doesn't
mean they're whores, but you're as much product as person, so be
cautious.
The biggest advantage and reason to use a recruiter is that they live
or have lived in the country you are going to be working in. They
know, you don't.
2. Be flexible.
If you're insistent on working in only specific places such as Tokyo,
you're going to limit your opportunities for employment. A willingness
to go to smaller towns opens up a wide range of potential employers.
Yes, finding English speakers and western "comforts" will be harder,
but why are you going to another country if you can't go without Sponge
Bob Squarepants or English menus in a restaurant?
At my current job in Taiwan, I was willing to go to a small town
*provided* it was on the railway line (I'm four hours from Taipei now,
45 minutes once the high speed rail line opens). Dozens of jobs were
available up and down the line and the pay was higher than at many
Taipei schools because they were desperate to get someone. Between my
experience and my willingness to move, I negotiated a salary 20% above
the minimum for a western teacher. And I can still earn monthly
bonuses on top of that, plus my employer bends over backwards to make
me happy, more than any I've worked for before. This is my fifth job
in five years, and my past four jobs all gave good references to this
employer. That's what being flexible gets you.
3. Do research.
Find out what the legal requirements are for you and your employer.
Find out the normal range of salaries, income taxes, tax laws for your
own country (you may have to pay taxes and file a return, even while
overseas), find out what your benefits are (medical, legal, health,
etc.). FIND OUT before you accept a job! In many countries, there are
great restrictions on where you can go, what you can do, what you can
say. Ignorance of the law is no excuse. I've met several idiots who
think because they can use marijuana in Canada that they can use it in
Korea (jail time) or Taiwan (the death penalty for possession).
Many schools will try and avoid providing benefits they are required to
by law, and this is true of some of the best schools, not just the
worst ones. For example, medical benefits cost schools money, so they
will avoid getting you a medical card. Find out your rights and insist
on them.
I would never take one because I'm an atheist, but I saw that many jobs
in Korea at overtly christian schools offered wages far below what
non-religious schools paid, usually on the advertised premise of
"offering a good christian education to children". I don't care if you
are christian and teaching christianity is your motivation, only a
sucker would take a job below minimum wage. Don't get tied into a bad
job or become a slave to your employer by not doing research.
And avoid ANY job that involves a six day workweek or split shifts
(early morning and evening in the same day)! They are NOT worth the
trouble and will wear you out!
4. It's a job, not a holiday.
The worst idiots I encountered as "co-workers" (if you can call them
that) are westerners who treated the job as an interruption of their
year long paid holiday. You're not being hired to drink and party,
you're not hired to date the locals and have sex, you're not hired to
see the tourist attractions. You're hired to teach, and too many
people forget that.
Yes, some schools ridiculously expect their teachers to be on-call 24/7
(especially in Japan and Korea), but don't go to the other extreme.
Spending an extra half hour at the school after classes 2-3 times per
week or doing occasional research and buying materials on your own time
will impress the boss. You can find a happy compromise if you try.
Be a professional and look the part too: clean cut hair, hide your
tattoos (to many Asians, "tattoo = criminal") and no facial piercings.
Collared shirts, no jeans, no shorts, no dyed hair, dress shoes and
long sleeves (from September to May) are commonplace; if you're not
willing to dress presentably, don't expect to find a job.
5. Go for the right reasons.
During the cold war, the best spies were the ones who did it for the
money; even the Soviet Union's best spies were capitalistic. The worst
spies were always the true believers, the ones motivated by ideology.
If you're going to intent on changing other people's minds (religion,
politics, culture), then don't go. If you're going there for
entertainment (anime, or the World Cup 2002 as some people I knew were
doing), don't go. If you go because you can't land a
husband/wife/boyfriend/girlfriend at home and think foreigners won't
know any better or you want an "Asian honey", don't go. Go solely for
professional reasons: teaching experience, learning the culture, making
business connections, and/or the paycheque.
I went for the money because there were no decent jobs were I used to
live in Canada. I stayed because I found I'm a natural teacher and I
enjoy it; I'll stay until I can afford to go home and get a teaching
certificate. I dearly miss hockey, western food, Canadian newspapers
and the CBC, plus many other things, but I'm willing to stay because I
learned to go without them. Most people aren't, and they stay only for
one year. (Or less, especially those "true believers" I mentioned,
many of whom pull a "midnight run", ie. packing a bag and running for
the airport.)
I'm not saying don't mix in and not have fun, but travelling to Japan
or anywhere to work is a year long commitment, a 24/7/365 lifestyle.
If you can't live out of two suitcases for a year, can't stand eating
foreign food 90% of the time, can't cook for yourself, and can't live
without western entertainment or you're disfunctional at home, life
will be even worse here than what you leave behind. I've seen people
become basketcases and one attempt suicide because they couldn't deal
with it.
Personal:
1. Work with a recruiter.
Stay in contact with them after you're hired. They can provide
information on the country to help make your life easier. Their
websites will have blogs, essays by people who worked in your new
country, and links to websites that are useful. It can also be useful
for future employment; a recruiter once offered me work for placing
people in schools.
Why would recuriters do that? Because most schools have a clause
saying the recruiter has to pay back the fee if you leave. It's in
their best interest to keep you happy. They can be a sounding board to
help solve problems like homesickness.
2. Be flexible.
It's their country, not yours. If you expect things to go the way
you've always known, you're in for a big disappointment. Often you'll
see things that are bass-ackwards and people there take it for granted.
Shake your head if you don't agree, just don't rock the boat.
For example, in Japan, Korea and China, "keeping face" is more
important than being honest or truthful. If you encounter the rare bad
apple who wants to overcharge you in his store, you can't lose your
cool. If you get angry while pointing out that the other guy is
crooked, *you* lose face, not him, which is the exact opposite of
"western" culture. And this is anywhere, including your employer; if
blow up at him or her in front of the other staff, you'll be an outcast
for the rest of the year.
In many countries, being right isn't as important as appearances. Many
Asian countries are Confucianist, and those rules, not right or wrong,
determine how things work. Age is more important than skill; male is
more valuable than female; seniority is more important than knowledge;
being "one of us" is more respected than being "one of them".
http://www.religioustolerance.org/confuciu.htm
http://www.friesian.com/confuci.htm
http://chineseculture.about.com/cs/confucius/index.htm
Some perceive this as a racist mentality (by them, not me), but
regardless, it's true: Witness the South Korean doctor who admitted he
falsified data on cloning; the Korean public are fully supporting him,
regardless of the fact that he lied. Or the anger and animosity that
arise in Japan every time someone points out a World War II history
book is wrong, or two years ago when some teachers refused to sing a
song that was sung by the imperial army during the war; many were
reprimanded by their schools. You are expected to go along with those
"above" you, like it or not.
3. Do research.
Buy the tourist books, visit the websites of people who've been there.
Pick their brains and learn how things are, about what's expected and
what's "normal". If you're not willing to go with the flow, don't go.
The most unhappy people are those who are unwilling to compromise on
anything.
It's not just culture either. If you don't research and you have
specific needs, you'll have problems; many Asian cultures simply aren't
willing to accomodate you and expect you to change what CANNOT be
changed about yourself. If they give it to you, they expect you to eat
it.
Food labels (except on imported goods) are almost never in English, so
you can't be sure what's in it. Vegetarians (especially vegans) will
have the hardest time because meat products and broths are put into
almost everything. People with nut allergies (for me, it's soy) won't
be told it's in the food so your health or life could be at risk. Pork
and pork by-products are used in many foods and for cooking (plus other
religious dietary concerns). And the rumour is true: Koreans *do* eat
dog, _and_ they eat cats.
And don't come to Asia if you're physically handicapped; public transit
is often not equipped for it, and crosswalks in many larger cities are
overpasses or underground walkways with stairs and no elevators, not
crosswalks at the road level. Even where there are crosswalks with a
walk light, it's a nightmare: Japan is the only Asian country that
practices "defensive driving"; anywhere else, and you're gambling with
your life when you cross the street. In many places, a red light is a
suggestion. I have a broken collarbone to prove it.
4. It's a job, not a holiday.
You may not be in the school 24/7, but you will be living the job 24/7.
Or are you forgetting that you're the foreigner, the obvious minority
in your neighborhood? Being white, I rarely experienced racism in
Canada (usually from native people who experienced much worse bigotry)
but I was expecting it when I came to Asia; however, nothing prepares
you for the (small number of) bigots you'll encounter. If you don't
have a thick skin, you won't last long. If you don't have light
coloured skin, you won't even be asked to come.
Like it or not, your actions outside of work will reflect on you and
your job. Your neighbors will likely know where you work. Even in the
biggest cities, you can't live as anonymously as you could at home. If
you're a drunk, if you're gay and go to gay bars, if you date and sleep
with many people, it may get back to your employer, so be discreet.
Quite often, there is a morals clause in your contract, and if you're
fired, you may have to a penalty to your employer and the cost of the
plane ticket. And forget about getting a reference letter or
mentioning to other employers that you worked there. (My list of
references is what gets me the new jobs across Asia, not my skills.)
Also if you're fired, you may be deemed an "undesirable" and thrown out
of the country, barred from returning for years or permanently. Your
own government might revoke your passport.
5. Get your documentation ASAFP.*
Get a copy, or better yet an extra copy, of your diploma/degree and at
least four copies of your transcripts. Many schools want to see them,
and most governments will NOT give you a legal work visa is you don't
have the originals. Too many phony degrees have been used by
"teachers" who bought fake papers in certain countries. (I won't say
where because I don't want to encourage unqualified people to do it.)
Trying to get copies of your dogwood and transcripts while you're
overseas is difficult at best; it's far easier to walk to your alma
mater and get them before you leave than it is to tell them "I am who I
say I am!" from 10,000km away. If you stay and want another job or
move to a new country, it's a big headache avoided.
* As soon as possible.
Now that I've weeded out the wannabes, here's some good advice on how
to get started and where to look for a job:
1. Qualifications.
A bachelor's degree (4 year North American = 3 year British program) in
any field is the minimum for teaching in every country. Master's
degrees are demanded for almost all teaching jobs in colleges and
universities. Preference is given to people with degrees in English or
in education. Business degrees are also very good for jobs involving
adult students, and specific programs are required for many university
jobs (eg. sciences).
There is one exception I know of: Taiwan will allow people to teach
English at private academies with a 2 year Diploma (any field) or an
Associate Degree (2 years) PLUS a TEFL or TESOL certificate of any
kind. No TEFL/TESOL or no diploma, no job. You will not be told this
on their web site and getting an answer from their ministry of
Education is like pulling teeth, but it is permitted. (Guess who just
got his work visa with a diploma and TEFL and is saving money and
finish his BA? O_-)
On the downside, Taiwan is very particular about who they let in; you
will be investigated and must pass a medical test (no HIV, no syphilis,
no disease of any kind) or they will reject you.
2. How to get a TEFL or TESOL certificate.
Certificates like TEFL/TOEFL (Teachers of English as a First Language)
and TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) or
CELTA/DELTA (don't ask) can go a long way to making you more
employable. In such courses, you'll learn the basics of classroom
management and how to teach English; for you who have never taught,
that's critical. (And the courses also ensure you actually know
English; I've met many "university graduates" who can't tell an
adjective from an adverb or write a proper sentence!) If an employer
has to choose between two people, one with a BA and a year's experience
or one with a BA, TEFL, and no experience, they'll hire the TEFL
person. I've seen it.
I won't recommend any specific TEFL schools (there are many), but
there's two ways to ensure the certification program is of high enough
quality:
1) it's offered by a college/university, and verifiable by an
employer
2) correspondence schools are afiliated with bodies such as these:
IATQUO, The International Accreditation of TESOL Qualifying
Organizations
IATEFL, the International Association of Teaching English
as a Foreign Language
The United Kingdom College of Teachers
Taking a course by correspondence can cost as little as US$250, though
it usually costs about US$1000, and one takes at least a month to
complete it. It's worth the time and money if you really want to teach
English.
3. Where to look for a job.
This is by no means a complete list. But if you do web searches of
"job sites", you'll find many are out of date, and some are no longer
updated with current jobs. These are.
If you want to know about the government's plan to hire English
teachers for public schools, start here.
Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
http://www.mext.go.jp/english/
http://www.mext.go.jp/english/org/index.htm
http://www.mext.go.jp/english/org/eshisaku/eshotou.htm
http://www.mext.go.jp/english/topics/03072801.htm
This is the ministry's physical address. There is a lack of email
information on the site.
Ministry of Educaton, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
(MEXT)
3-2-2 Kasujmiga-seki, Chiyoda-ku,
100-8959 Tokyo, JAPAN
+81 3 5253 4111
Dave's ESL Cafe
http://eslcafe.com/
Mostly Korean jobs, but the "International" page has many others,
mainly from Japan and the PRC.
TEALIT: Teach English And Live In Taiwan
http://tealit.com/
More of a general site for foreigners in Taiwan, but it has a lot of
teaching jobs listed.
TESAll (sounds like TESOL)
http://www.tesall.com/
A lot of jobs are listed, and a lot of griping about the jobs on their
forums. ^_^
"No. 1 for Foreigners in Japan"
http://www.gaijinpot.com/
(How can every web site be "no. 1"?)
"O-Hayo Sensei reports the best currently available English teaching
(and other English language-related) positions at conversation schools,
universities, jukus, colleges, public schools and companies all across
Japan."
(Their words, not mine.)
http://www.ohayosensei.com/
"English Teaching Job Classifieds - Updated Daily!"
(Too cheery for my liking! But it lists a lot of jobs.)
http://www.eltnews.com/jobs/
Here's a well thought out and neutral article on working in Asia:
http://www.transitionsabroad.com/listings/work/esl/articles/workinasia.shtml
I don't like About.com (f@#%ing popup ads!) but this is a good list:
http://esl.about.com/od/esleflteachingemployment/
4. Where (and where not) to go.
Despite the 1997 collapse, Korea remains the top place to go in Asia
(comparing the number of jobs, wages, and cost of living). However,
2006 is a golden opportunity for those wanting to work in Japan: they
are instituting a program to recruit English teachers for public
schools (government, not private academies). Such jobs will be part of
the unions and have higher wages. If you have a teaching or English
degree, now's the time to start looking.
Even if you don't go for a public school job, there are always hundreds
of jobs available at any one time. As I said before, the top four
countries to consider are these:
country | Korea | Japan | Taiwan |
Thailand |
----------+----------------+----------------+----------------+----------------+
salary | $1800 | $2400 | $1600 | $700
|
----------+----------------+----------------+----------------+----------------+
COL | $ 600 | $1500 | $ 700 | $300
|
----------+----------------+----------------+----------------+----------------+
savings | $ 700 | $ 500 | $ 500 | $250
|
----------+----------------+----------------+----------------+----------------+
positives | cheap to live | many western | affordable | food &
fun are |
| convenient for | foods | good food | good &
CHEAP |
| travelling | not too cold | island travel | nicest
people |
| not too cold | anti-smoking | is cheap | I have
ever |
| cheap internet | campaigning | cheap internet | met
anywhere |
----------+----------------+----------------+----------------+----------------+
negatives | smoking is | expensive!!! | drivers are | drivers
are |
| everywhere | very closed | #@$& idiots |
INSANE!!!!! |
| pollution | society | criminals and | the
government |
| inflexible | very little is | gangs are | is
making |
| people and | available in | rampant in | the
muslims |
| culture | English | big cities |
angrier and |
| xian employers | | | more
violent |
----------+----------------+----------------+----------------+----------------+
The salary and savings numbers are monthly in US dollars, and COL =
cost of living; the missing money is taxes, bills, etc. (* Many Korean
employers still offer apartments rent free.) My estimates are based on
experience, word of mouth, and research. YMMV, however, and depend on
how you live and spend. Also, when I say "christian employers" in
Korea, I'm not talking about them _being_ christian; I'm talking about
proselytizing on the job, sometimes docking wages (it happened to me)
or firing people (I've seen it) for not joining their church. Roughly
half of all Koreans are christian.
Any other countries than these, however, and you're going solely for
the experience of living there, not for the money (eg. China's salaries
are around 3000RMB = US$370). Corruption in Chinese academies is
rampant, the Philippines pay too little and are unsafe in many places
(though it makes for a good holiday from teaching), Indonesia pays
barely US$500 and is unsafe, etc. etc. Singapore's wages are the same
as Korea and Taiwan but is as expensive as Japan; you'll never save a
dime. Indonesia claims "between $350 to $700 US dollars", but reality
is always on the low end, and so is Bali.
5. Get your documentation ASAFP.*
Don't wait until you have a job lined up to start applying. You should
have one before you even begin looking (if you can) to ensure you'll be
able to travel; there's no point asking for jobs in Japan if you can't
even get on a plane.
If you don't know where (or there isn't) an emigration office in your
city or town, go visit a travel agent, they'll have passport
application forms. (People *do* tend to go overseas when they
travel...) Don't do any half-assed measures, do everything exactly as
the forms outline. Since the US brought 9/11 on itself, security has
tightened to the point that using a middle initial on a form instead of
a full middle name can get you investigated. Do it once, and do it
right.
* As soon as possible.
In conclusion....
If you want to go to Japan or elsewhere, there is loads of information.
Just flip over to google or somewhere and use the following array of
search terms in combinations.
Japan Korea Taiwan Thailand
TEFL TESOL CELTA DELTA
English teacher teaching recruiter
Notes on Google searching:
1. +fish heads
Will return pages that contain "fish" and, some of those pages
may contain "heads"
2. +fish -heads
Will only return pages that contain "fish" and DO NOT include
the word "heads"
3. +"fish heads"
Will return pages containing the exact phrase "fish heads"
("Fish head, fish heads, roly poly fish heads...eat them up, yum.")
And excuse the length of the post.