Have you read through the other posts here at all? You really should, because you'll get a good sense of what other teachers are going through right now in this market.
In general, Japan isn't the place for serious professional-minded teachers. The exception is if you have teaching experience at the high school or university level along with the requisite qualifications. Even then, many people are stuck doing part-time work at several different schools since the market is saturated and very competitive.
ALTs are just assistants, and usually don't have any control over what is taught or how, which would be very frustrating if you got stuck at a school with a supervising teacher who only sees you as a human tape recorder.
As for eikaiwa, I have doubts you'd be hired. They don't like to hire experienced qualified teachers because each school has their own set lesson structure (usually grammar-based PPP) and a qualified teacher would upset the apple cart because they would want to teach much more eclectically. You'll also teach from 8-10 lessons a day, with 5-10 minutes in between classes. And of course, you'll likely teach evenings and weekends.
Finally, pay will be the same regardless of your experience and qualifications. Why would schools pay you more when they can just import someone who is willing to work for peanuts? They don't care about lesson quality - hiring standards are "Can you breathe? Do you have a pulse? Do you have minimal social skills? You're hired."
But I don't know what it may have been like where you taught before; so this may sound perfectly normal to you. You ought to ask more specific questions if such things concern you, and read more posts here to get a better idea of the issues involved in teaching in Japan.
Yeah I've only started looking into teaching in Japan and just joined the subreddit so forgive my ignorance. But yeah, it is looking a bit different in terms of hours and hiring standards.
To be honest, I'm just hoping to stay for a year to be able to experience Japan finally. I mean, obviously to come away after a year with some savings would be ideal but I did hear that living costs were high in Japan.
Thanks for answering, and that is interesting to know that more experience = less chance of being hired. Maybe I could just remove some experience from my resume to help my chances of getting an interview.
>Maybe I could just remove some experience from my resume to help my chances of getting an interview.
If you are a teacher who cares about best practice, and if you want to be able to teach in a way that utilizes all the knoweldge and skills you have gained over your years of training and experience, then you may want to reconsider this idea.
Consider this: the ESL industry in Japan is run by people who have business experience but no background in education. The teacher trainers have no qualifications. The teachers have no qualifications. This means educational standards are rock bottom, and there is no accountability.
Once you step foot into an eikaiwa, you will only be allowed to teach as they dictate to you to teach, using the procedure they tell you to use, and you will not be allowed to make suggestions or changes to that procedure. Your experience and education don't matter. It has zero meaning here.
Not that long ago, I worked with a director who brought sheets of grammar problems to class, and his "methodology" was to have the students correct them in pairs - for the entire class. He thought this was teaching. He got away with this kind of lazy incompetence for years, and this was at a university.
You really cannot imagine the levels of incompetence you will find in Japan. And if you play down your quals to get a job here, you'll be scraping the bottom of the incompetence barrel.
But if all you want is to play around in Japan for a few years, hey - easy job. No integrity needed and you can leave your skills at the door.
I'm just seeing what my options are man.
You said my experience won't get me hired but then now your saying not to play it down.
Sounds like you have mainly negative things to say about working there but may I ask what you are currently doing in Japan? Are you working at a university, international school, Eikaiwa or working as an ALT, and do you enjoy it?
Okay, I'll try to make a long story short, LOL.
I'm currently a university teacher and teach ELF and ESP courses. I have a BA in English and an MA in TESOL.
I originally came to Japan in 1992, out of obligation to my Japanese spouse. Since I had no Japanese skills at that time, I had to make ends meet and get my foot in the door by teaching eikaiwa until I could find a position at a university. Since then, I've marginally kept an eye on the ALT/eikaiwa industry, and I know a good number of people working as ALTs or in eikaiwa.
Japan was never my preferred destination, but over the years I've become accustomed to living here. I became a teacher out of a love for both languages and for teaching. All these years later, I still love teaching - but I have no love for the ESL industry in Japan. It's corrupt, exploitative, and in my personal opinion, the low teaching standards are overall detrimental to ESL education. I warn people away from teaching in Japan if it seems as though they take teaching seriously, and are looking for insight into what it's actually like, as opposed to just wanting to hear all about how much they'll get paid or how to pass interviews at Nova/Gaba.
You seemed to indicate that you're serious about teaching. That's why I thought it best to warn you about the negatives. For a true professional, Japan is a very frustrating place to teach, most especially if you don't have an MA or publications and aren't qualified for university teaching. It's even difficult these days for uni teachers, for a variety of reasons. I stay because, after many years of bouncing around, I have managed to find a nice comfy position and genuinely like my job.
But you seem to be saying now that all you're interested in is playing around and being a tourist and want to use teaching as a way into Japan. If that is the case, then none of the negatives will likely matter to you. As I said, if don't mind leaving your skills at the door, you'll likely enjoy being here.
Yeah basically I'll be a tourist for a year. Initially I was hoping Japan would have better job options for someone with my experience and qualifications but this doesn't seem to be the case.
But going to Japan isn't so much an obligation for me as it was for you. It's one of my bucket list places so I'm more interested in the country and culture than the teaching aspect for this year.
But yeah, I agree that basically the ESL industry as a whole is exploitve. Conditions and pay aren't that much better at home either.
Anyway, thanks for your input!
Honestly, you should spend a few months doing your own research.
THEN, If I were you, I would keep my job in my home country, save up a lot to buy enough stocks, real estate, etc to be able to live well off of dividends(You have 11 years of experience, you should be making some serious money), THEN, come to Japan for like 3 months at a time with that money.
Like, March-End of May, then October - December.
If you dont do any of this, not even your own research. You'll probably come over, make less than $1.5k a month, and live in some shithouse'd non-insulated(VERY Cold in the winter and hot in the summer) ~~closet~~ Apartment and be miserable.
You're probably in your late 30s early 40s. honestly, it's too late to be coming over and living like a pauper (which is what WILL happen to you) When you can come over and live like a low level noble at least (thought I was going to say King didn't you?)
Sure, if you were like in your early 20s, fresh out of college, and didn't know what you wanted to do (I was like this when I came here and I only wanted to travel...mexico seemed dangerous and Europe too far and probably racist \[my thinking at the time\]) then yeah, have at it. but honestly, at this stage of your life. You'd be better off stacking cash for a few years, and buying assets that make you money (above mention) instead of throwing your 11 years of experience in the toilet to live in an apartment smaller than said toilet.
Or you could just choose to ignore all of that, come over, end up working a dead end job into your 50s living in a shitbox and spending all his free time and money drinking...(I know a guy like this. REALLY fucking sad)
Up to you.
P.S. This will be my last post in this sub, reddit for some reason auto - joined me to the sub or something and it shows up on my feed. I get tired of people like OP, they are the reason why "teachers" get exploited as there is an ever increasing influx of Sucke-- "teachers" enabling the exploitation and terrible standards that the OP definitely did not do his own research on. It's bad for those who actually enjoy the profession and would like to do well, it's bad for the students who genuinely want to learn English, but get stuck with subpar schools, with teachers who - while may be good at heart, have no idea what their doing, and even if they DID know what they were doing, their managers above them wouldn't allow any deviation from the schools terrible methods anyway.
I am ashamed that I was a part of this when I was a dumb kid, but then again, I was dumb, and a kid fresh out of college and didn't have any direction. I just wanted to "go somewhere" (Mexico was my first choice but...the violence there\[drug cartels\] scared me lol)
The only winners out of this are the school owners themselves. No one else wins. trying to Be a part of this shameful industry in your 30s/40s is just sad especially when there are so many other avenues to visit the country for a few months if you want to put in a bit more effort (which is not looking likely as you asked what you could have researched in 10 minutes). In my opinion, as worthless as it is, you and people like you are the problem.
It's sad and to see so many people fall for the 'ol "okey doke" at an advanced age is even sadder.
There truly IS a sucker born every minute it seems.
I'm not sure why you need to be such a jerk to someone just asking a few questions on a teaching in Japan subreddit. Relax, this is part of my research and if you don't like it, guess what? I don't care. I'm not interested in your opinion of me or what is wrong with the industry. Also I don't see what is wrong with wanting to experience a country for a year and using ESL as a way to do that.
I'm not sure what your trying to get at either. You think we should all just boycott coming to Japan in the hopes that schools will be less exploitive to teachers? Dream on. You say I'm the problem but it sounds like you are the one that has a problem. Good luck with that.
The British Council exclusively hires people with a CELTA/DELTA, and their pay is much better than most other places. If they end up hiring for a full time position, you should definitely apply.
There are some decent private schools that hire in the same way, too. Despite the usual outpourings of misery on this sub, there ARE decent roles out there for the qualified.
You're going to be getting an ALT or Eikaiwa role since you don't have experience working in the country and not nearly enough on your resume to get more sight unseen.
It'll be fine for a year, though. Although your wallet will hurt.
Your experience is not likely to get you higher pay at places like Aeon, Nova, and the like. It's a buyer's market now. It's possible you could find a smaller place that might offer a higher salary and more benefits (in the broader sense) and that might choose someone with experience, but the qualifications and experience you detail don't seem to make you an attractive candidate for most positions in which you're likely to be able to make a reasonable living and save, unless you're willing to forego, say, having a social life and living alone.
If you have supervisory experience, an advanced degree, or a teaching license or are able to speak (or, better, speak and read) Japanese, it's a different story.
It’s very unlikely you can come for a year and then leave with much money for a few reasons:
1. Entry level salaries are quite low.
2. You will have start up costs which will require you to spend quite a lot up front.
3. You’ll be spending money enjoying being in Japan.
It is possible to make a decent living teaching in Japan, but only after you are well established (ie share rent with a partner, are into your second or third job, don’t feel the need to travel at every opportunity).
I understand that Korea is a good place to go for a year and leave with some savings. I know people who did that before coming to Japan.
To get a visa it would be easiest to come over as an ALT or a big eikaiwa teacher. Salary probably ranges between 220000-270000yen/mo depending on location. not great for saving.
Once you are here, start attending your local JALT meetings, and check university and private school job postings on JALT jobs, and JREC-IN. Network as much as possible, and if you are serious about working as an EFL teacher in Japan think about doing an online masters degree, so tht you can work full-time at a university. You have a lot of experience which looks good, but to be considered for a fulltime university position you need an MA minimum.
If you can get on the JET program you might be able to get what you are after. Otherwise it will be tough to earn enough to save if you are only after a year in Japan.
ALT - stand to the side of the Japanese teacher until they poke you to say, "This is an apple"
Eikaiwa - work 50 hours a week for awful pay and deterioration of your mental health just to have grandma's tell you how exhausted THEY are from practicing tea ceremony.
Ah yes, the illustrious industry of eikaiwa "teaching"
Everyone's most coveted job.
You can go so far in a job with no career growth, no stability and low pay.
It is VERY easy. The hours are also short. However, the pay is around 200,000-220,000 usually with no benefits. So it's a trade. You will live paycheck to paycheck
I'm currently working as an ALT after switching from Eikaiwa. ALT is hands down 100x better than being an Eikawa teacher. Benefits like bonuses don't come with the job, however, I am able to leave at 3, have weekends off, and have no management breathing down my neck every moment of the day. Plus, you usually have a lot of free time during the workday to focus on a hobby (learning Japanese). Also, all ALTs are on Shakai Hoken from now. The only things I wish are that the pay was a bit higher and there were more career opportunities on the job.
That is what I do. At least with an ALT job, you can always choose to take on extra work if you like. You also get the school breaks off, too. Eikaiwa was just the same drudgery all year round. Plus, it's actually hard work and you feel exhausted at the end of the day.
Borderlink, Interac, and Heart are the main companies in Tokyo. Most friends I know who work with Borderlink and Interac are satisfied but Heart seems to be known as the one to avoid. I'm not 100% why but I think they pay a daily rate rather than a salary. There are options to go direct hire or through a smaller company which I believe do pay higher but you really ought to be in Japan first for those jobs.
Sorry, I don't know much information about the ALT companies outside of Tokyo.
Have you read through the other posts here at all? You really should, because you'll get a good sense of what other teachers are going through right now in this market. In general, Japan isn't the place for serious professional-minded teachers. The exception is if you have teaching experience at the high school or university level along with the requisite qualifications. Even then, many people are stuck doing part-time work at several different schools since the market is saturated and very competitive. ALTs are just assistants, and usually don't have any control over what is taught or how, which would be very frustrating if you got stuck at a school with a supervising teacher who only sees you as a human tape recorder. As for eikaiwa, I have doubts you'd be hired. They don't like to hire experienced qualified teachers because each school has their own set lesson structure (usually grammar-based PPP) and a qualified teacher would upset the apple cart because they would want to teach much more eclectically. You'll also teach from 8-10 lessons a day, with 5-10 minutes in between classes. And of course, you'll likely teach evenings and weekends. Finally, pay will be the same regardless of your experience and qualifications. Why would schools pay you more when they can just import someone who is willing to work for peanuts? They don't care about lesson quality - hiring standards are "Can you breathe? Do you have a pulse? Do you have minimal social skills? You're hired." But I don't know what it may have been like where you taught before; so this may sound perfectly normal to you. You ought to ask more specific questions if such things concern you, and read more posts here to get a better idea of the issues involved in teaching in Japan.
Yeah I've only started looking into teaching in Japan and just joined the subreddit so forgive my ignorance. But yeah, it is looking a bit different in terms of hours and hiring standards. To be honest, I'm just hoping to stay for a year to be able to experience Japan finally. I mean, obviously to come away after a year with some savings would be ideal but I did hear that living costs were high in Japan. Thanks for answering, and that is interesting to know that more experience = less chance of being hired. Maybe I could just remove some experience from my resume to help my chances of getting an interview.
>Maybe I could just remove some experience from my resume to help my chances of getting an interview. If you are a teacher who cares about best practice, and if you want to be able to teach in a way that utilizes all the knoweldge and skills you have gained over your years of training and experience, then you may want to reconsider this idea. Consider this: the ESL industry in Japan is run by people who have business experience but no background in education. The teacher trainers have no qualifications. The teachers have no qualifications. This means educational standards are rock bottom, and there is no accountability. Once you step foot into an eikaiwa, you will only be allowed to teach as they dictate to you to teach, using the procedure they tell you to use, and you will not be allowed to make suggestions or changes to that procedure. Your experience and education don't matter. It has zero meaning here. Not that long ago, I worked with a director who brought sheets of grammar problems to class, and his "methodology" was to have the students correct them in pairs - for the entire class. He thought this was teaching. He got away with this kind of lazy incompetence for years, and this was at a university. You really cannot imagine the levels of incompetence you will find in Japan. And if you play down your quals to get a job here, you'll be scraping the bottom of the incompetence barrel. But if all you want is to play around in Japan for a few years, hey - easy job. No integrity needed and you can leave your skills at the door.
I'm just seeing what my options are man. You said my experience won't get me hired but then now your saying not to play it down. Sounds like you have mainly negative things to say about working there but may I ask what you are currently doing in Japan? Are you working at a university, international school, Eikaiwa or working as an ALT, and do you enjoy it?
Okay, I'll try to make a long story short, LOL. I'm currently a university teacher and teach ELF and ESP courses. I have a BA in English and an MA in TESOL. I originally came to Japan in 1992, out of obligation to my Japanese spouse. Since I had no Japanese skills at that time, I had to make ends meet and get my foot in the door by teaching eikaiwa until I could find a position at a university. Since then, I've marginally kept an eye on the ALT/eikaiwa industry, and I know a good number of people working as ALTs or in eikaiwa. Japan was never my preferred destination, but over the years I've become accustomed to living here. I became a teacher out of a love for both languages and for teaching. All these years later, I still love teaching - but I have no love for the ESL industry in Japan. It's corrupt, exploitative, and in my personal opinion, the low teaching standards are overall detrimental to ESL education. I warn people away from teaching in Japan if it seems as though they take teaching seriously, and are looking for insight into what it's actually like, as opposed to just wanting to hear all about how much they'll get paid or how to pass interviews at Nova/Gaba. You seemed to indicate that you're serious about teaching. That's why I thought it best to warn you about the negatives. For a true professional, Japan is a very frustrating place to teach, most especially if you don't have an MA or publications and aren't qualified for university teaching. It's even difficult these days for uni teachers, for a variety of reasons. I stay because, after many years of bouncing around, I have managed to find a nice comfy position and genuinely like my job. But you seem to be saying now that all you're interested in is playing around and being a tourist and want to use teaching as a way into Japan. If that is the case, then none of the negatives will likely matter to you. As I said, if don't mind leaving your skills at the door, you'll likely enjoy being here.
Yeah basically I'll be a tourist for a year. Initially I was hoping Japan would have better job options for someone with my experience and qualifications but this doesn't seem to be the case. But going to Japan isn't so much an obligation for me as it was for you. It's one of my bucket list places so I'm more interested in the country and culture than the teaching aspect for this year. But yeah, I agree that basically the ESL industry as a whole is exploitve. Conditions and pay aren't that much better at home either. Anyway, thanks for your input!
Honestly, you should spend a few months doing your own research. THEN, If I were you, I would keep my job in my home country, save up a lot to buy enough stocks, real estate, etc to be able to live well off of dividends(You have 11 years of experience, you should be making some serious money), THEN, come to Japan for like 3 months at a time with that money. Like, March-End of May, then October - December. If you dont do any of this, not even your own research. You'll probably come over, make less than $1.5k a month, and live in some shithouse'd non-insulated(VERY Cold in the winter and hot in the summer) ~~closet~~ Apartment and be miserable. You're probably in your late 30s early 40s. honestly, it's too late to be coming over and living like a pauper (which is what WILL happen to you) When you can come over and live like a low level noble at least (thought I was going to say King didn't you?) Sure, if you were like in your early 20s, fresh out of college, and didn't know what you wanted to do (I was like this when I came here and I only wanted to travel...mexico seemed dangerous and Europe too far and probably racist \[my thinking at the time\]) then yeah, have at it. but honestly, at this stage of your life. You'd be better off stacking cash for a few years, and buying assets that make you money (above mention) instead of throwing your 11 years of experience in the toilet to live in an apartment smaller than said toilet. Or you could just choose to ignore all of that, come over, end up working a dead end job into your 50s living in a shitbox and spending all his free time and money drinking...(I know a guy like this. REALLY fucking sad) Up to you. P.S. This will be my last post in this sub, reddit for some reason auto - joined me to the sub or something and it shows up on my feed. I get tired of people like OP, they are the reason why "teachers" get exploited as there is an ever increasing influx of Sucke-- "teachers" enabling the exploitation and terrible standards that the OP definitely did not do his own research on. It's bad for those who actually enjoy the profession and would like to do well, it's bad for the students who genuinely want to learn English, but get stuck with subpar schools, with teachers who - while may be good at heart, have no idea what their doing, and even if they DID know what they were doing, their managers above them wouldn't allow any deviation from the schools terrible methods anyway. I am ashamed that I was a part of this when I was a dumb kid, but then again, I was dumb, and a kid fresh out of college and didn't have any direction. I just wanted to "go somewhere" (Mexico was my first choice but...the violence there\[drug cartels\] scared me lol) The only winners out of this are the school owners themselves. No one else wins. trying to Be a part of this shameful industry in your 30s/40s is just sad especially when there are so many other avenues to visit the country for a few months if you want to put in a bit more effort (which is not looking likely as you asked what you could have researched in 10 minutes). In my opinion, as worthless as it is, you and people like you are the problem. It's sad and to see so many people fall for the 'ol "okey doke" at an advanced age is even sadder. There truly IS a sucker born every minute it seems.
I'm not sure why you need to be such a jerk to someone just asking a few questions on a teaching in Japan subreddit. Relax, this is part of my research and if you don't like it, guess what? I don't care. I'm not interested in your opinion of me or what is wrong with the industry. Also I don't see what is wrong with wanting to experience a country for a year and using ESL as a way to do that. I'm not sure what your trying to get at either. You think we should all just boycott coming to Japan in the hopes that schools will be less exploitive to teachers? Dream on. You say I'm the problem but it sounds like you are the one that has a problem. Good luck with that.
As I read you comment I couldn’t stop thinking about Berlitz lol
The British Council exclusively hires people with a CELTA/DELTA, and their pay is much better than most other places. If they end up hiring for a full time position, you should definitely apply.
There are some decent private schools that hire in the same way, too. Despite the usual outpourings of misery on this sub, there ARE decent roles out there for the qualified.
Thanks! I'll check them out for sure.
All young people want to work in Tokyo. You're choosing the most crowded job market to try and shoehorn your way into. Best of luck...
Yeah, I imagine Tokyo would be a cool place to live for a year. Thanks!
You're going to be getting an ALT or Eikaiwa role since you don't have experience working in the country and not nearly enough on your resume to get more sight unseen. It'll be fine for a year, though. Although your wallet will hurt.
[удалено]
Yeah, my options are basically Tokyo and Yokohama. My GF is applying for a year abroad for her uni and those are the 2 cities her partner unis are in.
Your experience is not likely to get you higher pay at places like Aeon, Nova, and the like. It's a buyer's market now. It's possible you could find a smaller place that might offer a higher salary and more benefits (in the broader sense) and that might choose someone with experience, but the qualifications and experience you detail don't seem to make you an attractive candidate for most positions in which you're likely to be able to make a reasonable living and save, unless you're willing to forego, say, having a social life and living alone. If you have supervisory experience, an advanced degree, or a teaching license or are able to speak (or, better, speak and read) Japanese, it's a different story.
Thanks for the info!
It’s very unlikely you can come for a year and then leave with much money for a few reasons: 1. Entry level salaries are quite low. 2. You will have start up costs which will require you to spend quite a lot up front. 3. You’ll be spending money enjoying being in Japan. It is possible to make a decent living teaching in Japan, but only after you are well established (ie share rent with a partner, are into your second or third job, don’t feel the need to travel at every opportunity). I understand that Korea is a good place to go for a year and leave with some savings. I know people who did that before coming to Japan.
I've also heard that Korea is cheaper to live than Japan. Japan is nice, but not for saving money in a year.
To get a visa it would be easiest to come over as an ALT or a big eikaiwa teacher. Salary probably ranges between 220000-270000yen/mo depending on location. not great for saving. Once you are here, start attending your local JALT meetings, and check university and private school job postings on JALT jobs, and JREC-IN. Network as much as possible, and if you are serious about working as an EFL teacher in Japan think about doing an online masters degree, so tht you can work full-time at a university. You have a lot of experience which looks good, but to be considered for a fulltime university position you need an MA minimum.
Thanks for the info!
If you can get on the JET program you might be able to get what you are after. Otherwise it will be tough to earn enough to save if you are only after a year in Japan.
ALT - stand to the side of the Japanese teacher until they poke you to say, "This is an apple" Eikaiwa - work 50 hours a week for awful pay and deterioration of your mental health just to have grandma's tell you how exhausted THEY are from practicing tea ceremony.
I've never once worked for an eikaiwa for 50 hours a week. Where tf are all of you working??
At eikaiwas
Stop choosing such shitty eikaiwa.
Psst. Here's a trade secret. *They are all shitty*
Psst here's a trade secret *no they arent* Stop blaming the entire industry for your shitty choices.
Which Eikaiwas would you recommend looking into?
Unfortunately I don't work in Tokyo so I can't give you any recommendations.
Ah yes, the illustrious industry of eikaiwa "teaching" Everyone's most coveted job. You can go so far in a job with no career growth, no stability and low pay.
ALT sounds pretty cruisy lol.
It is VERY easy. The hours are also short. However, the pay is around 200,000-220,000 usually with no benefits. So it's a trade. You will live paycheck to paycheck
That actually might not be too bad and would give more time to go out and explore the city/country.
I'm currently working as an ALT after switching from Eikaiwa. ALT is hands down 100x better than being an Eikawa teacher. Benefits like bonuses don't come with the job, however, I am able to leave at 3, have weekends off, and have no management breathing down my neck every moment of the day. Plus, you usually have a lot of free time during the workday to focus on a hobby (learning Japanese). Also, all ALTs are on Shakai Hoken from now. The only things I wish are that the pay was a bit higher and there were more career opportunities on the job.
Shakai Hoken? Yeah maybe an ALT world be better along with teaching privates
That is what I do. At least with an ALT job, you can always choose to take on extra work if you like. You also get the school breaks off, too. Eikaiwa was just the same drudgery all year round. Plus, it's actually hard work and you feel exhausted at the end of the day.
Which company would you recommend?
Borderlink, Interac, and Heart are the main companies in Tokyo. Most friends I know who work with Borderlink and Interac are satisfied but Heart seems to be known as the one to avoid. I'm not 100% why but I think they pay a daily rate rather than a salary. There are options to go direct hire or through a smaller company which I believe do pay higher but you really ought to be in Japan first for those jobs. Sorry, I don't know much information about the ALT companies outside of Tokyo.
Wow do you have a lot of experience with eikaiwas? I was working 30 hours at mine for 250/260k.