*(This isn’t a rant. I’m honestly looking for more info.)*
I sometimes see comments talking about how shitty so many teaching jobs are and that there are better jobs out there. But no specifics are ever given. What better jobs?
Yes, NOVA, GABA, ECC, Interac, Borderlink, they’re all horrible, greedy assholes. The employers suck. Monthly salary is ¥200-250k nowadays and sinking. Some commentators shit on the people accepting these lousy jobs as if accepting a low salary is making the problem even worse, and these foreigners are to blame. But I think most people take them because it’s a foot in the door or all they can find, and if they want a VISA, they need to accept that lousy job. Yet some people insist there’s a better choice.
So, what better jobs are out there?
JET and direct hire jobs exist, but you can’t choose your location in the former, and the latter is crazy competitive because there are so few, and turnover is low. There’s no guarantee you’ll ever get hired.
If you’re fluent in Japanese and have qualifications in other industries, you can compete with locals for jobs, sure. That’s a valid route. But that’s just as difficult as it is for locals. Japanese fluency alone will take hundreds or thousands of hours of investment, so it’s not something you can do overnight.
You can become a licensed teacher. Again, a valid option, but you need to be fluent.
You can teach post-secondary, but the qualifications are often ridiculous. You don’t just need a Masters; many postings want you to have published multiple times. That’s a huge cost and time investment.
What else is out there?
And where are these jobs posted?