Happy New Year, everyone! Hope you all have a fulfilling 2022.
Anyway, I’m curious about what the job hunting process is like once one’s already in the country.
I know it’s normally significantly easier. (Which is probably why most job hunting discussions tend to revolve around applying from overseas.)
But in am curious about some of the details:
1) How many job applications did you submit per month?
2) Which platforms/methods (Gaijinpot, Ohayo Sensei, networking etc.) did you use and how many responses, interviews and, ultimately, offers did you receive?
3) How long did your job hunting take in total?
4) Did you only apply for positions you were qualified for or did you also try applying for some for which you did not meet all the requirements?
5) What type of job was it? (University professor, Eikaiwa instructor etc.) – I think specifying this helps.
6) How much has job hunting process changed during the pandemic? (In case you had to look for work during this period.)
I’m studying here right now, but I’m planning to look for work afterwards, so it might help to know what to expect. I wss also simply curious.
6 comments
> I’m studying here right now, but I’m planning to look for work afterwards, so it might help to know what to expect.
Studying what? That would determine what field you could reasonably apply for and how you go about it.
In 2020 I had 4 weeks to get a new job.
I was able to get 10 with 4 offers in that time Frame. But I also had experience and worked with kids since I was 12 so it was a huge boost
I found an ALT job pretty quickly when I first arrived. This was about 10 years ago.
When I was looking for a university job, I sent out 30 or so applications, I’d reckon, and ended up getting about 4 interviews.
If you’re looking for a job, just keep applying. Don’t stop applying.
I was last job hunting in 2019, looking for a university ‘contract lecturer’ position.
I applied to about 20 jobs in total.
Most of the applications could be submitted online (much better than the last time I was job hunting 5 years previous). Most of them required one or more of the following- filling in the university’s own archaic application form; submitting an example syllabus; writing a 1-2 page essay about your teaching philosophy.
From the 20 applications I got four interviews. From those interviews I got two job offers.
The way I felt it had changed due to the pandemic was that all my interviews were conducted online- this had never been my experience pre-pandemic.
My last job hunting done out here was in January 2021. Ironically enough, due to COVID-19 and the position that I accepted (small English school but essentially was a black-buisness), I’m back to job hunting. Hurray 😀
1. January 2021 – I submitted resume after resume (I was looking for a part time position for very specific working hours). Finally got hired in March and April 2021 for two different teaching jobs that worked under the hours I needed.
January 2022 – I’m not even counting how many resumes I’ve been submitting. I’ve also created a Tech resume since I studied Digital Marketing online last fall. I really want to leave the teaching world out here behind.
2. January 2021 – 3 months.
3. Now I am applying to both jobs I qualify for and jobs that I barely meet the minimum requirements. I’m going to take the JPT test to see my Japanese level but I can speak Japanese since I used to translate (unwillingly) group meetings for foreign teachers at my old job.
4. Mostly recruiting, remote positions, digital marketing, and of course teaching if all hope is lost.
5. It has changed soooo much. I’ve been working as a teacher in Japan for almost 5 years. Before quitting my first eikaiwa job in search for an international private school, I was getting interviews left and right!! I’m shocked I put up with being unemployed for three whole months before getting a job that suited my schedule.
Before you ask why I only wanted to work part-time gigs… I signed with 4 different modeling agencies in Tokyo so I needed spare time for go-sees and gigs. I’m truly living life on edge out here and I know that I’m probably the only idiot out here doing something like this so….yyyyeah.
GOOD LUCK! I think its still possible to find a good position in these trying times.
I was very picky because I’m an Early Childhood Educator, and a lot of preschools and kindergartens aren’t super desirable. Plus I wanted a short commute. I think I submitted 3 applications over a 3 month period. All of them gave me interviews, 2 offered positions (one contract, one permanent). I took the permanent one.
The only changes I’ve noticed are that in-person interviews are less common. And I definitely have more bargaining power, because these schools are really struggling to find teachers.