Hello friends!
So I have periodically looked into spending some time teaching overseas in Japan, and of late it seems like most job listings I see want you to be residing in Japan already. I assume what they want is for you to already have a work visa. Is this correct? How does a prospective English teacher living overseas deal with this issue?
My second question is the benefit of having a master’s degree. Does having a master’s degree, in, say, English, make you more attractive to an eikiwa or do they not even care as long as you have a bachelor’s and TEFL cert?
Thank you in advance for your advice!
5 comments
I feel like we literally had someone asking about jobs and being in Japan like, yesterday. Was that this sub? 🤔
Edit: https://www.reddit.com/r/teachinginjapan/comments/15kcna9/how_long_does_it_currently_take_for_one_to_get_an/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1
If you have a masters? Why apply for an Eikaiwa?
If it’s an ‘online masters in TESOL’ it dosen’t mean anything. However, if you have a masters and have done a few papers, universities aren’t out of the question. Use Eikaiwa to get to japan, then start your serious job searching.
If you want some money, and are just taking some time off, consider China, or even the UAE.
The whole ‘residing in hapan’ just makes it easier on the company because they can find someone easier, who is already here and has a visa.
Seriously, what makes you attractive to some *eikaiwa* is youth and naïveté.
An MA degree might make you less attractive to private concerns, as the employer’ll be aware you’ll leave the moment you can (because in a big city you can make *eikaiwa* wages by working maybe 40% of the time at universities), even if you’re responsible and fulfil your contract. It costs companies to ‘train’ or onboard people, so it behooves companies to prefer people who are more likely to stay longer.
If you want to make a career out of teaching English in Japan an MA in a relevant field will be necessary, but you will also need relevant experience, Japanese skill, and publications (for university).
If you just want to mess about for a few years and earn some pocket change to pay for beers and maybe the occasional trip within Japan, then you can become an ALT or work for an eikaiwa with a BA and 0 other qualifications.
For proper teaching jobs it is probably easier to find work whilst living in Japan, because people already living in Japan will more likely have relevant experience and Japanese skills. It is possible to get these jobs applying from abroad with the right qualifications.
If you aren’t serious about teaching and just plan to just mess about in Japan for a couple of years, an eikaiwa job would be fine. You don’t need any qualifications or experience, which is kind of the point – these recruiting companies aren’t interested in anyone who is skilled at teaching. All they want is a warm body in a seat who will accept the low wages and poor contract conditions they offer in return for the opportunity to be in Japan for a little while. In fact, if you have an degree, especially an MA, in anything related to teaching, they will throw your resume in the garbage.
Don’t waste money on any teaching cert, either. They literally don’t care – as long as you are reasonably intelligent, personable, socially aware, and seem like you would be good at entertaining the customers, they’ll be glad to have you.