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 If
you want to see a game in Tokyo, it helps to be here
first. Unless you plan on vacationing here, there are
only a few reasonable ways to visit Japan. If you're in
the military, you may be stationed in the far east. If
you belong to a religious organization that sends
missionaries abroad, Japan is a popular destination. But
if you're a recent college graduate, and employment
prospects in your home town are bleak, consider getting a
job in Japan.The
most common employment available is teaching
conversational English. It helps to have some volunteer
or tutorial experience under your belt, but it's not
essential. Your undergraduate major doesn't really matter
either, as long as you have a bachelor's degree. In a job
interview, it helps to stress your passion for teamwork
and your positive, flexible disposition.
Wages
are fairly decent. Working full-time, expect to make
between about 250,000 and 350,000 yen a month (depending
on the exchange rate, $20,000 and $30,000 a year) -- not
bad if you've got student loans to pay off. Most jobs
also offer health insurance, travel money, and other
benefits. But living in Japan can be expensive, and the
prolonged recession has reduced the number of jobs
available.
Aside
from going to a few baseball games, you can visit
historical and cultural sites (pagodas, temples, shrines,
museums), enjoy the Tokyo or Osaka nightlife (which have
entirely different standards of "naughty and
nice"), eat exotic food, watch sumo, go to concerts,
climb Mt. Fuji, and make friends, lovers and spouses.
Japan,
however, is not for everyone. Those who are unwilling to
adjust or be flexible should not come.
Still
interested?
If
so, the next step is deciding what kind of job to get.
Probably the easiest and safest route is to join the JET
Program. As far as English teaching positions go, the JET
Program offers the most comfortable jobs with the highest
pay, the least responsibility, and the best benefits and
accommodations. Because JET teachers work in public
schools, usually as a teacher's aide, they don't have to
worry about their employer going out of business. It's
the safest and most secure way to work in Japan. To find
out more, visit your college placement office and ask for
information.
Most
North Americans teaching in Japan, however, start out
working for large English conversation companies. For
years, Japanese folks have studied English in order to
prepare for overseas travel, to study in American
colleges, or to pass TOEIC or TOEFL examinations. These
companies fill a demand. But the quality of teaching is
not always as "pure" as you find in American
public schools and colleges. These places only exist to
make a profit. As long as you understand that, accept it,
and don't let your ideals get in the way, it shouldn't be
any problem.
Some
of the largest English conversation companies include:
NOVA, AEON, ECC, Geos, Interac, ULTRA, and TOZA. There
are hundreds--perhaps thousands--of smaller schools as
well. Most are quite reputable. Many of the bigger
schools have hiring offices in Canada (Vancouver and
Toronto) and the U.S. (Seattle, San Francisco, Los
Angeles, New York, etc.). If you are asked for an
interview, you'll probably have to travel to one of these
cities.
Your
best chance to find employment opportunities is to scan
regional newspapers looking through the help wanted
section. Some of these companies hire teachers on a
rolling basis, so even if the advertisement is a few
weeks old, it might be worth your while to send a resume
and cover letter in anyway.
Forget
any books which have employment information about
job-hunting in Japan. Most are out of date by the time
they reach the bookstores. Instead, have your college
order a subscription to the Japan Times. Every
Monday's edition carries an eight to ten page help wanted
section. However, most of these jobs are geared toward
people who are already residing in Japan. The Daily
Yomiuri has a smaller help wanted section, and the Tokyo
Classified also carries job information.
Which
leads me to the least desirable way to look for a job in
Japan. Get a tourist visa, buy a plane ticket, bring your
laptop so you can write resumes and a some dress clothes
for interviews, grab the Japan Times and start
making phone calls. A lot of people do this, many are
successful, but I don't recommend it. It's a big gamble.
But
if you're determined, it may be worth a shot. A lot of
companies do hire teachers with only tourist visas--if
they sponsor you, they'll help you get a one-year working
visa. Many companies (most of the big ones) also offer
housing for teachers.
Many
people who come over for teaching get their working visa
and teach until they find a job more to their liking.
There are many employment opportunities other than
teaching. Jobs are available for rewriting, editing,
translating as well as more business-oriented positions.
All
in all, it's a great way to spend a year or two after
college. Some people really enjoy it and stay for much
longer. Also, remember that listing "Japan" on
a resume never looks bad. You'll get some good work
experience here, especially if you want to pursue a
career in teaching when you return to your native land.
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