Not a native

[topcornd]

Hello, people in these forums have all the experience that my question needs. I spent a year in Japan as an exchange student two years ago. All I want now is to get a career in Japan after getting my degree. I can handle JLPT2 and I think I could study through it all in the following years and go for JLPT1 one day. I've spent my time reading information about working there, and the thing I found out was that getting a visa for a job other than English teaching requires a "special skill" that Japanese don't have. My special skill would be the Finnish language and there is hardly any demand for a job where my language would be needed.

So, getting an English-teaching job would be easier, now I was thinking, is it possible to get a visa for teaching English in Japan if you are not a native English speaker? Is there some kind of test that Japanese recognize (like JLPT) to measure my English skill? Generally, would it be possible (and how hard) for a good Japanese speaker from non-English country to get an English teaching job? I am pretty helpless right now, any other suggestions on getting another kind of job in Japan is also very welcome! I know I must give up the career that I would have chosen here, but getting back to live in Japan goes way ahead it.

I really appreciate any answers.

[dimwit]

Generally from a business point of view, TOEIC is the most accepted standard test of English in Japan.

As far as teaching goes there are lots of non-native English teachers running in my town. Lower-level English speaker often end up teaching childrens classes and getting payed poorly. I've known several high level speakers who are doing technical translation and getting paid well for it.

In addition, the JET program does hiring non-native speakers, so that might be another possiblity.

[james]

So, getting an English-teaching job would be easier, now I was thinking, is it possible to get a visa for teaching English in Japan if you are not a native English speaker?

I really appreciate any answers.

if you speak anywhere nearly as well as you write, you should be able to land something. i've read stuff by native speakers that isn't anywhere as lucid as that and certainly many schools are using japanese and other non-native speakers, sometimes of questionable ability.

giving the JET programme a try is a good suggestion. they often hire non-native english speakers. i've read however that lately they are starting to filter out & reject potential candidates because they have japanese language ability and experience in japan. guess the latest batch of gaijin aren't quite foreign enough for them.

personally, i'm in the unenviable position of looking for a part-time teacher out in the boondocks of shimane.

i hope your search goes well. whereabouts in japan were you when you did the student exchange?

[(1VB)freels]

You could work at Ikea!!!!
http://www.ikea.com/ms/ja_JP/
http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_JP/local_home/funabashi.html English version

[james]

You could work at Ikea!!!!
http://www.ikea.com/ms/ja_JP/
http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_JP/local_home/funabashi.html English version

i thought they were swedish..

but yeah.. i suppose he could work at ikea.. i want to get out there sometime. do they have the hotdogs?

[topcornd]

Ok, thanks for the answers! Feels much better now to hear I got chances. Getting a low pay while being able to search a better job in Japan is much better than looking for open jobs on the internet like a headless chicken. Anyway, another option came into my mind. I have finished high school and the mandatory army service of Finland and haven't yet started studying on an upper level school so I got my chances open, and I thought about studies in Japan. Now this goes a bit off-topic, but how hard is it to get into a college in Japan as a foreigner? I read about monbukagakusho, but it seems to be for studies after a degree so I gotta still find a way to pay for all that (year or two of working and saving money could do it). Also, after graduating in Japan, is it easier to get a job in Japan with a Japanese degree or is the graduate back to square one? Thanks again!

[GomiGirl]

As it has been said a few times on other threads.. the best way for you to think about coming to japan as an english is either as a break from your career and to hang out and enjoy the lifestyle here or if you are truly interested in a long term career in professional English language teaching/coaching. The other option is to have another skill that is likely to be your career and your Japanese/English skill is a bonus.

Once you get here, it is possible to get "stuck" in English teaching and if that is not what you want as a long term plan, make sure you have a plan B. Getting out of teaching is kinda hard.

That said, others have had trouble getting jobs back home after extended time in japan. Consider your long term future carefully and determine what your goals are to make sure you choose wisely. Remember that outside Japan, there is not much use for the Japanese language skills other than translation work etc. Make sure you have other skills to fall back on and make you useful for potential employers.

That said, it is a great place to live and a heap of fun if you are happy with your choices.

[james]

Once you get here, it is possible to get "stuck" in English teaching and if that is not what you want as a long term plan, make sure you have a plan B. Getting out of teaching is kinda hard.

indeed it is! thankfully i like what i do, but i am hoping within the next 5-7 years to move more towards being a school owner with teachers as opposed to being strictly self-employed.

[AssKissinger]

I suggest just pretending that you are a native English speaker. I knew a guy whose first language was German who did that and he was a popular teacher who made out better than I did. He claimed he grew up in South Africa but really he was from Belgium.

mandatory army service of Finland

Fuck! Finland has conscription? Whodathunkit? I thought yall were all peaceful and shit.

If you can figure out a way to go to college in Japan I predict you will have a great experience. I've always been so envious of those guys.