'THINKING OF TEACHING IN JAPAN? DON'T BOTHER' (Amen!)

[Taro Toporific]

Thinking of teaching in Japan? Don't bother
Independent Online Edition > Careers Advice, 02 March 2006
Do you fancy a stint teaching English in the land of the rising yen? Heard a few good things about it from that girl who works for the record label? You know; the one with the really cool tattoo you talked to when you and your workmates went to that trendy sushi place after the end-of-work do.
Bad news, I'm afraid. While you were mucking around finishing up that TEFL qualification or BA, the party ended in Japan. You should have got here sooner, because it used to be a blast.
I can't think of any other work abroad that paid so well, gave on-the-job training, accommodation and a visa, and had such amazing nightlife. Don't get me wrong; expat life in Japan is still mental, but nowadays it's a kind of fruit picking/ backpacker mental rather than the Skybar-champagne-happy-hour mental it used to be....more...

[kumakouji]

[kamome]

Maybe if these expats bothered learning the Japanese language they would not only have better prospects and the potential to work in thier original occupational field but could be more picky about the companys they work for in Japan.

"Hey, I know! I'm gonna go to a foreign country, not bother to learn the language because I'm f**king lazy, and sell my "skills" in English which conveniently I dont have to bother training for!"

It was all too easy. That bubble was due to pop a long time ago. As soon as you put yourself in the situation where you have only one skill to offer, and limited prospects of work elsewhere, your employers are gonna have you over a barrel. Its their own stupid fault. Nova and JET treat their employees like foreign comodities, because frankly, thats all they are and all they ever will be until they actually bother to try and intergrate into Japanese society.

Sorry if thats harsh but thats the way I see it.

Well, it's more complicated than that. Yes, some people go over to Japan with no skills other than their ability to speak English as a native. Of course, they have no leverage in the job market - but they would have no leverage in any job market, not just Japan's.

As the article says, the problem is that there are economic, cultural and social trends working against career English teachers, and as a result the companies/universities that recruit them are not under pressure to pay them as well or give them the benefits that they could get in other jobs.

Simply learning to speak Japanese will not improve your situation if all you can do is teach English. In fact, speaking Japanese won't necessarily improve your lot in most jobs because it's the skills you bring to bear from your home country experience that are really valued in Japanese companies. If they need someone who speaks Japanese, they'll use a Japanese person.

[canman]

[blackcat]

yeah there are still jobs around but J companies are so greedy and corrupt everything is a rip off,,learn japanese and intergrate??

why bother to learn when japanese think they are the only ones that know anything, and be forced into unpaid overtime, bullshit hours,forced drinking sessions(with low lifes) for similar money to a NOVA VICTIM.
fuck that.

[Jack]

yeah there are still jobs around but J companies are so greedy and corrupt everything is a rip off,,learn japanese and intergrate??

why bother to learn when japanese think they are the only ones that know anything, and be forced into unpaid overtime, bullshit hours,forced drinking sessions(with low lifes) for similar money to a NOVA VICTIM.
fuck that.

Another loser of a FG whining and bitching about Japanese people without even looking at himself in the mirror. I have seen tonnes of you Blackcat in Japan. Loser foreigner pretending his got skills the Japanese need. Get the skills that Japanese companies want then market yoruself. Whining is not a valuable skill.

[kumakouji]

[kamome]

I read the "Japanese employers are racist" excuse all the time from expats in Japan...usually from the ones who cant actually speak the language...

I speak the language pretty fluently, have worked three different jobs in Japan (only one of which was an English-teaching job) and can say matter-of-factly that Japanese employers are definitely racist (or at least have problems integrating foreigners of any kind into their company).

[American Oyaji]

And that whole "they prefer you dont learn Japanese" comment you made makes absolutely no sense -- being able to speak japanese would not only allow you to coverse with the Japanese students on more complex aspects of the English language.

You're right. It doesn't make sense, but it's the truth. During my interview at NOVA, I thought my Japanese speaking ability would be a plus but she actually told me that NOVA preferred that the teachers DIDN'T speak Japanese.

But the, a lot of what the Japanese do is backwards sometimes.

[canman]

Kumakouji I didn't say that I couldn't speak the language I said I'm still learning. Learning Kanji and some of the more difficult aspects of Japanese take a lot longer than the just conversational Japanese. Are you fluent, can you sit down and read the local newspaper. IF you can more power to you.
Have you ever taught English? A lot of schools and places like AO said require you not to use Japanese, and come to think of it, it defeats the purpose of teaching English if you only teach in Japanese. Why do you think most of the students here can't use English. Another thing you don't know the area I live in. We do not have a multitude of multinational companies lining the streets. It's a nice small typical city, so the job oportunities for foreigners are almost nil.

[Greji]

-snip-I read the "Japanese employers are racist" excuse all the time from expats in Japan...usually from the ones who cant actually speak the language...

I am an expat, that has lived in Japan for a considerable time. I speak, read and write Japanese. I work for the Japanese Government in a 特]they are Japanese[/U]. So defend as you please, you aren't going to convince me otherwise.

[American Oyaji]

for those of us FGs that are weak with Kanji, could we get a translation?

[emperor]

for those of us FGs that are weak with Kanji, could we get a translation?

http://www.rikai.com/perl/Home.pl is ur only friend...

but.. special-meet-law-person ?!

Im too lazy & tired & drunk to put more think-power into it

[kamome]

for those of us FGs that are weak with Kanji, could we get a translation?

特]tokushuu houjin[/I] (which I believe means "special purpose company". Is that right, gboothe?)

天下り　＝ あまくだり = amakudari (literally, "descent from heaven" but refers to the practice of hiring bureaucrats into the private sector from government agencies that regulate a particular industry.)

[Greji]

特]tokushuu houjin[/I] (which I believe means "special purpose company". Is that right, gboothe?)

天下り　＝ あまくだり = amakudari (literally, "descent from heaven" but refers to the practice of hiring bureaucrats into the private sector from government agencies that regulate a particular industry.)

You're right on Kamome! The tokushuu houjin are government juridic persons. Best known examples, now privatized are JR, JAL, the Tobacco Monopoly, Yuusen, etc. Employees are civil service, either koumuin or junkoumuin and even though a lot of these enterprises have been privatized, many more still exist.

The amakudari is that, but does not necessarily include the private sector only. Government employees will go to other government jobs interchangeably. Usually, they will move from the bureacracy, or a Houjin to a gaigakudantai (affiliated association) or kanrengaisha (affiliated company), or even elsewhere within the government.

This is not un-common since the retirement age for government service is still 60, which means they would soon run out of employees at the upper end of the scale. Those who remain are in a category of shokutaku/sanyou in the same job area, or go to a related organization where they continue in a related job function that will allow continuity. It is also possible, after the age of 55, for a civil service employee to receive a proverbial "tap-on-the-shoulder", which means it is time to move out of the way of the up-coming workers (usually a fast-burner needs to be put in that position on his way to the top), so the individual will move to what would normally be a retired amakudari position until 60. Then he would be officially retired and can continue to fill that position. This is not an uncommon system for private companies either although retirement ages differ somewhat.

The amakudari system comes under fire each year by labor unions and NGO's, but although decreasing somewhat in the number of gaikakudantai and kanrengaisha available, it remains basically intact. It is a major system of the bureacracy, because of the low retirement age. So no matter how much noise is made, it will not be assailable until, as a minimum, they raise the retirement age from 60.

[AssKissinger]

It's hard for me to speak Japanese because my dick is too big.

[Greji]

It's hard for me to speak Japanese because my dick is too big.

Correct, I find that all that heavy weight does make my voice a too bit low to articulate!
(I had to get this in 'cause' Kuro burnt me on the other thread!)

[GomiGirl]

Well no problem at my company - oops maybe that is because I am one of the owners!!!

We just have problems with staff bitching that we aren't Japanese enough in the way that we do things... we do have to "ask persmission" for stuff but at the end of the day we pay their wages so we don't get that much grief. You do have to adjust your management style.

So my advice for all of those people who don't want to work for a Japanese boss, work for yourself - I am sure CSTaylor would agree - also gomichild and all those others that I know here who work for themselves. The barriers to starting your own company in Japan have significantly decreased over the last few years. It takes some guts and some imagination but it sure is worth it.

[cstaylor]

I'm still in search of a self-motivated Japanese computer programmer. We've been pulling up blanks on every hire so far. Call me spoiled since I grew up in silicon valley.

GG and GB run the entire thing on their own, so I'm sure they get the weasly tricks from their employees due to supposed "cultural differences".

I've have it easier since my wife is the enforcer at the company, and I can focus on the software development issues.

[dimwit]

Teaching in Japan certainly has changed in the twelve years since I have been here, but I think in many cases it is because Japanese have wised up to the value of the teacher that they are getting. Far too often I have seen B.A.s getting job in universities as lecturers with quite respectable salaries when they really ought to be mere teaching assistants. I think the cut salaries is more of a realistic assessment of what most university teachers are worth.

Eikaiwas have seen a massive reduction in the quality of teacher since I first arrived. When I first started a large number of the teachers I was working with had a B.Ed. or TESL qualifications. These days it is rare. Far too often I see graduates from Oxford Brookes University who majored in Acupuncture.

However, I think that there is still room for doing fairly well as a teacher here if one has the patience to commit oneself long term. Eikaiwas are a good training grounds before going out on your own, but being independent is the best way to go.

[canman]

But Dimwit when you mention patience, do you mean waiting out the competitors, or that it takes time to build up a student base and a reputation. If you look back at my earlier post, you must agree that in the time both of us have been here the number of foreigners has steadily increased, which has had an impact on the number of students and the prices that can be charged.
But I still do think that if you work hard put out a good product, there are still lots of opportunities out there.

[Taro Toporific]

Off topic, but "MY BRAIN HURTS!"Dimwit-san.

T. F. Gumby My brain hurts!
Specialist Well let's take a look at it, Mr Gumby.
Gumby specialist starts to pull up Gumby's sweater.
T. F. Gumby No, no, no, my brain in my head. (specialist thumps him on the head)
Specialist It will have to come out.
T. F. Gumby Out? Of my head?
Specialist Yes! All the bits of it. Nurse! Nurse!

Back in the dawn of time when the first chordates pulled themselves out of the ocean, I was a linguistics doctoral student with teaching certification in ESL/EFL (engrish as a second language now PC-called EAL). Thirty seconds after dragging my body onto to beach in Japan, it became obvious that engrish teaching was not good "career move" in Japan with degrees and certification.
Nuf said.

[dimwit]

Off topic, but "MY BRAIN HURTS!"Dimwit-san.

T. F. Gumby My brain hurts!
Specialist Well let's take a look at it, Mr Gumby.
Gumby specialist starts to pull up Gumby's sweater.
T. F. Gumby No, no, no, my brain in my head. (specialist thumps him on the head)
Specialist It will have to come out.
T. F. Gumby Out? Of my head?
Specialist Yes! All the bits of it. Nurse! Nurse!

Well, my brain does hurt especially after going out last night to celebrate finishing my tax returns.

Canman: when I said patience I was refering to building up the business. I don't advertise so every student I gain is word of mouth. I like it this way as it gives me a lot more control of the types of students I teach. I don't poach from other schools because I have always felt that if a student enroled in NOVA rather than shopping around for quality, do I really want to teach them?

[Socratesabroad]

[Greji]

[kamome]

[blackcat]

'I speak the language pretty fluently, have worked three different jobs in Japan (only one of which was an English-teaching job) and can say matter-of-factly that Japanese employers are definitely racist (or at least have problems integrating foreigners of any kind into their company)."

I AGREE WITH THAT
you Jack only like Japan cause its THE ONLY place you can get root, and brag about how your banging all sorts of girls as a married man!

Ive met tons of cocksukers like you in Japan JACK.

BTW hows your wife getting on with the "local" fellas in canada ay!

wanker

[blackcat]

also worth mentioning Japanese workers get treated worse than FGs thats a fact so its not a FG whining thing at all, its about people not getting screwed by greedy companies, and if some people don't want to hear that truth about fanantical singing the comapany song till sunrise bullshit or get bullied out of a job companies in Jland....stiff shit.

[Currawong]

Unlike good ol' Australia where I've just moved from, where we're used to a dozen cultures all around and a focus on the individual, Japan only has ONE culture. The locals simply don't have any concept of anything outside their mono-cultre group-think. You're not part of the group to begin with, and even if you are, you're not.

I had to get a haircut the other day. In Oz, I ask the local barber (who is from India maybe, or England depending on the day) for a number 2 on top with number 1 on the sides blended in. No problem. Here, after repeatedly explaining what I want to the confused barber, he proceeds to do a sports cut at number 2 length with his scissors (wtf factor) with a longer fringe.

I have yet to meet an English teacher who's been here a long time who isn't jaded to some degree. It goes beyond that their experiences doesn't mean shit "back home", it's that as foreigners they get paid to get a lot of attention (and for at least guys, a lot of sex if they want) none of which they'll get back home, where they are nothing.

Without a proper paper-certified skill and fluent Japanese, there's only one choice.

[Greji]

(and for at least guys, a lot of sex if they want) none of which they'll get back home, where they are nothing.

Without a proper paper-certified skill and fluent Japanese, there's only one choice.

The lot of sex option comes to mind as a reasonable choice.