How long to land a job?

[soulkraka]

Hey folks,

well, my girlfriend is getting antsy to move back to Japan and I'm going with her! haha....

My/Our situation:
1. We will be married shortly after moving to Japan
2. I wont have much money saved up being that were moving sooner than I expected.
3. We can stay with her parents(in Tokyo) for a few months while we get settled.
4. I plan on looking for a job as an english teacher(of course) until I can "assimilate" into Japanese culture and find something else to do.....ummm

My question is this: how long can I expect it will take me to find a job? Please consider that I wont have a spousal visa right away and the prospective employer will have to trust that I'll be getting one.

I realize this question is basically impossible to answer but I am hoping that some of you could share your experience if you moved to Japan under similiar circumstances as mine.
THANKS!!

[Taro Toporific]

well, my girlfriend is getting antsy to move back to Japan and I'm going with her! haha....
...I plan on looking for a job as an english teacher(of course) until I can "assimilate" into Japanese culture and find something else to do.....ummm

My question is this: how long can I expect it will take me to find a job? Please consider that I wont have a spousal visa right away and the prospective employer will have to trust that I'll be getting one.

GF " antsy to move back to Japan"? "Assimilate"? "Trust"? Sheeee...
Ok, ok, I won't even bother to step in those steaming piles.

A typical English teacher wannabe takes about 3 weeks to 3 months to find some marginal work. Until you get some stable job(s), your cash flow will suck for at least 6 months. HOWEVER, you can put the GF to work fairly fast, sponge off her and her parents. Then you can be a real FG, a professional HIMO! Enjoy!

[rmpfreeman]

Gee, how long is a piece of rope?

You sorta missed out on a few small details like:

How old you are, what skills you have, what languages you speak, what experience you have in *anything* You know all that boring resume type stuff.

Tell you what, without knowing anything about me you guess if I can get a job where you live and I'll guess if you can get a job where I live.

PS love that ' stay with her parents(in Tokyo) for a few months while we get settled.' bit, that's always great fun and a swell way to get you in good with the in-laws.

[soulkraka]

Well I didnt exactly wanna post my resume up here...I dont think thats exactly appropriate or pertinant as I only asked for some forum members here to RELAY THEIR OWN EXPERIENCES. Whats up with the snide remarks fellas? Or am I just taking it the wrong way?

[Shibuya Me]

Just remember and never forget...

The mighty oak was once a nut!

Anyway...just try not to fall into teaching kids.

Email your resume to any of the corporate English
teaching web sites. Teach adults!

And remember...STAY away FROM teaching KIDS.

Unless you love them and all that comes with the sweet
little darlings!

Just hide your Mr. Happy if you do decide to branch out
and end up having to teach the little...well behaved tots!

They tend to grab at you to get a reaction from you!

Unless you like that sort of thing....

Now...may I ask you a question?

Do the parents of your future wife....enjoy GAIJINS living
in their house?

I would find out if you are welcome. Many of us Gaijins here
in Japan are just taking their little daughter away from Japan
and the only way to get her back in Japan is tell the both of
you..." Sure...come to Japan. You can stay with us...until we
break you two up! "

But hey, that's just me.....maybe I am the only Gaijin who
had to face the parents from hell! :P

[Shibuya Me]

Oh...yea...

Don't worry about any negative remarks
you might get from any of us.

We are all bitter!

As soon as you come to Japan and live here
past a few months...

You can and will be as bitter as us!

Come on over!

We'll keep the lights on for you! :P

[soulkraka]

We are all bitter!

As soon as you come to Japan and live here
past a few months...

You can and will be as bitter as us!

wow, sorry about your experience shibuya. I can only hope that's not what's in store for me. I just figure whatever's meant to happen will.

Now, would ANYONE care to share their job hunting experience with me or are you all conspiring to make me stay as far away from Japan as possible? haha

[Alcazar]

GF " antsy to move back to Japan"? "Assimilate"? "Trust"? Sheeee...

[Shibuya Me]

Well, good luck

See you on the tracks....

[Shibuya Me]

Hey folks,

I think you missed this one....

[Captain Japan]

We are all bitter!

As soon as you come to Japan and live here
past a few months...

You can and will be as bitter as us!

wow, sorry about your experience shibuya. I can only hope that's not what's in store for me. I just figure whatever's meant to happen will.

About the only thing I've come to truly understand about Japan in my five years here is that what appears to be on the surface almost never is in reality. I think that might be what Shibuya Me is alluding to in his girlfriend/parents story.

And I'm with Taro on the "assimilate" part.

But as for teaching English, chuck the resume (figuratively). All you need to be is slightly presentable and still breathing. Though if you set up the interviews and whatnot stateside beforehand it might make things easier upon arrival. I think the minimum pay by law for a foreigner is 250k a month. That's plenty if you are not paying rent.

Isn't there a webpage that lays out the entire process - giving plenty of warnings, etc. - really simply?

[soulkraka]

ok, maybe the question I should be asking is....where do you all live/work/hang-out? In other words, what areas/spots should I avoid?

Whats the deal with me asking a simple question and every response is either negative or someone clowning me?

If its really so bad there then why haven't you left?

[soulkraka]

thanks for the info captain!

BTW, in case people didnt notice I put quotes around the word assimilate.
Being from Los Angeles I see the daily the complete lack of assimilation by the various groups/cultures that come here and can only assume thats its the same there.......thats why I put quotes....see?

[Shibuya Me]

Mini-me!

I love you!

IIII LLLLLOOOOOVVVEEEEE YYYYYOOOOOUUUUU!

Sorry. I was just like you just a few short weeks ago.

Welp, you see mini-me....we all came here and we all live here.
We love Japan. But Japanese males bite the big one!

The women are the reason we are here, the men are the reason
we want to shoot ourselves in the head every f*ckin day!

I think what I am trying to say is, you will have to just come
here and find out what we are all living thru.

And leaving is not so simple.

We all have reasons to stay.

Children
Work
etc...

Although I have no children....many Gaijins do!

I am leaving after 5 years. And soon. Next year perhaps....

On this site, you have to ask the questions like this...

" Hey you f*ckin asses....sup? I'm gonna fly to Japan and
live with the in-laws...how long will it be til I kill myself?"

That may get you a better response than...

" Hey goober! What can I do in Japan? " :P

I am not flamming you. I am trying to explain the reality
of Gaijin mental-ology after a few years of living in what
I like to call Hell..

I think the French call it....I don't know what the French call it. :P

Think of this site as if you are starting a new job... you have
to pay your dues.

We all paid our dues with blood.

No joke....

[soulkraka]

would I be correct in saying that a lot of "gaijin" would like to assimilate into japanese society but are not allowed to?

If so, then its the exact opposite of the US. For the most part americans want other cultures to assimilate but yet they keep building their koreatowns and chinatowns and maddogging me when I dare venture into their "territory".

[soulkraka]

shibuya, haha...your crackin me up!! I already kinda know what you mean about the men being the reason you wanna shoot yourself . I worked for a japanese company here and it just about drove me nuts.

See? I'm already "prepping" myself to move there. In my next post I"ll give you my address and you can tell me where the nearest gun shop is ok? cool

[Shibuya Me]

would I be correct in saying that a lot of "gaijin" would like to assimilate into japanese society but are not allowed to?

I can tell you that I do not try to ass-imi-late into anything! I do not care that the Japanese males do not like me.

I try to act as American as I am.

When Japanese people come to America, do we say

" Hey there partner. You must not act so....ya know...Japanese!"

Well, that happens here in the reverse.

So, I for one say....F*uck the system to keep the women and the gaijins down! Vote for Bill Clinton and get Japan back on track! Interns welcome to apply for any job in-house!

I do however act nice. Polite. Kind.

As soon as I get any attitude...

I assure you. I am American and proud to be!

Ass-imi-late = giving up ones true self to please others.....

Now please do not get me wrong. I dont walk around Shibuya
with the American flag.

I just do what I would normally do in America.

If you act like a stupid American...well...that is another story!

You do have to understand that this is NOT America.

This is, Japan.

And I do love Japan.

What I do not like is Japanese males who have a poor self
image. They tend not to like us Gaijins.

The women, however have some interest.

If you are blond and tall....well...you will find out what happens
then....

I am very European looking. Some girls like me, some run!

I dont mind telling you, Japan is not what you think.

What do you think?

[kamome]

Mini-me!

I love you!

The women are the reason we are here, the men are the reason
we want to shoot ourselves in the head every f*ckin day!

On this site, you have to ask the questions like this...

" Hey you f*ckin asses....sup? I'm gonna fly to Japan and
live with the in-laws...how long will it be til I kill myself?"

That may get you a better response than...

" Hey goober! What can I do in Japan? " :P

We all paid our dues with blood.

That is perhaps the funniest post Shibuya Me has ever written. I've been laughing in my office for the past 5 minutes.

Anyway, Taro didn't want to get into it, but dude, soulkraka: you're coming to Japan with zero leverage.

You'll be completely dependent on your soon-to-be-wife and her family for everything. No income. No job. No ability to speak Japanese (I'm guessing). No visa. No apartment to call your own. You will be on their time, without a car, without a clue.

And what happens if and when you don't like it here anymore or you have the urge to get away? You're stuck because you are married to a native. She will have all the power because you won't understand how to get around or how to speak to people. You are putting a lot of faith in someone who you haven't settled down with yet, and what will happen if something goes wrong with the relationship? If you get divorced, they can and will deport you.

So it's not just about finding an English teaching job. There are a LOT of issues you should consider before hopping on that airplane.

[jim katta]

First off, don't be so quick to think the comments, or your treatment on the site is negative. Fucked Gaijins are a hardnosed bunch who don't mince words, but usually those words are meant for good. Or, at least a good joke, at your expense.

Anyway, I think you've come to the right site, and the wrong site. Right, because based on your information, you are already a Fucked Gaijin and you haven't set foot in Japan. Wrong, because there are many sites with various levels of advice/experience sharing that would probably be better for you to peruse before diving into the FG site (full of jaded, war scared veterans who don't suffer newbies easily, yet still a lovable bunch).

I've lived in Japan briefly, flirted with english teaching in japan, and lived with a japanese girl here in the states once that I considered marrying but didn't. So, here's my view:

To get to your main question about jobs. Anything is possible. I would go with 2 weeks to 2 months, if you've got your shit together. Meaning, you have a good suit, good haircut, can bullshit well about how you love to teach english, have a b.a. degree, and have no fear of traveling to weird hard to find schools using a subway system with maps that you 'mostly' can't read. Don't buy the line that a lot of stuff in japan is in english. There 'is' english, but not nearly enough to make things just smooth sailing. For a quick and dirty need a job fast situation, go after the smaller schools, they have less hang-ups about you being the perfect gaijin and will sometimes overlook certain things that you otherwise might need. If you plan to seriously be a teacher long term, definitely try to secure a job with one of the big names before you actually come to japan. Now about the other stuff...

"1. We will be married shortly after moving to Japan "

WHY? For a visa, or for love? Crass question, but this is FG. Don't know what kind of japanese girl you're with, but I'd say postpone your wedding plans until you get a gander at japan in person. How hot she looks will instantly evaporate as a reason for marriage and then you'll be honestly dealing with the prospect of marrying her just for her personality. Yes, there are that many hot women in japan. Just wait, you'll understand later.

"2. I wont have much money saved up being that were moving sooner than I expected."

Tokyo is officially the number one, and recently number two, most expensive city on the planet. Coming to Tokyo without cash is basically asking for a shit time. Even if you aren't partying and just plan to do regular stuff, Tokyo without cash really really sucks. I lived in L.A. briefly, and trust me, the prices for 'everything' in Tokyo will probably shock you.

"3. We can stay with her parents(in Tokyo) for a few months while we get settled."

I would only approve of this if you were an admitted leech who plans to dump his girlfriend after getting his japan legs. Otherwise, of all the things you've listed, this is the biggest potential mistake you could make. Yeah, you might luck up and get the family from heaven who never want you to leave and just love gaijin to death. But I don't think this is the norm. If you really plan to marry her, don't live with her parents first. It will set a historic mark in the family relationship that will forever mark you as 'the gaijin husband who needs help'. This can handicap you in many unforseen ways in the future, and could possibly break you and your girl up. They will treat you like royalty at first, but if you stay any longer than two weeks, you have officially accepted/needed their express help, and this will figure prominently in future family relations. It's worth it if you and the girl, or hell maybe just you, find some shit place to stay while you set up shop. Even if your girl gave you some cash to stay separately at a cheap Gaijin Guest House on your own while she stays with her folks, that would be vastly better for the family relationship in the long run. But, like I said, if you plan to dump her (in the back of your mind), then yes, stay at the folks house and eat all their food while you can. Although, karma will probably get you in the end anyway. Show them what american men are made of and don't depend on them for anything, how about that?

"4. I plan on looking for a job as an english teacher(of course) until I can "assimilate" into Japanese culture"

This is the one that probably has most FGs laughing here, because despite what Debito (http://www.debito.org) might tell you, there is no assimilating into japanese culture for you. Consider that koreans who were born in japan and only speak japanese (don't speak korean) and have japanese names often are not 'fully' accepted into japanese culture and then you begin to scratch the surface of what 'your' acceptance will be. That is, none. But, for whatever it's worth, most people will be really nice to you.

It may sound like everyone is conspiring to have you not come to japan, but that's not the case. It's just that, for many many reasons, japan is one of the most anti-immigration/things not what they appear to be/glaring contradictions/most advanced & simultaneously backward/hard to blend in countries on the planet, and people here are just trying to make that clear to you. Coming to japan with your hands tied behind your back and at the mercy of your girlfriend is almost asking for a grand reeming that will echo in the halls of FG infamy for all time. Good luck.

[Alcazar]

That is some really good advice there from Jim. And yes he was right, I for one was laughing at the 'assimilation' thing....

[AssKissinger]

Hey dude, I think the folks here are being a little overly pessimistic but one thing's for sure: it'll all boil down to your future in-laws and your girl. Shibuya Me has a very valid point their intention may be to break you two up. I knew this Jamaican guy who came here to marry his Japanese girl and stayed with the never-to-be-future-in-laws until they tossed him and he ended up flat broke and spent 10 days homeless before he managed to get out of here. He was one triple fucked kokujin!

But if you're planning to marry this chick I'm going to assume she's trust worthy. Just make sure her parents aren't against you. Talk to her about it. Ask her a lot of what ifs? What if your parents don't like me? What if they don't approve? I have a Japanes wife now but before her I had a serious girl. She pledged her love and support to me. We weren't engaged but close to it. But when her parents came out against the gaijin I was tossed out like a used condom. But with my wife, she was committed from the get go. She was going to marry me with or without Daddy's blessing. Pops was against it at first but we laid it down respectfully but firmly that the wedding was on either way so he'd be wise to approve, save face, join the celebration, keep the wa and keep the family together. This was all done tacitly and respectfully. And I do respect the man. My point is, are you sure your fiance has your back? Is she going to be there for you if the family puts on the heat? About 50% of would be gaijin marriages are nixed by the Japanese inlaws. And probably only 10% of the would be Japanese brides will choose romantic love over their father's blessing.

As for work, I think you'll be golden. A free place to stay in Tokyo. You can get a steady job or just start picking up privates. Without paying rent, believe me I never had it that good! You'll have to take anything at first to get that visa but you'll get it. Once you get that stamp it's all good. Lots of jobs come with apartments so you'll probably be shacked up with the little lady in private in no time. Teaching English ain't rocket science and there's still a lot of work. The sooner you get the spousal visa the better too. That makes things even easier.

[Taro Toporific]

We are all bitter!

As soon as you come to Japan and live here
past a few months...

You can and will be as bitter as us!

.... I just figure whatever's meant to happen will.

Now, would ANYONE care to share their job hunting experience with me or are you all conspiring to make me stay as far away from Japan as possible? haha

Ok, ok, here's my "experience" after 20 years in Japan:

--I was headhunted on Day 3 after being shipwrecked here.
--I waited 3 months till April Fools Day to start work (coporate fiscal year starts Apr. 1).
--While waiting, I took Japanese classes and taught English.
--It took me 3 weeks to line up some teaching work even though I've Masters in Linguistics/ESL and HS teaching experience/certification BECAUSE I didn't have a proper visa.
--I went broke with key money, phone line, and other ass-reaming Tokyo expenses.
--After 6 months of working in Maybe-the-Second-Largest Inc, I slowly had got back to financial normal.
--Then, I got laid off along with 4,000 others.
--Went freelance for 6 months and did the Rob Pongi: voice-over work, TV shows, copywriting, and plenty of "private" lessons
--Headhunted by Maybe-the-Largest Inc and worked for them 17+ years
--Last year, Maybe-the-Largest Inc spun-off my division...all us rat-reamed salarymen lose our vested pensions worth a lump-sum of ICHI OKU each (20 sucides in my 15-story building alone)
--Now I work for Maybe-the-Largest-Spin-off Inc with CHINESE ownership as a "new" hire--no perks, no benefits, for 15% less money. AAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRG! I'm one F-ed Gaijin. Kid, do yourself a favor]cho-baka[/i] loser and say, "I just figure whatever's meant to happen will."

[AssKissinger]

all us rat-reamed salarymen lose our vested pensions worth a lump-sum of ICHI OKU each (20 sucides in my 15-story building alone)

Damn!

[Steve Bildermann]

[Taro Toporific]

all us rat-reamed salarymen lose our vested pensions worth a lump-sum of ICHI OKU each (20 sucides in my 15-story building alone)

Damn!

Yeah, ICHI OKU was the **average** vested pension paid in lump-sum. The belly-sliters were the useless soon-to-retire old farts who were expecting to get more (and had arranged balloon mortages with 1/2 OKU payments at retirement).

[jim katta]

damn.


(bows and pays ultimate respect to taro grandmaster fg)

[jim katta]

"sold wine door to door"

"set up a early morning Omelet bar"

goddamnit, you guys are no fucking joke. this is inspiring in a weird sort of FG way. I mean, how can you EVER question the mettle of someone who sold wine door to door in japan, jeez, as a former salesman, I know that must have taken some huge fucking cojones.

[Steve Bildermann]

The omelet bar was great.

Get up @ 4:00. Mix up a massive batch in a big metal bucket. Get to Meiji U. about 7:00 or 8 am as the kids were rolling in - fire up the two ring burner at the back of the van. 150 en omelets served by a big Gaijin - ready in 3 minutes.

Used to sell beer under the counter too. Knocked off about 9:00. Turned about 25,000 yen a day profit. Did great business when it was University Festivals and the like.

NB - This was in the seventies when 25,000 en for a day was very good money.

[Taro Toporific]

The omelet bar was great.
Get up @ 4:00. Mix up a massive batch in a big metal bucket. Get to Meiji U. about 7:00 or 8 am as the kids were rolling in - fire up the two ring burner at the back of the van. 150 en omelets served by a big Gaijin - ready in 3 minutes.

Hmmmm, a "two ring burner at the back of the van." Did you have any 'interesting' setbacks with a two ring burner going full blast in the back of a van fully gassed up?

...asks Taro, who once tried soldering a circuit board on top a 55 gallon drum of resin thereby blowing up an FRP plant I was involved in <oops>.

[Steve Bildermann]

Well luckliy no.

My partner, a kiwi, had removed the back panel between the drivers seat and the back of the van. The big gas tank was stored for us by the parking place attended who wheeled it into place evey morning for us. We ran a hose from the tank to the burners so it was all pretty safe. The van had a sun roof which we took off so heat wasn't a problem. The gas tank was changed for us by the gas company every week.

Being as we were on University property the police never bothered us and as we were both members of the Meiji Judo-bu the University said it was ok.