How to get a job teaching in Japan
90Teaching English and living in Japan is a great experience, the adventure of my life. I’ve been doing it for nearly 10 years. I would encourage anyone to come here to start a new career or just for a couple of years for the experience. There is a lot of good information on finding a job in Japan. I’ll include some good websites. Check on the links at the end.
If you are still in the US or your home country, you have two options:
1. Find a job before you go over
2. Just buy a ticket and find something after you arrive.
I know many people do the latter. If you are really adventurous then go for it. But I recommend the former. There are many Eikaiwa, or English Conversation schools in Japan. They’re private companies where Japanese come to study English. The average starting salary is between 250,000 to 270,000 yen, about 2700 to 2900 dollars per month. I applied to AEON Corporation while still in the states. I interviewed in Chicago and later came here. I no longer work for Aeon, but I recommend them. I was with them for almost 9 years. That’s probably some kind of record. Most teachers are there for 1 or 2 years. They are probably the best of the big conversation schools left. A few years ago, the number 1 school, NOVA went bankrupt after a huge lawsuit. They had a bad reputation for years with teachers but also students. It was finally a class action suit from former students that broke them. That event really hurt the industry, but Aeon is still a safe bet. But be warned, they expect a lot. They have high standards of professionalism and they really drill that into you during training. You have to wear a suit and tie. They have branches nation wide, some schools have only adult students, many have adults and children. There are other schools as well, GEOS and Berlitz to name a few. Be wary of one called G.Communications. They are the ones that took over Nova. I wouldn’t trust them.
You can also become an ALT(Assistant Language Teacher). ALTs work in junior or senior high schools. The JET program run by the Japanese government is probably the biggest source of ALTs. Interac. Co. is one of many private companies that provide ALTs. I think Japan is ready for a mini-boom for teaching English to children. Starting in 2010, English will become a mandatory subject in elementary schools nationwide, so I think there’s a lot of opportunity there.
The best place to start is at Dave’s ESL Café. It has an abundance of information, not only on jobs, but teaching resources and ideas. It’s huge. Be sure to check out the teacher’s forum. Read the comments to see what teachers say about different companies, avoid the bad ones. For jobs, Gaijinpot and Ohayo sensei are good. All about teaching English in Japan is good too.
How about education? Most big schools require a college degree. It’s not necessary to have a teacher’s degree. It’s probably possible to get a job with only a High school diploma, but you will be rather limited. Another thing to consider is getting a TEFL(Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certificate. These are relatively easy to get, only taking a few months. They are available online and most offer an additional practical teaching workshop at a specified location. I recommend that if you can. Most English schools don’t require such a TESL certificate, but it can give you a big advantage. It looks great on a resume.
If you are living in Japan now, then there are lots of options. It just depends on where you’re willing to go. Actually, in my case, the most important thing in finding a new job was word of mouth. I have a family here and I didn’t want to move to a new city. Jobs were limited and I never would have found my current job if it wasn’t for my friends. I’m really lucky. Never underestimate the power of networking and friends.
If you’ve been in Japan a while and have some experience, then a final option is starting your own business. That’s not my path, but many of my friends have done it.
Anyway, good luck in finding a job and start your adventure today. GANBATE!
Check out my other ESL hubs
- The Best ESL Vocabulary Game Ever!
I’ve been teaching English in Japan for nearly 9 years. I’ve used lots of games, but this one is my favorite. I don’t know what you call it in English, in Japanese it’s called... - How to choose an online TEFL course
If you’re planning to teach English in Japan, or anywhere else for that matter, you basically just need to be a native speaker and have a college diploma, but it might be worth your while to get a TESL or...
Other Links
- Jobs in Japan - Home
dotJapan - Job listings in Japan, Looking for work or a job in Japan, Japan, apartments, Tokyo - The JET Programme--Official Homepage of The Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme--
Official Homepage of The Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme - Interac: Japan\'s leading private provider of Assistant Language Teachers - Official Website
Challenge yourself teaching in Japanese public - state schools, positions available for enthusiastic and professional people. - http://www.all-about-teaching-english-in-japan.com/
Teaching English in Japan - A monster load of information on jobs in Japan. Interview tips with Aeon, ECC, Berlitz, Geos. Free Japanese lessons, how to get started teaching in Japan. - O-Hayo Sensei: The Newsletter of (Teaching) Jobs in Japan
O-Hayo Sensei, a free, twice-monthly newsletter, is the world's oldest and largest jobs-in-japan publication. Each issue of O-Hayo Sensei researches and lists 100+ currently available teaching (and other English language-related) positions in Japan. - O-Hayo Sensei: The Newsletter of (Teaching) Jobs in Japan
O-Hayo Sensei, a free, twice-monthly newsletter, is the world's oldest and largest jobs-in-japan publication. Each issue of O-Hayo Sensei researches and lists 100+ currently available teaching (and other English language-related) positions in Japan. - Teach at Berlitz : Berlitz Japan, Inc.
Internationally, Berlitz has been the leader in language services for 130 years. With over 40 years service to Japanese language learners, Berlitz Japan is one of the most stable and reliable employers in Japan. - GaijinPot
Gaijinpot.com Jobs - AEONet Homepage
- Dave\'s ESL Cafe
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Comments
I'm not sure. Probably most of the big companies require one-year contracts. But, there's also a lot of part-time work available. In general, places are looking for longer commitments, but there might be special summer jobs available. Good luck
Useful hub. thank you. I have always wanted to work in Japan for a year or three. I even took an intensive TEFL course thinking it would help me here in Thailand but..over 60...may as well be dead here as in the UK on the job front. Maybe I will try your idea of just flying in and seeing what was available. Trouble is I probably could not fly out again :-)
Thanks Peter. I'm actually a big fan of your Thai hubs. Really interesting. Sounds like you've been globtotting a while yourself. I would encourage you to come to Japan. It's a very interesting culture. Of course, the big cities are exciting, but if you want a more genuine experience, you should live and teach in a smaller town like me. You can appreciate the local culture and history. I'm working on another hub about the TESL certificates and more to come about Japan. If you come to my area, let me know and let's have a cup of green tea together.
Thanks for this info. My daughter wants to go to Japan to study for a year and I was wondering if she could realistically use teaching as a means to do that.
Helpful program to get job in japan.
thanks
post molto interessante
I have had some friends do this and they loved it. Some even stayed.
Great Hub!
J
Mitch- Thaks for your interest. I encourage your daughter to do it. Teaching English is a great way to live in Japan and it's fun, even if she only does it for a few years. Personally, I like living in a smaller, more rural area, but I also miss the restarants and shopping of the big cty. Both are great. Good luck.
Sumon6- Thanks, I'm glad you thought it useful. I hope it leads you here.
giappone- Muchos Gracias, mi amigo. I lived in Paraguay for two years, but I've forgotten most of my Spanish.
jestone- Thanks, When I first came here, I thought it would be for just a couple of years. Then things changed and I have a family. Who would've thought. You should visit sometime. You can try Japanese style barbecue, but I still prefer American style hamburgers and hot dogs.
Nice Hub. I have a cousin over there right now. Nice to get an idea about what he was up to before he left.
Great hub for those wishing to work in Japan. Thumbs up.
Thanks Llama and Helen. I can always cout on the support from the Hubpages community. It's one of the best things about writing here.
This is a neat Hub. I have a friend who lived and taught in Japan for several years. He loved it.
Thanks Gift. It's a great experience. There's a lot more to come about life in Japan. Stay tuned
Great tips. I visited Japan during high school and have always wanted to go back.
Thanks Steve. I'm glad you thought it was useful. I hope you coe back to Japan someday for a longer stay. Good luck.
nice post buddy, i would love to go to japan to teach English, i did the TEFL course and spent some time teaching in Thailand. It was a fantastic experience
I wish I had explored "working abroad" straight out of college, (and if so - these would have been great tips!). Now, I'm kinda tied to my career and can't imagine finding the time to be able to do so.
Hindsight is 20/20, huh?
Thanks Zeanne, You should definitely come here. I'm sure Japan would be an interesting contrast after Thailand.
Thank you Jessica. I guess I would say it's never too late. On the other hand, there might be trade offs. I guess I'll never get rich doing this. But you could at least visit Japan for an extended holiday or something.
I'd just like to say, I'm learning the web can be a cold place. People on other sites have taken issue with my hubs as not being up to snuff. It's nice to be appreciated back here at home where everyone knows your name. Thanks hubbers!
I have been studying Japanese for several years now, and while I'm nowhere near fluent in it, I do understand a fair amount of it. I would love an opportunity to work in Japan.
The problem is that I can't go live and work in Japan unless my wife can get a job in the same place, mainly because our student loans are too large for us to survive otherwise.
Also, neither of us particularly like the idea of teaching English. I don't like teaching at all, and she much prefers teaching math (which is what she is studying to be able to do, interestingly enough).
Still, I very much like your hub, and it opens up some options for us, even if they aren't the most ideal options possible. ^_^
You wrote an excellent article. I am a former teacher and this is a wonderful opportunity to become transworld. While staying in Japan, you could also learn to speak Japanese. We are a global country and the economy is also global. Good luck in your continued stay!
Great idea for a Hub! My friend just left for Japan, and I was considering something like this, like in Korea, where I'm from... I was just leery of some of the programs that I researched. Some of them looked pretty sketchy!
This is a very helpful post. thank you for sharing.
Thanks for the great hub. I've been to Japan and even applied to the JET program to teach, but it's so competitive. I still want to go, but it's hard to trust some of the companies you find online. It's good to hear recomendations from someone who's been through the process.
Thanks everyone for you comments.
Steve- I never really imagined myself being an English teacher the rest of my life. In the beginning, teaching was a means to an end-living in Japan. It's something nearly any native speaker can do. I'm not going to say it's easy, but it can be rewarding and fun. I think it would be very possible for both of you to get a job there. One of my former co-worker's friends came to visit for a few months, found a job of her own and stayed longer than my co0worker. It doesn't have to be forever and it's a great experience.
Nan- Thanks, One thing about living here and being in an international marriage; it's never boring! The world is getting smaller and also Japan is currently changing it's laws to make stay for foreigners easier.
Glass-Despite my expatriate lifstyle, I'm not a risk taker. I would stick to the bigger, more established schools. Some places might not be legit. But I wouldn't let that discourage you. Dave's ESLcafe hasgreat forums and feedback from other teachers.Good luck
Arrgo-I'm Jason, your captin, ha! It is perhaps more competitive now after the collapse of NOVA, but I think the indutry is ready for a boom with kids education and for Japanese teachers. Stay with the big companies or programs.
I really want to visit Japan sometime. Not sure about teaching there and taking a full time job, but this is a very cool thing to consider. Didn't even know it existed!
hg, thanks for the comment. As I said before, in the beginning, teaching was a means to an end. It's a great way to live in a foreign country and it doesn't have to be forever. You'll never regret it. Good luck.
Interesting way to get into japan,
always had wanted to go back there again
It's a great way to live here. Come on dowwwn!
Good hub, Japan is somewhere that I would love to visit; but is far too away from my comfort zone for relocation! I have a good friend that has lived their for 7 years though, he owns a record label and moved out as soon as technology allowed him to run his entire business from a laptop. He married a Japanese girl, learnt to speak Japanese, and has become a minor celebrity in Tokyo on the music scene..... I'm sure that I will visit him sometime! Great Hub, worthy of the score.
Great post. I would love to eventually visit Japan. The people are awesome and the culture is amazing. Don't even get me started on the food.
My friend did this and his experience worked out great. As a matter of a fact, he's been there 6 years and won't move back! Beware, you might enjoy your trip a little too much.
Thanks everyone.
Ryan- Japan has a way of sucking you in and making you want to stay longer. You should definitely come and visit.
Jamie- irrashaimase(welcome), The culture is sometimes so different, but so interesting. My favorite food is probably okonomiyaki, a kind of dinner pancake with meat and veggies inside with a special sause. And of course, sushi and sashimi are delicious, especially where I live.
light- I'm going on 10 years and no end in sight. Sorry folks, I can't come back, I don't know how this thing works!
mmmmm! I'm enjoying okonomiyaki at this very moment!
Osaka or Hiroshima style? I like blue nori(powdered seaweed) and fish flakes on top. I don't really need noodles. Actually, at home, we put anything in it, carrots, tuna, eggplant. Whatever. Enjoy!
I was so excited with your hub that I forgot to say thank you! Thanks for the hub, it really helped me greatly!
Thank you. No problem
I guess you'd call it Kyoto style customized for me.
Mina131 says:
4 months ago
Thanks! I have had friends in Japan and always wanted to visit, but I didn't want to lose my summer job here at home...do you think any place would hire me just for a summer?