100% accurate Paul. Just one thing to add- whatever route you take, please keep your personal finances in order! There are long term foreigners here in Japan working in every single job category mentioned who have been priced out of moving back home, regardless of which country they came from.
@@Exjapter This is true and managing finances on an English teacher's wages would be a good video topic. 2 Specific examples come to mind: 1. A friend who came over with his wife who was on JET before he had the chance to go to college. They got divorced and he made so little on his own that he literally could not afford to move back to the US. 2. A friend who married and had a child in Japan mentioned how it is possible to make ends meet on an ALT salary (He was making the same as a JET). However it was tight. Both these cases were in the countryside where the cost of living was a lot less than a bigger city.
Hi, Paul. I'll be arriving in Japan in March to teach English through the Interac Group. I'm currently working on my MFA (online) and hope to pivot to teaching at a university level after my contract finishes. This video was quite insightful and I appreciate the advice you have given.
Thank you for this video! Just finished my BA and seeking masters, and share a lot of your views, including preferring the university route in english teaching. Really find your channel interesting and useful
@@Exjapter I’ve heard that before, but also that it’s a lot more common than people think. I’m the end, I looked at the pros & cons and realized it was a better option for me. Course is out of Kobe, interestingly enough.
@@HaiTomVlog Couldnt complete mine due to health reasons during my training but the training itself is valuable not just the certificate.I learned so much I apply the knowledge now.Great start!
Before watching the video here's my prediction. English teaching is a foot in the door, a lot of english teaching jobs acts as Visa mills for young people who want to spend time in Japan. Regular English teaching isn't lucrative long term, but Business English to adults or tutoring individual students is worth it.
Pretty spot on - I mention the visa mill thing towards the end, because that's most people who have ever taught English in Japan. But, I didnt want to focus on that issue for this particular video.
I'm trying to pursue my masters this year I've been teaching English as an expat in Korea for the last 3 going on 4 years I hope the masters opens doors in international schools in Japan
Hi Paul! New subscriber here.. I'm leaving collegiate classical music teaching here in the states. I have a medical condition that prevents me from being able to play my instrument at full capacity. I am coming this year on the JET program and am curious about univeristy teaching. Am I too old at 33 to go for my masters/PhD in tesol or linguistics for a career in Japan? I've been scoping out a few programs at Sophia University and TUJ. I'm aware that my 4 years of college level teaching in music is irrelevant..
Wow! I am coming in with CLI.I am also completing my Masters in Education for University and College level student teaching.Unlike China,there seems to be a more open market in Japan.China has a lot of gatekeeping and your credentials are not as valuable that you look like a joke when you head home and say you taught in China unless if you taught in an International or bilingual school or adult esl centre.
Yeah, the situation is a bit different everywhere. Friends who taught in Korea complained about the system there quite a bit. Japan has a lot more options, but there are a lot of really credential-less jobs that aont look great on a resume upon leaving Japan as well.
100% accurate Paul.
Just one thing to add- whatever route you take, please keep your personal finances in order! There are long term foreigners here in Japan working in every single job category mentioned who have been priced out of moving back home, regardless of which country they came from.
Very true - I should have elaborated on the financial aspect when I referenced the difference between "coasting" and a career.
@@Exjapter This is true and managing finances on an English teacher's wages would be a good video topic.
2 Specific examples come to mind:
1. A friend who came over with his wife who was on JET before he had the chance to go to college. They got divorced and he made so little on his own that he literally could not afford to move back to the US.
2. A friend who married and had a child in Japan mentioned how it is possible to make ends meet on an ALT salary (He was making the same as a JET). However it was tight.
Both these cases were in the countryside where the cost of living was a lot less than a bigger city.
Hi, Paul. I'll be arriving in Japan in March to teach English through the Interac Group. I'm currently working on my MFA (online) and hope to pivot to teaching at a university level after my contract finishes. This video was quite insightful and I appreciate the advice you have given.
Good luck!
@@Exjapter Thank you!
Thank you for this video! Just finished my BA and seeking masters, and share a lot of your views, including preferring the university route in english teaching. Really find your channel interesting and useful
Thank you! Glad I can be of help.
Interesting timing with your video, Paul - I’m actually in the middle of my CELTA course, so this was really interesting to me. 🤙🏼
Good luck! A very useful course I have heard, from some friends who have done it. Unfortunately it is still rather unknown in Japan for some reason.
@@Exjapter I’ve heard that before, but also that it’s a lot more common than people think. I’m the end, I looked at the pros & cons and realized it was a better option for me. Course is out of Kobe, interestingly enough.
@@HaiTomVlog Kobe?! Might do that myself. My teaching could always use improvement.
@@HaiTomVlog Couldnt complete mine due to health reasons during my training but the training itself is valuable not just the certificate.I learned so much I apply the knowledge now.Great start!
@@HaiTomVlog I noticed this too.I only saw Tefl and Tesol on most job boards even Gaba
Before watching the video here's my prediction.
English teaching is a foot in the door, a lot of english teaching jobs acts as Visa mills for young people who want to spend time in Japan. Regular English teaching isn't lucrative long term, but Business English to adults or tutoring individual students is worth it.
Pretty spot on - I mention the visa mill thing towards the end, because that's most people who have ever taught English in Japan. But, I didnt want to focus on that issue for this particular video.
I'm trying to pursue my masters this year
I've been teaching English as an expat in Korea for the last 3 going on 4 years
I hope the masters opens doors in international schools in Japan
It certainly can. Good luck! What kind of masters are you pursuing?
@ExJapTer I studied education in Florida and would be pursuing a TEFL masters
It can completed in a year which is also the appeal
@@jonathansakura Sounds good, and good luck!
Hi Paul! New subscriber here.. I'm leaving collegiate classical music teaching here in the states. I have a medical condition that prevents me from being able to play my instrument at full capacity. I am coming this year on the JET program and am curious about univeristy teaching.
Am I too old at 33 to go for my masters/PhD in tesol or linguistics for a career in Japan? I've been scoping out a few programs at Sophia University and TUJ. I'm aware that my 4 years of college level teaching in music is irrelevant..
Not too old at all. I am in my 40s and finishing my PhD. Lots of people get their masters in their 30s and find Uni work.
Wow! I am coming in with CLI.I am also completing my Masters in Education for University and College level student teaching.Unlike China,there seems to be a more open market in Japan.China has a lot of gatekeeping and your credentials are not as valuable that you look like a joke when you head home and say you taught in China unless if you taught in an International or bilingual school or adult esl centre.
Yeah, the situation is a bit different everywhere. Friends who taught in Korea complained about the system there quite a bit. Japan has a lot more options, but there are a lot of really credential-less jobs that aont look great on a resume upon leaving Japan as well.
If you dont mind sharing, what phd are you pursuing ? Thanks
No problem. After doing an Education BA, Applied Linguistics MA, I am doing a Linguistics (with a focus on Second Language Acquisition) PhD.
Thanks for the quick reply. If I were to manage a university position in Japan what kind of salary would I be looking at? Thank you@@Exjapter