Advice on landing an English teaching job in Japan?

Question:

I'm from New York and am interested in travelling to Japan to teach English fulltime. I've been fascinated by Japanese culture ever since I was a kid and have dreamt of visiting Japan for years. I've been contemplating this decision for months and have heard almost nothing but positive things about the experience thus far. Now, I feel I'm ready to go for it.

While I'm doing research, I'd appreciate any general advice, tips and/or feedback on getting an English-teaching job in Japan. How do I get the ball rolling? What do I need? What should I expect? How do I get the best deal? (I've heard everything from places granting you free boarding and healthcare to even paying for your airfare). What is this TESL/TEFL certificate that I've heard might be required, and how do I get one?

I'd really like to get started ASAP. Thanks.

A little background info on me: I'm 28 w/a bachelor's degree (which I'm told helps) and previous job experience. I know a handful of basic Japanese words (don't worry, I'm buying a Japanese-English translator). I have two acquaintances who live in Japan, so it's not like I'll be totally alone.

Answer:

You have a university degree, and this is all you need to "get the ball rolling". Without one, you can't get a work permit to teach English in Japan. A TESL certificate is not necessary, though it may open a few doors, and a good course will prep you for the real world of teaching EFL. Most of the courses offered are wastes of time and money. The best education at your stage is a foot-in-the-door kind of job, and there are many in Japan.

A popular website for finding EFL jobs is eslcafe.com If you do Google searches (e.g. english teacher japan employment) you can find more websites and jobs. Or, you can just go to Japan and find a job while you're there. You can check out the school, the people there, and they can check you out, before everybody decides that they're happy with each other. This is a good option - less of a roll of the dice - but it's a greater expense for you as you have to find a place to stay, and pay for food and transportation while no salary is coming in.

The third option - and a popular one - is to contact one of the handful of Corporate schools in japan which have many branches and are always hiring. These schools usually offer free training, and most of them have their own books. First-time teachers in Japan often go this route. The big schools in this category are Aeon, Nova, Geos, and ECC. Check out their websites to see if they're for you.

What should you expect? Japan is a society which works because most people are genuinely honorable. You won't get screwed around, in other words. You will be expected to work hard, and fulfill your contract obligations, but nobody will mess with your free time; you can do whatever you like during your off hours. If you want to have a girlfriend, that is not a problem. The food is great, and there's a lot of fun to be had, and you'll meet a lot of good people. Your students should be, for the most part, earnest about their studies. Try to avoid teaching kids unless you're high-energy and love kids, and young teens are tough to teach in Japan too because they're under tremendous pressure at that stage of life. You could end up teaching all age groups, which is a GREAT learning experience for you; just try to avoid teaching kids and young teens (under 18) exclusively. That's just my opinion; others may disagree.

As for good deals, a free one-way ticket means that even if you hate the job, you're stuck in it. Don't accept a free ticket unless you have really really good feelings about what you're getting into. Often an employer will throw in a free ticket to your home country if you fulfill contract obligations. You usually have to pay for housing, but if you don't, great. Healthcare is usually provided for.

Also, check out the JET program, by the way. It's fantastic.