Some Questions about Teaching English in Japan?

Question:

My friend and I are 21 years old and very interested in the Japanese culture. The food, the sense of respect, the entertainment, the language, and the police force (don't get me started on Japan's police force. I strongly believe that US cops should take a trip to Japan and learn a few things). We both are interested in teaching English in Japan, which could give us to ability to take in the culture in a way that a normal two week trip never could, without breaking the bank since we'd be making some money along the way. I've been doing some research, but I still have a few unanswered questions.

I'm starting my sophomore year in college to be an English teacher/professor (haven't decided which yet), while my friend hasn't had any schooling past High School. Without a college degree will she still be eligible to teach in Japan? If not, what can she do to become eligible? And for me, is English (not as a language, but as in writing, reading, and grammar) as my major going to aid me in finding a good teaching job in Japan?

From the research I've been doing on teaching in Japan, I can tell that people mainly do so through several large corporations. The contracts set up tend to include (from what I can tell), an adequate wage, boarding, and some time off. About this, I have a few concerns/questions.

Is there a way to choose your own housing set up? Like, get a little more in wages, but rent out a place for yourself? These companies tend to strictly dictate your lesson plan. Is there any way to teach abroad with a little more control over your class' learning environment? Also, from what I'm told, these companies tend to treat their English teachers like garbage. Is any one company known for treating their teachers well/better than the other companies. Is it possible to safely teach in Japan without going through one of these huge companies at all?

If you've read through this monster of a question, thank you very much. I really appreciate any and all information about teaching English in Japan. Thank you!

Answer:

Your main objective is to get a job that will sponsor your working visa.

To do that from outside of Japan, you usually need a Bachelor degree, then apply for a job. The JET Programme is a very good way to get a job in Japan for a year or longer if you have a degree. You can also check with the other big recruiters of ALTs (Assistant Language Teachers).

If you don't have a degree, you can still work in Japan, but I doubt any recruiter outside of Japan would take you. You'd have to go to Japan first, then find a job while on your regular holiday visa (length will depend on what country you're from).

There are many teaching jobs in Japan. Check out some of the sites like gaijinpot.com or ohayosensei.com. Again, a lot of these jobs will require a degree, but even the ones that say that don't necessarily need that. A school that needs a native English-speaking teacher now, needs one now.

I've seen a lot of riff-raff in Japan end up with jobs. Beware that there's a huge variety of workplaces out there, from dream jobs to slave drivers who won't pay you. A lot of it is going to depend on your own common sense and how you get along with people.

Honestly, if you're a clean, well-behaved, polite person, you can find work teaching English, no matter how little formal education you have. It's a matter of keeping your eyes open. I really would suggest waiting until you have a degree though. It's just going to make things a lot easier and safer. You don't want to be just getting by from private student to private student when you can have a full-time job at a recognized institution, and even do private classes on the side.

One of the big companies, Nova, is luckily out of business now. They were notorious for treating their teachers poorly. I don't trust GEOS because they won't hire you if you're already in Japan. I get the feeling that they want noobs who don't understand Japanese, who are more easily controlled.

Some companies provide housing. I get the feeling that you guys just want to go now without your degrees. Be careful! What are you going to do the first couple of weeks while job-hunting? You'll need internet access and a place to sleep and shower. That means either forking out lots of money for a hotel (which could work out), or still forking out money for substandard hostels full of other foreigners doing the same thing as you. I'd hate to be stuck in a gaijin house or hostel in Tokyo full of a bunch of goons all desperate for the same crappy jobs.

Anyway, good luck with whatever you decide to do.