What are my prospects?

[Greg2015]

Hello,

Here is my background. I have a bachelors degree in commerce, majoring in marketing management. I was a marketing coordinator, and sales representative for a number of years. I then quit that, travelled, and completed a bachelors in politics and international studies and completed a graduate diploma in education majoring in society & environment, and a minor in English. I also completed my 120 TESOL course. Besides my internships at public and private high schools in Perth, I don't have any practical experience as a teacher yet, as I just graduated. I'm now 28, and I'm Australian. I'm single, with no children.

What are my prospects for teaching in Japan right now? With no experience, and no fluency at all in the Japanese language?

Would Thailand be a better option? Money isn't the most important issue to me. But I do want a good lifestyle. I don't drink. But do enjoy socialising.

 

[Glenski]

Confirm anything I tell you with people in the ESL Cafe forum.
I'm not exactly sure what you are asking. You have 2 bachelor's degrees. Only one is needed to qualify for a work visa that allows you to teach English here. You likely won't qualify for one to teach in universities, if that makes any difference. So, you are "limited" to eikaiwa and ALT work, plus business English. You might get in to junior colleges or vocational schools.

Those are your prospects as far as employers go. In terms of timing, this is the beginning of the peak of hiring for most teaching jobs (which begin work in April, by the way). In terms of visas, you could either try to get hired for a work visa, or come here with a working holiday visa instead and work under that until it expires, then switch to a work visa. Part-time work is allowed with a student visa, so if you want to study Japanese here and work on the side until you feel more comfortable, it's an option.

But I do want a good lifestyle.

Can you describe what you mean by that?

 

[ishibai]

Hello,

Here is my background. I have a bachelors degree in commerce, majoring in marketing management. I was a marketing coordinator, and sales representative for a number of years. I then quit that, travelled, and completed a bachelors in politics and international studies and completed a graduate diploma in education majoring in society & environment, and a minor in English. I also completed my 120 TESOL course. Besides my internships at public and private high schools in Perth, I don't have any practical experience as a teacher yet, as I just graduated. I'm now 28, and I'm Australian. I'm single, with no children.

What are my prospects for teaching in Japan right now? With no experience, and no fluency at all in the Japanese language?

Would Thailand be a better option? Money isn't the most important issue to me. But I do want a good lifestyle. I don't drink. But do enjoy socialising.

Glenski told it how it is. Eikaiwa or ALT you are entry-level. If you don't drink you will have a problem in Japan since all socializing is about getting drunk, most English teachers at Eikaiwas and ALTs are big drinkers and socializing is done in bars. Single and no children go for Japan, the women are much more beautiful than Thailand. Juts be aware you will not be able to save on an entry-level salary. Work your way up the greasy ladder of English teahing.

 

[Glenski]

If you don't drink you will have a problem in Japan since all socializing is about getting drunk

Once again, you are dead wrong. How do I know? Aside from the many friends I have who are non-drinkers or light drinkers, there's me, who doesn't drink at all.

Juts be aware you will not be able to save on an entry-level salary.

Just because you couldn't manage it, that doesn't mean others are equally poor at saving. Plenty of us have put away some money at 250,000 yen/month salaries, and if he doesn't drink, that will contribute to his savings.

 

[Mike Cash]

There is certainly ample opportunity to booze it up in Japan, but it is by no means obligatory or unavoidable. There are abundant opportunities to engage in activities which center around shared interests which don't involve alcohol. There are sports, martial arts, cultural activities, and groups/clubs doing practically everything under the sun. You just have to take a step outside the gaijin bubble to find more things to do than you can shake a stick at.

 

[ishibai]

Once again, you are dead wrong. How do I know? Aside from the many friends I have who are non-drinkers or light drinkers, there's me, who doesn't drink at all.

Just because you couldn't manage it, that doesn't mean others are equally poor at saving. Plenty of us have put away some money at 250,000 yen/month salaries, and if he doesn't drink, that will contribute to his savings.

Yes, that's true but the majority of socializing is drinking at gaijin bars. I also used to hike, golf, sail and play tennis and there were gaijin clubs for these sports; however, after finishing the activity most of the members would go for a drink.
I heard there has been deflation since I was in Japan, the last time I was there was 2002 and when I first arrived in 1980, 250.000 yen would be really tough to save. In fact after having worked at universities in Japan for 20 years I had to leave as I wouldn't have been able to put my children through university in the US as I couldn't afford it and at that time I was earning around 14 million. I am sure these days due to deflation it may be possible to live on 250.000 yen per month, but it would involve living in a less than desirable area i.e. in the characterless suburbs and maybe not in a concrete mansion (safe in earthquakes), you may not be able to have a car, you may not be able to eat good quality food in your free time you may be a bit limited due to things being expensive. For example if you get a girlfriend and treat her to Tokyo Disneyland, it would cost around 12.000 yen for two people, possibly around 4000 yen to get there and back from Tokyo, lunch 3000, dinner 3000 and a few snacks here and there 2000. That is 24.000 yen for one day out. Maybe we could give him some more examples, such as rents, utilities, tax etc... that show that 250.000 yen wouldn't go far.

 

[ishibai]

There is certainly ample opportunity to booze it up in Japan, but it is by no means obligatory or unavoidable. There are abundant opportunities to engage in activities which center around shared interests which don't involve alcohol. There are sports, martial arts, cultural activities, and groups/clubs doing practically everything under the sun. You just have to take a step outside the gaijin bubble to find more things to do than you can shake a stick at.

Very true, although it is not easy to do. Most of your work colleagues at eikaiwas, universities will be into one thing only and that is drinking. At university we would have at least 2 socials per term and they were in bars. The non-drinkers came, but would leave pretty quickly as they got bored and probably did not enjoy talking to drunk people. And Japanese love drinking and drink to get drunk, most Japanese men will give non-drinkers a hard time and even if you are a drinker they will keep filling up your glass to get you more drunk which is a cultural thing.

 

[Mike Cash]

No, the easy thing to do is isolate yourself, hang out with a bunch of sots, and then tell everybody comes after you that they will have to do the same.

 

[Glenski]

the majority of socializing is drinking at gaijin bars.

Depends on the person. Speak for yourself (I presume you are, though.) Don't lump everyone into the boozer mentality, please. And, even for those of us who don't imbibe alcohol, there is nothing wrong whatsoever with attending the festivities and drinking something else. Done it a million times.

I am sure these days due to deflation it may be possible to live on 250.000 yen per month, but it would involve living in a less than desirable area...you may not be able to have a car, you may not be able to eat good quality food in your free time you may be a bit limited due to things being expensive.

Good grief. You have your sights set too high. Most employers will set up an apartment in a low-rent part of town. Don't like it? Pay more to live elsewhere, or do your searching with zero Japanese just to find an equivalent deal. The point is, employers here will do the searching for you.

Car? Who really needs one, especially in a medium to large city? Public transport is extremely convenient here, and employers usually pay for commuting costs.

Quality food? You know, aside from a guy who once wrote that he couldn't live without a case of imported wine a month, I have never (until now) heard this outlandish statement about food. Where did you buy your caviar?

For example if you get a girlfriend

Has the OP mentioned this yet? Methinks you are jumping the gun a bit.

Maybe we could give him some more examples, such as rents, utilities, tax etc... that show that 250.000 yen wouldn't go far.

I've been here since 1998. Lots of people who have an ounce of brains/frugality in their heads have easily saved US$500-1,000 per month on a 250,000 yen/month salary. Want more? Need more? Work in your off hours or find a better-paying job, if possible. Let's wait for the OP to see how much he actually wants to save.

Mike: You just have to take a step outside the gaijin bubble to find more things to do than you can shake a stick at.
Ishibai: Very true, although it is not easy to do. Most of your work colleagues at eikaiwas, universities will be into one thing only and that is drinking.
Geez! Give the guy some credit for having a life of his own. Maybe he wants to go hiking, play sports, hit the gym, take photos, cruise on a bicycle, etc. by himself once in a while. Going out boozing several times a week after late night work (eikaiwas finish around 9pm) is not only expensive, but unhealthy and potentially bad for your job performance. I have not seen the OP requesting lots of bar info at this point.

The non-drinkers came, but would leave pretty quickly as they got bored and probably did not enjoy talking to drunk people. And Japanese love drinking and drink to get drunk, most Japanese men will give non-drinkers a hard time and even if you are a drinker they will keep filling up your glass to get you more drunk which is a cultural thing.

Talk about generalizing!
1) No non-drinker I every met ever left early (at least not for that reason you gave).
2) Most Japanese clients and co-workers I went out with were NOT the type to give me a hard time for not drinking. You must've run around with a poor crowd.
3) As for filling up a glass when it's empty, they do that as a custom here, even if you DON'T drink! Easy fix to that, in case you didn't learn it in your 10 years here: (a) put your hand over the glass before they pour, (b) tell them no thanks, (c) leave it half full or more on the last refill.

 

[ishibai]

Depends on the person. Speak for yourself (I presume you are, though.) Don't lump everyone into the boozer mentality, please. And, even for those of us who don't imbibe alcohol, there is nothing wrong whatsoever with attending the festivities and drinking something else. Done it a million times.

Good grief. You have your sights set too high. Most employers will set up an apartment in a low-rent part of town. Don't like it? Pay more to live elsewhere, or do your searching with zero Japanese just to find an equivalent deal. The point is, employers here will do the searching for you.

Car? Who really needs one, especially in a medium to large city? Public transport is extremely convenient here, and employers usually pay for commuting costs.

Quality food? You know, aside from a guy who once wrote that he couldn't live without a case of imported wine a month, I have never (until now) heard this outlandish statement about food. Where did you buy your caviar?

Has the OP mentioned this yet? Methinks you are jumping the gun a bit.

I've been here since 1998. Lots of people who have an ounce of brains/frugality in their heads have easily saved US$500-1,000 per month on a 250,000 yen/month salary. Want more? Need more? Work in your off hours or find a better-paying job, if possible. Let's wait for the OP to see how much he actually wants to save.

Mike: You just have to take a step outside the gaijin bubble to find more things to do than you can shake a stick at.
Ishibai: Very true, although it is not easy to do. Most of your work colleagues at eikaiwas, universities will be into one thing only and that is drinking.
Geez! Give the guy some credit for having a life of his own. Maybe he wants to go hiking, play sports, hit the gym, take photos, cruise on a bicycle, etc. by himself once in a while. Going out boozing several times a week after late night work (eikaiwas finish around 9pm) is not only expensive, but unhealthy and potentially bad for your job performance. I have not seen the OP requesting lots of bar info at this point.

Talk about generalizing!
1) No non-drinker I every met ever left early (at least not for that reason you gave).
2) Most Japanese clients and co-workers I went out with were NOT the type to give me a hard time for not drinking. You must've run around with a poor crowd.
3) As for filling up a glass when it's empty, they do that as a custom here, even if you DON'T drink! Easy fix to that, in case you didn't learn it in your 10 years here: (a) put your hand over the glass before they pour, (b) tell them no thanks, (c) leave it half full or more on the last refill.

Yes, I am generalizing to give the OP a idea of what 90% of people will be like. Sure there are of course the other 10%. There was a woman I knew who didn't use an air-conditioner even in summer, wore the same black clothes ever day and didn't wear any makeup, she saved a fortune. I also knew a guy who on 300.000 yen per month had saved 100.000 USD in 6 years in Japan as an ALT + some privates. He would eat one of those large hot dog sausages, cut it up into 7 pieces and put each piece in a slice of bread and that would be his lunch each week. I also new a guy who in my last year in Japan blew 2 million yen at the hub drinking and he was also an ALT.

 

[WonkoTheSane]

Hi Greg,

I only visited Thailand and never lived there, but I'd pick Japan. There's tons of stuff to do for anyone who bothers to look, and at whatever level of spending you feel like. To be fair, that's pretty much true for any place you'd want to go in this part of the world. As my father would tell me "You can't be bored, you can only be boring." A lot of this decision should be about what feels right to you culturally. The place you feel like you can actually live. Japan is reasonably easy to live in from a western viewpoint, and has lots of amenities. Thailand is exciting and can be more dangerous. They are as different as night and day.

It sounds as if you have the qualifications to get a job, though I wouldn't really know much about that since I don't do that work.

Why don't you visit both and decide?

 

[Glenski]

Yes, I am generalizing to give the OP a idea of what 90% of people will be like. Sure there are of course the other 10%.

What orifice are you pulling these figures from?

There was a woman I knew who didn't use an air-conditioner even in summer, wore the same black clothes ever day and didn't wear any makeup, she saved a fortune.

Probably not an issue for the OP.

I also knew a guy who on 300.000 yen per month had saved 100.000 USD in 6 years in Japan as an ALT + some privates.

Let's stop here and examine things for just a second before reading about his hot dog escapade.

On 250,000 per month, it's not hard at all to save $500 per month. So, if he did that over 6 years (and we know he'd actually save a little more just because he made 50,000 yen more), that would be...

6 x 12 x 500 = $36,000
Raise that easily enough to 40,000 or more just for making 50,000 yen more. (Actually, you could double the $36,000 with the extra 50,000, but I'm being conservative here.) Now, he had private lessons, you say. Well, shucks! You could easily haul in 4000 yen/person per lesson, so if he had 5 per week, that's another 20,000 yen per week, or 1,040,000 yen per year (x 6 = 6,240,000 yen, or roughly $62,000 in 6 years). So, now we're up to over $100,000 just with 5 measly lessons per week, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that he could really make more than that.

You haven't said what he paid for rent. If the guy was as obsessed with money as you described yourself earlier, I can easily imagine that he'd get himself a tiny 6-tatami room for starters. Get a bike to travel around instead of a car and the mandatory parking space. Buy food on sale (duh!), etc.

I also new a guy who in my last year in Japan blew 2 million yen at the hub drinking and he was also an ALT.

That amounts to 39,000 yen per week on average, quite the bar bill if you ask me. Pretty darned excessive, in fact. Again, this has nothing to do with the teetotaling OP, though, so I wonder why you even brought it up?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know a couple who came here with suitcases full of toilet paper in some twisted thought of saving money on not buying any here. Tons of the stuff! I also know very smart shoppers who know how to save money without being idiotic, and they're not all old farts like me. So what?

 

[ishibai]

What orifice are you pulling these figures from?

Probably not an issue for the OP.

Let's stop here and examine things for just a second before reading about his hot dog escapade.

On 250,000 per month, it's not hard at all to save $500 per month. So, if he did that over 6 years (and we know he'd actually save a little more just because he made 50,000 yen more), that would be...

6 x 12 x 500 = $36,000
Raise that easily enough to 40,000 or more just for making 50,000 yen more. (Actually, you could double the $36,000 with the extra 50,000, but I'm being conservative here.) Now, he had private lessons, you say. Well, shucks! You could easily haul in 4000 yen/person per lesson, so if he had 5 per week, that's another 20,000 yen per week, or 1,040,000 yen per year (x 6 = 6,240,000 yen, or roughly $62,000 in 6 years). So, now we're up to over $100,000 just with 5 measly lessons per week, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that he could really make more than that.

You haven't said what he paid for rent. If the guy was as obsessed with money as you described yourself earlier, I can easily imagine that he'd get himself a tiny 6-tatami room for starters. Get a bike to travel around instead of a car and the mandatory parking space. Buy food on sale (duh!), etc.

That amounts to 39,000 yen per week on average, quite the bar bill if you ask me. Pretty darned excessive, in fact. Again, this has nothing to do with the teetotaling OP, though, so I wonder why you even brought it up?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know a couple who came here with suitcases full of toilet paper in some twisted thought of saving money on not buying any here. Tons of the stuff! I also know very smart shoppers who know how to save money without being idiotic, and they're not all old farts like me. So what?

So what? The OP said he wanted a good lifestyle in Japan on 250.000 yen. I said its not possible. If you want to save on 250.000 yen you cannot have a good lifestyle. Of course what I consider a good lifestyle is different than what you may. I am spoiled in Qatar, I have a live in maid, travel 5-6 times a year, have two expensive cars and live in a large villa. My family are also a member of a beach club. People in Qatar consider this to be a good lifestyle, nothing special believe it or not.
What a 28 aussie considers to be a good lifestyle I wouldn't know unless he tells us.

 

[Glenski]

Qatar? Your profile says you are in Al Ain (UAE)... but you also said you have a Canadian passport...

And what does any of that have to do with what the OP considers a good lifestyle in Japan?????
Like I wrote 2 days ago on Sunday, let's wait until he tells us, instead of careening off into space with suppositions about what it means, especially when you clearly are used to something entirely different.

 

[Nemuyoake]

a good lifestyle in Japan on 250.000 yen

is possible in a rural prefecture, but Tokyo... I live on a 140.000 yen budget in a rural pref but I don't have a "good lifestyle" (What's that anyway? A lavish lifestyle?). Well, I don't NEED to travel all the time, drink booze every week or buy tons of things to feel happy anyway, so...

 

[ishibai]

Yes, I am aware it says Al Ain as I was there on vacation when I registered for this site. I live in Qatar and have a Canadian passport, I am an Arab with a Canadian passport.

 

[Glenski]

A vacation address for a forum profile. Well, well, well.

 

[ishibai]

is possible in a rural prefecture, but Tokyo... I live on a 140.000 yen budget in a rural pref but I don't have a "good lifestyle" (What's that anyway? A lavish lifestyle?). Well, I don't NEED to travel all the time, drink booze every week or buy tons of things to feel happy anyway, so...

Can you tell us how you manage on 140.000 yen per month, is that your take home pay after paying for your rent and utilities etc..?

 

[Mike Cash]

Can you tell us how you manage on 140.000 yen per month, is that your take home pay after paying for your rent and utilities etc..?

Do you have any idea what sort of income the bulk of the Japanese population lives on in Japan?

 

[nekojita]

Guys, can you give the OP a chance to respond? He's not been back logged in since Sunday. If you want to continue the side discussions, do it in a new thread.

 

[Nemuyoake]

Can you tell us how you manage on 140.000 yen per month, is that your take home pay after paying for your rent and utilities etc..?

It's not a pay, it's a scholarship. Rent+water=40000 yen. Electricity=2500 yens. Gas=2500 yens etc. I just eat 1 or 2 meals a day, but that what I'm used to so my grocery bill is not that high. I don't own a car (I walk and it's a choice). Maybe it's not a "good lifestyle" for a lot of people, though... A "Spartan" lifestyle, maybe? But I'm used to it, so I don't feel the need to change it.

 

[WonkoTheSane]

Can you tell us how you manage on 140.000 yen per month, is that your take home pay after paying for your rent and utilities etc..?

Presumably by not having live in maids, multiple luxury cars, and jet setting around the world.

Everyone has different things they value.

I make more than enough to waste if that's what I wanted to do, but the things I enjoy tend to be inexpensive. Mostly creative pursuits and finding obscure, interesting things. For example, the Tokyo kite museum is incredibly small but has really cool stuff to look at. I think it was 200 or 300 yen to get in, but I didn't really pay attention. My friend got bored quickly so we went to lunch, but I could have spent at least a couple hours looking at all the neat stuff and talking to the guy who runs it about the kites, it was obviously his labor of love! My last apartment came with weekly cleaning included but it makes me uncomfortable to have someone wandering about my house.

As is, I'm socking away the majority of my pay... Not because I care that much, I just don't have much I want to buy. I care about the environment so my bills tend to be low (they're paid by my employer, but I don't like wasting resources). My rent is very high, but it's paid for by my employer. I like cooking my own food. I drink very rarely, and then maybe just a scotch and water while I play some music or work on a project. I enjoy spending time with people I like and care about rather than going to bars and clubs.

Everyone has different wants and needs. Some people need to spend a lot to meet them, others need to spend little.

EDIT: sorry Nekojita, I had this post sitting on my phone for a couple hours since I got sidetracked and hit submit without seeing your post.

 

[ishibai]

Presumably by not having live in maids, multiple luxury cars, and jet setting around the world.

Everyone has different things they value.

I make more than enough to waste if that's what I wanted to do, but the things I enjoy tend to be inexpensive. Mostly creative pursuits and finding obscure, interesting things. For example, the Tokyo kite museum is incredibly small but has really cool stuff to look at. I think it was 200 or 300 yen to get in, but I didn't really pay attention. My friend got bored quickly so we went to lunch, but I could have spent at least a couple hours looking at all the neat stuff and talking to the guy who runs it about the kites, it was obviously his labor of love! My last apartment came with weekly cleaning included but it makes me uncomfortable to have someone wandering about my house.

As is, I'm socking away the majority of my pay... Not because I care that much, I just don't have much I want to buy. I care about the environment so my bills tend to be low (they're paid by my employer, but I don't like wasting resources). My rent is very high, but it's paid for by my employer. I like cooking my own food. I drink very rarely, and then maybe just a scotch and water while I play some music or work on a project. I enjoy spending time with people I like and care about rather than going to bars and clubs.

Everyone has different wants and needs. Some people need to spend a lot to meet them, others need to spend little.

EDIT: sorry Nekojita, I had this post sitting on my phone for a couple hours since I got sidetracked and hit submit without seeing your post.

Yes, I totally understand your point of view. You post reads like you are single, but most people get married when they hit 40 then add a wife and two kids to the mix and you can't live like that. The children want entertainment, wanted to study in the states in my case. A spouse also has needs and wants. I could spend all day hiking with a rucksack and a sandwich for lunch and would be content, but when you have a family it just doesn't work like that. I had to leave Japan and go to the middle east for work, just so I could put my kids through college in the states. You do not want to imagine how much that cost.

 

[WonkoTheSane]

Yes, I totally understand your point of view. You post reads like you are single, but most people get married when they hit 40 then add a wife and two kids to the mix and you can't live like that. The children want entertainment, wanted to study in the states in my case. A spouse also has needs and wants. I could spend all day hiking with a rucksack and a sandwich for lunch and would be content, but when you have a family it just doesn't work like that. I had to leave Japan and go to the middle east for work, just so I could put my kids through college in the states. You do not want to imagine how much that cost.

What does that have to do with OP?

He's 28 and single.

This thread isn't about you.

 

[ishibai]

What does that have to do with OP?

He's 28 and single.

This thread isn't about you.

As It may be something to consider when and if the time comes.