1-2 Years Teaching English

Hey all,

I'm looking at teaching English in Japan and I just wanted to get some advice since people here seem to know what's up!

My motivation for teaching English is less lofty than most of the other people I've met. I want to live cost effectively in Asia, and I see teaching English for a year (hopefully a little longer) as a good way to do that. Japan is my first choice, but I'm also looking at Taiwan and South Korea. I've slowly been learning Japanese over the past year, and I don't have a whole lot to show for it. I'm not even close to hitting the N5 level and I'm not even confident I could reach that before I arrived. It's not been a high priority for me due to schoolwork. I first seriously considered it back in 2013 and it's taken me until now to even start.

The secondary motivation for teaching English is to get some work experience before applying to graduate schools. I'm planning on at least two years of work experience before attending a program, and quite possibly even longer. I'm moving away from STEM and I'm more interested in going the international business/sustainable development route for the future. There's still a huge amount of wiggle room there so the work experience is to let my thoughts settle before I commit to something. Being in East Asia is a plus because that is where I find myself being drawn in terms of interest.

For placement, I really don't have any preference. In terms of climate Kyushu is closer to what I'm used to but I'd be fine to live just about anywhere, rural or urban.

I'm currently finishing up my bachelor's degree in earth science, minoring in chemistry and physics. Although my background is almost exclusively in stem, during my time at university I've developed an interest in international relations and business. From a career standpoint I've worked mainly in university and nonprofit settings. Unfortunately my skills don't relate so well to teaching or English recitation, so that is a focus I have once my thesis work settles down. I will be TEFL certified before I begin applying for teaching jobs.

So my questions for people are:

1. Is N5 a reasonable level to have to get around in Japan? Or is it so negligible it wouldn't really have an impact my ability to participate in the country?
2. Do people who taught English there feel like they developed useful skills? Not necessarily in teaching.
3. Is there a noticeable difference in quality between teaching English in Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea? I think that's better suited to ESL cafe but I thought I would ask here as well.
4. How useful is the position once you return to your host country? From my personal network I've seen very mixed results so I'd be eager to hear how it's turned out for people.
5. If I were interested in a Japanese (English language) graduate program would the English teaching position help or hinder me?

Lots to respond to! Let's get the sarcastic point out of the way first:

My motivation for teaching English is less lofty than most of the other people I've met.
You need to meet more. Most over here in the lower ranks have zero loft to their goals.

Is N5 a reasonable level to have to get around in Japan? Or is it so negligible it wouldn't really have an impact my ability to participate in the country?
You can get around for years with almost no Japanese whatsoever. Live/Travel in rural areas and you will need more. But are you trying to be a linguistic cheapskate here? Learn all you can for at least 2 reasons: enjoyment with less stress in daily life, improving your chances of better jobs.

Do people who taught English there feel like they developed useful skills? Not necessarily in teaching.
How long is a piece of string? What you earn & learn here depends entirely on you. JET instructors and eikaiwa drones can learn a lot if they apply themselves, or they can just drink themselves into oblivion and learn squat. Non-teaching skills? Perhaps some management skills, depending on your work situation, but they may apply only to managing certain people in certain situations.

Is there a noticeable difference in quality between teaching English in Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea? I think that's better suited to ESL cafe but I thought I would ask here as well.
I have not taught English anywhere except Japan, and my teaching experience in the U.S. is limited to a few science lab courses. That said, yes, it's vastly different in Japan vs. the U.S. I've seen research presentations and journal papers from Korea, and things look very similar between J and K. Taiwan is not all that different, too. It sometimes depends on the motivation of your students, and for that angle, Taiwan is better than J or K.

And, yes, talk to people in the Cafe. They'll remember me.

How useful is the position once you return to your host country? From my personal network I've seen very mixed results so I'd be eager to hear how it's turned out for people.
Sorry, haven't gone back, and I think this is not the place to ask.

If I were interested in a Japanese (English language) graduate program would the English teaching position help or hinder me?
IMO, neither, really. The experience of living here would be a greater positive to any grad program, simply because of learning the language and knowing how to live by yourself here.

What sort of grad program interests you? Darned few English ones over here, and the unis here are not all that respected abroad for what they crank out.

Now, let's tackle something else you stated:
I'm currently finishing up my bachelor's degree in earth science, minoring in chemistry and physics. Although my background is almost exclusively in stem, during my time at university I've developed an interest in international relations and business. From a career standpoint I've worked mainly in university and nonprofit settings. Unfortunately my skills don't relate so well to teaching or English recitation,
It's not recitation; it's conversation.
Most employers at the level you are qualified for don't usually give a hoot about your degree or background. They only want a fresh-faced, fairly young and green cherub who doesn't ask a lot of business questions but who can entertain (edutain) their clients and bring them in and keep them because they are a native speaker. Whoop-de-doo, but that's the reality. FWIW, I have an advanced degree in the sciences, had zero English teaching experience when I first applied, and got in with little trouble. Not all have that luck.

I'm moving away from STEM and I'm more interested in going the international business/sustainable development route for the future.
Have you thought of marketing or sales in a STEM company? Or an MBA? Most of the sales and marketing geeks I have run into over the years barely had an education in science, and it was more their personality and drive that kept their jobs. The STEM background just helped them to understand the company's science lingo more easily (a debatable point I won't go into).

Hey Glenski, thanks for your thorough reply! I responded to a couple of your questions below. Definitely glad for your input.

You can get around for years with almost no Japanese whatsoever. Live/Travel in rural areas and you will need more. But are you trying to be a linguistic cheapskate here? Learn all you can for at least 2 reasons: enjoyment with less stress in daily life, improving your chances of better jobs.

On language, I would certainly learn as much Japanese as I could while I was there, and I would probably continue once I left as well. I would certainly like to reach the N4 level or even higher, but I don't have high confidence in my language learning skills.

What sort of grad program interests you? Darned few English ones over here, and the unis here are not all that respected abroad for what they crank out.
The two that have caught my eye are Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University and International University of Japan. From what I understand the quality of an MBA in Japan is not so great so I am more interested in their international studies programs. Honestly I would not seriously be considering a Japanese graduate degree unless I really enjoyed living in Japan and wanted to move up from the English teaching world.

Have you thought of marketing or sales in a STEM company? Or an MBA? Most of the sales and marketing geeks I have run into over the years barely had an education in science, and it was more their personality and drive that kept their jobs. The STEM background just helped them to understand the company's science lingo more easily (a debatable point I won't go into).
I actually have considered the MBA route. I think it could certainly be a better fit for me than doing actual STEM work. I am looking at those kinds of positions for the future, but since I'm not very qualified right now I've been building up my basic skills first.