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How to present myself to employers

HelloKyoto

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20 Jun 2005
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First let me tell you me situation: I am currently taking care of my sick parent, so I am not employed. For the last 10 years or so, I have worked in the IT industry. However, my degree (BA) is in English and I have a TESOL minor (no certificate). I want to go teach English in Japan in the near future.

So I have a few questions for you:
- What can I do with my resume? Right now, I have a lot of tech jobs listed, but if I am applying to be a teacher, won't English schools reject me? How will it look when I have one tech job after another listed?
- Any references I can get would be from former tech jobs. Won't that be inappropriate for teaching positions?
- Will I have a hard time finding teaching work, when I am competing with teachers who are not jumping into a new career field?
- What's the best way to approach potential employers, considering my situation?
 
First let me tell you me situation: I am currently taking care of my sick parent, so I am not employed. For the last 10 years or so, I have worked in the IT industry. However, my degree (BA) is in English and I have a TESOL minor (no certificate). I want to go teach English in Japan in the near future.
So I have a few questions for you:
- What can I do with my resume? Right now, I have a lot of tech jobs listed, but if I am applying to be a teacher, won't English schools reject me? How will it look when I have one tech job after another listed?
- Any references I can get would be from former tech jobs. Won't that be inappropriate for teaching positions?
- Will I have a hard time finding teaching work, when I am competing with teachers who are not jumping into a new career field?
- What's the best way to approach potential employers, considering my situation?

From what others have posted in the past, all you need is a good grasp of the English language, a BA and a warm body. I am thinking on doing the same thing down the road, and from what I've heard, no past experience in teaching would be a hinderance. Dress professionally for the interview as you would here.

By the way, did you go to Japan and stay at Hotel Fukudaya? How was the trip?
 
Hi Armand!

Actually I canceled the trip at the last moment. My parent is sick and I am taking care of her now.

I had reservations at Hotel Fukudaya, but I canceled those. They were very gracious to me. Thanks for helping me plan for it.
 
Hi Armand!

Actually I canceled the trip at the last moment. My parent is sick and I am taking care of her now.

I had reservations at Hotel Fukudaya, but I canceled those. They were very gracious to me. Thanks for helping me plan for it.

Sorry to hear that. Hope she's getting better.
 
- What can I do with my resume? Right now, I have a lot of tech jobs listed, but if I am applying to be a teacher, won't English schools reject me? How will it look when I have one tech job after another listed?

Most IT positions want people in country, or at least a solid arrival date for a face to face interview, or at the very least a phone interview. You can send out feelers to see what sort of interest there is. Some English teaching related companies are more open to interest from overseas and I'd send out some emails.

- Any references I can get would be from former tech jobs. Won't that be inappropriate for teaching positions?
- Will I have a hard time finding teaching work, when I am competing with teachers who are not jumping into a new career field?
- What's the best way to approach potential employers, considering my situation?

Entry "teaching" positions are not "teaching", but simply conversation or working directly from a text book, and don't really need any special training, knowledge or experience. Simple a good attitude and personality is enough for most positions.
 
Life experience counts and most respectable employers will recognize this. Even if your past employment background may have little to do with the new teaching position your seeking, don't discount yourself in that area. Like the others said, honesty and a good attitude go a long ways.
 
- What can I do with my resume?
Make one! Put your degree and major right at the top. Minimize the amount of description you write for each non-teaching job. Maximize any teaching/tutoring work (paid or unpaid) you may have done. Make the resume look sharp, and have everything needed for an employer to make a decision.

Right now, I have a lot of tech jobs listed, but if I am applying to be a teacher, won't English schools reject me?
No. Most people looking to get into TEFL have degrees unrelated to teaching and no experience.

How will it look when I have one tech job after another listed?
1) Like you have had the ambition to work for a living.
2) Like the majority of people a few years after college who want to apply for TEFL positions.

- Any references I can get would be from former tech jobs. Won't that be inappropriate for teaching positions?
They don't have to attest to your teaching abilities, but if you ever trained someone at your company, there's teaching in a sense. Your non-teaching employers can also give what is probably better - a character reference (as long as it is GOOD character).

- Will I have a hard time finding teaching work, when I am competing with teachers who are not jumping into a new career field?
See my above statements about who you are competing with. Yes, there are experienced people out there, but they aren't necessarily the ones looking for entry level work. You are.

- What's the best way to approach potential employers, considering my situation?
Honestly. Sincerely. With a sign of enthusiasm for teaching. Lay it on the line what you want to do, and tell them what you can do for THEM, not vice versa. You're only eligible for entry level work, so get your foot in the door with personality, charm, good character, and a record of industriousness. Good spelling and grammar won't hurt either.
 
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