Working in Japan - Sound Production, or a work towards...

[GoneForLife]

GoneforLife's definition of really good eikaiwa:

Well, you are either totally uninformed at this point in your research, or you are misinformed. Eikaiwas have a poor reputation here, especially towards professionalism. They are businesses first and foremost, with the sole intent on making money, not in teaching well. Read this article on professionalism. The Power of Perceptions: A Look at Professionalism in Private Language Schools in Japan (Special) | ELTNEWS.com for Teaching English in Japan

"Set hours" may be just that, or they may change at the owner's whim. You may also have to cover for Joe Drunkard or Jane Sot, who have hangovers or unannounced trips keeping them from coming in to teach class.

I would say misinformed, but after reading a bit of that article I can tell it really isn't in some places (I would say it could vary from place to place). I've read that as well, and I must say that would annoy me immensely having to put money ahead of the students well-being and, ultimately what you are trying to sell, their education. Is it the same in the ALT, area?

Oh I've had more then a little experience at having to cover for drunk people. It mostly consisted of getting phone calls at 1am in the morning telling me to get to work at 5am :/.

GoneforLife's definition of really good eikaiwa:
Those other people are probably initially going to be only your fellow foreign coworkers. Japanese coworkers will likely consist of your boss, a few OLs, and nothing more, not very likely that you will mingle socially with them except at the Xmas party.

Just a mild reality check here.
1) One semester is not very long.
2) Kudos on the 3x per week studying, but please keep in mind that 2-3 things get in the way of it over here:

• foreign friends wanting you to go out with them in any off time
• the exotic appeal of the country pulling you out to sightsee
• your lack of experience in teaching, which will force you to spend time making lessons

That will no doubt be true, but I hope it won't just stay at that!

1) Indeed it isn't very long. I was using it more as an example of how dedicated I am to learn Japanese, since I went into $1000+ worth of debt to jump start my education .
2) That will also, probably, be true, and I have no doubt that my study will get interrupted, just like it does here as a result of my other studies. I still make time, however.

GoneforLife's definition of really good eikaiwa:
You use words like "some" or nothing at all to describe exactly how much experience you have. Years? Months? A one-off? I don't know your field specifically, but I can practically guarantee that any interviewer will ask the "how much" question. What will you say?

Would that be teaching swimming? Apples and oranges, my friend, and especially when you will find it very hard sometimes over here just to get your instructions or explanations across. Keep this in mind.

I don't really know how to say how much experience I have, though, I feel every time I talk about it people get annoyed and think I'm boasting, and I didn't want to come off as up myself to new people! To put it simply, since 2010 I have been involved in at least 3 productions per year (dropping to 1 in 2013 because of personal reasons). I've also worked with 2 - 3 bands to record stuff 3 times a year since 2013, as well as solo stuff when I have the time. This is not mentioning my performance experience, which is what I did mainly. I had to do this to get into the Uni I wanted, which isn't that easy to begin with. I know that isn't a lot, but it is significantly more then other people my age.

The general gist of it is similar, I've seen what primary and secondary school teachers have to do and have assisted in organizing stuff for those age groups. I have more than enough experience if we're talking about instructions not getting across, try explaining how to do freestyle to a 3 year old .

GoneforLife's definition of really good eikaiwa:
Yes, of course!

We've seen far worse here! It's not all doom and gloom here, but people like me are here to tell you about as many potential problems as well as answer factual questions. Have seen too many people with rose-tinted glasses giving and taking advice. Head to the ESL Cafe discussion forum to talk to a boatload of teachers and wannabes. They'll know my name from a decade of posting there.

Oh, I thought that you guys would know it is extremely hard or next to impossible to get internships if you aren't already living in Japan, especially for my desired area. It's why I was going to come over and spend the year handing in applications while I have a reliable source of income.

Yes yes I have read so many posts from people just having no idea what they are signing up for. I will as soon as I can, just typing this while I'm on my way to Uni for the first time this year .

P.S. If there are any grammatical errors try and read through, I'm on my phone so it is making it a bit hard to proofread (and this post took far too long to complete!)

 

[Glenski]

I must say that would annoy me immensely having to put money ahead of the students well-being and, ultimately what you are trying to sell, their education. Is it the same in the ALT, area?

For dispatch companies, IMO yes. At least with the JET programme, you get some measure of support as an instructor.

re: socializing with office staff

That will no doubt be true, but I hope it won't just stay at that!

I can't say that I've ever heard of such a thing changing much.

re: work experience

I know that isn't a lot, but it is significantly more then other people my age.

That's clear enough with how many productions per year, etc.

re: teaching experience

I've seen what primary and secondary school teachers have to do and have assisted in organizing stuff for those age groups. I have more than enough experience if we're talking about instructions not getting across, try explaining how to do freestyle to a 3 year old

Apples and oranges here. You just don't seem to get it.
1) language difficulties galore, and not just with kiddies; if your students can't understand you, they will drop the course, and the company loses money
2) grammar is not the same here; they get 6 years in secondary ed, but they have practically zero conversation practice, and speaking/reading are totally different animals, plus you may end up with senior citizens with serious fossilization of poor language.
3) teaching a language is nothing like teaching a sport. Get over that immediately.

 

[ishibai]

Oh, I thought that you guys would know it is extremely hard or next to impossible to get internships if you aren't already living in Japan, especially for my desired area. It's why I was going to come over and spend the year handing in applications while I have a reliable source of income.

I have already told you what to do, get to Japan with some savings, get an English teaching job which you will start to hate after a few months, but at least it will keep you in the black. Get an ALT job then you can study Japanese, be around Japanese people all the time and get 2kyuu level. Forget about handing out applications, the response rate will be 0%. I have explained to you the only way to get the job you wish will be to hang out with people in the industry and network. You are just like my students, I tell them what to do and they don't listen, do something totally different and screw it up. By networking I don't mean going around in a suit and tie handing out name cards, I mean go to a music industry hangout and get drunk with people that matter. The non-drinkers here fail to realize that is the way business is conducted in Japan.

 

[Dotanbatan]

By networking I don't mean going around in a suit and tie handing out name cards, I mean go to a music industry hangout and get drunk with people that matter. The non-drinkers here fail to realize that is the way business is conducted in Japan.

This is true and very good advice. It could take you a couple of years or you might get lucky and get that all important introduction after a month ..... but this way, in reality, is your best chance of landing that job you want in the Japanese music / sound industry.

 

[nice gaijin]

Frankly, I'm going to advise against doing the easy thing and going to be a teacher, unless that's either A) what you really want to do, or B) the only way you see yourself getting your foot in the door (and you reeeeeeally just want to live in Japan). You didn't get into an exclusive school and go through all this education so you could go half-*** a teaching job and do music on the side. If this is your passion and what you really want to pursue, teaching English will amount to a distraction from that.

I don't speak from experience in your field, @GoneForLife, but I am in a creative field and can vouch that personal connections are of the utmost importance (pretty much no matter where you go). All of the work I've done in Japan--with the exception of teaching English, which I only did part time for a short while--has been through personal connections and friendships I cultivated during my time there. The importance of drinking is up for debate, but it is undoubtedly part of the working culture in Japan. Since we're apparently dealing in stereotypes here, as an Australian, you should be fine

Sound Production seems to straddle between creative and engineering work, so both your knowledge and experience (and portfolio of impressive work) are going to be major factors, but knowing the right people (and being able to communicate with them) will open yourself up to the opportunities to get work. My suggestion would be to actively participate in whatever communities online or off you can find and try to build out your network of professional acquaintances, and keep an eye out for Japanese sound engineers to communicate with... there's no telling who you'll meet out there, maybe you'll get lucky and meet someone who is interested in bolstering their work-related English skills, and would like to strike up correspondence with a native speaker. Who knows? Go out there and see what you can find.

In the meantime, you'll need to get serious about Japanese. If you've been studying it throughout your primary education and on your own, you should be hitting those kanji hard, solidifying your listening and speaking skills and practicing as much as you can. Take some classes if your uni offers them, or look around for meetup groups. Don't rest on your laurels and don't expect that you'll just absorb Japanese through osmosis once you get there. You build your connections through communication, and the language barrier is a serious hurdle if you EVER want to expand your horizons beyond the usual. As has been said before, you should consider why someone would hire you over an equally-qualified Japanese person. If you rely solely on your "gaijin-ness," it will be a crutch you will forever lean on; but your experience as a foreigner, coming from another culture, with a native understanding of English COULD be beneficial for the right projects. Not being Japanese can be both an asset and a liability to you, so play to your strengths and strengthen your weaknesses.

 

[ishibai]

Frankly, I'm going to advise against doing the easy thing and going to be a teacher, unless that's either A) what you really want to do, or B) the only way you see yourself getting your foot in the door (and you reeeeeeally just want to live in Japan). You didn't get into an exclusive school and go through all this education so you could go half-*** a teaching job and do music on the side. If this is your passion and what you really want to pursue, teaching English will amount to a distraction from that.

I don't speak from experience in your field, @GoneForLife, but I am in a creative field and can vouch that personal connections are of the utmost importance (pretty much no matter where you go). All of the work I've done in Japan--with the exception of teaching English, which I only did part time for a short while--has been through personal connections and friendships I cultivated during my time there. The importance of drinking is up for debate, but it is undoubtedly part of the working culture in Japan. Since we're apparently dealing in stereotypes here, as an Australian, you should be fine

Sound Production seems to straddle between creative and engineering work, so both your knowledge and experience (and portfolio of impressive work) are going to be major factors, but knowing the right people (and being able to communicate with them) will open yourself up to the opportunities to get work. My suggestion would be to actively participate in whatever communities online or off you can find and try to build out your network of professional acquaintances, and keep an eye out for Japanese sound engineers to communicate with... there's no telling who you'll meet out there, maybe you'll get lucky and meet someone who is interested in bolstering their work-related English skills, and would like to strike up correspondence with a native speaker. Who knows? Go out there and see what you can find.

In the meantime, you'll need to get serious about Japanese. If you've been studying it throughout your primary education and on your own, you should be hitting those kanji hard, solidifying your listening and speaking skills and practicing as much as you can. Take some classes if your uni offers them, or look around for meetup groups. Don't rest on your laurels and don't expect that you'll just absorb Japanese through osmosis once you get there. You build your connections through communication, and the language barrier is a serious hurdle if you EVER want to expand your horizons beyond the usual. As has been said before, you should consider why someone would hire you over an equally-qualified Japanese person. If you rely solely on your "gaijin-ness," it will be a crutch you will forever lean on; but your experience as a foreigner, coming from another culture, with a native understanding of English COULD be beneficial for the right projects. Not being Japanese can be both an asset and a liability to you, so play to your strengths and strengthen your weaknesses.

Yes, the osmosis thing never works.