How to Get an English Teaching Job in Japan

Whether you're a recent college grad with a bachelor's degree in economics or a highly trained and specialized English as a Second Language teacher, you can get a job teaching in Japan. All you need is energy, a sense of adventure and a positive attitude. Here's how to do it.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

If You're a Certified Teacher

1. Find an English teaching job by searching online or There are many websites that offer databases of jobs for English teaching jobs at all levels. A couple are listed in the Resources section below.

2. Decide on what type of English you want to specialize in.

3. Send resumes to some of Japan's largest chain schools. Do some research and determine the addresses for Japan's chain schools.

4. The Japanese school year starts in April and hiring season is usually January through March. If you miss this critical window, getting a job will be that much harder.

5. Go to Japan to scout out the job scene. Some teachers advise going to Japan to make contact. When a possible employer sees you in his office, he's more likely to take you serious about wanting a job. Big chain schools recruit abroad or allow you to apply through email, and it is still possible to land a job by mailing out a mountain of resumes, but by and large for better jobs the people in Japan taking the face-to-face interviews will have an edge.

If You Have Other Degree

6. Find a program that helps college graduates get temporary teaching jobs in Japan. There are several, and you can find all of them on the web.

7. Compare a couple of programs to see which sounds the most interesting and secure. Some programs will give you lodging. Others will expect you to find your own.

8. Make sure you fit all of the requirements for the program and apply.

Tips & Warnings

• If you're short on cash, find a program that pays for your airfare. Otherwise you could be spending almost $2000 on a one-way ticket.
• If you have to do a face-to-face interview, be upbeat and use correct pronunciation. You need to convince your interviewer that you know English well and that you have a positive attitude to be a successful teacher.
• Many schools pay minimum wage to their English teachers.

Resources

• Teach English in Japan
• Education in Japan

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