Finding a job in Japan is easy yet also very competitive too depending on where you are living and the location of the school you'd like to teach at.
The busier the area the lower the pay. Major cities like Tokyo are full of foreigners most are still non-native English speakers however when Americans, British people, New Zealanders and even Australians (etc.) do choose to live or work in Japan, whether it be longterm or temporarily, Tokyo is usually their first pick. Because of this there are arguably more people willing to teach English than there are positions available. This all balances out though because "life" happens. People lie on their resumes, visas expire, family emergencies happen and foreigners get homesick or even divorced!
The pay varies significantly. You can get paid as little as
¥900 yen an hour and as much as
¥4000 an hour.
There's usually a catch to both. Lower pay like
¥900 usually equals more flexible work days and hours OR longer hours those collectively more pay by the end of the day. Higher pay like
¥4000 yen an hour almost always means you'll only work 1-3 hours and possibly only once or twice a week.
This article will focus on native English speakers. If you are a non-native English speakers please read here....
How To Find A Job for Non-Native Speakers
Everything that you need to know...
The Myths
The Pay is Low/Terrible
The average Japanese person makes between 3-4 million yen a month. The average schools pays about 2.5-3 million a month. If you don't have a degree, are inexperienced, or previously worked a retail job in America this is a huge pay raise for you! I wouldn't be complaining.
Japan is Expensive
Housing in Japan is a little expensive for the initial move in costs but the monthly rent and utilities is very low in comparison to America if you lived in or near a major city like most Americans. My rent is only $330 USD and my electric bill ranges between only $4-$5 USD!
Groceries are more expensive but you can save money by purchasing discounted foods at night and freezing them. Consider making pot roasts, and slow cooker meals to stretch your money.
Non-native Speakers Can't Work in Japan
I was the only native speaker at both of my previous jobs. All of my coworkers are non-native speakers! They all have visa sponsorship through my workplace, their schools, or their spouse. It is hard but it is definitely possible to find a position
Only White People Can Teach English
I am clearly not white but a black woman. I will admit that I believe colorist and attractiveness plays a major role in Japan. My dark and brown skin friends and coworkers have been met with racial slurs and jokes from both companies and students alike. I would say only "attractive" people can but this is also untrue as the majority of people that I have worked with and seen working where old, obese, and well... a bit rough looking.
You Can't Work on a Student Visa
You can legally work with student visa. All you have to do is ask your school for some help and simply fill out an application in English and take it to the immigration office. It takes a few weeks for them to prepare everything. Upon approval you will receive a stamp on the back of your residence card. You can work up to 28 hours part-time per a week doing anything besides nightlife work.
You Don't Need a Visa
In all honesty most places don't check visas, references, certifications, or information about your previous job or residencies. I don't recommend lying but it is commonly done here. You reap what you sow. Your lies will catch up to you eventually! It feels so much better to do things that right way and to be honest as much as possible. We all make mistakes but telling lies about your employment history or visa status is not something that you want to fabricate. Before you know it you'll find yourself caught in a web jobless and potentially banned from Japan for anywhere from 2 years to life!
Your Employer Can Cancel Your Visa
Even if you get fired or quit your employer cannot cancel your visa only immigration can. As long as you are working an appropriate job for your visa status and obeying the laws here you can change jobs as much as you'd like to. If you go a significant amount of time without working/being employed you may find yourself in a "gray area" with your visa situation. You can switch residence/visa statuses and you can change sponsors.
You are an employee not a slave! Sometimes it is hard to believe this.
Now that we have discussed the major myths and white lies about Japan let's talk about the more important things...
You Need Experience
While some places will appreciate your honesty most will turn you down or pick someone else over you because you lack teaching experience. Having a degree is a HUGE advantage! Having a degree in education is an even bigger advantage (I will go into detail about this and more things you should know about interviewing in Japan here).
If you don't already have experience volunteer! Consider starting your own online and in person lessons from home and at local cafes. Make connections with your friends here. Both Japanese and foreigners usually know someone who works as a teacher, that owns an eikaiwa, or that is looking for a language tutor. Experience is not just good for your resume but it prepares you for the actual job.
If possible try to obtain experience in a wide range of ages.
A lot of the jobs that are available here have pretty ridiculous wants and expectations. Many employers ask for several years of teaching experience music, theater, and dance backgrounds and many more outrageous requests. They often don't even offer visa sponsorship! This is usually a requirement although most places will still accept applicants that do not meet their ridiculous needs.
Become Japanese
Many school are weary of hiring or even interviewing applicants that do not have at least some or all of the following things...
- Japanese phone number
- Professional looking email address (your first and last name only)
- Hanko stamp with your chosen kanji or katakana signature
- Japanese bank account
- Permanent personal address (such as your own apartment in your name)
The more official things that you have in your name here the higher your chances of finding a job will be. Employers expect you to quit and go back to your home country so the more things that you have in your name as solid evidence of your intentions to work and live and hopefully become a Japanese citizen the happier your employer will be.
Have Some Knowledge of Japanese Students/Culture and Language
Interviewers love it when I tell them that I'm familiar with the difficulties that students have here with pronouncing "L", "R", "B", "V", and "TH" sounds, as well as understanding how shy they are with speaking loud or as the rest of the world calls it at a normal indoor voice tone. It's such a basic and obvious statement to make and to be honest everyone should know this and be aware of it simply from listening to people speak English here but you'd be amazed at how many people don't know this or don't think to restate the obvious.
Introduce Yourself
Put together a simple generic template-style personal letter, email, cover letter, and resume. Having this put together in advance will be very helpful as you can quickly pull up the file by name print copies or send them electronically whenever it is needed.
General Advice
Grammar
Be sure to check your spelling and punctuation especially if you are not a native English speaker or if you are a native speaker but English isn't your forte. Keep in mind that if you are Canadian, British or Australian you should use American English when writing or typing and of possible try your best to fake an accent when speaking. Some jobs don't care if you sound American or not but most do!
It will be hard to trust your teaching skills if your writing is full of errors.
- Check your spelling
- Always use proper English
- Use capitalization
- Use an appropriate greeting and closing for every email that you send
- Avoid using slang of any kind as much as possible when writing
Labeling
Every resume related file and every email that you send should have a title. This makes it easy to search for it when you need it again both for you and your potential employer. This will also help emails avoid being sent to spam and is helpful for Japanese employers who may not always understand all of the contents of your message. Be sure to use a clear, short and simple subject.
Location
The further away you move from major cities such as Tokyo the less competitive job positions are. country side areas and less touristy cities offer high pay, better benefits, and easier interviews as the schools are less picky and more desperate. This can also be beneficial to non-native speakers as most schools would rather have someone than no one to teach their classes. If you are a native English speaker than this is a huge advantage for you.
If you don't already live in Japan consider applying to schools in different prefectures. If you live in Japan consider moving to a different prefecture or at least to a suburban area.
There are thousands of schools who don't have public advertisements on trains, searchable websites or social media pages. Don't be afraid to walk inside of an international school and ask about their opening.
Be Cautious
If something feels a bit off don't do it! Trust your gut and follow your tuition. Be sure to get detailed contact information such as employer names and addresses, as well as the direct link to the school before sending over copies of your passport, visa or certifications. This is Japan but as an English teacher you will find yourself dealing with a lot of Europeans and occasionally Americans and Canadians all of which are generally less trustworthy. Have you guard up and ask questions and request link or a phone call before sending anything personal.
If possible request that copies of your personal items be made after or during the interview in person.
Email Tips:
- Always create a clear subject for each message
- Double check your grammar and punctuation
- Use a greeting and a "thank you" of some kind for the closing
- Reply ASAP. employers will thank you for such a quick response even if it takes them days to reply to your messages
Personal Statement:
Greet the employer and express your interest in the job that you are applying for. Briefly summarize your resume highlighting your education and experience. Be sure to mention your visa status. This can be copied and pasted into the body of your email. your resume and cover letter should be attached by 2 separate files. Be sure to copy and paste your photographs to the bottom of your resume. Your professional business headshot should be at the very top next to your name and address.
Japan is full of photo booths made for this. Passport photos from Walgreens work great too! IF you don't have access to either use your cellphones timer or ask a friend to take a picture of you in business attire while standing against a white wall.
Your personal letter is very similar to your cover letter but not the same. It should be a summary and mention a few things that neither your resume nor cover letter does such as your visa status.
Cover Letter Tips:
Explain why you want this job and why they should hire you over the next gaijin! It's okay to brag and show off here, but make it sounds sweet and a little humble if you can. Be sure to makes hints about your experience.
Be sure to list the following.....
- Your full name
- Address
- Phone Number(s)
- Email Address
- Address the reader
- Explain why you would be great for this job
- Thank the employer
Resume Tips:
It's okay to use the old fashioned copy and past out line for your resume. Regardless of the dates I recommend putting any experience related to teaching at the top of the work experience section in order from most to least impressive. You should stress your education and volunteer experiences.
Be sure to list the following.....
- Your full name
- Address
- Phone Number(s)
- Email Address
- Education
- Grade Point Average
- Degree/diploma
- Certifications
- Work Experience and Location
- Job Descriptions
- Skills
- Volunteer and Recreational Work
Be a Little Extra
Say Cheese
Japanese people LOVE all things sealed and official and what better way to do this than to have photographs and or videos demonstrating your teaching experience?! Employers are always very surprised when I send them photographs of my teaching and volunteer experiences. The photos don't have to be edited and flattering like I prefer natural "bad" pictures of you really enjoying yourself in the moment is a guaranteed way to land that job before you even interview for the position.
I Choose You
The only thing better than photographs that show and therefore prove your experience is to have employers, managers and even coworkers who can write letters of recommendation with their phone number and email included. It's not common practice for Japanese employers to call your previous job to check out your experiences as an English teacher (I have worked many jobs and nobody has ever done so even at the restaurant, cleaning and cafe jobs that I have had). If you are planning to leave your previous place of work on good terms consider nicely asking them to do type a nice letter for you and to send it via email, preferably on official paper with a signature but anything will do.
There is a 90% chance that they won't actually call but it looks great to have this "on your resume".
Where To Apply
I have personally used all of these websites to land jobs and interviews in Japan. Everyone will have a different experience. Job openings come and go and so do employees! Be sure to check these websites frequently for listings and positions. Your objective is to email as many companies as possible and you will eventually land the job that you desire. something is always better than nothing and if you have no experience consider the low pay as an add on for your future resume. You can always quit and switch jobs later!
Here's how to Increase your chances of receiving a reply, interview or a job offer...
- Send a resume with a professional and clear attached photograph of yourself
- Live in the city that you are applying for the position in
- Have a bachelor's degree or higher
- Have experience teaching any subject but preferably English paid or unpaid
- Have a valid visa that allows permission to work
- Have 3 years or more of teaching experience
- Be under the age of 40
- Be a native English speaker from America
- Be physically attractive
- Have open availability including nights and weekends
- Be single/unmarried (this is mostly for women as employers fear that you'll quit once pregnant)
- No family (this is almost synonymous with being single)
Old Reliable
Unless you have been living under a rock you are probably aware of Gaijin Pot and Craigslist. Craigslist is a great website to browse if you're in a pinch and need to find a job ASAP. Gaijin Pot listings provide much more information about the place that you are applying to and most jobs here offer high pay and visa sponsorship however the positions are very competitive on Gaijin Pot. Use caution when replying to Craigslist ads. Don't be afraid to ask questions, request names, phone numbers and links to company websites to assure that it isn't an elaborate scam of some sort. Craigslist ads usually offer low pay or unstable work but there are plenty of good positions both full and part-time and some even offer visa sponsorship for successful applicants.
Craigslist
https://tokyo.craigslist.jp/
https://osaka.craigslist.jp/
Gaijin Pot
https://jobs.gaijinpot.com/index/index/lang/en
Visa Sponsorship
While these two schools have very mixed and possibly mostly negative reviews they are the two easiest gate ways into Japan. They both voluntarily offer visa sponsorship, accommodation and travel expenses to Japan. These are within the top 5 language schools in Japan for adults. They have fairly low requirements and tend to hire large groups of people as the turnover rate is extremely high at both of these schools. Remember you can always switch jobs later. Both of these companies accept applicants that do not live in Japan, can't speak Japanese, and that have no teaching experience. Most schools in Japan would throw out your application after reading all of that!
NOVA
http://nova-holdings.jp/teachinjapan/
GABA
https://www.gabateachinginjapan.com
Other Employers
Most of these companies and school listing do offer sponsorship but not always! Nichibei is a very popular language school located all over Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo. Guidable Jobs and Jobs in Japan are bulletin boards fro employers to post positions that need to be filled. Generally they conduct massive interviews so you can choose the exact date and time for your actual interview. The salary, companies direct website/name, company photographs, visa sponsorship and job requirements are all generally clearly listed here.
Nichibei English Service
http://teach.nichibei-job.com
Guidable Jobs
https://jobs.guidable.co
Interac
https://www.interacnetwork.com/recruit/
Jobs In Japan
https://jobsinjapan.com
Japan Work
https://www.japan-work.com/job_offers
RCS
http://rcs-ed.co.jp/en/index.html
AOBA-Japan International School
https://www.japaninternationalschool.com
English Innovations
https://english-innovations.com
Heart School
http://www.heart-school.jp
AEON
http://www.aeonet.com
Be Your Own Boss
Consider creating an online profile and teaching your own private students. You can decide your pay, availability, who, where and what you will teach. While you can't use private lessons as a way of sponsoring your own visa it most certainly helps out if you are lacking experience, need some extra income or simply want to perfect your craft. After creating your profile you just sit back and await your replies from potential students who want to book a trial lesson. Trial lessons are usually free or discounted anywhere from¥500-¥1500. Once your finished with your profile you will just need to update it about once a month or less to stay relevant in searches from potential new students. Be sure to choose your best most flattering photos and provide a good description of what you have to offer to attract more students. Looks re just about everything here in Japan. It can either be in your favor if you were blessed with good looks or it can be a bit depressing if you are lacking in the "looks department".
Hello-Sensei
https://hello-sensei.com
Find Students. Net
https://www.findstudents.net
My-Sensei
http://www.my-sensei.com/sensei/
Miscellaneous
This website offers links to international/English schools with the purpose of helping foreign families find dual education for their children upon moving to Japan however this is a great website to use for quickly finding legitimate school that are usually hiring year around and in a constant need of native English speaking teachers.
All Japan Relocation
https://www.alljapanrelocation.com
Gaijin Pot, NOVA, and Gaba are your 3 best bets if you are not currently living in Japan. Please also keep in in mind that living in Japan is great but if you live in Tokyo and you are applying for a job in Osaka most schools will trash your application or wait until you actually drive before requesting an interview of any kind.
Open and flexible availability is crucial especially if you are seeking visa sponsorship. Nobody wants to hire someone who isn't available during peak business hours. Most language schools receive 95% of their business Monday-Friday from 4:00PM-9:00PM as students are out of school and salary men and career women are finished with work. Most schools are closed during the weekend as Japanese people prefer to keep all of their business and studying on weekdays. Nobody wants to waste their Saturdays studying English with tutor! However depending on the company Saturday can be a busy day for them so your availability during this time is mandatory.
Some schools will offer vacation and sick days (paid or unpaid). Other schools are still open during the holidays meaning that you will be expected to work during this time.
Interview
Purchase a cheap and simple outfit that is versatile and that can be designated for future interviews. I recommend shopping at Target, Old Navy, Payless, Shimamura, and UNIQLO (if you are in Japan). Cheap doesn't have to mean ugly, bad quality and unfashionable.
Remember you want to buy comfortable clothing and shoes and modest outfits because you will constantly be walking and running up and down streets and stairs. You will be on trains standing and sitting, sweating, speaking in front of groups of people and at times chest to chest with total strangers.
Be mindful of where you are. This is Japan so you should abide by the rules here and try your best to assimilate and fit in with normal Japanese staff and workers regardless of your personal opinions about clothing, makeup, body art, hair, and piercings you should be respectful of their culture. This is not the time place or country to "be different" or "creative".
Of course every school and company is different but when in doubt it's always best to go with the flow. No company will complain about you NOT having a 6ft beard and no tats but you are risking having your application and resume tossed in the trashcan if you do!
You will do practically no speaking the employer will just talk to you about the school, their expectations and explain what's in it for you. You will then typically be asked to talk about your work experience, why or what you like about Japan and if you have any questions.
Interview Do's and Don'ts.....
Wear It
- Business professional clothing
- A clean white colored blouse or dress shirt with a collar
- Black navy-blue or gray dress pants or a women's business suit
- A shiny solid blue colored tie (this is recommended for interviews in Japan)
- A nice watch it doesn't have to be expensive but it should look
- A nice leather handbag
- Modest jewelry (small diamond earrings etc.)
- A modest hairstyle with visible eyes (men should be clean shaven men NO facial hair not even a mustache is acceptable)
- Modest natural looking makeup (its okay for men to wear makeup too!)
- Comfortable Chunky Heels
- Comfortable Dress Shoes
Don't Wear
- Sunglasses/Shades
- Hats/Scarves
- Western Style makeup (eyeshadow, cat eye, unnatural colored lipstick,fake brows or lashes)
- Mini skirts/dresses
- Open toe shoes
- Tight fitting-clothing
- Stilletos (sexy heels)
- Gym-Shoes/Sneakers
- Colorful/kiddie/kawaii/gothic or anime looking accessories
- Colored Hair
- Exotic piercings ( one earring per an earlobe no facial or body piercings should be visible!)
Cover Up
- Your breasts!
- Your legs
- Your tattoos
Don't
- Arrive late
- Come in with food or beverages in hand or a visible bag (this includes coffee and tea)
- Use your phone unless you have asked if its okay to set a reminder or to take notes by phone
- Use profanity or slang
- Talk about video games, cosplay, anime, pop music, fashion etc. too much (don't seem obsessed that is)
- Be rude or disrespectful
- Wear your shoes inside (check to see if theres a sign asking fro you to remove your shoes or a shelving area for shoes to be placed and slippers put on
- Wear long acrylic nails or colored nail-polish besides clear
- Yell at the students or lose your temper
- Speak Japanese! Most schools hate or ban this as parents will complain. A full immersion experience is preferred
- Be afraid to reschedule your interview if you are sick or running late!
Do
- Eat breakfast
- Brush your teeth and use a good mouthwash
- Clean and trim your nails
- Bathe with neutral smelling soap
- Wear deodorant
- Bring a travel sized umbrella
- Ask the interviewer questions
- Shake hands and greet everyone you encounter warmly
- Thank the interviewer and express your interests in the company
- Talk about your longterm plans of living and working in Japan
- Talk about your fiancé or spouse (shows that you have plans to stay in the country longterm)
- Call or Email them if you will be late and give an overestimate of your expected arrival time
- Apologize profusely if you are late and issue that this is not a usual occurrence
- Use your manners
- Use proper English when speaking or writing
- Be honest about your experience, qualifications, home country and personal life
- Talk about your interest and share photographs of things you have done in Japan temples, food you've eaten or meals you have cooked etc.
- Ask for a landmark, directions, and a phone number should you get lost
- Wear clean socks/pantyhose as you will probably have to remove your shoes upon entry
- Aks for help if you need it
- Remain professional even if things go wrong or the staff is not friendly
- Expect seemingly inappropriate comments about your personal life, appearance, family plans
Show Them
- Your smile
- How articulate you are
- Your friendliness
- Your ability to listen
- Your intelligence
- Your degree/certificates
Be sure to select a time and date that will work for you. if you are going to a new location it's best to make a trial run to figure out where exactly is the school and how long it takes to get there.
DO NOT arrive more than 15 minutes before the interview as they might not be ready for you and could possibly be in the process of interviewing other potential candidates. this upset an interviewer that I had had. I only arrived 10 minutes early and well he was pissed!
You can choose to work an IT, office or restaurant job if you wish but pay is general lower and the work is just as stressful.
The Big Bad Demo
Ahh the moment that nobody was waiting for the demo lesson! It's okay to feel nervous and shy about presenting your lesson whether it be online via Skype or in person. It is a nerve wrecking experience for most. I know its hard but try your best not to worry about it! Remember you are the native speaker and you are the language expert!
I recommend watching some YouTube videos for inspiration and reading some lesson plans for kindergartners or 1st graders in America. Keep your lesson short sweet and simple! Your demo lesson can be as short as 15 minutes or as long as 1 hour depending on the school. Most jobs request a 20-30 minute demo lesson for a classroom of about 20-25 kids.
My current job only requested a 3 minute lesson!
Your employer will typically and secretly judge you based on these five things...
- Your voice projection and presentation
- Clarity and speed of voice
- Creativity/fun
- Ease of understanding presented materials
- Timeliness
Speak loud and clear so that everyone in the room can hear you. You should seem genuinely happy (big smile!).
Don't increase your speed! Please try your best to speak with a clear accent and slowly so that you can be understood remember English is not their first language.
Employers love teachers who can incorporate songs, games, crafts and dances into their lessons
Your lesson should be easy to follow for someone who doesn't speak English. Think of charades! Again hand gestures, body movements, songs, videos and flash cards are your best friend.
Try to start and end your lesson promptly. Its okay to end your trial lesson a little early but try to avoid going over the allotted time or ending too early. Ask your potential employer if it's okay to end the lesson a little bit early before you start and hopefully as you show them what you have prepared.
Tips:
- It may seem over the top to have to put on a circus show for your students for both the demo lesson and possibly for future lessons too but you should keep in mind that companies are taking a risk by hiring you as there is a 90% chance that you will quit before your contract is up, or simply be a bad teacher. Their goal is to weed out potentially bad teachers.
- You may think that you aren't being paid so why go through so much for your interview or demo lesson but adding fun activities such as videos to watch and songs to sing and dance to will help you kill the trial lesson time.
- If you speak slowly and clearly and review vocabulary and practice dance movies or quietly listen to the songs before singing and dancing this will also help to kill time.
- You will earn some serious brownie points if you bring your own lesson materials and notes for the demo lesson as this shows your level of seriousness and professionalism.
- I would suggest using a simple topic that's easy to teach such as emotions, colors, or days of the week. Most schools will allow you to use their supplies and materials if you arrive early and simply ask them if it is okay to do so.
Salary & Hours
This is a simple estimate for the amount of pay that you can expect to receive. Some people are paid more others less. Unfortunately most schools don't offer higher pay for more experience or for even having a degree! You will simply be given priority as an applicant. The good thing is that if you don't have a degree this won't necessarily mean you'll have a reduced salary.
General Full-Time Hours
Full-time positions don't usually include weekends. You will usually always have a two day weekend every week.
Most public and private schools will schedule you weekdays from about 8:00AM-5:00PM.
Language and cram schools will schedule you weekdays from about 3:00PM-9:00PM.
Weekend hours are usually limited to morning and afternoons only typically 10:00AM-3:00PM.
Average Salary
Part-time hourly ¥2,100
Full-time hourly ¥3,000
Part-time Salaried ¥150,000
Full-time Salaried ¥260,000 (this varies between ¥250,000-¥300,000)
What's Next
Most employers will offer you the job on the spot immediately after a successful interview. Occasionally you will receive an email within a week.
In Japan contracts are normal! If your company offers you a 1-3 year contract it's totally normal so don't freak out. In America contracted employment is seen in a mostly negative light but here having a contract is preferred over a fragile "You're hired!!! Can you start today?". Contracts offer clarity of your job position, pay and expectations, as well as support assurance and security of the position that you have obtained.
Unfortunately most employers don't offer maternity or paternity leave. If your employer does it is probably unpaid. It is fairly taboo for a woman to continue working after starting family.
Single mothers are hard to find and not open about this.
Ideas of feminism is general unwelcome and "taboo" in Japan.
If you didn't get the job there's thousands of other places to apply to and dozens of new schools opening every year! Don't give up on your dream of teaching in Japan.
Thank you so much for reading! I hope that you found this information very useful. I wish you the best of luck in your search for a job in Japan! Please leave a review, comments, or suggestions that you may have below so that you can help other people who are interested in working and living in Japan too.
Any help or advice is appreciated!
Stay Tuned!
