/jp/ - Otaku Culture

>>1885

yes. you have to keep your power levels completely suppressed, and focus on what you can do for glorious Nippon

>>2024
You must have no idea how scarce translation jobs are that aren't case by case ones or freelance ones. The ones you might be talking about are the ones that also need indepth knowledge in something technical like manual translation with software or hardware merchandise, which the company may need background experience in.

>>2181
Destruction of NOVA left some near 2000 (Well, probably closer to 1500) english teachers unemployed and looking for jobs, so yes, the market for that is pretty saturated and many of them HAVE attempted to look for jobs other than teaching like translation and tutoring. Some of them have also reported to have gone home in their blogs.

I'd pick South Korea if I were you if you have a grasp of that knowledge and really do have a passion for teaching. The pay there is also higher than Taiwan's. A ton of JETfags I've met before that went to Japan were just freshly-graduated college kids that were in it as a temporary gig or were your typical hardcore otaku.

lol I only have a bachelors degree with no experience in teaching or dealing with kids and I'm in the office right now, commenting on this, as an ALT on the JET programme.

>>1819
I applied to JET but didn't make it, apparently I'm not the type of person they're looking for. Is any mention of manga or anime as a hobby == instant rejection?

>>1885
I don't think it would help.
But come on, if you have a bachelors, you can come here and teach English. Simple as that. JET is not the be all and end all. I'm teaching at University here now, for Westgate. Check their site out.

>>1885
I remember reading somewhere that the less japanese you know, the higher chance of getting accepted. Don't know how reliable that information is though.

I would never sign up for something that used big daddy Pap in its banner type.

sorry poster of >>1819 here.
With the JET programme, you really do have to be pretty enthusiastic and positive. You could be placed in a small village of 300 people for all you know. Your school could be next to a pig farm with 20 kids. :\
Believe it or not, Japan is not Tokyo. Most parts of Japan are pretty rural.

>>1906
Not true. My friend has a level 1 in JLPT and he works as an ALT in a jr.high.

I'm great with kids. Please ignore my criminal record.

>>1959
They ask for criminal record check XD

>>1959
why did I lol so hard?

>>1942
Why the fuck isn't he working as a translator somehwere for big bucks?
Are you sure he really has a JLPT 1?

>>1928
Yes, I'm exploring other options. GEOS rejected me and I just filled out a questionnaire for Interac. I looked at Westgate's site but you have to have some sort of TOEFL to even start at the lowest level.

>>2038
He doesn't want to. The CIR (coordinator of international relations) option for the JET programme gets the same wage as an ALT.

>>1600

Did you hear about NOVA? They used to employ a ton of English teachers. Then they went out of business because of fraudulent business practices, and released upwards of 15,000 people into the system. Right now the English teaching field is inundated with people who've had jobs and lost them.

I'm assuming your master's will be in teaching? If not, you should think about doing something to do with teaching or tutoring. I'm in a similar predicament, and the advice I've gotten all points to doing things involved with dealing with children.
Also, it sounds like you have a handle on not screaming about animu and kawaii desu ne ^_^
I would recommend keeping any mention of anime out of your application; it's viewed as "kid stuff" for a large part of society. Manga, however, isn't bad at all--most people view it like we view books.

Finally, please don't take my thoughts as fact. I'm just trying to do the same thing you are, and these are the ideas I've had. Of course, any criticism would be helpful. Good luck.

>>1885
Probably wouldn't help.
They want someone who's interested in the whole picture and who's sincere about it.

In other words, Japan doesn't need anymore Otakus. They have _plenty._

>>2038
Just get an online TOEFL.
Lots of people I've seen working for them have ... let me say... dubious teaching credentials.

Japanese people HAET English teachers.

Didn't one of these companies leave some guys stranded on japan with no job, home, or any possibility to go home?

>>2092
The NOVA overflow doesn't seem to mean shit. It's not like NOVA ever employed real teachers anyway.

>>2118
Thats funny. Because I work with a bunch and they are sincerely interested in foreign culture and language. You get a few jerks here and there but its the same as working in another other company.

>>2092
Yes, I'm aware of the NOVA implosion. I've actually considered applying to other countries, such as Korea or Taiwan to get some experience teaching English as a second language, then applying to Japan next year or the year after. Apparently the competition is much less for other East Asian countries, and Korea might not be so bad.

>>2127
When they ask why I want to teach English in Japan, what am I supposed to say then other than "lol looks like fun!"

>>2144
Yeah that was the NOVA thing

>>1885
>Is any mention of manga or anime as a hobby == instant rejection?

PIN PON!

>>2144
That would make a great story.

teaching english as another language requires you to be fluent in both english AND the language of the students you're trying to teach

>>2210
Bullshit about your love for the culture, new life, different country?

>>2247
Normally yet. Not for JET. They dont even expect you to know ANY Japanese at all.

http://www.heart-school.jp/en/index.html

These guys seem to be hiring, last I checked. It's a company like NOVA, but they're pretty stable and appear not to care how much of a nerd you are. As long as you have a bachelor's you're good to go.

>>2210
lol I said that (or along those lines). Just tell them the truth, that it looks fun and its something you really want to try. And that you want to explore Japan and this is the perfect pportunity. *shrug* Because remember, this is not a permanent position. You wont' get promoted or anything. You make the same amount of $ every contracting year (actually possibility of making less after your 3rd year because you work for the school now, not the prefecture/municipal)

>>2210
"Since I was small I've been interested in Japanese culture and language. I also love children.. I mean, really, REALLY love children. Japanese children are so KAWAIII!!!! especially little Japanese girls. I just want to grab them by their twin tails and cover them in....
wait, sorry. What was the question again?

>>2247
In the JET Programe you are more like a teacher's assistant so people who get hired don't NEED to know it fluently. Also it is intended for you to teach to Jr. High or High school students so they are supposed to know a a little English at least. But yeah it couldn't hurt to know.

>>2024
You must have no idea how scarce translation jobs are that aren't case by case ones or freelance ones. The ones you might be talking about are the ones that also need indepth knowledge in something technical like manual translation with software or hardware merchandise, which the company may need background experience in.

>>2181
Destruction of NOVA left some near 2000 (Well, probably closer to 1500) english teachers unemployed and looking for jobs, so yes, the market for that is pretty saturated and many of them HAVE attempted to look for jobs other than teaching like translation and tutoring. Some of them have also reported to have gone home in their blogs.

I'd pick South Korea if I were you if you have a grasp of that knowledge and really do have a passion for teaching. The pay there is also higher than Taiwan's. A ton of JETfags I've met before that went to Japan were just freshly-graduated college kids that were in it as a temporary gig or were your typical hardcore otaku.

>>2272
Thanks. I'll definitely check it out.

>>2253
Bullshit about cross cultural experience only goes so far. It should be specific to Japan if it's to be believable. But then, you quickly run the risk of espousing stereotypes that can work against you. "I like Japan because the people are so polite," for example.

>>2368
Hey thats me! I'm here on a temp gig and I'm an otaku thats why I'm on 4chan 8D

I would actually consider China, even though the TEFL situation over there seems to be a total clusterfuck. Having China on the resume and a bit of knowledge of the language will come in quite handy over the next couple decades.

>>2493
Especially with them being the second largest economy in the world. In fact, anything related to China would be beneficial in the future.

>>2493
Wouldn't Taiwan have all the advantages of China and none of the disadvantages?

>>2541

I don't know, but I think that one of the main advantages of working in mainland China is learning how to deal with their government. I've also read that Chinese students are more motivated than damn near any other in the world, which would be a nice bonus.

>>2666
Well I'm not terribly inclined to live under a totalitarian government, so China would pretty much be a last resort. I hear Korea and Taiwan have some nasty pollution though

>>2727
China's pollution is a lot worse.

>>2758
Yeah, I didn't mean to compare China to Korea/Taiwan, but Korea/Taiwan to Japan.

BTW, just how hard is it to get basic amenities in Korea and Taiwan?

>>2493
China's day in the sun isn't going to last for long. If you look at things from a realistic standpoint, they're trying to go at 100% and they've only got the ability to go at 60%, shit is going to hit the fan one of these days. I guess get what you can while you can.

>>3064

China has quite a few things going against it, certainly. Horribly corrupt government, messed up demographics due to the one child policy (which may well cripple the coastal areas, which are aging as badly as Japan is), and an ecosystem that's going to shit because they really just do not give a fuck on an epic scale. On the other hand, there's some evidence that they're generating higher-level engineering talent, they have a motivated population, and being the world's manufacturer is no small advantage. I don't think that they're going to conquer the whole world with their economic might, but I think that they're going to be much more relevant to the world economy than Japan in 20 years.