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    #16
    Does anyone else work in Japan who doesn't teach English? If so, how easy is/was it to get work like that? Most of the time I just hear about teaching English but I find that's often people who want to live in Japan and work to support that.

    I'm in IT and am looking to sort out some IT qualifications right now as I'm unqualified so far, working as tech support for a group of hotels for the past two years just off the back of what I know and my awesome Googling skills. I also have a BSc in Physics. I've also been almost completely alone since Feb as my manager has been off sick and just does a few bits and bobs like fiddling with the aging email server, otherwise it's been me as the sole IT guy which would look good on the CV, I think.

    Reason I ask is because a girl I've been serious with for the past month(we've been friends for five years so stop smirking) had to leave Britain as her student visa ran out. I'm not particularly enamoured about living in Japan for long but then neither is she, which is handy.

    She's at a Japanese job fair this week and running about applying to companies so we'll discuss our plans next week but I want to at least bring some concrete suggestions to the table, other than "well, I could try getting a job there, I guess..."

    I'll be 30 next month so not looking to chop and change or have a good time, nor do I want to have a random year's stint teaching English in Japan on a holiday visa just to be with her but I'm happy to shuffle about with a view to getting properly settled down, most likely here in the UK.

    Speaking of the working holiday visa, it says up to age 30 inclusive so I assume I'd be ok if I applied before I'm 31?

    I've been looking at IT jobs in Japan and most require native level or JLPT level 1 or 2 which I'm nowhere near yet. There are a few for which conversational Japanese is fine and I suppose I could just up my game a little as at least there's a tangible reason to do so.

    Given the situation, the choices are marry her so she can live and work here in London with me or get a job in Japan so I can live with her there without the pressure of having to get married so we can see how things pan out. She wants to start a clothing business or something like that and loves European fashion and a British passport would make visiting those places and doing business so much easier, I reckon

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      #17
      Marry her, it's the only option.

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        #18
        Marry her.

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          #19
          You can go and teach english in Japan. Experiences vary but I found it great. If you come back to the UK remember most people find themselves in pretty much the same position as when you left (career wise). And most people in english conversation end up wanting to come back.

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            #20
            She doesn't want to be there and he doesn't want to do the eikaiwa thing. Noobish called it...

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              #21
              Where is the girl from? Or did I miss it?

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                #22
                I think it's his housemate he was giving foot massages to the other week.

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                  #23
                  Originally posted by noobish hat View Post
                  They don't care what subject your degree is. I would bear in mind that TEFL in Japan is pretty much a go-nowhere job. I really wouldn't want to have to do that for the rest of my life, but then I hate teaching. If you want advice from someone who finished university with a useless degree and has done English teaching in Japan on a working holiday visa - forget all of those ideas. Do an apprenticeship and become a plumber or a builder or an electrician or something. Wish I'd done that!
                  Everyone ive met on my travels over the last few years all say the same thing, trades count. If i could do it over id study either carpentry, pluming or one of the other practical useful skills. Just my two cents.

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                    #24
                    lol it's neither of my flat mates. I'm purely paternal with those two.

                    I haven't posted all over the relationship thread yet, lest it turn into a Densha Otoko situation, but I mentioned it in the depression thread. Luckily I didn't need to post in there after that

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                      #25
                      Is she Japanese?

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                        #26
                        Yep. She's just sent me her CV and cover letter to sort the English out a bit. Part of me wants to muck it up so she'll have no choice but to come back but I could never do that

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                          #27
                          So we talked it over yesterday and, despite what I said earlier, here's my new plan:

                          1) Visit her in December for a few weeks
                          2) Apply for a working holiday visa either before or after the visit, depending on how many places they have and other factors, such as whether I could do my quick visit without mucking the working holiday visa up(reentry permit, for example)
                          3) Try and get a month off work to do CELTA 4-week full-time course in January or leave my job to do it
                          4) Apply for a ALT/teaching position in Tokyo somewhere, or as near to there as possible
                          5) Either go to Japan before April when school starts and teach English for a bit or, if I'm still at my job, work there until it's time to leave
                          6) Enter hardcorps Japanese-learning mode and either carry on teaching English there for a while if possible or look into an IT job once my Japanese is good enough

                          In short, keep an eye out for my upcoming sales thread full of a Saturn and a Megajet

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                            #28
                            It will be a lot easier to get a teaching job when you are already in Japan. That's what I did, but then I was assisted by the cataclysm that scared most of the competition back to their own countries.
                            Last edited by noobish hat; 29-10-2012, 16:26.

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                              #29
                              Ahh yes, the cataclysm. I don't want to leave anything to chance but let's see. First I need my celta, then I can start figuring out that stuff. Is it easier just because you're already there? Sounds stupid but what I mean is, are they a lot more responsive if you're physically in front of them compared with being a voice on a phone and a CV? Did you do the working holiday visa?

                              I'll discuss it with my parents as well, then considering speaking with the company director to let him know my plans so they can prepare for my exit/possibly accommodate my leave for celta. Luckily I've got an excellent relationship with the owners here and my company is in hotels and also a travel agent so will see what favours/contacts they can bequeath me.

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                                #30
                                No, it's not that. It's that almost nobody will sponsor a visa (not for something like teaching anyway). Most jobs on gaijinpot for example will require that you're already resident in Japan. I guess it might not matter either way so long as you already have the visa, that's all they care about.

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