Sep 18, 2019
Professional Development While ALTing?
I was wondering if you have any ideas on some things I can do to continue to develop while I am an ALT. I know that in a few years I will want a new gig, and I was wondering what I can do while being an ALT to bulk up my skills and resume.
Teacher, Traveler, Dancer -
Currently living in Gifu -
I love Japan, dance, cats, food, and fashion!
Best Answer
-
on Sep 24
@ReishiiTravels - I think networking can take a variety of forms. In my experience I've found that teaching private English lessons, while "work," proved to be an avenue of networking for me, especially with those students who were in a career. I also used to attend a Japanese language school. Not full-time or anything, just private lessons every now and then. The school used to throw parties a couple of times a year and I found this to be a way of getting to know some interesting foreigners who were getting on with interesting careers in Japan. On the same thread, I found that getting on well with students I taught at an eikaiwa once introduced me to some interesting people and gave me ideas about the kinds of opportunities out there to develop a career or move into a different field of work. To echo what @genkidesu said, a major urban center like Tokyo has plenty of things going on in terms of networking. Let's take my own interest of, say, writing. I know there is a Facebook group for writers based in Tokyo and they have meet-ups from time to time. And there are likely other similar groups. When I was teacher an American colleague of mine had a kind of "start-up" that organized house parties at his apartment (Yes, house parties in Japan!) and small music gigs in parts of Tokyo. They had a page on FB and a whole bunch of foreigners would find them and turn up to their events. Not "networking" in the strictly professional sense but if you're someone like me who isn't so good at that sort of thing, it proved to be a good place to start and at least get an idea of what others were doing with their work / careers in Japan. If you'd prefer to start a bit easier with something where you can just turn up and sit and listen to others then some kind of seminar or talk would be a good place to start. As an example, there was a hotel in Tokyo that as part of its PR before opening did these talks / parties where they invited foreigners to come and talk about places they like in Tokyo. Anyone could show up for the talk (I think it was a few hundred yen at the door) and there was a whole bunch of people in there looking to network and promote their projects in an easy, relaxed setting. I honestly can't comment on the networking opportunities in Gifu so it seems to me that researching Facebook groups would be a good place to start. You could also try a local community center - maybe if there is a eigo kyoushitsu (volunteer / free Japanese class) you could join that and meet people there. Oh, and also wherever it is you're working now. Have you found out what your colleagues and fellow teachers are interested in? Have you dropped any hints about the kind of career you'd like to develop? Maybe they can offer you some support or advice. You never know ... until you ask, of course!
-
on Sep 18
-
on Sep 18
It's probably an obvious thing to say, but studying Japanese (if you haven't already) would be a good place to start. Build up some JLPT certificates. Fluency in the lingo will at least help you to be better aware of any opportunities out there, even if it might not directly qualify you for them. I think the online study thing is a good. I did a writing course online. I think one thing to consider (and this may sound a little negative) is that potential Japanese employers might not care so much about the institution from which you obtained a qualification / certification, as they may not be so familiar with it. To this effect then, it's just that fact that you got the qualification that counts, rather than where you got it from. This perhaps frees up concerns about budget / costs in order to get qualified / certified in something. I also think the very act of trying to better yourself at the same time as holding down a full-time job is also impressive in and of itself. So, if you can show potential employers that this is something you have been doing, that is surely a plus point. It's perhaps a little different from what you are talking about but in my experience it can't be emphasized enough how important it is to network in Japan. Especially as a foreigner - it helps to build trust and familiarity with potential Japanese employers and you'll find that so many more opportunities are revealed in this way, rather than limiting yourself to the job-search sites and channels. Good luck!
-
on Sep 19
imagine what you want to be doing, and where, 10 years from now. Then start planning what to train in or study. If you want to continue in English language teaching, do a MA TESOL. Some British universities offer online course work. If you live close to Tokyo or Osaka, you can study on campus at some universities. In the meantime, join JALT, follow ELT Calendar, and join Facebook groups in your area to network. Some inspiration might come from ALTs who’ve either become professional teachers or forged new paths for themselves. ALT Insider has podcast interviews with interesting people. AJET publishes an online magazine called Connect. It often has stories about JET ALTs in careers in Japan. If you want to leave teaching, but continue working in Japan, get at least JLPT N2.
-
on Sep 19
-
on Sep 21
I also think online opportunities are probably the best bet! As for networking, I know when we lived in Tokyo my husband did a lot of that kind of thing for work. I don't know about Gifu, but in Tokyo there's stuff like the Tokyo American Club that often have networking events. Maybe even check MeetUp, since there are get-togethers for networking occasionally listed on there.
-
on Sep 26
At first, I would get a JLPT N2 or better as most non-teaching jobs require a certain Japanese skill. Besides that it depends on what kind of job you are working towards. There are a lot of certificates in Japan you can get for all kinds of skills and Japanese HR guys like certificates. Find out which would be relevant for you and try to get them.
-
on Sep 26
8 Answers