I want to work in Singapore. Unrealistic?

[nakatago]

Have you tried Japan ? Some of friends went there but became teachers for wee bit. Money is good.

Oh you should really start reading up on Azrael, starting with this: I Am a Japanese School Teacher

Good stuff.

[Mad Scientist]

Have you tried Japan ? Some of friends went there but became teachers for wee bit. Money is good.

Oh you should really start reading up on Azrael, starting with this: I Am a Japanese School Teacher

Good stuff.

Nakatago, No , I am serious, a few of my friends lost their jobs here and can't find any. So happen there were vacancy for a kindy teachers in Japan.They wanted Ang Moh. Three of them took it up. One thing lead to another, there have been there for two years now which was meant to be six months only.

I was just giving option to him since he is taking Japanese Proficiency Test in Dec. This is an option he might wants to consider.
What is wrong with that ?

[nakatago]

Have you tried Japan ? Some of friends went there but became teachers for wee bit. Money is good.

Oh you should really start reading up on Azrael, starting with this: I Am a Japanese School Teacher

Good stuff.

Nakatago, No , I am serious, a few of my friends lost their jobs here and can't find any. So happen there were vacancy for a kindy teachers in Japan.They wanted Ang Moh. Three of them took it up. One thing lead to another, there have been there for two years now which was meant to be six months only.

I was just giving option to him since he is taking Japanese Proficiency Test in Dec. This is an option he might wants to consider.
What is wrong with that ?

The above link points to some of the most insight-full looks into life in Japan and working as an English teacher, especially from an American perspective. This guy went through the whole nine yards plus a dozen more football fields. The humor is just an added bonus but he pretty much gives a nice summary of how it is to be a gaijin teacher in Japan--from dealing with kids, commuting on Japan's famous trains, getting sick, dealing with co-workers, xenophobia, falling in love, even the worst porn ever. This guy totally immersed himself in Japanese everyday-man culture.

In the end, actually, he quit being a teacher and tried looking for other jobs--his experience will surely give OP a feel of how someone like him (well, not exactly like him) did it.

I kid you not, I recommend OP reading everything if he wants to explore the Japan option.

[ksl]

Thanks for the honest answers guys. It would be ideal to get experience first here in the US and then transfer, but there are no jobs here either. The job search has been awful, that's why I have this annoying temp job right now. As much as I'd like to be an expat, the hurdles stated in this topic are a common barrier with many countries besides Singapore.

It seems like the only country with a market for entry level foreigners is China. It's possible to teach English there for a bit and then take a job in a small credit union or something like that. That doesn't excite me, but it may be the only option for people like me.

Actually China used to be more towards UK teachers than American, I'm not sure if the mindset has changed, though I have met Americans teaching there.
I would expect Taiwan to be the better choice also for learning traditional Chinese.
The majority of teachers in Taiwan are American, because of the close diplomatic relationship, lots of jobs for entry level Americans in Taiwan. In both schools and bushibans, I know they also take people from South Africa, Canada and UK I meet up with some of them when visiting.
http://www.aacircle.com.au/bushiban.htm

[Mad Scientist]

The above link points to some of the most insight-full looks into life in Japan and working as an English teacher, especially from an American perspective. This guy went through the whole nine yards plus a dozen more football fields. The humor is just an added bonus but he pretty much gives a nice summary of how it is to be a gaijin teacher in Japan--from dealing with kids, commuting on Japan's famous trains, getting sick, dealing with co-workers, xenophobia, falling in love, even the worst porn ever. This guy totally immersed himself in Japanese everyday-man culture.

In the end, actually, he quit being a teacher and tried looking for other jobs--his experience will surely give OP a feel of how someone like him (well, not exactly like him) did it.

I kid you not, I recommend OP reading everything if he wants to explore the Japan option.

Domo , Naka San, Sumi ma sen,
Yes , I have read the link but that is one man experience. My three close friends , one in Tokorozawa, another in Kadoma and the last in Chiba Perfecture were doing fine there even now. They are loving it.
One of them even managed to get a job as a banker in Asahi Bank.
One has to open up to all options if the road ahead is rough

[tennisdude818]

you said you are getting your Japanese Proficiency Test in Dec.

Have you tried Japan ? Some of friends went there but became teachers for wee bit. Money is good.

At least you can job hunt into financial sector once there

I gave up on teaching English in Japan a while ago. My only teaching experience is coaching tennis. That's enough for China but Japan is already saturated with English teachers. I got one offer and it was absolutely terrible. I'd love to work in Japan though. Their economy is just so horrible, it will be hard for me to ever get a job there. their immigration laws seem pretty brutal as well.

[tennisdude818]

Thanks for the honest answers guys. It would be ideal to get experience first here in the US and then transfer, but there are no jobs here either. The job search has been awful, that's why I have this annoying temp job right now. As much as I'd like to be an expat, the hurdles stated in this topic are a common barrier with many countries besides Singapore.

It seems like the only country with a market for entry level foreigners is China. It's possible to teach English there for a bit and then take a job in a small credit union or something like that. That doesn't excite me, but it may be the only option for people like me.

Actually China used to be more towards UK teachers than American, I'm not sure if the mindset has changed, though I have met Americans teaching there.
I would expect Taiwan to be the better choice also for learning traditional Chinese.
The majority of teachers in Taiwan are American, because of the close diplomatic relationship, lots of jobs for entry level Americans in Taiwan. In both schools and bushibans, I know they also take people from South Africa, Canada and UK I meet up with some of them when visiting.
http://www.aacircle.com.au/bushiban.htm

I'm open to Taiwan or China. From what I hear, it's not hard to get a teaching job in China. You would just need to do a lot of research on your potential employer to make sure you are not getting screwed.


If I was 25 years older, I could have gotten a teaching job in Japan in the 80s when they paid an enormous amount of money for English teachers.

[Mad Scientist]

I'm open to Taiwan or China. From what I hear, it's not hard to get a teaching job in China. You would just need to do a lot of research on your potential employer to make sure you are not getting screwed.


If I was 25 years older, I could have gotten a teaching job in Japan in the 80s when they paid an enormous amount of money for English teachers.

Sorry T, just offering some advise based on your qualification. Maybe you can try OZ if it suits you.
IMHO, if you are keen to immense yourself in a wealth experience, working overseas is the way to go. Grab any job that might suit you if need be and place yourself in a position to look for a better job. Be it in China, OZ , SG whatever. I have work and travel almost two third of the world, the experience I gained is priceless.
Good Luck and do not give up

[tennisdude818]

I'm open to Taiwan or China. From what I hear, it's not hard to get a teaching job in China. You would just need to do a lot of research on your potential employer to make sure you are not getting screwed.


If I was 25 years older, I could have gotten a teaching job in Japan in the 80s when they paid an enormous amount of money for English teachers.

Sorry T, just offering some advise based on your qualification. Maybe you can try OZ if it suits you.
IMHO, if you are keen to immense yourself in a wealth experience, working overseas is the way to go. Grab any job that might suit you if need be and place yourself in a position to look for a better job. Be it in China, OZ , SG whatever. I have work and travel almost two third of the world, the experience I gained is priceless.
Good Luck and do not give up

Thanks. I'm open to working just about anywhere in the world.

[nakatago]

Thanks. I'm open to working just about anywhere in the world.

This is how some movie plots start.

Anyway, the internet is a wonderful thing. You could at least now do your research and get your resume out to practically the whole world. I had an account in monster regional sites and I got contact from Ireland, France, Australia, the US, Singapore (of course) and even Serbia

[tennisdude818]

Thanks. I'm open to working just about anywhere in the world.

This is how some movie plots start.

Anyway, the internet is a wonderful thing. You could at least now do your research and get your resume out to practically the whole world. I had an account in monster regional sites and I got contact from Ireland, France, Australia, the US, Singapore (of course) and even Serbia

Oh wow. What career phase? Entry level? Mid career?

[nakatago]

Oh wow. What career phase? Entry level? Mid career?

Technically, I'm mid but might as well be 'advanced' entry since I couldn't bring my expertise into all countries.

I'm not honking my own horn but it's just that I started in a very specialized field. I got fed up with my old company but there are no other company that does the same thing in my country. So, I had to look at other countries--not all of which readily gives visas to foreigners.

Because I knew I had to leave my company I had to focus on my other skills to allow me some slight lateral movement.

Anyway, point is, you're not a total newb. There's a job out there and you may just be the person to fill that vacancy--you just have to look for it. You had a position--as mundane as you think that could have been--in which you surely learned something. You know your skills--highlight those that are relevant to the job you want. Do some research on what hiring managers need. Scour the web for similar job postings and see what sort of skills these companies look for. Know the buzzwords that will get recruiters's attention. Iteratively update your resume every time you learn something. Apply for jobs posted on job boards and portals. E-mail hiring managers for jobs they posted you're interested in. Do more research. Customize your resume according to the job posting, if needed. Keep track of your applications in case of follow-ups. Rinse, repeat.

[wcs]

T, are you a US citizen and between the ages of 18 and 30?

If so then you can get a work and holiday visa from Australia for 12 months.

http://www.immi.gov.au/visitors/working-holiday/462/

[tennisdude818]

Oh wow. What career phase? Entry level? Mid career?

Technically, I'm mid but might as well be 'advanced' entry since I couldn't bring my expertise into all countries.

I'm not honking my own horn but it's just that I started in a very specialized field. I got fed up with my old company but there are no other company that does the same thing in my country. So, I had to look at other countries--not all of which readily gives visas to foreigners.

Because I knew I had to leave my company I had to focus on my other skills to allow me some slight lateral movement.

Anyway, point is, you're not a total newb. There's a job out there and you may just be the person to fill that vacancy--you just have to look for it. You had a position--as mundane as you think that could have been--in which you surely learned something. You know your skills--highlight those that are relevant to the job you want. Do some research on what hiring managers need. Scour the web for similar job postings and see what sort of skills these companies look for. Know the buzzwords that will get recruiters's attention. Iteratively update your resume every time you learn something. Apply for jobs posted on job boards and portals. E-mail hiring managers for jobs they posted you're interested in. Do more research. Customize your resume according to the job posting, if needed. Keep track of your applications in case of follow-ups. Rinse, repeat.

Yep the job search is like a second full time job, no doubt about that.

[tennisdude818]

T, are you a US citizen and between the ages of 18 and 30?

If so then you can get a work and holiday visa from Australia for 12 months.

http://www.immi.gov.au/visitors/working-holiday/462/

Thanks for that link. I do fall into that category.