No degree in Japan

[danobodhisattvah]

Hello,
I am an American in my early 20s with a certificate from a 2 year tech school, and a Japanese wife.

I am wondering how difficult it would be for me to get a job as an ESL teacher in Hyogo, Japan, without a formal degree. I have the Visa covered, as I am married to a Japanese person. I also speak Japanese on a conversational level. *not fluent by far, but I can drink with you!

Any help will be appreciated.

Edit: I am also very talented with people, and I have been tutoring all of my japanese friends for years and they all tell me I should be a teacher! Also, I am a pretty good looking well groomed guy. From what my wife has said, many Japanese employers put looks high on there list of requirements, though they will never tell you that! Can these help me?

[MattMaleham]

Good to see the humility/modesty on your part bro, I woulda said the same sort of thing except I'm from Australia and I surf heaps and have a perfectly tanned and toned body...and I'm not married. Well I'm currently studying education and am not a teacher yet, but from what I have heard from my teachers, it's really easy to get a job overseas in the asian countries, especially if you're teaching english. Apparently there's a lot of money in it and a huge demand for people who speak english, and even more so if you can understand japanese too. I'd say go for it, but it's a strange place to live if you're from the states, it's heaps different and will take a lot of getting used to, but if it's just for a few years then that's cool, go make some money and then go home and take a year off or something. I'm thinking of going to china to do the same sort of thing, teachers get so buffed over there. Well I'm not sure what sort of qualifications you need to get a job really easily, but it's worth checking around. And from my experience, good looks can go a long way for ya if you use them wisely. They're a gift from God and we, as good looking individuals, should not take that for granted

[Glenski]

Sorry to chime in here so late. I don't read the forums much.

I've lived in Japan for the past 7 years. You don't have a degree, but you are eligible for a spouse visa, which permits you to do any sort of work that the employer thinks you are qualified for. That last phrase is the key, even for teaching jobs.

Spouse visa, dependent visa, student visa, cultural visa, and working holiday visa all have no requirement for a bachelor's degree, yet you can get work on them, but you still have to meet the demands of the employers. Most will require a bachelor's degree simply because they feel that graduating from college (even with a degree unrelated to teaching English) is a sign of achievement. Some employers actually write a brief biography of their teachers on their advertising materials, and not having a degree at all won't attract customers.

So, the bottom line is, you can get work, but you'll have to accept the fact that many employers will turn you down. Persistence is key, and having a good-looking resume and cover letter are tantamount. Your PERSONAL looks are not so much important, despite what your wife says. Plenty of geeky looking teachers here.

[patsensei]

Hi. I have been in Japan for about 8 years now. No plan on leaving yet. Quite sad really. Anyway. I have a degree but many of my friends don't and still work here. To be honest I believe a few of them may have bought fake ones in various countries. I don't condone this but it's a fact of life. The fact that I have a degree doesn't make me a better teacher than them either. I think that education can be a big scam sometimes.
Anyway just my thoughts

http://www.teachjapanforum.com

[Glenski]

patsensei,
Of course, the fact that you have a degree DOESN'T make you a better teacher. That's not the point. You need the degree or 3 years of experience to get a work visa. Otherwise, you have to qualify for the other types of visas I mentioned above.

Oh, sure, MENTION the fake degrees and don't condone them. That just gives the OP something to consider, which I think is pretty bad. If you are caught with that fake credential, you risk serious penalties.
imprisonment (and 23 days of that can be without a lawyer)
fines (up to 3 million yen)
deportation (at your expense, not Japan's)
being blacklisted from ever returning to Japan (for 5 or 10 years)

Education is a scam? How about those fake degrees?