My time here in Japan has been excellent, and when I was hired I had only 4 years of experience and no IB training. While some Japanese ISs are not as good as others, very few will be as dodgy or disorganized as those you might find in other parts of Asia, so I would guess that there is little risk in taking a chance on one of the non-elite schools. Worst case scenario would be to end up at one of the "international" programs that is managed by a Japanese business team and caters to local students who want to improve their English and study abroad. Even these can be good experiences, however, especially if you are new to teaching and looking for a bit of adventure.

One of the biggest thing schools look for in inexperienced teachers is overseas experience of any kind, including extensive travel. Because Japanese culture is so different from western culture, they just want to know that you are going to survive here, and hopefully stay for as long as possible. Oh, and this is really stupid, but if you are a white/blonde female, and you are interviewed by a Japanese person for the job, you probably stand a better chance than someone else. Double bonus points if you have red hair! Not kidding, they love unusual complexions and/or hair colours, and they think the parents will love it too.

Being half Japanese would give you two slight advantages. One is that schools will know that you have some connection to Japan and won't be scared off by the language or culture as some new hires to IS's occasionally are. Another is that Japan loves 'hafu' people and you will likely have few problems in your personal life. Still, I wouldn't expect this point to factor much into a school's decision to hire you over another candidate. It definitely won't hurt you though!

I can't speak about maths specifically, but having lived in Japan for 4 years now I can say that it does not appear to be as difficult to obtain a position here as Western Europe. It is certainly at the top end of Asian countries in terms of quality of life, however. Try focusing on an area other than Tokyo, which is where any of the elite schools are located. Hiroshima, Kobe, Osaka, Nagoya, and even Hokkaido have schools you might have a shot with. As a little inside tip, Doshisha international school Kyoto may be looking to hire someone on a short term contract, since it will be closing down in the next few years. If you simply want to be in Japan, (and gain IB experience), this might be a good in for you. Can't hurt to drop an application anyway!

For the very low cost to subscribe, I think it's a great resource. I've been a member for around 4 years and it's generally very up-to-date, accurate, and helpful. The resume bit isn't work the extra money since you have access to the school's contact info. If you like a job, just send them an email or fill out the applications on their websites. That's more likely to get to them then a third-party website message anyway.

I haven't gotten any jobs through TIE, having attended the Queen's Kingston fair and Bangkok January fairs, but I have researched schools extensively from it, and it keeps me posted on what openings are available.

Yeah. School paid or otherwise, it's pretty much your house while you are employed by the school. As long as you aren't trashing the place, it's not really any of their business what you do with it, unless they have a strict contract you signed about housing or something. I definitely wouldn't mention it.

In terms of the school, I would need it to be IB, medium sized (500-1000 students perhaps), not for profit, and have excellent standards for classrooms, curriculum, etc. I would need them to have a decent Science budget so I can hold reasonably effective labs and order materials if necessary. I would like to it be equipped with modern technology (interactive whiteboards, laptop program, nice computer lab, etc.). Having my own space would be great too, since I currently share an office with nearly 10 staff members and I find it quite distracting. Ideally, I wouldn't have to share a classroom either. The day schedule is something I would like to be appropriate also, but there are dozens of systems that I would likely find agreeable.

Housing is exceptionally important. My current location is evidence of that. Nothing worse than coming home after a long day with a clogged shower drain, water you can't drink, broken fridge, mice in your ceiling, moldy clothes, etc. (yes these have all happened to me). I don't need a mansion or a fancy apartment, but I want things to be reasonably nice, clean, and comfortable, especially if the school is supplying it. Having a reliable and fast internet connection is huge for me too, both for work and for entertainment, but some people might not require this.

I would want to be in a country that is quite different from North America (beyond that, doesn't matter too much what the culture is like). Having good food is important, and so is having a productive and friendly community. I have worked and traveled in several countries where people have been very rude or just lazy. You may not have to work with these people, but dealing with them during your free time can be extremely frustrating. Living in a big city would be nice, as it lets you escape the education bubble and enjoy many opportunities such as live performances and restaurants. It makes travel during breaks much more convenient and accessible too.

That's about it really. There are small things that could go either way, but those are the big ones for me.

You're obviously registered with Search already, but depending on where you live, you may want to consider Iowa or even Kingston (Ontario), both of which are in January or possibly early Feb. I was originally hired for international teaching at the Queen's fair in Kingston and it was a great place for freshly graduated teachers (it's held at the university's teacher college).

I think you're marketable in the sense that you are both specialists in major subjects. On a side note, how do you feel about working together in the same department?

My guess is that you would not be able to obtain a top tier placement, but after you both get a few more years under your belts at some other international school, you would pretty much have your pick of quality schools (assuming you don't have a bunch of kids by then).

My girlfriend and I are applying to new international schools for next year and are curious about what our chances are for securing employment. We have no plans to get married right away so that's not an option. We don't even both need to be employed, as long as we can support ourselves and stay together without any visa issues, we will be satisfied.

We are 27 and 26 years old, both have 3 years of teaching experience at an international school in India, and are both Canadian certified teachers. My area is general science and biology, and hers is instrumental music and drama (mostly music). We teach grades 7-12 currently, with IGCSE and some AP.

I have a 1 year post grad certificate of specialization in Fish and Wildlife Management (possibly irrelevant) as well as bachelors (obviously), have taught ESL overseas, and I am head of the Science department this semester while the school searches for a new HOD. I have designed and taught the grade 7 and 8 general science curriculum, as well as teaching IGCSE Biology and AP. I also had a student teacher this year.

My girlfriend has been teaching private woodwind lessons since high school, has extensive performance and band experience, and participates in many extracurriculars. She also has a certificate in instrument repair. She is Japanese and could potentially teach that as a language as well (assuming a certification in Japanese teaching is not needed).

We would like to be able to save some money, in or near a city (currently we are in the middle of nowhere and it is a little depressing), at an IB school (we want to gain this experience, as it seems to be the international standard).

Does this sound reasonable? Would schools be willing to pick us up, or would the fact that we are not married pose a significant problem? Any tips or constructive comments would be greatly appreciated (besides "get married!").