Comments by "Gordon Graham" (@gordonbgraham) on "How did You Find a Job in Japan as a Foreigner?" video.

The primary issue with hiring non-Japanese for white collar jobs is the fact that most foreigners in Japan are illiterate. Imagine applying for a job in North America if you couldn't read or write.
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If you obtain a teaching license from a Japanese university you could get a full-time salaried position at almost any jr.high school or high school throughout Japan. It took me 15 years to become literate enough to be able to take a full course load in Japanese, but it was worth it. I was promoted from my ALT position to full-time teacher and my salary tripled! A teaching degree from a foreign country is non-transferable for a full-time position at a Japanese school. International schools are an exception.
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@TimTim__ I already had a BA from Canada. It took one year at a Japanese university to obtain my teaching license, but I had to pass a Japanese proficiency test in the form of a hand written 1500 word essay on pedagogy related to 2nd language acquisition. It took me 15 years to achieve that level of proficiency. All courses for the teaching license are in Japanese only. A teaching license from abroad is non-transferable.
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@Limastudent I'm not sure that taking 15 years to learn how to read and write is that impressive, but thanks.
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