Job Discussion Forums

[PolishZeus]

Hello all!

I have been scanning this website on a semi-regular basis and have been e-mailing friends-of-friends who are currently teaching english in Japan.
I have gotten a lot of information but I wanted to pose a question to the many people who seem to have a lot of experience in finding jobs in Japan.

My girlfriend and I are hoping to find a job in late September/early October and are wondering what our best options may be.
We are more than willing to embrace the culture and will be very conscious of how much money we spend so we can build a decent bank account over the year. I have looked into most of the major corporations (even though JET applications have passed) and am now looking at Amity (a branch of AEON) being our best bet:
http://www.amityteachers.com


The only downside to them are the 100 sq. foot rooms that my girlfriend and I would be sharing. It should be noted that we are both expecting to live in VERY small places next year (we're naive but not that naive!).

Since Amity does not give the contact information to any who have (or currently are) working for them, I am very hesitant to apply. Has anyone gone through this program? I will scan the forums but perhaps people have someone I can contact to get personal accounts?

Are there other programs which people would recommend?
Ideally I would find a host family and get a job that does not involve a large corporation but I am going to take whatever I can get (provided it's not too aweful).

Thanks!

[kelli91]

Hello,

I currently work for Aeon and believe the situations are quiet similar. I believe you and your girlfriend will have a hard time being posted together--- and an even harder time living together. It is not usually kosher for two unwed people to live together here.

Not only that, but Aeon has apartments rented for each individual teacher. I wanted to move out and into another apartment with my boyfriend. Aeon said that was okay, but I was going to have to pay for rent in both apartments. They don't want to let the apartment go since the payment for key deposit is so large here.

Finally, I've seen many different sized Aeon owned apartments. They are all small compared to North American standards, but they are liveable with two people.

I hope this info helps and finally call the recruiters for the closest location. They'll answer questions. Aeon is a good company. I highly recommend them. They are a lot less scary that some of the competitors.

[PolishZeus]

Thanks for giving the information.
I am curious to hear from other people as well as to whether or not their experience with Amity specifically has been a good or bad experience.

I have also heard to the contrary that as long as we keep our noses down, no one will care whether we're married or not. I'm actually more concerned about the recruiters. I have no problem telling people when I'm there that we are married....it's getting there that is the problem.

As for apartments, I'd be happy with what they gave me. We would still be saving money since we'd have two incomes for the one apartment.

Any others who wish to comment?

[kdynamic]

[stillnosheep]

Aeon will attempt to find you jobs in the same city if asked - assuming you are both selected. Why restrict yourselves to Aeon amity (wheer finding two vacancies at once may be more difficult?

You can live with whoever you choose (this is 21st C. Japan for gawd's sake), but, as other's have said, you'll each have to pay 42k for an appt whether you live in it or not.

[PolishZeus]

Then upon rereading all of this, is there another company/agency that people would recommend that would be more fitting for what my girlfriend and I are looking for?

[dudelebow]

you don't have to pay for an apartment you don't live in through that or any company. If you give proper notice to them and consult with the labor bureau, they cannot take out money from your paycheck for an apartment you don't live in. they want you to believe otherwise though. also, you might find yourself out of a contract renewal after you take them through the loop hole to get out of it though.

[PolishZeus]

I had thought that originally too.
After all, if I went to them at the beginning of the interview process and requested a single apartment between the two of us, even though (as people have said) it would limit our options, why should they care?

It would also seem as though the likelyhood of them placing us together would be greater since they would not want to pay for our travels (or if we state it immediately).

Saying this I know that we are limiting our options and we look less attractive from their standpoint. But from what I see, since I am receiving a Masters in Education, have a large amount of experience, and can sell myself incredibly well at interviews, I am perhaps under a false sense of hope......

[kdynamic]

Do you get how the Japanese apartment renting system works? If they are set up with the same number of apartments as jobs in the cities they are in, hiring two teachers for one apartment would leave them with either an empty apartment or an extra teacher, both of which are costly and unattractive prospects for them. They are NOT going to want to let go an apartment they've been passing from teacher to teacher for years because of key money, etc. If you can replace another couple that were living together, however, they will be more likely to take you. You should just call them up and ask what the deal is with these situations. Or just marry your girlfriend and make everything simpler.

Try your luck and apply to lots of different companies. Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

[Dominique]

ECC is very accomodating to couples. If that interests you, It's one of the big schools. They even have buildings just known as "couples buildings"