Job Discussion Forums

degolasse · Joined: 26 Jan 2007 Posts: 21

So yesterday I was offered a job with Interac for a Sept-March contract. Now I need to decide if I should accept it or not.
My main reason for choosing Interac is that I want an ALT position rather than a doing conversation. Unfortunatly I missed the JET deadlines so my options for ALT while applying from abroad seem limited.
I've read alot of forums on Interac and so I don't need to be told again how they are the scum of the earth and no one should work for them, blah blah.... I'm a pretty easy-to-please person and I'm willing to take a chance on them.
But what I am concerned about is the start up costs when working for them, since they don't pay for any of your accomidation. I'd like to hear from some people who have gone with Interact, and particularly those who have gone to rural locations since thats what I'm hoping to get. What sort of things am I going to have to pay for, and what things, like furnishing etc.. with I have to take care of?
Since I'm only going to be working for them for 7-8 months, what's the chances that I'm not going to spend the first half of it in debt, sleeping on the floor of my unfurnished flat. Will I be able to save any money in 7-8 months? Im not looking to make much, but it would be nice to at least have a little something to show when I get home.

If it looks like Im not going to be able to afford to work for Interac, then I might have to consider one of the Big Four. Though a job at a conversation school doesn't really interest me, at least they provide cheap furnished accomidation and I can probably make more money in the long run.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

degolasse · Joined: 26 Jan 2007 Posts: 21

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

You're going to have to pay for your own K-Y Jelly, cause you're getting BONED with Interac. They already withhold roughly $1000 from your monthly wage as commission. Jeez, for that you'd think they'd help you get a place to live.

Ba$tards. I recommend not working for Interac. It's just that simple.

Now watch all the Interac apologists come onto this thread running, screaming, "It's not so bad! It's not so bad! I worked there and they treated me great!" Whatever. Your life.

southofreality · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Posts: 579 Location: Tokyo

To the OP, Glenski's right. You shouldn't have to pay key money since you'll likely be moving into the previous ALT's apartment, which is probably held by the city or town you'll be working in.

Anyway, I paid a ￥100,000 deposit directly to the town I lived in for my apartment. I didn't pay any apartment start-up costs to Interac; I always dealt directly with the town office. When I vacated the apartment, I received the deposit money back. No problems. My rent was cheap (￥35000) because I lived in a very rural area. I don't remember paying any other apartment start-up costs. I always paid rent at the end of the month.

littleturtle · Joined: 31 Oct 2006 Posts: 24

Interac is a good way to start in Japan, if you plan to live here for a long time. They offer no help at all starting up, so if your plans involve staying in the country with a different employer past the end of your contract, then its good.

Grab interac by the balls and demand a fully furnished, internet included, monthly mansion. Leopalace and Sakura House are good examples. Interac bleat that its not their responsibility, but refuse to sign a contract with them until you are happy with housing. They wont turn around and say, oh, ok, no job for you, because they have already allocated you a school or twelve, and they cant refill that position in a matter of days.
At the very least, demand a clean, furnished apartment with no key money.
And take photos of it as you move in - when you leave, restore the place to the state of cleanliness it was when you moved in - or better - and then you can refuse to pay a cleaning fee to the estate agent, because its already clean.

Otherwise, startup is TOO expensive. Because of the way Interac works, you wont get your first pay until 2 months after you start working. I am nearing the end of a September - March contract, and by not blowing all my money on drinking etc, I will have been able to save, by my calculations,, at the end of my contract, about the same amount of money that it cost me to arrive.
From arrival to first pay, I spent 500,000 yen. I think I will be able to recoup that and fly home with the same amount of money I arrived with.

Net financial gain over seven months, zero. But thats better than it being negative, eh.