Job Discussion Forums

[Mapleblondie]

Glenski, thank you for your replies. I just have my student loans to take care of, and am hoping to pay off between $8,000-$10,000 in the year. I am planning on aiming for about $850 per month in savings to send back to Canada for that reason. The thought of living in Tokyo frightened me financially, especially after doing research on the cost of specific living necessities there, and having spoken with friends who live there now. I am a very frugal person to begin with, and don't drink at all. I only foresee myself going to karaoke a few times each month, and spending the majority of my time studying Japanese, exploring the city when I get courageous, doing exercise outdoors, and picking up private lessons as soon as I become familiar enough with the ECC curriculum to be able to branch out. I know that living expense typically cost about half of the monthly pay cheque, and taxes probably take about 200 dollars or so off of the top. I just want to make sure I have "wiggle room" so that I won't struggle if an unexpected expense pops up one month for some reason. I suppose that I am just a person likes to feels prepared as much as possible, to set myself up for the best possible situations.

On another HAPPY NOTE, I just got my Osaka training placement offer about an hour ago!!! Woo hoo! I am so happy. I will be leaving for Japan sooner than I'd hoped for initially, but it's definitely worth it. I am really glad. Of course, I have no idea where exactly I'll be placed, but that side of the country is typically cheaper from my experience, and I have all my support networks and old university there to make me feel "at home" right away. Now it's just a countdown to the flying date.

[Ryu Hayabusa]

Congrats on getting placed where you wanted to be placed and well done for holding out for what you wanted. Looks like they value you enough at ECC to have granted your preference.

I'm quite anxious to know when and where I'm going to be placed. They received my forms early April. I'm hoping for an email from Dustin any day now.

[Mapleblondie]

Hey congrats to you on getting a job with ECC too. Do you have anywhere you are hoping to be placed? I am really please with how nice Dustin is, and thank you for your congrats. I'm super happy right now, and think that you'll probably hear back soon too. I submitted my documents and everything to them in Japan in early April, so I'm guess your placement is not far behind. Keep us posted!

[Glenski]

$850 per month will obviously cut into your budget quite seriously, but if you are indeed frugal, you should still be able to do it and maintain that wiggle room. I'm no drinker, either, but you may run into circumstances where students beg you to go out (coworkers probably more often to complain).

[Mapleblondie]

Is there really that pressure from the coworkers and bosses and whatnot? Well, I hope that I can figure out a way to "kill two birds with one stone" and convince them most of the time to go to karaoke, so I at least enjoy how I am spending my money. Drinking is a huge waste of money and I don't even find it fun to do...Hmmm.

I'm glad to hear that my goal is realisitic though, as I was working on a general budget and that seemed to work out. Plus, if I can pick up a few private lessons after a few months, maybe I will get tht extra wiggle room without having to plan for it.

[Glenski]

The pressure itself is a guilt thing, but just how often they want employees to go out varies. Probably twice a year is a rough average. As for students, it will depend on what your relationship is with them. Expect students to ask you out a time or 2 during the year plus around Christmas.

It matters not if you think drinking is a waste of money and time. It's a social thing, and Japan is very big on social consciousness. The nail that sticks up gets hammered down. You can fend off certain requests with feigned illness or other commitments, but employer parties might ask for money up front; don't ask for it back.

Karaoke is often what people do AFTER the first party. Yes, realize up front that going out often/usually involves more than one gathering. The words "second party" are just as bone-chilling to me as the initial invitation sometimes, but at least second parties are usually not as obligatory.

[Mapleblondie]

Ya, I remember how it was when I was there before...but I'm glad that it seems like the going out requests are not typically ALL THE TIME. A few times a year are not an issue And ya, 2 parties always kinda struck me as a bit excessive, but as long as I didn't spend much at the first one, I was usually up for the karaoke. Singing is the BEST passtime, in my opinion...I miss it soooo much! Hehe. But ya, for all the smaller weekly events friends invited me to, I definitely found myself backing out sometimes and claiming that I was busy with something else or not feeling great. I found that when I went to university there, I hd people asking me to go out like 3 times each week!!It was crazy...but, for some people, that is the reason they go to Japan, and it works for them. I guess it's all about balance and at least doing what you need to do to meet etiquette standards.

[Ryu Hayabusa]

I got an email from Dustin today giving me my training date and placement. I'm really excited and a little relieved. I asked to be placed in Kinki (more specifically Osaka) or Fukuoka and they've placed me in the former. Fukuoka would've been nice since I've been there before, but I've heard great things about Kinki. Now it's time to really save up money and kick my Japanese language study into overdrive!

[Mapleblondie]

Wow, congrats! When do you have your training session? Mine is Sept 3rd. Best of luck with saving money and studying Japanese. I definitely have to get started with brushing up on the language too, after not using it for the past 2 years.

[Apsara]

mapleblondie, most "drinking parties" here involve going to an izakaya (Japanese style pub) and eating a lot as well as drinking. Some people will immediately start getting hammered, but others just stick to oolong tea or ginger ale- there is no pressure to drink alcohol.

It is quite a different atmosphere from going to a western style bar and you might find you really enjoy it if the company is good, I'm not a big drinker or bar-goer but I enjoy the occasional evening at an izakaya. It can get expensive if you do it too often, but if you are out with big drinkers and you are not drinking much just make it clear that you won't be splitting the bill evenly- most people will be happy with that.

Going to an izakaya is kind of a quintessential Japanese experience that you won't get anywhere else- make sure you go at least once.

[Mapleblondie]

Apsara, I've lived in Japan before so I already am familiar with the customs and I've definitely been to an izakaya...a bunch of times. I just am uncomfortable with a corporate expectation to do so. I am fine with doing it sporadically, but making a regular habit of it is a huge waste of income and I don't plan on making money just to spend it to please people and get more business for my company. To a certain extent, I understand that there are cultural expectations, but I think I am going to hermitize as much as possible to avoid rampant spending and not being able to save the amount I'd like to each month. Besides, I don't NEED to make lots of new friends, I already know a bunch of people, so going out with students is definitely not one of my priorities. But thank you for the advice to at least try an izakaya. They are interesting to go to, and nomikai parties are always a good time...But yes, the bills can be brutal, and it can seriously set a person back in terms of finances.

[Apsara]

Ah, sorry, I didn't know you'd lived in Japan before. I doubt there will be any expectation for you to go out with ECC co-workers if you don't want to- there never was at any of the eikaiwas I worked for, although that didn't include ECC. I don't think it's anything to worry about. I have also worked for a couple of Japanese companies (not eikaiwas, I work as an inhouse proofreader), and it's the same there- if invited and I don't want to go, I politely decline, and nobody makes any fuss at all.

[Mapleblondie]

Oh that's good to hear. I'm sure that, out of politeness, I SHOULD go out with them every once in a while, if asked. But it's nice to know that you didn't encounter real pressure at all.

You work as a proofreader now? If you don't mind my asking, if the pay better doing something like that than teaching at an Eikaiwa? What qualifications do you need? I know it's off-topic, but I don't think the mod would mind a brief reply on that topic...hopefully

[Glenski]

[Apsara]

I work 2 days a week proofreading technical manuals, for �2,500 per hour, 6.5 hours a day. Not a very high wage but not too bad either, especially as it's a supplement to my other work (completely non-language related). I have no technical background at all, which makes it a bit challenging, but I am working in the office with the people who know all about the machines so can ask questions and the internet is very useful for research.

What I think got me the job was that I had some experience translating and proofreading various documents for the other company I work at, and I passed JLPT 2 last year (the work environment where I proofread is all Japanese, so reasonable Japanese skills are a must. It also means I can make some sense of the original Japanese manuals.)

I was looking for extra work to supplement my income and signed up with one of the major HR recruiters, and they suggested I interview for the position I eventually got. If you have reasonable Japanese skills ( or possibly even without them) you may have a chance at getting proofreading work through an agency even without prior experience- it's worth a try if you are interested.