Job Discussion Forums

[dddaiyamondo]

Hello all!

I am planning to head to Japan some time after the end of my school's semester in mid-May to begin job hunting. However, I'm not sure when would be the best time for me to go. I'm aware that the peak for hiring is in March, but is there any time in the summer that would be good? I would like to go between May and September, so if anyone could advise me on a good time to do my 3 months of job hunting, please let me know. Thank you very much!!

[ShioriEigoKyoushi]

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[GambateBingBangBOOM]

If you want to get a school level job (elementary, junior high or senior high) then I agree June, July, August are your best bets for your time frame. It isn't uncommon for people to bail out on jobs (with bad working conditions in a variety of ways, usually beginning with student behaviour and ending with poor communication with Japanese staff which often includes being treated like an unwanted, unskilled outsider) in the summer, especially as people return to their countries to do graduate school. I'm not sure who told you that March is the best time of year to look for a job. Most of the best ones have hired long before then. January is when the bulk of the hiring begins, but some schools hire for April starts in December, and I've known a couple of schools that have already completed their hiring by the middle of November. Usually, the earlier the hiring at a particular school begins. the better the school in terms of student level and is an indicator of how organized the school is.

March is the peak of 'Oooops! We need someone to start next month and haven't started looking yet!' time. And schools that don't hire or make decisions on whether to recontract until March often have high staff turnovers, because people feel increasingly stressed out if they don't know if they'll be told 'Sorry, you don't have a job next year' (something that does occasionally happen) with each passing week after the winter break and so often protect themsleves by going off and getting another job.

[dddaiyamondo]

[Glenski]

Since you seem to be interested only in eikaiwa work, I agree with the earlier assessment of June, July, or August. Remember there is roughly a week in August for Obon, another time when people will usually be unavailable.

Also realize those are the hottest, most humid months of the year here!

[SweetTea]

Does location matter or is this the situation in any part of the country? I am planning to go to Japan in late July.

[Apsara]

The school/business year starts in April through the entire country, so peak hiring times are the same wherever you go.