Job Discussion Forums

kenishi86 · Joined: 07 Feb 2011 Posts: 27

I was looking through a couple of threads and was immediately reminded of the fact that some of the various Interac branches are better than others and was wondering if I could rundown on the branches. Which have a history of being trouble? Which are pretty good?

Tokyo (broken into 6? 4? internal branches)
Hitachi
Nagoya
Chiba
Osaka
Yokohama
Hiroshima
Hamamatsu
Fukuoka

I've read that Hiroshima is notoriously bad.

I'll be getting my placement soon with Interac and would enjoy the added information to be able to include in my decision.

Kaycie21 · Joined: 21 Jul 2010 Posts: 14

I'm curious what you heard about the Hiroshima branch? I ran a search and couldn't find anything.

I used to work for Tokyo branch, but I worked in Sendai. Didn't have any real problems with them. Didn't like my Managing Consultant though, but I spoke to him maybe 3 times while I was there.

kenishi86 · Joined: 07 Feb 2011 Posts: 27

On Hiroshima branch.

From Borderlink vs Interac.

rxk22 · Joined: 19 May 2010 Posts: 1629

wayne432 · Joined: 05 Jun 2008 Posts: 255

I've heard the Yokohama branch is one of the best if not the best.
My friend had some interaction with the Nerima branch (that might have been the one that sent people to Sendai area?). While the hiring staff and general HR were nice, the management and training staff were apparently horrible (had no idea what they were doing, frequently went back on their word, etc)

mudl · Joined: 15 Apr 2011 Posts: 8 Location: Sakai, Osaka, Japan

Just got recruited and placed this year, too. I'm heading out to Sakai, Osaka, and i'm pretty hyped. I'll let you guys know how it goes. Couple of things, though:

At recruitment the recruiter said two things that stuck with me:
1. They say Australians tend to do better in Japan and are happier, because, apparently, they are more flexible and go with the flow. To me that says, when you're in Japan, if your branch sucks, well I guess you'll have to go with the flow. He also said something about the further south you got the more sketchy the branches were (dunno how legit that is).

2. He said that if you're reading about stuff online it could be from a long time ago and the staff could have changed. He never said Interac was perfect, but they have been getting better in previous years. They've got more money than ever, and they're getting better about communicating and keeping good report with their employees. I know because they had me fill out a survey about it--so they clearly care a lot.

I guess a lot's changed in the last however many years they've been in business ( http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=57766 ) you'll see people around the forums that still hate Interac, though. Hopefully I'll never find out why.

Furthermore, I gather the interaction between the BOEs of Japan and Interac is a fairly complex one, and that the ambiguity of Japan is intensified when you're trying to get a job through a private company vs. the traditional JET route. Just my two cents.

So far my office has done an awesome job of hooking up my accommodation, telling me directions from the airport and when to fly in for training, letting me know how much I'll be paid and what sort of health care I'll need to set up, giving me a language proficiency level, and how many/what sort of schools i'll be working at.

kenishi86 · Joined: 07 Feb 2011 Posts: 27

Thanks for the info guys. Turns out I won't really need it after all since I've been bumped to an alternate Sad

. Now I just have to worry about getting placed in Fukushima.

Inflames · Joined: 02 Apr 2006 Posts: 486

rxk22 · Joined: 19 May 2010 Posts: 1629

seklarwia · Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2011 2:59 am Post subject:

natsume · Joined: 24 Apr 2006 Posts: 409 Location: Chongqing, China

rxk22 · Joined: 19 May 2010 Posts: 1629

mudl · Joined: 15 Apr 2011 Posts: 8 Location: Sakai, Osaka, Japan

Well, I've been in Sakai/Osaka for almost three months and I'm here to fulfill a promise of checking back in.

Pretty much everything InFlame's said was good advice. (I'm going to ignore the time zone talk because technically this is supposed to be a topic on branches for Interac.)

Bottom line, if you know what you're getting into before you come it won't be as big of a shock--but yes, there is a lot of ambiguity, which can easily be translated into shady practices from Interac. Still, I'm actually pretty happy working for them--it could be a lot worse.

So, here's the most important information I think anyone coming to Osaka should know:
1. ESID (apparently a JET thing, but it means Every Situation is Different) - Your friends in Hokkaido working for Interac are going to have a very different experience than you. I know, because I've met people who love working for Interac, worked for them after JET, and then came to Osaka and had some complaints. Why? We'll get to that now->

2. The most common contract in Osaka, as far as I can tell, is the Sakai contract. Interac lost is last year, to Minerva, I think, but this year they have it again. (I guess Minerva charged a bit less, and Sakai was unhappy with what they got).

3. The Sakai contract is only 6 months. This complicates a lot of things. If anyone says this branch is "run-down", the 6 month contract probably puts a severe limitation on what Interac can do down here.

4. Many of the people who came with me took out short term loans with Interac (presumably, because, like me, they have college debt and not much in savings). The short term loan is pretty much paid back in 4 months. You don't have to do that, but apparently a lot of people do--and it's an option you should be aware of that affects your budget.

5. Interac will help you find housing with Leo Palace. Some people HATE Leo Palace. I don't mind it at all. (it's ironic actually, I met an Australian, after having made the comment about Australians finding it easy to live here, that has probably had the hardest time "going with the flow"). But you can read a lot about Leo Palace and even watch videos just by looking it up on Google.

6. Interac helps with transportation. This is a big help.

7. Your going to be making a lot less than you think you are. Apparently, base salary for ES teachers is 260,000 and for JHS teachers it's like 230,000 (I think). BUT, if you got the loan take out about 50,000 for four months. Then you've rent coming directly out of your paycheck if your with Leo Palace, that's like at least another 50,000. Then you've got pension and shakai hoken (which you can read more about by doing a search on this forum). That's about 15,000 (note: you can get your pension back if you live in the states, you just apply for it and they send it to you, if you live in the commonwealth it goes back to your country when you leave). Anyway, you're down to about 115,000 to 245,000 now. BUT:

8. Your "base salary" isn't actually your salary. You're still basically paid by the day. So, if your work month is less, and the holidays are mandatory to be paid by the government, you're salary will be "pro rated". This includes sick days. So don't get sick.

9. The 6 month contract is weird, though. It starts in August and goes until March. SO, come March you'll already have to either re-contract or find a new job. A lot of people I know are thinking about working for Eikaiwa's so they can stay in Osaka. But, I'm interested in seeing the country or moving, so we'll see what happens--I don't know if I'll be offered another position. They say come February it'll be a mad rush of people getting new jobs. If you stay with Interac, and you request a place to move to, they won't help with moving expenses. If they give you two options and you take one that requires you to move they give you some money (probably like 1000 bucks). If they ask to move you to a specific area and give you no other choice, they pay for everything (though I doubt they'd do that, it seems easier to give you the option and then just to give you a thousand, but I dunno).

10. OK, all that said, the job is awesome. I don't think it's the same with JHS teachers, so I can't speak for them, but being an ES teacher is awesome. I love the kids. Apparently Sakai is notorious in terms of bad behavior, but I've seen bad behavior in the states in Mississippi (see google for that), so these problems seem funny. But, I suppose ESID. I work at seven schools, so it's busy every month. I'm happy with my take home, I send home money for savings and to pay loans, I eat well, and I have a little bit of money for travel. I don't live too far from a main shopping area, and I live right near a train station.

Well. That's my experience so far. I just wanted to share some of the things I wish I had known before I came. If I could go back and do it all over again, I'd probably have done the same thing. I don't know what I'm going to do in March, but I'm pretty sure I'll be staying in Japan--and hopefully it won't be with an Eikaiwa, because I've heard some horror stories about them. Anyway, cheers.

seklarwia · Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2011 8:08 am Post subject: Re: Interac Osaka

mudl · Joined: 15 Apr 2011 Posts: 8 Location: Sakai, Osaka, Japan

Yeah, I think we do get some paid leve eventually, but somehow I think it was like worked into out schedule already. And hey, I'm not complaining the job seems pretty cushy to me. 8-5, plenty of holidays, good pay on time. I know some people also were concerned tha the branch didn't take them to the post office to set up their bank account or to their apartment. But, I feel like sense it was the summer it's pretty understandable.