Job Discussion Forums

Bread · Joined: 24 May 2009 Posts: 318

You have to attend an Interac "interview session" to get a job with them, I know because I was looking for Japan jobs when I was ready to leave Korea. They're offered all over the world, but not in Korea. So you'll have to go to Japan for the interview if they're the ones you want. Or did you mean that you're going to go back to your home country first?

Even without a job, as long as you come with like 6000 USD to hold you over and get you away in case you fail, I wouldn't worry too much. You can at least find some terrible children's eikaiwa job that will get you a visa, probably. I can definitely sympathize with wanting to get out of Korea ASAP.

Tip: At least when I came over, one-way tickets from Seoul to Tokyo were half the price of a round trip. Then I bought a refundable Tokyo to Seoul ticket for 3 months after my arrival and canceled it for a full refund after I got a job.

Imseriouslylost · Joined: 09 Nov 2009 Posts: 123 Location: Tokyo

seklarwia · Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 4:10 pm Post subject:

seklarwia · Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 4:17 pm Post subject:

Oh and about Gaba; check with your contact whether they can sponsor visas. When I checked their site, they said the applicants had to have a visa that allowed work.

Because they don't pay a salary per month, but pay you per class taught and allow you to choose your schedule, they can't guarentee immigration that you will always be earning enough money to survive on, so may not be allowed to act as your sponsor.

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

mrbbkk · Joined: 02 Jun 2007 Posts: 70 Location: Tokyo

I worked in Chiba for 6 years and lived near Kinshicho on the sobu line. I bought a condo near there. I would live on the Tokyo side of your job in chiba.

Whenever I went to work, my train was nearly empty but the train going the opposite way into Tokyo was jam packed

Likewise going home the rush hour trains (about 5 pm to 9pm) in Tokyo were very very crowded going back out to Chiba but not crowded at all going into Tokyo

So if you work in Chiba live in east Tokyo near the sobu line or yokosuka line and travel against traffic.

Then you will also not be so far from Shinjuku or Shibuya or Akihabara or other good parts of Tokyo. You can even take the Yokosuka line to Yokohama.

Imseriouslylost · Joined: 09 Nov 2009 Posts: 123 Location: Tokyo

mrbbkk · Joined: 02 Jun 2007 Posts: 70 Location: Tokyo

Usually your company pays for your train pass so it is basically free to take the train between where you live and where you work

The crowded trains are going towards Tokyo in the morning and away from Tokyo in the evening. Just traveling in the opposite direction in the morning and in the evening and you will be fine as long as you are outside the Yamanote line.

eIn0791207912 · Joined: 12 Jan 2009 Posts: 33

Hey OP, I've been watching your thread here and on the Korean side too.

You and I are in the exact same situation. 25. Been in Korea 3 years. Dying to get to Japan. Korea kicked us in the rump too much.

But, I've been planning this move for over a year now and here's my opinion on it all.

Take your time. The world isn't going to end next year and there will always be English teaching jobs in Japan (though the market may be flooded work is there, no need to rush it.)

It sounds like you're jumping the gun a bit. Weren't too sure on visa law and other such things. Do your research completely. If possible, give the market time to pick up. I, for example, am gonna do working holiday in Australia next year, and see if the job market doesn't pick up after that. Yes, "migooks" have working holidays, but only with Aus and New Zealand.

If it seems too daunting a task, give it a year, I bet things look better then.

I've also found out, even though we may be able to jump over to Japan from here, finding work is actually much easier from North America. If you don't have a visa already, letting schools see you in Japan is just kind of a tease. They still have to go through the process as though you were in N.A. In fact, looking for work while on a tourist visa might be a waste of time. The cost would be the same as traveling to different interviews in the States, but with the benefit of being able to go through the normal process.

Oh, and even if you hate Korea, don't don't don't skip out on your contract. Even giving a notice, you'll lose out on all your pension. After 3 years, that's going to be over $4,000. You want to walk out on that? I want to leave Korea too, but breaking contract isn't worth losing that much cash. Plus your end of contract bonus. I'm at a PS, so for me it's $3,000. So leaving early would be minus $7,000. That's nuts. I hate it, but I'll stick it out.

Imseriouslylost · Joined: 09 Nov 2009 Posts: 123 Location: Tokyo

silver_butterfly · Joined: 02 May 2008 Posts: 11

eIn0791207912 · Joined: 12 Jan 2009 Posts: 33

silver_butterfly · Joined: 02 May 2008 Posts: 11

Thanks for the information - makes things a whole lot clearer!

I would certainly give full notice when I choose to leave, my school already know there's a 50% chance I will leave at 6 months. Sometimes plans don't go exactly the way we want and they actually understand this and are choosing to work with me as opposed to against me (I think having worked for them for 3 years already helps - I consider myself very fortunate). Losing 6 months of 3.5 years worth of pension is something I can deal with, but I'm glad I know the facts now rather than later - but at least I know what to expect now. I only get 50% back anyway being a British citizen, so it won't result to that big a loss anyway.

Cheers! ^^

kimsmith · Joined: 21 Feb 2009 Posts: 14 Location: Brighton

Actually, as a British citizen you won't get anything back, as I discovered when I went to the National Pension Office to get information. This is from their website:
Benefits under this Convention
① Since the Convention on Social Security Between Korea and the UK is a Contributions-only Convention, there is no provision of Totalization of Periods of Coverage for the entitlement to benefit.
② Therefore, there is no pension benefits under the Convention, whether the payment is granted depends on the each country's legislation respectively.
③ And a Korean Lump-sum refund is not paid to the nationals of U.K."Pension status for citizens of the U.K.

From Galbijim:
"Unlike the US and Canada, Korea and the UK have only agreed to a 'contribution only' convention, at this time. What this means to UK citizens working in Korea, is that your Korean pension contributions can be added to your accruing pension credits in the UK, of which you can begin to receive when you retire in that country. "

But if you are Canadian or American it is totally worth getting your pension - you CAN still do it if you do a midnight-run because the necessary documents all things which you should have anyway. My husband did this and he didn't need to show his contract - the one-way ticket was enough. It is true that it takes a while to get the money, but they will pay into an overseas account if you ask them too. They might say they can't, but they can. and do... so don't give in!

I think the best thing for finding a job here is to to apply for several and eventually one will work out. There are still jobs around and don't limit yourself to ALT jobs. It just takes a lot of time and effort to find them. As for not wanting to end up somewhere rural, even if you live in Chiba city, most of the rest of Chiba prefecture is pretty rural. In fact, although Japan has plenty of big cities, you quickly run into rural, but it is very easy to take a train out of it into the city!

Good luck job hunting. My school will definitely have 2 vacancies in April.

Imseriouslylost · Joined: 09 Nov 2009 Posts: 123 Location: Tokyo

The waiting is killing me, here.

I know patience is a virtue but I have a lot riding on moving to Japan and want to do so in a way that doesn't leave me out in the cold.

I had one interview. It went alright.

I have another interview in the pipe for the end of November.

I was rejected from Westgate on step #1. Given what I've heard here and on Gaijinpot, though, they seem to reject a lot of people.

I am waiting for interview dates with Borderlink. (Total: three interviews)

ALTIA, which is holding interviews here in Seoul, put me on the waiting list. I told them I'd fly to Japan for an interview if possible. They seemed interested but they also seemed full. Lets see.

I'm also waiting on Interac. I told them I'd fly to Japan for an interview. They have yet to get back to me and unfortunately they don't mike their hiring process public so I can't make any predictions.

Thats about it. I've also applied for a few Eikaiwas (Gaba, ECC, Berlitz etc) and haven't heard anything back from any of them, although I'm only really applying to them as a backup in case all my ALT jobs fall through.

I check Gaijinpot everyday for new job postings but unfortunately none have been cropping up recently. I think they will start coming back in December.

In any case, what is the point of no return? December, January? When I should give up on the search and just put it off until next year or focus on Eikaiwas only?

Thanks.