Job Discussion Forums

[malone76]

I am hoping for some good advice, here goes. My first post was about specific questions I had about working for GABA, but now I realize maybe I should have started with this.

I am a 40 year old white male from the United States. I have a bachelor's degree in marketing and have worked as a business manager in the healthcare industry for 17 years. I am looking do to a complete 180 and move to Japan to teach English.

I have several reasons for wanting to do this, but the main reasons are I have visited Japan and have fallen in love with country and culture. I love to travel and will use this opportunity to travel in Japan and the rest of Asia as much as possible. I want to learn to speak Japanese for my own personal reasons as well as having this skill for future work in the business world.

I have read about the different options for teaching and have figured out a few things. The easiest and most likely job to get is with an eikaiwa. Most people have mostly negative things to say about these companies. It seems that most of them have hours of about 12 - 10 pm and working on weekends is common. I don't mind weekends, but working at night is not ideal.

Another option is teaching as an ALT at elementary, junior high, and high schools. The hours seem better, but obviously you have to teach kids and I just don't know how suited I am for that. Also, it seems that you may get placed in a rural area and I would really rather teach in one of the larger cities.

My ideal job would be one where I can take some time off and travel as much as I can afford to. It seems that getting a work visa is easier from the US than moving to Japan and trying there.

Am I correct in my assumptions? What advice do you have specifically for me? Should I pursue eikaiwa or ALT. Are there any other options I have missed?

Please feel free to ask specific questions about me to help further the discussion.

Thanks!

[currentaffairs]

Another option might be Westgate. I actually originally went over with Westgate on a three-month contract. I decided to stay in Japan, and I found work fairly easily.. You get a one-year work visa so that gives you quite a bit of flexibility and more options.

Just double check that things haven't changed regarding the contract and visa..

[rtm]

It seems like a dodgy ALT dispatch company might work well. I say that because schools have summer vacation, etc., and while JET and many 'good' ALT companies might pay you during those periods (and likely expect you to work), some of the dodgy ones might just not employ you during those periods, leaving you free to travel. Most people avoid such companies because of the gap in the paychecks, but that might work well for you. Plus, you won't have evening classes.

[Miura Anjin]

The thing about working at an eikaiwa such as Aeon or Nova is that you'd get two days off per week, but no extended holidays. Also, if you're scheduled to work on a national holiday then you'll have to work on that day. You might get a few days off over New Year, Golden Week (May) and Obon (August) but those are terrible times to travel. Otherwise your annual holiday allowance will be minimal - maybe 10 days - and that doesn't leave a lot of time for travelling very much or very far.

[malone76]

Thanks for all the responses. Can you tell me more about some specific "dodgy" ALT dispatch companies rtm? Like you said, not being employed for a few months could actually work great for me! Thanks

Currentaffairs, can you please tell me more about your experience working for Westgate? How were the hours? How much time off do you receive? Thanks

[ssjup81]

[currentaffairs]

You go over on a three-month contract. Pay was about 280,000 yen per month. About 80,000 of that goes to your housing. Job is average and the company average. You could be placed anywhere. Weekends off, and 8am-4pm workdays depending on campus.

[rtm]

[victory7]

Completely edited.