Job Discussion Forums

kaimana · Joined: 17 Mar 2004 Posts: 18 Location: Los Angeles, CA

JET, Interac, Earlham...are there any other companies / organizations that recruit ALTs?

Thanks!

-Kai

GambateBingBangBOOM · Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Posts: 2021 Location: Japan

If you can wait then your best bet is to apply to JET (it's not a company, it's not a scheme, it's a programme) but the application process takes almost a year. You have to wait for the application to come out, for the interview notification a few months later, for the results of the interview a few months after that, for a placement after that, and finally, just waiting until the flight leaves.

You can start looking for the application in September or October, I think they are due in November. The interview is in February, you get the results in April, you get a placement (assuming you are not on the waiting list) any time after that until just before you leave at the end of July or beginning of August.

A lot of people who are not accepted either re-apply a second time around or then apply at the other ALT recruiters and Eikaiwa schools like NOVA and GEOS and AEON (the competition to get into JET is high, but how they decide who to hire and who not to is a big mystery).

But then, with JET you will have no choice at all where you live or what level you teach and after you arrive whether or not you actually teach at all or are listed in lesson plans that you have absolutely no contact with prior to walking into the classroom as "CD".

kaimana · Joined: 17 Mar 2004 Posts: 18 Location: Los Angeles, CA

Thanks for responding. Yeah, I'm pretty informed about the JET program. I wasn't being as clear as I should have been on my original post. What I'd like to know is if there are any other organizations that offer ALT postitions that are comparable to JET in the sense that you're not teaching in a eikawa, but rather assisting Japanese Teachers in public schools (elementary, jr. high, high, etc.). Thanks Again!

Sweetsee · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 2302 Location: ) is everything

Tokyo Metropolitan School District hires people off the street. You would get a direct gig with the school. Many of these contracts are scooped up by intermediaries.

You go there and sign up. It may take time but I told two friends and they both fared well.

Good luck,
S

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

You might want to try Interac and ALTIA but these dont really compare with JET as you are paid to be a dispatch teacher in a high school or elementary school and in many cases are not paid during vacations. Pay is a lot less than working as a JET teacher, too.

kaimana · Joined: 17 Mar 2004 Posts: 18 Location: Los Angeles, CA

Sweetsee · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 2302 Location: ) is everything

Kaimana,

Well, there is private and public school. The latter having a district and you don't need to speak Japanese. The pay is hourly and good but the hours have been diminishing for years now. Plus, one contract, for say 200 hours a year is not enough to survive. I had two public contracts and had to work eikaiwa the whole time in the evenings.

Ideally, you want a private HS or uni. They are easy jobs to walk into, if for example I was packing it in, I could introduce you and that would be it. This takes time and connections.

The folks I helped were not friends but acquaintances. They are doing fine I would imagine. Though, these days the public contracts are only for three years. The school can extend it if they want to but made this term to get rid of teachers they didn't want.

I would say if you are outgoing and prepared to slog all over the place on packed trains for a few years you could make a go of it.

If I had to do it all over, I would. I like where I am now, at the top.
I have been here since 1989 and I am in my second year of easy streets.

Good luck and if you want to pick my brain, head on.

Peace,
S

king kakipi · Joined: 16 Feb 2004 Posts: 353 Location: Australia

The direct hire (Tokyo Metro Gvt) system pays well but the hours are very low. My first contract was for 45 hours in a YEAR. As those are dispersed over 18 weeks in the year it kind of ties you up for that day of the week for the whole year however, and you can`t accept a job on that day of the week elsewhere. Dealing with the officials involves some Japanese skills. I currently have three contracts going with three schools through the TMG and when I get three days` work in a week it pays the same as 5 days` work through an agency; that suits me as I am trying to study Japanese too and therefore I have more time to study (but still find plenty of excuses not to!! Laughing

) They don`t pay holiday pay,sick pay etc but then most agencies don`t either. You only need to be on site for the hours you teach; there is no requirement to stay after school if you have finished teaching (of course, it is still a good idea to hang around for a while rather than shoot out the door at 3.30pm). With, say, 5 business classes a week as regular income I think the direct hire is financially viable. You just `make hay when the sun shines`..........and study Japanese when it doesn`t!!

Lynn · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 696 Location: in between

I worked for Altia 1998-2000. I don't know if it's changed much since then, but I can answers some questions for you.

It's a great company if you want your privacy and you can handle being on your own. Japanese language was required when I worked there, and the person who replaced me as well. I also got paid during summer/winter breaks.