Job Discussion Forums

[Kleetus]

My girlfriend and I have accepted positions to start with Nova in August. (no clue where yet...) I'm starting to accept the fact that Nova is really ripping us off by charging us each a full amount of rent on a one bedroom apartment, though I've read it's pretty impossible to find a place on your own (especially in the first year). What other bills can we expect to pay beyond the rent...?

-internet? (I'm assuming high-speed is available almost anywhere these days)

-gym membership?

-cell phone?

Also, what's the deal with Nova paying for transportation, how does the reimbursment process work?

I understand that prices are going to be different everywhere, but if someone could help me out with some averages, that would be great. I'm pretty sure that we'll be placed in Osaka, Yokohama or Fukuoka, based on what they told us at the interview.

Thanks

[ejectseat]

I'm in the same boat, going solo and starting in July. I'm probably going to hold off on getting a phone for as long as possible, and going computerless as well.

Gym memberships look like their going to be pretty expensive based off of what was said in the "karate lessons" thread.

Cell phones? NOVA is going to try to push their contract deal phone company on you. There will be a bunch of people at the airport trying to get you to buy one also, avoid them. Wait till you get there, and find out from some co-workers. You and your girl are going to be able to get a "family" plan, and will save some lootcakes...

I'm curious about the NOVA transport reimbursement deal too. I believe I read on here that they pay for a month at a time, and you have so limited rides.

[PAULH]

[Glenski]

[canuck]

I've had friends work at NOVA.

You pay for your apartment, but don't have to worry about the utilities etc. Often you are with roommates. You avoid the setup costs, but pay a little more rent or the same as if you were on your own, but have a couple extra bodies in the house.

For example, you might share a three bedroom place, each paying 60,000 yen. However, for the same size place, three people might only have to pay 110,00 a month etc. The positive side is that you can give a months notice at anytime and leave. They take the rent at the end of the month, and if you rent on your own, you have to pay at the beginning of the month. This is quite a hit when/if you move out, making it more difficult financially, which is why many people end of staying in their apartments for a while. My suggestion is to blast the aircon non stop during the summer because it's free...and it's hot and humid around Japan.

NOVA has a deal with the phone companies and get a cut signing you up. It's the same with the airplane tickets. Basically, they try to make money on everything. The bonus is that they try to make it easy. NOVA will not pay for your phone bills.

Transportation is paid by your employer. This is at the end of the month typically. The way the train system works is that you pay per ride. Once you leave the ticket gates, your ticket is gone. However, you can buy a monthly pass, and use the trains on the route you by. However, your company will only pay for the route from you house to your work location.

Remember, you also get paid at the end of the month, once a month. So, depending on when you arrive, you work for a month or more (depending on when the pay period cut off is) and get paid the following month. It could be 2.5 months before you see any money. This is why NOVA also offers loans to people.

All this information was available if you used the search fuction too. There is a lot of information on NOVA. Good luck guys....and I'd start looking for another job as soon as you're comfortable here.

[ejectseat]

TWO AND A HALF MONTHS BEFORE THE 1ST CHECK! holy hell. Should be interesting...

[PAULH]

[Luna Chica]

When you go to your first training day at head office they can sign you up for a k-tei (mobile phone) then and there. Get one it saves you having to try and explain and understand to a Japanese shop assistant at a later date. In Japan you won't have a home line, so you will need a mobile.

When you know where you are being placed buy a monthly pass called a teiki, get one of the Japanese staff at you school or another teacher to show you how to do it. Then get your AT to fax a copy of it off to head office and they will reimburse you as part of your pay every month.

NOVA can give you an advance on your pay when you get there if you need it. You don't have to take it but they offer that to you.

[Apsara]

Really, as other people have said, if you only plan to stay in Japan a year or so, the Nova apartment isn't such a bad deal.

To give you an idea, my husband and I moved into a new apartment last year- a pretty small 1LDK, 110,000 yen per month as it's only 3 minutes from an express stop station only 10 minutes from Shinjuku- you can get bigger apartments for a bit less if you're further away from the station or live on one of the private train lines rather than JR, but I need to be near this particular station for work .

Just to get in here, we paid: 2 months key money, 2 months deposit, 1 month agency fee, 2 months rent in advance and about 30,000 in insurance and other fees- that's 800,000 yen already. Once we've been here 2 years we will have to pay a month's rent extra as a "renewal fee". We had some furniture and the gas cooktop and light fittings were included (unusual in Japan) , but needed to buy a TV, fridge, washing machine, new futon, shelving, extra odd fittings and utensils, which probably set us back another 800,000. We pay around 15,000 a month for water, gas and electricity.

When I worked for Nova I shared with 2 others in a nice 3LDK about 8 mins from a station in Yokohama- I paid 73,000 a month, but had none of the above set-up costs, the 73,000 included all utilities, and if something broke, we just called head office and a repairman or a new one was sent out promptly, no charge to us.

It does take a long time to get your first full pay- this is a possible scenario: You arrive, say, 11 Aug. You start training/ work on the 14th. Payday is August 20th but you won't get anything because it's for the calendar month of July. You continue working through September. On Sept 20th you are paid for Aug 14- 31- only half a full pay. On October 20th, more than 2 months after you started working, you finally get a full pay, but if you took the 150,000 yen advance option, 50,000 will have been withheld to pay back the first instalment of this (or possibly they start doing this once you're off probation? Can't remember.)

In any case it will be about Feb the next year before you finally see a real, full pay- the first 6 months tend to be pretty lean unless you brought plenty with you. The 100 yen shop is your friend when you first arrive- find out where the nearest one to you is as soon as you get here!

[luckyloser700]

[PAULH]

[DarkMagus]

Considering the language issues I'll be having, I'm honestly a little worried about getting myself a cellphone (and doing many many other things) when in Japan. But my attitude is that, with enough creativity and effort, anything can be done. I'm going to just dive right in and learn as much as I can as fast as I can, until I can function adequately. I'm not going to Japan so that I can insulate myself from Japanese culture!

With that said, I could really use some info on Japanese cellphone plans/companies... !

[luckyloser700]

[bornslippy1981]

[Nagoyaguy]

As far as cell phones go, many of them have a bilingual feature that will display all the commands and menus in English.

Gym membership? Mine is 7500 yen a month, full membership. 10,000 yen joining fee, but no other charges like a per-use charge. It is open from 1000am to midnight 6 days a week.