Job Discussion Forums

[flyingkiwi]

Hi all.

Well, I finish the JET Programme on 31st July, and I want to stay in Japan and look at other teaching jobs. I have already applied to AEON and ECC last week.

The problem is when I finish my JET work, where will I live? Interview process could take a month or two. Should I get a new apartment and hope I can land another job reasonably quickly (before I run out of money, I have currently 1,000,000 saved)?


Or should I just go back to New Zealand and apply and interview from there? Trouble is, most interviews for eikaiwas are held in Sydney, and that costs money to attend anyway.

Can anyway help me, or has anyone been in the same situation?

Anyway, thanks, and I will go on with my job hunting

[markle]

Well you have time on your side.

two months is plenty of time to have some sort of job nailed down. A decent employer will be happy to wait if you happen to find a place early on. Also you might have to wait until after the summer break (late August) to start a new position.
two things I advise avoiding - going home, unless its for a holiday or a permanent return, all the best bets will be found here in Japan. not to mention the logistics of a long distance hiring process.
- eating into your savings. It's only money you'll have to earn back again and you'll most likely have to live on less than your JET salary.

[flyingkiwi]

Thank you.

One problem is I only have one more Nenkyu day. So I can't interview until I have finished my current job, it looks like.

Should I just find another apartment and work from there?

P.S. just sent my resume to Berlitz.

[sethness]

I agree, two months is a pretty good window, especially since you will simply be transferring your visa-- not making a new one.

Going back to NZ woudl be a big mistake-- most employers want you to already be in Japan, both for the sake of the interview and because their experience is that an employjment offer given to someone overseas has a low chance of resulting in someone flying to Japan to accept.

However, it would be a big mistake to rent a new apartment while lookign for work. Real estate agents here make an absolute killing every time you move-- both in moving fees and in extortionate commissions/cleaning fees known as "key money" and "tatami replacement". Instead, if you DO need to stay in Japan, look for an inexpensive "monthly mansion" or even look around for a host family that will happily trade housing and phone/fax access for the chance to practice their English on you.

[Glenski]

Two important things to consider:

1) When is your visa up? It is an instructor visa, not a Humanities Specialist work visa, and since your sponsor is not a company, but probably CLAIR or the BOE where you work, they may stop sponsorship on it before it expires. I don't know for certain about this latter part, but confirm when it expires naturally.

Since it is an instructor visa, you cannot use it to work in places other than where it is designated (public schools). So, eikaiwa work is out unless the eikaiwa is willing to sponsor you for a Humanities Specialist work visa. Simple matter to change, but it must be done.

2) Finding an apartment usually means having a guarantor, and that is usually your employer. So, unless you are able to find a rare place that doesn't require a guarantor, is JET/BOE/CLAIR willing to sponsor you for a new apartment so close to your contract expiring?

Dancing around the visa and new employer issues can be tricky. Don't get caught here overstaying an instructor visa.

[flyingkiwi]

For JETs, we can extend our visa by 90 days after our contract, which should be a good window to do interviewing ect. Once I land a job, I can use the new company to sponsor my visa, if they are willing...??

Or, maybe a company's ideal candidate would be someone they don't need to take the trouble to signing up a new visa for?

[Grasshopper]

I would suggest looking around & talking to people in your area. You don`t work seven days a week...And I know you said you only have one nenkyu day, maybe you can use that if you do secure some interviews.

On the weekends go to schools in your area and talk to them, offer your resume & let them know when you can begin work by. This may bring some opportunities.

You already have a visa, so changing it shouldn`t be a problem, just something you have to do once you find new work.

I also agree. If you want to work in Japan, you should stay here to look for a job.

Basically, just keep looking & talking to people. You do have a lot of time.

Good luck.

[Grasshopper]

...and as for the apartment, if I were you, I`d probably try to get a weekly Mansion, especially like a Leo Palace or something.