Job Discussion Forums

[Justinelebonne]

Hi,

I am moving to Japan in January 2010 and i really need some help.

I really do not know where to start.

My main questions are-

- Can i arrive on a one way ticket?
- Do i find a job when i get there?
-Where is the best place to live? I am not into big city life. I would prefer to be by the beach and around nature. I would however, still like to be able to have a lot of friends, ex pat or otherwise.
-How do i go about finding a job?
-What salary can i expect?
-Will i be able to save money and still enjoy my life?
-Will i be able to eat vegetarian?
-What kind of hours would i be teaching?

Thanks,

Justine

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

Without a job or contacts, REALLY, REALLY do research before just showing up in Japan in January to look for a job. There basically are none then.

[Glenski]

You really need to read the FAQ stickies!

- Can i arrive on a one way ticket?
No, not usually. Airlines will not let you come that way unless you have permission to stay (a visa).

- Do i find a job when i get there?
You could, but be prepared to wait 2-4 months before that and your first paycheck rolls in. Alternately, get hired by the few places that hire abroad, so you can stay in the comfort of your own country until you are sure you are hired.

-Where is the best place to live? I am not into big city life. I would prefer to be by the beach and around nature. I would however, still like to be able to have a lot of friends, ex pat or otherwise.
Best place depends on you. Keep in mind that if you get hired by the bigger outfits, they will give you a choice of where you want to work/live, but in the end you go where they have the vacancies. Beaches in Japan are not the best quality. You seem to want your cake and eat it, too, by wanting to be near lots of friends. When you arrive, you won't have any here, so how is that supposed to happen?

-How do i go about finding a job?
Read the stickies. You answer ads and interview and hope for the best.

-What salary can i expect?
With all these general questions, I'd have to say that you're bottom rung of the ladder, meaning ALT work or eikaiwa. (If you don't know what these are, you are indeed bottom rung and need to do some basic research.) Those jobs pay 220,000-250,000 yen/month with the exception of JET Programme ALT, which pays 300,000. Those are pre-tax and pre-deduction figures. Lop off 10-15% for taxes (20% if you are on working holiday visa).

There will be employers who offer far less. Avoid them if you can. Read ads to see the general range of salaries.

-Will i be able to save money and still enjoy my life?
That's up to your lifestyle, location and rent. It's very possible.

-Will i be able to eat vegetarian?
Define your brand of vegetarianism. There are too many to say conclusively yes, but I will give you the nod here in a general way.

-What kind of hours would i be teaching?
ALTs teach Monday to Friday, 45-minute lessons, 2-4 per day, and are finished by 5pm.
Eikaiwa teachers may have 45, 60, or 80 minute lessons any day of the week (5-6 days per week, and Sat / Sun may not be your weekend), from noon to 9pm. You could have 2-8 classes per day.

Now, do you have the minimum requirements to get a work visa? That would be a bachelor's degree in any subject.

[cornishmuppet]

To the OP, good luck for your life in wherever you choose out of Laos, Taiwan, Thailand or Japan, all of which you claim to be moving to early next year. Read the stickies then come back when you've made a final decision and lots of people will do their best to help you out.

[flyer]

[cornishmuppet]

You at Interac? In three and a half years as an ALT I've only done five lessons in a day once, and that was because a teacher was sick. I've heard of people getting brutal schedules at elementary schools but at Junior High its unheard of. The JTEs don't work that many and if you're doing more lessons a week than the JTEs you should ask serious questions of your employer.

Finishing at 5.30? Thats unfortunate. I'm done at 4.15 now I work at High School, though one day a week I've been coerced into staying until 6pm for an English Club.

[seklarwia]

Flyer,

If you are in JH then you are most unfortunately.

On a normal day in my JH there are only 5 teaching periods but I average around 2-3 lessons a day. I very rarely have 5 classes and have only done 6 once (one period had been cancelled earlier that month for an emergency assembly so had been added onto that day - pretty much every teacher in the school ended up with a brutal schedule that day).

If you are with Interac, I've heard that normal let off time is around 4. I often leave after 5, but that's because I've joined the smoking/eating/gossip after school club in the main staffroom.

[Glenski]

[LITTLE PEACHES]

i didn't read everyone elses posts...so sorry if this is repeating....these answers are only from what i have learned and experienced.

- Can i arrive on a one way ticket?
most likely not...immigration can be difficult...i had a horrible experience getting through immigration with a round trip because the return date was more then 3 months away, which is what you can go for on a tourist visa.

- Do i find a job when i get there?
i would reccomend getting one before you come out here unless you speak the language. like many other countries....japan is in an economic pinch. if you are having a hard job in your country..expect the same situation here to find a job...i have heard this, i came out here with a job and didn't look for one...i haven't heard or seen any places looking for a job.

-Where is the best place to live? I am not into big city life. I would prefer to be by the beach and around nature. I would however, still like to be able to have a lot of friends, ex pat or otherwise.
hmmm...i live in tokyo and there are not many beaches....okinawa is where the beach scene is, but there aren't many jobs there if any for english teachers. japan is very very very over populated so great areas of lands aren't great from my experience. there are nice places to hike and travel to though that arent tooo far. I feel like everything is about an hour away by train.

-How do i go about finding a job?
i have no idea

-What salary can i expect?
coming out you will spend quite a bit...japan is an expensive country! bring lots of money with you....depending on what you do will help you with your salary...i reccomend going with a company that will help you with housing...renting an apartment or a house through anyone in japan is very expensive...you can expect to pay 5-6 times your rent before ever signing your contract and actually renting your apartment...very expensive.

-Will i be able to save money and still enjoy my life?
i havent been here long enough, but from my coworkers some have been able to some havent, it depends on how lavishly you live.

-Will i be able to eat vegetarian?
my coworker that i replaced was a vegetarian and she seemed to do fine. Remember produce here is more expensive then other countries since we import it.

-What kind of hours would i be teaching?
depends on where you are working, public school have fixed regular school hours. I work at a small private school and work thursday through money with tuesday and wed off. I work 37 hours a week. Japanese work very hard so there are days that i work 10 hours and others that i work 4, so it can be hard to understand sometimes. Weekends i am off by 5 though

hope this is a little helpful for you....feel free to pm me or ask any questions

[lisa111082]

[seklarwia]