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Swampthing500
Joined: 24 Nov 2008
Posts: 6
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 Posted: Sat Jul 17, 2010 11:08 am Post subject: Teaching at a public school in Japan |
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Hey
I am currently teaching at a middle school in Korea, and want to go teach at either a middle or high school in Japan early next year.
Besides the Jet Program, what are the best recruitment companies to apply with? I would prefer to work in a rural setting. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Sat Jul 17, 2010 12:40 pm Post subject: |
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Public schools usually hire ALTs, so that means the JET program or a (yuk!) dispatch agency. There are rare cases of direct hire ALTs, but you usually need contacts and experience here first, plus a lot of luck.
What is "early next year"? Academic year here starts in April, and that means ALTs get hired 3-6 months beforehand, or in March during the peak rush (when people bail out). |
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Swampthing500
Joined: 24 Nov 2008
Posts: 6
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| Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 5:02 am Post subject: |
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| Glenski wrote: |
Public schools usually hire ALTs, so that means the JET program or a (yuk!) dispatch agency. There are rare cases of direct hire ALTs, but you usually need contacts and experience here first, plus a lot of luck.
What is "early next year"? Academic year here starts in April, and that means ALTs get hired 3-6 months beforehand, or in March during the peak rush (when people bail out). |
Well, any time next year then.
WHat kind of dispatch agency should I apply to? |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 6:47 am Post subject: |
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"Any time next year"? Did you read what I wrote about academic year start dates?
As for what type of dispatch agency, I'll pass on replying. Most people will tell you that the vast majority are pretty bad. You have to live on 60% of your salary during breaks, usually get no health insurance paid for (although it is legally required), support varies with the employer but is not generally considered stellar, and often wind up in disputes over various things. |
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Swampthing500
Joined: 24 Nov 2008
Posts: 6
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| Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 3:24 pm Post subject: |
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| Glenski wrote: |
"Any time next year"? Did you read what I wrote about academic year start dates?
As for what type of dispatch agency, I'll pass on replying. Most people will tell you that the vast majority are pretty bad. You have to live on 60% of your salary during breaks, usually get no health insurance paid for (although it is legally required), support varies with the employer but is not generally considered stellar, and often wind up in disputes over various things. |
So there is no recruitment mid year like in SK?
And there are no recruitment agencies who advertise positions in public schools? |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 10:44 pm Post subject: |
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| Swampthing500 wrote: |
| So there is no recruitment mid year like in SK? |
I have no idea what it's like in SK. Reread what I wrote about when to look for ALT jobs here. If anyone else on this site knows otherwise, please help out.
| Quote: |
| And there are no recruitment agencies who advertise positions in public schools? |
To the best of my knowledge, dispatch agencies do not put up posters or ads in schools here.
They advertise online, but I thought my comment earlier was an indication of the poor quality such agencies entail. Interview at your own risk. |
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Swampthing500
Joined: 24 Nov 2008
Posts: 6
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| Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 11:35 pm Post subject: |
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| Glenski wrote: |
| Swampthing500 wrote: |
| So there is no recruitment mid year like in SK? |
I have no idea what it's like in SK. Reread what I wrote about when to look for ALT jobs here. If anyone else on this site knows otherwise, please help out.
| Quote: |
| And there are no recruitment agencies who advertise positions in public schools? |
To the best of my knowledge, dispatch agencies do not put up posters or ads in schools here.
They advertise online, but I thought my comment earlier was an indication of the poor quality such agencies entail. Interview at your own risk. |
How are such agencies poor quality? It is my understanding they are not actual employers, but recruiters. After going through them, the applicant becomes an employee of the school/government, not the recruitment company. |
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seklarwia
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 1546
Location: Monkey onsen, Nagano
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| Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 11:49 pm Post subject: |
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| Swampthing500 wrote: |
| How are such agencies poor quality? It is my understanding they are not actual employers, but recruiters. After going through them, the applicant becomes an employee of the school/government, not the recruitment company. |
This is a difference to SK. The dispatch companies here are not recruiters as such even though that's how many people refer to them.
Only JET is really a recruitment programme in the sense that you are referring to. But if you come via a dispatch company, the dispatch company is your employer; not the school(s)/BOE. |
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shostahoosier
Joined: 14 Apr 2009
Posts: 30
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| Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 1:49 am Post subject: |
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| seklarwia wrote: |
| Swampthing500 wrote: |
| How are such agencies poor quality? It is my understanding they are not actual employers, but recruiters. After going through them, the applicant becomes an employee of the school/government, not the recruitment company. |
This is a difference to SK. The dispatch companies here are not recruiters as such even though that's how many people refer to them.
Only JET is really a recruitment programme in the sense that you are referring to. But if you come via a dispatch company, the dispatch company is your employer; not the school(s)/BOE. |
True...this way, the less the dispatch company pays you...the more money they get to keep from the local school board 
OP it sounds like you are very early in your process....it might be best if you lurk through the postings on various boards to find out basics. DavesESL is not a good board for info on Japan. |
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seklarwia
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 1546
Location: Monkey onsen, Nagano
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| Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 2:15 am Post subject: |
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Well it used to be better back when the FAQ stickies were still around.
It is still a huge mystery as to why they were removed in the first place  |
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shostahoosier
Joined: 14 Apr 2009
Posts: 30
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| Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 3:48 am Post subject: |
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| seklarwia wrote: |
Well it used to be better back when the FAQ stickies were still around.
It is still a huge mystery as to why they were removed in the first place |
Sorry, I meant along the lines of being active. There is plenty of good information to be found here but the number of posters is probably smaller than some of the other Japan ESL sites. This site is definitely friendlier.
I agree that stickies do help...well usually.
The Korean side of this site has a pretty exhaustive list of stickies..but that still doesnt stop the wave of "I want to teach English in country "X"..what do I need to know" posts every September and May.
OP, definitely research what dispatch companies you might end up working for. Some range from a fair amount of complaints (Interac) to downright sinister (JALSS). You'll have to read what people say but understand that employees will always have gripes.
I was really excited when I was offered a position through JALSS last year, but not so much when I dug a little deeper and came across all the horror stories. The worst part is they really tried to rush me into it! |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 4:22 am Post subject: |
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| Swampthing500 wrote: |
| How are such agencies poor quality? |
Please read my posts more carefully!
I wrote:
Most people will tell you that the vast majority are pretty bad. You have to live on 60% of your salary during breaks, usually get no health insurance paid for (although it is legally required), support varies with the employer but is not generally considered stellar, and often wind up in disputes over various things.
| Quote: |
| It is my understanding they are not actual employers, but recruiters. After going through them, the applicant becomes an employee of the school/government, not the recruitment company. |
Npoe. Dead wrong, as others have pointed out.
You are not the employee of the school/government/BOE unless you work there for 3 consecutive years FT under a dispatch contract (and even then, the dispatch agencies try to wiggle out of it because it takes money away from their pockets, and BOEs don't want to mess with a direct hire very often).
You need to read up more on such outfits:
http://www.generalunion.org/law/dispatch
http://www.generalunion.org/alt/news/672
http://fukuoka.generalunion.org/alt/index.html
http://www.generalunion.org/alt/news/682
http://www.generalunion.org/alt/news/623?lang=jp
http://www.generalunion.org/alt/news/643
http://www.generalunion.org/alt/news/77?lang=jp
http://interac.generalunion.org/news/544 |
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Ryu Hayabusa
Joined: 08 Jan 2008
Posts: 182
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| Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 12:36 pm Post subject: |
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@seklarwia
At least part of the FAQ stickies have been re-posted as of last Tuesday (July 13th 2010.) |
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seklarwia
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 1546
Location: Monkey onsen, Nagano
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| Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 1:22 pm Post subject: |
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But it is mostly list of links that people simply can't be bothered to read or don't understand so they end up posting the same basic questions day in, day out.
The old stickies were good in that they included all the basic info in a few easy to understand posts. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 2:09 pm Post subject: |
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"Can't be bothered to read..."?
We know that some people ignore the FAQ sign wherever it gets posted, but I thought some of those FAQs here were pretty darned necessary.
As for "can't understand", what's not to understand?
And as for "a few easy posts", those original FAQs got pretty long-winded at times and numbered over 3 dozen as I recall.
| Quote: |
| so they end up posting the same basic questions day in, day out |
Plenty of people didn't bother to read the old FAQs and posted these sorts of questions, too. |
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