They're all pretty bad, and are only getting worse year by year. With an MA, do you really want a full-time job that pays the equivalent of 15,000 pounds per year?
Yeah, but the difference is.. You could get a proper job in the UK and grow your career. Being an ALT is absolutely a dead end up job.. and it's gotten worse every single year. 250,000 was entry level years ago.. Now I see jobs for 1000 yen an hour... That's like 5£. You could work here 10 years and have absolutely nothing to show for it except a few cool drinking stories. Don't be fooled either by the "low prices" of Japan.. We have managed to escape the brunt of inflation here, but every time I go to the supermarket... Prices have gone up on some items . I see no reason for it to stop with the weak yen. I could go on and on.. My advice to you.. go to China instead.
There are taxes and social sevices fees/taxes in the UK, too, though. Nobody talks about "take-home" pay because every situation is wildly different. The 15k number should be enough to scare anyone away. Anyone who isn't scared away by that salary is hopeless and would PAY 15k/year to live in Japan and get abused because it means JAPAN.
So you missed the deadline? Apply next time around. Japan will still be here. Don’t let your impatience fool you into coming over to work for very little for a company that will treat you like shit.
As far as ALT jobs go it's also the only option that isn't complete shit. You'll actually get paid enough to enjoy your time here rather than making barely enough to scrape by.
There are fewer applicants per place on JET than for dispatch company positions. The application process for JET is long-winded so most people don’t bother applying.
There are tons of trailer trash guys who slip through the JET net. Any reasonably sane person can get a JET position.
You missed Borderlink, the cheapest, stingiest of them all. Sending materials out of your own pocket, no transportation costs, schools are far from home, they charge commission to do your Shakai Hoken, force their ALTs to work on weekends without any pay, on call day or they like to call it star day will make you work, they charge extra for school lunches and even though you tell them in advance the school won't provide school lunches on holidays, sports day, choir contest and the many school events they are happy to charge you by deducting from your pay.
They will have summer events, like kids English which you must attend and this is during the summer holiday where they are already docking your pay and their ALTs must participate without any pay.
They lose so many contracts with BoE around Saitama and Gunma. ALTs are expected to spend an hour every week on the phone with an experience ( 2 years experience usually ) kiss ass ALT to tell you about life in Japan when most ALTs have reside in Japan for much longer.
Borderlink will take every penny from their ALTs. The ALTs at Borderlink actually pay to work instead of paid to work.
I know all this cause I was with them, after hearing how rotten they are and couldn't believe what I was hearing from their own ALT and a friend of mine.
Don't ever join Borderlink unless you have other sources of income. The ALTs just abandoned ship before summer holidays.
Notice how Borderlink always has permanent ads in GaijinPot, because they are always in need of ALTs.
Those that stay with Borderlink have other sources of income and are usually married to a Japanese who are also an income earner at a Japanese company.
Edit : Borderlink salary after Shakai Hoken and Income tax and school lunches will be ¥ 175,000. Keep in mind you need to support your own commuting costs and that's from the ¥175,000. They will fool you during contract signing by avoiding this topic and tell you nonsense.
Damn, I knew Borderlink was bad, but what the fuck? They *charge you for school lunches?* As in, you're paying for lunch and then giving extra to Borderlink?? I pay for my school lunches, but that money goes directly to the school and is the same amount that the other teachers pay lol.
And all those unpaid work days - aren't they illegal? Can't you just refuse to work, and go to the labor office if they try to fire you for it? My own dispatch company isn't nearly this bad but they have tried to pull similar shit before and all of us ALTs have just told em to fuck off and that we won't work if they don't pay us. They get mad about it sometimes but they don't like having the labor office called on them so they back down, and they haven't stopped recontracting us lol
Yes, school lunches are deducted from the salary.
Full whole month and they are charging ¥550 per lunch instead of the subsidized ¥330 ( I think for Kanto ).
If there's a school event, school will buy Bento and of course ALTs would need to join the Bento party. You will pay for your own Bento during those events plus Borderlink will keep deducting it.
No matter how far in advance you tell them there'll be no school lunch. If you make a fuss, they'll reply just don't eat the school lunch. ( In Borderlink dictionary this means, We don't care whether you eat or not, we'll keep deducting ¥550 / day ) it's clearly stated in the rules that they won't charge if we inform them at least a week in advance. When I was with them, I told them even a month in advance.
I'm glad I'm out but my experience is passed on to a Union. Borderlink will not employ you if they know their ALTs are Unionised.
Edit : For those unpaid overtime and extra word days, it's stated in their contract that from time to time ALTs are required to join and participate in events outside of their school hours, unpaid. Well we signed that lol!
That's just... horrifically scummy. Skimming off the top of your workers' salaries for the *lunch* that your company isn't even fucking providing?? That's like cyberpunk dystopia levels of fucked.
Even if unpaid work is in the contract, would it not fall under "legally unenforceable unreasonable contract terms," the same way stuff like non-competition clauses do?
It's easy to forget the bottom feeder, Borderlink.
What I last heard here in Ota Gunma directly from one of their ALT. Heart take home pay ¥180,000 after taxes and Shakai hoken plus transport costs on top it.
Although, a Heart ALT in Midori City says he's receiving only ¥ 160,000 and that would indeed make them the worst.
JoyTalk they are based in Tochigi, awful, but their ALTs either liars 😅 or happy because for Gunma prefecture they are receiving ¥ 230,000 after tax and are being driven to and from events. This driven part I've seen it myself, and I thought what a wonderful caring company.
I could be wrong, but JoyTalk ALTs said that the company has changed this last couple of years, more perks for their ALTs. I do have my doubt 🧐
You are going to hear negative things about them all, because none of them offer jobs that have long-term career prospects.
These companies thrive on cheap imported foreign labor in the form of eager tourists who want to live in Japan. As such, it's akin to taking a summer job bartending on a working holiday visa. The pay is low, the hours suck, qualifications are not required, there is no to very little training, and you won't learn any transferable job skills.
Your BA means nothing in this job, other than making you eligible for the visa.
Your MA likely means nothing either, depending on what your MA is in - is it related to education, ESL, or linguistics? If not, then it isn't going to help you.
If it is in one of those fields, you will be considered overqualified for language schools, but it may aid you in getting a spot on JET or working at one of the dispatch companies like Interac. But do you really want to work for Interac?
If you are worried about finances and job stability, wait for JET.
Look for an independent company on Gaijinpot. I taught English to kindergarteners and tutored on the side. Got ¥275,000 with accommodations taken care of.
I think the first thing to understand is the absolute terrible state the English teaching industry is in at the moment.
With the working conditions, pay, and actually skills the job requires, it's barely a step above working fast food or combini.
And I'm not saying that to talk down to people who work those jobs, but rather help you understand that at this point, Eikawa is the equivalent of job you do endure for as little as required until you get GTFO the second something better comes out.
Asking if it's better to work at Aeon or Nova is like asking if it's better to work st Lawson or Family Mart, or McDonalds and KFC. They are all basically shit and if your plan was to stay more than 16 months at any of them, you probably need to recheck your understanding of what these places will offer you
I've only experience with one ALT dispatch company. From what friends have told me that are all pretty much crap.
They are so absolutely disorganised. They take staff on each year in April and August but they can't even get that right. Months later they'll still be chasing you for info that you have to submit now!
If you are lucky, once placed you'll not really hear from the dispatch company.
The main thing is/ are the schools you end up in. The number of schools, how far apart they are, how far they are from where you live, how many or few classes you have, the lack of functional IT equipment, the students and the teachers.
I've been lucky so far. The worst thing is the long days when the school decides to have no classes but won't call the dispatch company to send you home or even just tell you to go home.
The students are amazing. I've loved most classes tbh. They all want to chat with you between classes. Bear in mind tho, that as they progress thru JHS to HS the students are tired from all the school time, cram school time, club time and study.
Good luck mate.
I had a very similar background as you when I first came here. You're honestly much better off finding something at home that pays better and with greater stability. Coming here as an ALT might be a positive experience but you will quickly realize it is a dead-end job. It is more prudent to build your career at home and then visit Japan as a tourist than to do all this work just to be exploited in an ALT position.
What is your Master's degree in? If it's in education, linguistics, or applied linguistics, there is a small chance you might be able to apply for a limited-term university teaching position, so long as you have published at least several times in a relevant field. (The recruiting season begins fairly soon, but the positions will be for April 2025.)
Otherwise, you'd do well to heed u/UniverseCameFrmSmthn and u/CCMeltdown: look to the JET program for next year.
An MA won’t even get past an initial screening as anything but a glorified ALT in any reputable or semi- reputable institution. That ship has long sailed, years ago.
Published articles, ability to lead a committee in Japanese, and ability to teach in Japanese is the entry level. There are exceptions for some local small or has-been colleges, but you get what you pay for.
Try to go the recruiter route then? Maybe get a job at a company that operates in both countries? Honestly, a Master doing an alt job is sad to see. I think you're being impatient and aiming high enough.
Yes, there are a lot of jp companies trying to hire foreign workers who want foreign recruiting help. You might need at least a basic level in Japanese to do this though, but I really mean basic. A friend of mine did this job for a while and he speaks at n4 level
When I came here twelve years ago I'd also heard that one should avoid those companies, so I applied directly to schools and found a job that way. It was the right choice. I had a home-base, got to work with other foreigners, and didn't deal with big Japanese company BS. You've missed the main hiring season but could find someone desperate after one of their new April hires got cold feet and ran back home. Check Gaijinpot job listings.
Very overtly negative here and it’s fair there aren’t many that are great. But a lot will just let you be if your not a complete fool, If you’re capable and have an idea of what you want to do in Japan apply for companies that can put you somewhere you will enjoy. I live in the Inaka and equidistant to most ski resorts in the Tohoku and Nagano area. Plus my 3 room apartment is cheaper than my first 1dk so I have nothing to complain about.
What horror stories have you heard from ALT dispatch? Salary is low but other than that i've never had any problems with any dispatch. I'm with a shitty dispatch (according to reddit) now and they've been alright. Salary is 260,000 , take home is just over 200,000 after shakai hoken + resident tax deductions.
I do not recommend JET. It is government work. Your job skills will either not develop or atrophy to the point where you will struggle to re-enter the workforce at a private / for profit company.
I'm working toward being an English teacher in Japan, and personally I think you're taking the 'too rigid' route.
I've spoken with numerous Japanese about this, and they all told me the same thing. You don't need a teaching degree. You don't need to learn Japanese. Quite frankly, the bare minimum they want is for you to speak English and for the kids to start speaking English.
But here's the harder facts.
* You have to teach what's in the textbook, even if it's wrong. I helped a kid on Speaky last month with his homework, and while I knew all the answers and helped him get the answers, I also knew the English was slightly off and felt contrived. They wrote these English short sentences just to get them to use certain words. He was having trouble understanding past-progressive tense and related words, and I couldn't help but think, "This sounds a little weird when I say it out loud."
* Unless you know Japanese, you'll be applying through a company or with the help of the government, and they manage all the expenses and give you a food allowance. All that. I'm learning Japanese so I can function in Japan a whole lot better, but also so I can directly apply to schools. Many schools want direct applicants over company/firm applicants now, because firm applicants have a tendency to quit halfway through the year. The guy I've been speaking with on Speaky told me that when he was in high school, he had 6 different English teachers over the 4 years, and 2 of them quit halfway, and the rest decided not to renew their contracts. One was actually worse than the Japanese English teacher because they were having trouble with grading papers when the Japanese English teacher wasn't there. (A little harsh, but I'm in no position to judge.)
* If you don't know any Japanese school culture and normalities, you'll feel lonely all the time. I've been told by Japanese people and by people who lived in Japan for 4+ years that Japanese people almost always expect YOU to make the moves toward relationship-building. Not interested and just want to teach? You're going to have a hard time, because Japanese work culture centers around building relationships (though, this doesn't always work if the workplace is too strict about it with cho rei and tons of other stuff, ends up feeling forced), alcohol (I've said it before; Japanese people are like Asian dwarves. They want alcohol in order to speak to people easier and have a good time. Additionally, workplaces often EXPECT you to go on any drinking or restaurant parties.), and reading the room. Feel like people ignore you? It can be for a lot of reasons, but if you can't read the room, this is probably the biggest social L.
Japan is a country very different than the West in many, many ways. It's similar in structure, but there's all this other stuff tacked on. It's not for everyone, but for those who enjoy it, it's very rewarding. My biggest fear is ensuring my students enjoy my teaching and me as a teacher and getting along with my coworkers because I've been told by everyone that forming relationships is key. I went into this wanting to teach my way, and I learned really quick that there's going to be a little bit of that, but it'll mostly be textbook, and you have to deal with it, even if it's wrong and actually making it harder for them to speak English correctly.
I wish you the best in your pursuit. I'm in the same lane, and I want to see everyone like me succeed in doing this. I highly recommend learning a little Japanese so you don't feel lost, even if you go the company route.
Oh, and just as a word of caution; neighbors can be really critical, especially of foreigners living in their apartment building. The worst they will do personally is ignore you and actively avoid you. But perhaps THE WORST they can do not to your face is speak lies about you to the landlord that're circumstantial. The landlord will believe THEM over YOU. I don't know how to deal with this yet besides being as quiet as a mouse and just waiting for them to come around and want to meet you, but I think people need to know that because you're entering a society that dislikes foreigners and where you start at 0 on the scale. Getting negative is very easy. Getting positive takes more time than you might think worth it.
Because I do as much research as possible. The gym I go to, a guy there has lived for 4 years in Japan, knows Japanese, and mainly worked small jobs under the table. Many of his friends had similar paths, but quite a few became teachers. He gave me just some of the knowledge he had and told me that if I had any other questions or wanted an easier time getting a job in Japan, I should speak to him. (I'm not sure how bad this would be, and likely not a path to citizenship, since he mainly did under the table work.)
While working at my current job as an Automotive Retail Manager, a man came in to get his battery replaced. He started asking me questions just to pass the time, and he asked me what I wanted to do in life. When I told him I was going to Japan to become an English teacher in the next 3 - 5 years (this was last year), he told me that he works for Hilton hotels and makes business trips to Japan very regularly. His Japanese was terrible, and he couldn't discern between いい and いいえ (something is good and negative), but he told me if I wanted a job that would get me in Japan right now, I should speak to him. He gave me his business card. (I don't want to work hotel work, especially since it's not a path to naturalization.)
I speak to no less than 3 Japanese people on Speaky. One is 19, one is 54, and the other is in his 60s. I've gotten along well with all of them, even if conversations move much slower with the older guys. 19 year old guy has helped me put a lot with the current school scene, and I've helped him out with his personal training and English homework (I'm not sure if he's still in high school or taking an English class in a university. I didn't want to ask if case it was embarrassing. When I get back to my computer, I'll upload one of the questions he wanted help with. You'll see what I mean by incorrect English from the text book.)
I used to have a friend group that included a Japanese girl, and we all played The Division 2, when it was popular. I still speak with her, but very rarely now because I've felt very awkward around her. She has an incredibly difficult time learning English, and I'm always worried I might offend her because my humor is very different than hers. She gave me various links, [including this one for Saiyou](https://global-saiyou.com/column/view/26#:~:text=%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E3%81%A7%E5%A4%96%E5%9B%BD%E8%AA%9E%E6%8C%87%E5%B0%8E,%E5%BF%85%E8%A6%81%E3%81%AA%E8%B3%87%E6%A0%BC%E3%81%AF%E3%81%82%E3%82%8A%E3%81%BE%E3%81%9B%E3%82%93%E3%80%82), which gave me a load of information. (However, it's more accurate in Japanese than in English. I'm not amazing at Japanese yet, so I took the time to read what I could and use other resources to properly translate it. Not Google Translate, as it's terrible. I used an AI and also a site that does more accurate translations.) On this site, it states very accurately that direct employment is becoming a more sought-after path for many schools and organizations.
They're all pretty bad, and are only getting worse year by year. With an MA, do you really want a full-time job that pays the equivalent of 15,000 pounds per year?
Honestly I’m literally a TA right now at a primary school so my wages are not a massive difference 🤣😭😭
Maybe, but with a MA, you have the potential for much higher earnings in the UK.
Yeah, but the difference is.. You could get a proper job in the UK and grow your career. Being an ALT is absolutely a dead end up job.. and it's gotten worse every single year. 250,000 was entry level years ago.. Now I see jobs for 1000 yen an hour... That's like 5£. You could work here 10 years and have absolutely nothing to show for it except a few cool drinking stories. Don't be fooled either by the "low prices" of Japan.. We have managed to escape the brunt of inflation here, but every time I go to the supermarket... Prices have gone up on some items . I see no reason for it to stop with the weak yen. I could go on and on.. My advice to you.. go to China instead.
Less than 15k pounds a year, though. After taxes and pension extraction, you're looking at *maybe* a hair under 12k.
There are taxes and social sevices fees/taxes in the UK, too, though. Nobody talks about "take-home" pay because every situation is wildly different. The 15k number should be enough to scare anyone away. Anyone who isn't scared away by that salary is hopeless and would PAY 15k/year to live in Japan and get abused because it means JAPAN.
So you missed the deadline? Apply next time around. Japan will still be here. Don’t let your impatience fool you into coming over to work for very little for a company that will treat you like shit.
But I hear competition is fierce for the JET route
As far as ALT jobs go it's also the only option that isn't complete shit. You'll actually get paid enough to enjoy your time here rather than making barely enough to scrape by.
If they just want a year any company is fine, the main thing is if your school is good and if the people in change of you are nice.
There are fewer applicants per place on JET than for dispatch company positions. The application process for JET is long-winded so most people don’t bother applying. There are tons of trailer trash guys who slip through the JET net. Any reasonably sane person can get a JET position.
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You missed Borderlink, the cheapest, stingiest of them all. Sending materials out of your own pocket, no transportation costs, schools are far from home, they charge commission to do your Shakai Hoken, force their ALTs to work on weekends without any pay, on call day or they like to call it star day will make you work, they charge extra for school lunches and even though you tell them in advance the school won't provide school lunches on holidays, sports day, choir contest and the many school events they are happy to charge you by deducting from your pay. They will have summer events, like kids English which you must attend and this is during the summer holiday where they are already docking your pay and their ALTs must participate without any pay. They lose so many contracts with BoE around Saitama and Gunma. ALTs are expected to spend an hour every week on the phone with an experience ( 2 years experience usually ) kiss ass ALT to tell you about life in Japan when most ALTs have reside in Japan for much longer. Borderlink will take every penny from their ALTs. The ALTs at Borderlink actually pay to work instead of paid to work. I know all this cause I was with them, after hearing how rotten they are and couldn't believe what I was hearing from their own ALT and a friend of mine. Don't ever join Borderlink unless you have other sources of income. The ALTs just abandoned ship before summer holidays. Notice how Borderlink always has permanent ads in GaijinPot, because they are always in need of ALTs. Those that stay with Borderlink have other sources of income and are usually married to a Japanese who are also an income earner at a Japanese company. Edit : Borderlink salary after Shakai Hoken and Income tax and school lunches will be ¥ 175,000. Keep in mind you need to support your own commuting costs and that's from the ¥175,000. They will fool you during contract signing by avoiding this topic and tell you nonsense.
Damn, I knew Borderlink was bad, but what the fuck? They *charge you for school lunches?* As in, you're paying for lunch and then giving extra to Borderlink?? I pay for my school lunches, but that money goes directly to the school and is the same amount that the other teachers pay lol. And all those unpaid work days - aren't they illegal? Can't you just refuse to work, and go to the labor office if they try to fire you for it? My own dispatch company isn't nearly this bad but they have tried to pull similar shit before and all of us ALTs have just told em to fuck off and that we won't work if they don't pay us. They get mad about it sometimes but they don't like having the labor office called on them so they back down, and they haven't stopped recontracting us lol
Yes, school lunches are deducted from the salary. Full whole month and they are charging ¥550 per lunch instead of the subsidized ¥330 ( I think for Kanto ). If there's a school event, school will buy Bento and of course ALTs would need to join the Bento party. You will pay for your own Bento during those events plus Borderlink will keep deducting it. No matter how far in advance you tell them there'll be no school lunch. If you make a fuss, they'll reply just don't eat the school lunch. ( In Borderlink dictionary this means, We don't care whether you eat or not, we'll keep deducting ¥550 / day ) it's clearly stated in the rules that they won't charge if we inform them at least a week in advance. When I was with them, I told them even a month in advance. I'm glad I'm out but my experience is passed on to a Union. Borderlink will not employ you if they know their ALTs are Unionised. Edit : For those unpaid overtime and extra word days, it's stated in their contract that from time to time ALTs are required to join and participate in events outside of their school hours, unpaid. Well we signed that lol!
That's just... horrifically scummy. Skimming off the top of your workers' salaries for the *lunch* that your company isn't even fucking providing?? That's like cyberpunk dystopia levels of fucked. Even if unpaid work is in the contract, would it not fall under "legally unenforceable unreasonable contract terms," the same way stuff like non-competition clauses do?
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It's easy to forget the bottom feeder, Borderlink. What I last heard here in Ota Gunma directly from one of their ALT. Heart take home pay ¥180,000 after taxes and Shakai hoken plus transport costs on top it. Although, a Heart ALT in Midori City says he's receiving only ¥ 160,000 and that would indeed make them the worst. JoyTalk they are based in Tochigi, awful, but their ALTs either liars 😅 or happy because for Gunma prefecture they are receiving ¥ 230,000 after tax and are being driven to and from events. This driven part I've seen it myself, and I thought what a wonderful caring company. I could be wrong, but JoyTalk ALTs said that the company has changed this last couple of years, more perks for their ALTs. I do have my doubt 🧐
You are going to hear negative things about them all, because none of them offer jobs that have long-term career prospects. These companies thrive on cheap imported foreign labor in the form of eager tourists who want to live in Japan. As such, it's akin to taking a summer job bartending on a working holiday visa. The pay is low, the hours suck, qualifications are not required, there is no to very little training, and you won't learn any transferable job skills. Your BA means nothing in this job, other than making you eligible for the visa. Your MA likely means nothing either, depending on what your MA is in - is it related to education, ESL, or linguistics? If not, then it isn't going to help you. If it is in one of those fields, you will be considered overqualified for language schools, but it may aid you in getting a spot on JET or working at one of the dispatch companies like Interac. But do you really want to work for Interac? If you are worried about finances and job stability, wait for JET.
Try “Foot in the Door Eego Dance Peepy Fun Eikawa.” Good school.
Look for an independent company on Gaijinpot. I taught English to kindergarteners and tutored on the side. Got ¥275,000 with accommodations taken care of.
Did they give you sponsorship? Provide housing etc etc ?
I think the first thing to understand is the absolute terrible state the English teaching industry is in at the moment. With the working conditions, pay, and actually skills the job requires, it's barely a step above working fast food or combini. And I'm not saying that to talk down to people who work those jobs, but rather help you understand that at this point, Eikawa is the equivalent of job you do endure for as little as required until you get GTFO the second something better comes out. Asking if it's better to work at Aeon or Nova is like asking if it's better to work st Lawson or Family Mart, or McDonalds and KFC. They are all basically shit and if your plan was to stay more than 16 months at any of them, you probably need to recheck your understanding of what these places will offer you
I've only experience with one ALT dispatch company. From what friends have told me that are all pretty much crap. They are so absolutely disorganised. They take staff on each year in April and August but they can't even get that right. Months later they'll still be chasing you for info that you have to submit now! If you are lucky, once placed you'll not really hear from the dispatch company. The main thing is/ are the schools you end up in. The number of schools, how far apart they are, how far they are from where you live, how many or few classes you have, the lack of functional IT equipment, the students and the teachers. I've been lucky so far. The worst thing is the long days when the school decides to have no classes but won't call the dispatch company to send you home or even just tell you to go home. The students are amazing. I've loved most classes tbh. They all want to chat with you between classes. Bear in mind tho, that as they progress thru JHS to HS the students are tired from all the school time, cram school time, club time and study. Good luck mate.
I had a very similar background as you when I first came here. You're honestly much better off finding something at home that pays better and with greater stability. Coming here as an ALT might be a positive experience but you will quickly realize it is a dead-end job. It is more prudent to build your career at home and then visit Japan as a tourist than to do all this work just to be exploited in an ALT position.
What is your Master's degree in? If it's in education, linguistics, or applied linguistics, there is a small chance you might be able to apply for a limited-term university teaching position, so long as you have published at least several times in a relevant field. (The recruiting season begins fairly soon, but the positions will be for April 2025.) Otherwise, you'd do well to heed u/UniverseCameFrmSmthn and u/CCMeltdown: look to the JET program for next year.
An MA won’t even get past an initial screening as anything but a glorified ALT in any reputable or semi- reputable institution. That ship has long sailed, years ago. Published articles, ability to lead a committee in Japanese, and ability to teach in Japanese is the entry level. There are exceptions for some local small or has-been colleges, but you get what you pay for.
That is correct, which is why I used *might* and *small chance*.
Marketing so JET maybe my best bet
Try to go the recruiter route then? Maybe get a job at a company that operates in both countries? Honestly, a Master doing an alt job is sad to see. I think you're being impatient and aiming high enough.
You mean be like an actual recruiter?
Yes, there are a lot of jp companies trying to hire foreign workers who want foreign recruiting help. You might need at least a basic level in Japanese to do this though, but I really mean basic. A friend of mine did this job for a while and he speaks at n4 level
Do you know any good links perhaps or your friend might know? That I can check out please ?
If you’re only coming for one year, I’d recommend Peopy. It’s easy. Bad pay, but so is everywhere else. Good luck.
When I came here twelve years ago I'd also heard that one should avoid those companies, so I applied directly to schools and found a job that way. It was the right choice. I had a home-base, got to work with other foreigners, and didn't deal with big Japanese company BS. You've missed the main hiring season but could find someone desperate after one of their new April hires got cold feet and ran back home. Check Gaijinpot job listings.
Berlitz Japan will pay you ¥13,750 / day to teach ten 45 minute lessons and you’ll do that 4 days a week and one weekend day. Sound good?
Very overtly negative here and it’s fair there aren’t many that are great. But a lot will just let you be if your not a complete fool, If you’re capable and have an idea of what you want to do in Japan apply for companies that can put you somewhere you will enjoy. I live in the Inaka and equidistant to most ski resorts in the Tohoku and Nagano area. Plus my 3 room apartment is cheaper than my first 1dk so I have nothing to complain about.
What horror stories have you heard from ALT dispatch? Salary is low but other than that i've never had any problems with any dispatch. I'm with a shitty dispatch (according to reddit) now and they've been alright. Salary is 260,000 , take home is just over 200,000 after shakai hoken + resident tax deductions.
I do not recommend JET. It is government work. Your job skills will either not develop or atrophy to the point where you will struggle to re-enter the workforce at a private / for profit company.
I'm working toward being an English teacher in Japan, and personally I think you're taking the 'too rigid' route. I've spoken with numerous Japanese about this, and they all told me the same thing. You don't need a teaching degree. You don't need to learn Japanese. Quite frankly, the bare minimum they want is for you to speak English and for the kids to start speaking English. But here's the harder facts. * You have to teach what's in the textbook, even if it's wrong. I helped a kid on Speaky last month with his homework, and while I knew all the answers and helped him get the answers, I also knew the English was slightly off and felt contrived. They wrote these English short sentences just to get them to use certain words. He was having trouble understanding past-progressive tense and related words, and I couldn't help but think, "This sounds a little weird when I say it out loud." * Unless you know Japanese, you'll be applying through a company or with the help of the government, and they manage all the expenses and give you a food allowance. All that. I'm learning Japanese so I can function in Japan a whole lot better, but also so I can directly apply to schools. Many schools want direct applicants over company/firm applicants now, because firm applicants have a tendency to quit halfway through the year. The guy I've been speaking with on Speaky told me that when he was in high school, he had 6 different English teachers over the 4 years, and 2 of them quit halfway, and the rest decided not to renew their contracts. One was actually worse than the Japanese English teacher because they were having trouble with grading papers when the Japanese English teacher wasn't there. (A little harsh, but I'm in no position to judge.) * If you don't know any Japanese school culture and normalities, you'll feel lonely all the time. I've been told by Japanese people and by people who lived in Japan for 4+ years that Japanese people almost always expect YOU to make the moves toward relationship-building. Not interested and just want to teach? You're going to have a hard time, because Japanese work culture centers around building relationships (though, this doesn't always work if the workplace is too strict about it with cho rei and tons of other stuff, ends up feeling forced), alcohol (I've said it before; Japanese people are like Asian dwarves. They want alcohol in order to speak to people easier and have a good time. Additionally, workplaces often EXPECT you to go on any drinking or restaurant parties.), and reading the room. Feel like people ignore you? It can be for a lot of reasons, but if you can't read the room, this is probably the biggest social L. Japan is a country very different than the West in many, many ways. It's similar in structure, but there's all this other stuff tacked on. It's not for everyone, but for those who enjoy it, it's very rewarding. My biggest fear is ensuring my students enjoy my teaching and me as a teacher and getting along with my coworkers because I've been told by everyone that forming relationships is key. I went into this wanting to teach my way, and I learned really quick that there's going to be a little bit of that, but it'll mostly be textbook, and you have to deal with it, even if it's wrong and actually making it harder for them to speak English correctly. I wish you the best in your pursuit. I'm in the same lane, and I want to see everyone like me succeed in doing this. I highly recommend learning a little Japanese so you don't feel lost, even if you go the company route. Oh, and just as a word of caution; neighbors can be really critical, especially of foreigners living in their apartment building. The worst they will do personally is ignore you and actively avoid you. But perhaps THE WORST they can do not to your face is speak lies about you to the landlord that're circumstantial. The landlord will believe THEM over YOU. I don't know how to deal with this yet besides being as quiet as a mouse and just waiting for them to come around and want to meet you, but I think people need to know that because you're entering a society that dislikes foreigners and where you start at 0 on the scale. Getting negative is very easy. Getting positive takes more time than you might think worth it.
lol you don't even live in Japan or have any experience yet. How can you possibly write all this like you know what you're talking about?
Because I do as much research as possible. The gym I go to, a guy there has lived for 4 years in Japan, knows Japanese, and mainly worked small jobs under the table. Many of his friends had similar paths, but quite a few became teachers. He gave me just some of the knowledge he had and told me that if I had any other questions or wanted an easier time getting a job in Japan, I should speak to him. (I'm not sure how bad this would be, and likely not a path to citizenship, since he mainly did under the table work.) While working at my current job as an Automotive Retail Manager, a man came in to get his battery replaced. He started asking me questions just to pass the time, and he asked me what I wanted to do in life. When I told him I was going to Japan to become an English teacher in the next 3 - 5 years (this was last year), he told me that he works for Hilton hotels and makes business trips to Japan very regularly. His Japanese was terrible, and he couldn't discern between いい and いいえ (something is good and negative), but he told me if I wanted a job that would get me in Japan right now, I should speak to him. He gave me his business card. (I don't want to work hotel work, especially since it's not a path to naturalization.) I speak to no less than 3 Japanese people on Speaky. One is 19, one is 54, and the other is in his 60s. I've gotten along well with all of them, even if conversations move much slower with the older guys. 19 year old guy has helped me put a lot with the current school scene, and I've helped him out with his personal training and English homework (I'm not sure if he's still in high school or taking an English class in a university. I didn't want to ask if case it was embarrassing. When I get back to my computer, I'll upload one of the questions he wanted help with. You'll see what I mean by incorrect English from the text book.) I used to have a friend group that included a Japanese girl, and we all played The Division 2, when it was popular. I still speak with her, but very rarely now because I've felt very awkward around her. She has an incredibly difficult time learning English, and I'm always worried I might offend her because my humor is very different than hers. She gave me various links, [including this one for Saiyou](https://global-saiyou.com/column/view/26#:~:text=%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E3%81%A7%E5%A4%96%E5%9B%BD%E8%AA%9E%E6%8C%87%E5%B0%8E,%E5%BF%85%E8%A6%81%E3%81%AA%E8%B3%87%E6%A0%BC%E3%81%AF%E3%81%82%E3%82%8A%E3%81%BE%E3%81%9B%E3%82%93%E3%80%82), which gave me a load of information. (However, it's more accurate in Japanese than in English. I'm not amazing at Japanese yet, so I took the time to read what I could and use other resources to properly translate it. Not Google Translate, as it's terrible. I used an AI and also a site that does more accurate translations.) On this site, it states very accurately that direct employment is becoming a more sought-after path for many schools and organizations.