Calling ex-JET members

[Anonymous]

Hi
I am a current JET teacher in Kyoto and I am in my third and final year. I am sure there are a few ex-Jet Teachers still living and working in Japan. I am curious as to what your current line of work is? Are many of you still teachers? Just trying to get some ideas of jobs available to those with JET and language experience.

Thanks

Jeff

[Anonymous]

Jeff,

what's da dilly? I was a Jet for two years in Saitama (2000-2). I have been in japan since my contract ended doing private teaching. My only advice to you is don't do what i'm doin. Therre are good times and bad times and freedom galore, but when things don't go the way u planned, u start eatin paks o ramen everyday for a month. If u can find a tight job in Japan or elsewhere (e.g. your home country), I'd go for dat. English teaching in Japan is as rare as chicks with colored hair. Plus the Jet life, although filled with ennui beyond comparison at times is a very pampered life. In short, you will miss the pay, subsidized housing, vacations and my favorite insurance. Holla back if there is any other ibfo u might need.

j

[Anonymous]

Hi.
I was a JET from 1993-1996. I have since married a Japanese man ( we met before JET, in university in California). After JET, I was lucky to find a job teaching at a university high school in Tokyo. We moved, and I am currently looking for teaching work again. There are many jobs in Tokyo, but the salary and benefits have really gone down due to the poor economy. If your Japanese is good and if you have a Masters degree, there are many jobs other than teaching in Tokyo. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

There are few jobs like JET that would afford you the time and money to enjoy living abroad... Sad to say, but it would be difficult to find another job in Japan that would 1. provide the satisfaction of teaching children and 2. let you live outside of Tokyo. and, oh yeah, 3. pay you so well to learn on the job.
I'd beware the gaijin expat bar hounds that wax poetic about the glory days of English teaching for big bucks. See davescafe.com for reasons not to be a lifer.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all the great info and insight. I was kind of leaning towards working as a English Teacher again but I do not want to work for GEOS and those type. How hard is it to get a posting at a Private Junior or Senior High as an english teacher or assitant? Any wisdom or info about what language schools are good and what is not?

[jo]

Hi,

I'm coming at this from a serious sideline, but wanted to know if any of you could provide some advice. I'm extremely interested in finding work in Japan, since the culture fascinates me and I know I'd enjoy the "ex-pat" experience. I realize I've missed the deadline for JET, but was wondering: any suggestions as to other teaching programs available: How about teaching science and/or englaish? What about career opportunities related to R&D? i.e. I have a Masters in neurobiology from McGill, and 4 years work experience with a pharmaceutical company in Montreal...........but I want to get out of here!!! Please help me!!??

much apprecaited,
jo

[trip_hop]

IES in Tokyo and Osaka are the only company that provide specific classes for the Pharmaceutical Industry. Not too bad a company, but they only have a few of those jobs, the rest of the time it is the usual corporate English lessons.

R&D in Neuro? Not much happening here. Try Japanese companies direct, foreign ones do little basic research, only enough for registration and some Phase IV studies for marketing and PMS.

Work in the drug industry? Again, the customers are the Japanese market, second biggest in the world after North America. You would not be much use to them unless you have some language ability, or are coming in at Exec level, or with very specialist skills.

Your current employer AZ (not very bright using your company address) are rather regarded as failures here, low market share, poor penetration of Losec, and now 120+ Japanese died due to lack of control over use of Iressa.

You would not be an expat in the corporate sense, i.e. accommodation paid for, COLA (cost of living allowances), but a local hire, doing all by yourself, with some help from the company. But in that sense you would have much more interaction with the locals than many of the corporate expat bozos do.

One foreign staffer in the drug industry once commented proudly that he had been out for a drink with his staff once (in 8 years in Japan). Membership of foreign social club, regular tickets home, lived in the gaijin community, knew nothing of Japan!

Depending on your clients, there might be a chance to jump to the drug industry from teaching after a couple of years, and your language improves, but the Japanese market is quite different, as Astra, Merck, Novartis, and others discovered to their cost.

OK?

trip hop