Applying to JET, Moving next year~

[Alumnia]

I've been stalking this forum for awhile now, so I thought maybe I should man up and post ;3

{
Bit of backstory~

This year I start the 3rd year of my degree (I'm doing Bsc Computer Games Design), I live somewhere near London. In September when the JET applications open I will be applying for that, I feel positive that I have a great chance at getting in, however if that fails i'll just simply apply to some other teaching jobs. So hopefully around June time next year I will be settling into my new apartment.
This is something that i've had my heart set on since I was about 8 years old so there's no turnin' back ;D
I've studied Japanese for a year in night classes during my degree, which I will be taking up again in a few months. I have basic conversational down, with reading and writing ability of Hiragana and Katakana, by next yeah hopefully i'll be much more advanced. I have been "in" to Japan since I was very small, mostly the food and culture, but the fashion and media too.

I've been to Japan twice; I just got back a few weeks ago from the last trip where we visited Tokyo again and Kyoto, my friend then showed us around Osaka.
Right now i'm employed at a coffee shop/restaurant and I also do a lot of modelling work. I've lived in France and other parts of Europe so moving to a foreegn country doesn't bother me.}

What i'm curious about is; I see a lot of hate towards ALT jobs, understandably, say I was to take a JET position, after a few months would I be able to just up and change jobs? or do Japanese employers find JET workers repulsive?
By that time I hope to have a substantial grasp of the Japanese language so i'm wondering what other jobs Westerners usually drift in to? I thought of maybe going into fashion, but then that's a very wide scope...
I have a decent portfolio when it comes to my games design course, however as Japan is choc-full of games designers i'm unsure if it's even worth going around with my portfolio or if I would be taken seriously.

But finally; I would just like some feedback from people who live in Japan, especially females!

[Effected After]

The fastest way to get some information is to search forp posts from the past 24 hours and to through them - there have been 5-10 threads like this in the past few days, with most of your questions having been answered in them.

[Agitator]

The fastest way to get some information is to search forp posts from the past 24 hours and to through them - there have been 5-10 threads like this in the past few days, with most of your questions having been answered in them.

Surely you can't expect these random posters to make time in their busy schedules to spend a few minutes reading about Japan before changing their whole lives to move here because they find Japan neat-o?

OP, let me prepare the written, custom report for you. I'll have the whole 300 pages printed and bound and on your desk by 8AM tomorrow.

Caustically,
A.

[BackDoor_Man]

You might be too late as local governments (BOE) can not afford to keep JET funded. It looks like the JET program is going the way of the Dodo!
But Good Luck!

[Alumnia]

Haha as I said I have already read a lot of posts on this forum and I have been researching moving to Japan for 5 years+
Please read all of my post before replying

I was asking speficially about the Video game industry and I would like to actually converse with people, rather than posts that are frankly, weeks old.
So many posters also said that the people on this forum were unhelpful, I see why ;D

Also; JET or no JET I am well qualified so i'm sure finding something else worth my while in Japan wont be that much of a push.
I have a lot of Western and Japanese friends that live in Japan and all have conflicting opinions and pieces of advice to give me, I thought i'd come here instead to see what a wider scope of opinion was~

Just because it's my first time posting on this forum, doesn't mean I haven't researched or don't know anything about Japan ;3
However any and all advice is greatly appreciated~

[Alumnia]

You might be too late as local governments (BOE) can not afford to keep JET funded. It looks like the JET program is going the way of the Dodo!
But Good Luck!

I know that they are running it this year in London, well they will be accepting applicants but i'm aware that that amount of applicants accepted has plummeted so getting into the program will be a lot harder. Which is why i'm definately keeping my options open. Thankyou for the advice n.n

[Effected After]

My friend wanted to get into video game design in Japan (he had experience back in the homeland), so he came here and spent two years in school, getting his Japanese up to par. After he got a good level, he spent almost a year applying to different companies, before finding a job. When he did get one, he said it was mostly luck, as the owner of the company had lived in his hometown, and hired him for that reason.

It's a pretty competitive market here, but there are foreigners in it, so it's not impossible. But be prepared to work hard for it.

[Andun]

I
What i'm curious about is; I see a lot of hate towards ALT jobs, understandably, say I was to take a JET position, after a few months would I be able to just up and change jobs?

No. The JET is government run, if you quit in the middle of a contract your visa will be canceled and they will put you on a plane and send you home.

[Alumnia]

No. The JET is government run, if you quit in the middle of a contract your visa will be canceled and they will put you on a plane and send you home.

Humm really?
A couple of my friends did. One moved from JET to NOVA and the other started freelancing.
I think maybe if you leave it a year untill your contract needs to be renewed?

[Alumnia]

My friend wanted to get into video game design in Japan (he had experience back in the homeland), so he came here and spent two years in school, getting his Japanese up to par. After he got a good level, he spent almost a year applying to different companies, before finding a job. When he did get one, he said it was mostly luck, as the owner of the company had lived in his hometown, and hired him for that reason.

It's a pretty competitive market here, but there are foreigners in it, so it's not impossible. But be prepared to work hard for it.

I'm a very hard worker ;D
I have enough money saved up to sustain me for awhile incase I need to look for a new job. Mhmm i'll give it a shot but I think i'd have to be extremely lucky in that field. I thought about freelancing for awhile or doing side-projects while I teach at JET if that's possible.

[Alumnia]

That was what I was told when I was on the JET in the '90s, and is what happened to the JETs I knew who quit. You also had to inform them whether you wanted to renew or not by December. Of course nothing was signed and sealed until the end of the first contract...

Oh I didn't know they could just change your VISA like that; yeah a few of my friends changed companies halfway through. I think maybe if the other company will support your VISA it's fine?

[Andun]

Oh I didn't know they could just change your VISA like that; yeah a few of my friends changed companies halfway through. I think maybe if the other company will support your VISA it's fine?

My understanding is that because the JET is the government they would directly contact immigration and cancel your visa. Working for a company, that is unlikely to happen and you can switch to another job anytime.

[Alumnia]

My understanding is that because the JET is the government they would directly contact immigration and cancel your visa. Working for a company, that is unlikely to happen and you can switch to another job anytime.

Really? weird~ Maybe my friends were just lucky xD

[Andun]

Really? weird~ Maybe my friends were just lucky xD

Or things have changed since I was in...

[Alumnia]

Or things have changed since I was in...

I wasn't even aware they could just cancel your visa haha. Well not while you were still in employment anyways.

[psprof]

I wasn't even aware they could just cancel your visa haha. Well not while you were still in employment anyways.

When I was in JET in 2000 they also wanted to be reimbursed for your airfare if you quite midyear. As far as I remember, all the expenses were paid by the BOE that hired you. So, if you left midyear, a local town was out all the money. There may have been other penalties as well. Certainly, the government can revoke your visa at any time. They gave it, they can take it away. For example, if you commit a crime, whether you have a job or not, the government can take your visa and deport you. This should be obvious.
You can always Leave JET after your first year because it is a yearly contracted position subject to renewal. I left after 2 years and got another job, but I did not leave midyear.

Not to mention that you are making a commitment to the school and the children. If you sign up for JET, the school is relying on you to be there doing your job every day. If you leave in the middle, they have no way of getting another person to replace you considering that the JET recruitment is just once a year afaik. Why would you do that? Just from a ethical perspective, it is quite obnoxious.
Finally, I am not sure if it is still the same, but JET used to be one of the best deals you could get teaching English in Japan. I had tons of subsidies from my BEO, pretty much all the time off I wanted during the school breaks, 1-2 classes per day teaching. And the income was completely tax free for 2 years. Maybe current JETs don't get these benefits anymore, but it was a great job right out of college.

[kurogane]

Oh I didn't know they could just change your VISA like that; yeah a few of my friends changed companies halfway through. I think maybe if the other company will support your VISA it's fine?

I have also heard rumours about Japanese immigration services accessing people's personal financial records and changing the details of their VISAs, but I think that is mostly tinfoil hat conspiracy BS. I highly doubt that they or even a new company (should you go the douchebag route and quit halfway) could access your personal financial details.

Mind you, you won't get much credit from anybody for actually following your plan as it stands now.

JET is for idiots and fraternity skanks, but not for blithely amoral retards of fortune.

[Alumnia]

Commiting a crime in pretty much any country means they can cancel your VISA so I already know about all that;

Humm so one the one hand everyone is saying that JET is awful and the second that it's rude to quit half way? haha.
I wasn't thinking of ditching halfway through or causing complications, but definately doing free lance work or working part time during; all I said was that I had friends who HAD quit during the middle and got other jobs, although they can't really be blamed for moving on to other employment.
As "obnoxious" is it is, if you're offered a more secure position somewhere else with a pay rise, in my opinion you'd be stupid not too. Although, as I said, that is not my intention. Please, please read all before you post ;D

Also painting all JET employees with the brush of "idiot"? What is that all about? by that logic you could say that for nearly all employment.

[Effected After]

As a EFL teacher in Japan, other than uni jobs, JET is about as good as you are going to get.

[Alumnia]

Also, in England if I wanted to teach in this country I would have to be a teachers assistant before doing so, or go through a lot of training. Which is why I don't think the JET program is a job for "idiots" surely it's just gaining experience? At the moment in my country getting any form of employment is difficult no matter how experienced or qualified you are.

[Andun]

As a EFL teacher in Japan, other than uni jobs, JET is about as good as you are going to get.

It was when I was doing it ― 300 grand a month and next to free accommodation. You could safe a lot of money on the JET if you're in a remote area.

Also painting all JET employees with the brush of "idiot"? What is that all about? by that logic you could say that for nearly all employment.

He's just trolling. Ignore.

[Alumnia]

It was when I was doing it ― 300 grand a month and next to free accommodation. You could safe a lot of money on the JET if you're in a remote area.

He's just trolling. Ignore.

Trolling on this kind of forum, wow...That's beyond sad xD

[Glenski]

Humm so one the one hand everyone is saying that JET is awful and the second that it's rude to quit half way?

No, not everyone, not on the first half of this statement, anyway.

JET pays for airfare, and until next year they pay better than most entry level jobs for people who need nothing more than a bachelor's degree in any major. They provide training opportunities and conferences, and they are up front and honest about paying health insurance and pension. It's a very organized support network. Moreover, if one is interested in learning about the Japanese public school system, this is an ideal chance, plus the hours are very nice, compared to eikaiwa.

[Alumnia]

No, not everyone, not on the first half of this statement, anyway.

JET pays for airfare, and until next year they pay better than most entry level jobs for people who need nothing more than a bachelor's degree in any major. They provide training opportunities and conferences, and they are up front and honest about paying health insurance and pension. It's a very organized support network. Moreover, if one is interested in learning about the Japanese public school system, this is an ideal chance, plus the hours are very nice, compared to eikaiwa.

Well I thought it would be a great way to get some training, see how the school system runs and of course make some contacts for a start. So from what you said it looks like I made the right choice to go ahead with applying. With JET or any program like this i'm sure it's just based around what you put into it to what you get out. The two years i'm doing JET I expect to work and study hard.

[Glenski]

Good for you, Alumnia. You could look at the BigDaikon.com discussion forum to see what JET ALTs have to say about their experiences, current and past. Keep in mind, though, the quality of those posters. If you are the serious type, you might just abandon that site in a flash. It DOES have some merits, though.

Good luck. The typical JET ALT gets posted to more than one school, so you will have a plethora of experiences to take in. Make the most of them.

[nightsdawn]

To the OP:
You are extremely selfish. You just want to use the benefits of the JET program and then ditch the program, your students, and co-workers all of whom rely on you. JET provides a lot of benefits and support, which, I don't think you deserve with your attitude. Being a JET does come with a good name, until a JET like you spoils it. It's people like you who should not be in the program. I hope your application fails. Go work for Nova or Aeon. Stay away from JET, Japanese public schools, and places that take education seriously.

[Glenski]

nightsdawn,
He clearly said he DOESN'T want to ditch the program. Oh, wait, yes, he did in the original post.

Hey, Alumnia!
Which is it?
OP: say I was to take a JET position, after a few months would I be able to just up and change jobs?
Yesterday, 9:30: I wasn't thinking of ditching halfway through or causing complications...

[Alumnia]

As I said it's a possibility but in all likelyhood I wouldn't do it, just a few of my friends had found other employment during the JET program and moved on, i'm just looking at all posibilities but my plan is to stick with JET untill the end.. I can't believe how judgemental posters in this forum are, I think maybe this is what is wrong with the image of Westerners in Japan xD
I only asked about moving during the middle as I was curious of how my friends managed it, and one troll is not enough for me to stay away from JET unfortunately ;D
Eventhough I personally don't see anything wrong with shifting employment half way as when the contract is up they will probably just end it anyways?
With any job aslong as you do it to a high standard and give a large enough notice there should be no problem in leaving as, after all, there's not really a shortage of people that want to be ALTS ;D
Also if you want to make more money and get better jobs in future you have to keep your options open otherwise you'll be stuck in the same job for the rest of your life. But overall a lot of people have reccomended JET to me so that's my main goal!

[Effected After]

Eventhough I personally don't see anything wrong with shifting employment half way as when the contract is up they will probably just end it anyways?

A contract is an agreement between two parties, usually for a specified time period. You promise to work for the period of time that the contract states, and they promise to employ you for that period of time. Essentially you are saying that you feel it's ok to break your promise, the thing you agreed to, because they may only live up to the obligation that they promised/agreed to (employing you for the period of the contract).

It's unethical to say the least.

[Alumnia]

Most jobs have to legally give you a contact, i'm contracted at my current work for the next year. It's not deemed unethical to leave before that time IF you give enough notice.
As I said, i'm about 95% certain I would stick through the program untill the end. However you'd be a fool not to keep your options open~
That's just how employment works, especially considering as soon as the contract is up they can pretty much just chuck you. My plan is to have other employment lined up for after my contract ends which is as ethical as you can get. I don't see why you're taking the moral high ground on something i'm not even going to do and is none of your business ;D

[Effected After]

I'm taking the moral high ground because the decision to leave part-way through a jet contract is unethical, for reasons outlined by others earlier in this thread. If you don't do it, there is no issue.

[Andun]

Most jobs have to legally give you a contact, i'm contracted at my current work for the next year. It's not deemed unethical to leave before that time IF you give enough notice.

In the case of the JET, they pay your way over to Japan. It's not the same as quitting your job in a local area. You would essentially be fucking them in the ass on 2 counts ― firstly, the airfare; and secondly there would be no one to replace you as JET hires only once a year.

[nightsdawn]

I can't believe how judgemental posters in this forum are, I think maybe this is what is wrong with the image of Westerners in Japan xD

What do you know about Westerners in Japan or their image? Making a few trips to Japan or talking to a few people or reading forums doesn't make you an expert on the topic. I hate when people make unfair generalisations. You blame others for being judgmental meanwhile you are being judgemental.
I do appologise if my last reply was b*tchy, but I am serious about teaching and education. I am a 4th year JET. I truly believe that one should not accept a teaching job just for money. Most of the JETs I have met are excellent people; however, there are a few people who join JET for the wrong reasons. Those people usually leave behind a horrible mess for their successor and a bad image of the JET programme in their community. I had to clean up after a really selfish and irresponsible JET when I first arrived in Japan. It isn't fun, but I put in a lot of hard work and thankfully, the teachers, students and community responded positively. I am friends with many JTEs (Japanese Teacher's of English), not to mention that my husband is a JTE (we've never worked at the same school. No forbidden love issue there I swear). I have had many discussions with them about the JET programme and ALTs. I won't say that JET has the best ALTs because I have met many excellent ALTs who have worked for other companies, too. But JET gives the best benefits for ALTs, so I believe that JETs should be more responsible. We are put into the public schools to help educate Japan's youth (the future of the nation). (inserting simpsons quote now)--> "Would somebody please think of the children."
If you don't care about disappointing your students, teachers and co-workers, then for your own sake, it doesn't look good on a resume if you cut contract early. It shows a lack of commitment and in Japan commitment to a company is extremely important.
You can continue to defend yourself, but all I hear from you is "I...", "I...", "I...". Nothing about what you want to do for Japan or the community which you would be placed into as a JET.

[Glenski]

I only asked about moving during the middle as I was curious of how my friends managed it,

Then why ask US? Ask THEM!

I personally don't see anything wrong with shifting employment half way as when the contract is up they will probably just end it anyways?

Uh, no.

JET wants people for 3 years, if possible. Otherwise they have to spend more money recruiting. Half of 1st-year JETs never renew, so that is 3,000 bodies to replace annually.

With any job aslong as you do it to a high standard and give a large enough notice there should be no problem in leaving as, after all, there's not really a shortage of people that want to be ALTS

Poor reasoning. You sign a JET contract to have airfare paid, training provided, a job lined up, your hand held, a board of education eagerly awaiting someone they requested, and then you stiff them all, including the kids who never have much chance to see a foreigner or hear natural English... Awww, forget it. You just don't see the moral POV her.

[Andun]

No forbidden love issue there I swear)

No need to swear, love. Forbidden love is the best kind.

[KansaiBen]

JET wants people for 3 years, if possible. Otherwise they have to spend more money recruiting. Half of 1st-year JETs never renew, so that is 3,000 bodies to replace annually.

JETs are hired for one year, twice renewable. What they want and what they can legally demand from you are two different things. If they wanted you for three years they would give you a three-year contract, not a one year one. You can legally end your contract after one year. After 6 months is where things get dicey.

I dont think its ever bothered BOEs they have to spend money on finding people. Its TAXPAYER money after all and its part of their job to spend it in anyway they can.

My guess is they have no where near 6000 JETs a year these days anyway.

[Andun]

JETs are hired for one year, twice renewable. What they want and what they can legally demand from you are two different things. If they wanted you for three years they would give you a three-year contract, not a one year one. You can legally end your contract after one year. After 6 months is where things get dicey.

This is correct. I quit after a year. No problem. All expenses paid trip back home. The BOEs don't always want the same people for 3 years, thus the 1 year contract. That works both ways.

[Effected After]

Didn't they extend it to a possible 5 years now?

[Andun]

Didn't they extend it to a possible 5 years now?

Yes:
Contract
JET Programme participants are contracted to local or prefectural governmental contracting organisations across Japan rather than to the JET Programme itself. Contracts last for 1 year starting from July/August of the year of departure and can be renewed for up to 4 additional years by mutual consent with the contracting organisation.
http://www.jet-uk.org/about/aboutterms.html

[Alumnia]

But I said I wasn't going to quit untill my contract was up? I was just curious about they did it? one of my friends is still over there now and the other doesn't give too much away.
I wasn't even too bothered about answers, I just wanted to hear first person experiences. All i'm hearing is no accusations from people who probably don't know what they're talking about.
A lot of people on here have given me good information/advice though, so thankyou.
I have a lot more knowledge of living in Japan than just a couple of trips, so again, don't make baseless accusations.
Also; I wasn't going to post a 2000 word essay of what I wanted from the JET program/would I could provide because that would take ages.
It's weird that you're assuming i'm going to do something when i'm not?
Also I said if I even was to consider moving to another employment it would be after the 1st years contract was up, which is fine. I would never dip out of a contract.
What i'm saying is, is that I don't personally think leaving after one year is bad anyways as that's just how the employment world works.
Staying for the whole 3 years just to be curtious makes no sense if you've been offered a better job after the first year.
I could understand if I was teaching at University level but, as an ALT it's not that big a deal.
Also; I have more than enough money for airfare and rent in Japan, i'm not taking the JET program up on that basis, which is why again, you shouldn't assume things

I'd glagly go into detail about how much I could benefit the program by joining and what I love about Japan, but as soon as I posted all I got it "why are you posting here?" "why don't you google it?" "why would you leave JET" "JET sucks" and as in most other threads i've seen people are trolling eachother or bickering.