The JET Program?

Question

Those of you who have been in the program what are its pro's and con's?

Answer 1

Never had the chance $$$ wise.  It's a great learning opportunity which will aid you tremendously in Japanese.

you emerse yourself in Japanese culsture full time.

I had numerous friends who went, and their japanese increase a great deal after they returned to the States.  Highly recommend if you can afford it.

Answer 2

I am currently on the JET program and have just signed up for my fourth year. While at risk of sounding horribly biased, my opinion is that the JET program is little short of amazing.

PROS:

1.) Guaranteed job with good sick and yearly leave.

2.) Good salary (I get paid 300,000 yen a month, of which I get 260,000 after tax, retirement and health insurancce are deducted.)

3.) Housing (while not free) is set up and sometimes subsidized.

4.) Authentic Japanese experience while you work in a Japanese environment.

5.) One-year contract (renewable up to five years) so if it doesn't work out for you, you have the option of returning home (airfare home is provided as long as you complete the full year).

6.) Full support by both your contracting organization and through the AJET Peer Support Group (toll-free number)

CONS:

1.) You must have a University degree to be eligible.

2.) You have to come from certain countries.

3.) You don't get to choose where you will be placed (unless you have compelling medical or relationship reasons)

If you have any more questions about JET, feel free to mail me and I will do my best to give you the run-down.

Answer 3

Hi,

I just returned from four months of working as an English instructor in Japan, not with the JET program but with a corporation part of the industry there known as Eikaiwa or private English language teaching.

Please do not sell yourself short of anything less than JET. I have a couple of friends who are JETs and are quite happy. They get a decent salary of around 250,000 yen a month, have their flight to and from Japan paid for, and do not experience the harassment and sales pressure associated with Eikaiwa schools like GEOS and AEON.

The placements are in less urban areas which is a good thing as places like Osaka and Tokyo are fun but get too expensive and boring after awhile. JETs sometimes complain that they don't do enough teaching or that they feel like human jungle gyms---but really this is a cake walk in comparrison to Eikaiwa.

It is also very competitive and the application process is tedious but I say go for it.

This site is a gold mine for anything else you might want to know:

http://www.bigdaikon.com/