I think my JET interview was in Jan or Feb to fly out in July...so that doesn't surprise me.

Yeah, I had an offer for an Aeon interview that I turned down because I need the job now, not in April. They're gonna tell you it's for an April start unless a strange twist of fate occurs.

The only time you'll get in any other time is if you're already in the country and something opens up, and you happen to grab it. But for those you need to already have a visa because they'll want someone to start immediately. A pain, I know.

The other option would be small, independent eikaiwa schools who usually have openings whenever they happen to have them. It all depends on when teachers leave, which is usually pretty random.

If you're not ACTUALLY pressed for time, and you don't want to be anywhere SPECIFIC (read: urban), I'd say sit tight and do the JET, Aeon, and Interac interviews. Seriously, do all of them.

I can't believe you turned down a job from Aeon.
Why the heck would you do that?


Welcome to JF, by the way.

I didn't turn down a job, I turned down an interview because the interview was for halfway across America from where I was staying at the moment, and the date was for after I arrived in Japan.

Besides I'm much happier working for a smaller school than the big boys. ;)

And thanks! Glad to be here :3
By the way, the 諺 in your sig is one of my favourites!

Wow. I would have flown there no matter where it was. Any opportunity to work in Japan, and I would have jumped all over it.

I see. So you couldn't have done it for visa reasons, right?

I understand. I've heard this a lot. That would be my choice as well, if I had one. But I would have still taken the interview.

Interviews aren't just handed out like free samples at the supermarket, you got pretty lucky to have gotten offered it.

But, to each his own, I suppose. :mtongue:

On the contrary, my friend, the big companies hand out interviews like candy at halloween. Getting a job offer, on the other hand, is where the trick lies.

I couldn't have done it, not for visa reasons, but for not-being-in-the-country reasons! I'm only in America for a short time (which is coming to an end in a few weeks) before I go back, and I just applied to the big companies as a crapshoot to see if I could get a better gig with any of them. No such luck. :)

Ah! I see. I was unaware of this.

I don't understand. You applied for a job while you were in America? Or...
You could only interview in Japan? Or...

I'm confused.

Sorry for the confusion! :D
I live in Japan. I came back to America (my home country) at the end of May for a few months, and I'm going back in like three weeks. The interview they offered me was for a few days after I go back, so it was impossible to go. I just kinda applied on a whim, I don't really expect to be able to work for any of the big companies, since they need me to be in America to even consider me.

I understand!

Out of curiosity, how did you initially move to Japan? Through an English teaching company?

Well I got started on a study abroad program. I was there for a year, and really fell in love with the place. I met my girlfriend there, moved in with her, and worked some part time jobs. Then I came back to America at the end of May and I'll be headed back on my own dime in a few weeks like I mentioned before. :)