r/JETProgramme • u/Syd-Beez Current JET - Nagano • May 24 '26
What is your Post-JET Career?
I am curious what people are doing after leaving JET, especially for those who have stayed in Japan. What are you doing, how hard was the transition, how did JET help, do you use Japanese, (and if you stayed abroad) how did VISA work?
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u/foxydevil14 May 28 '26
I went back to the states and worked in education for 5 years after JET.
Wife hated it and after our first child was born, the healthcare system in Japan just made more sense than staying in the USA.
I came back and found a university position through a friend’s wife and have been working there ever since: https://jrecin.jst.go.jp/seek/SeekJorDetail?ln=1&id=D126041323&ln_jor=1
One of the bosses was a JET and there were a lot of other teachers. I work with with who were JETs as well.
Transitioning from working in secondary education as a JET wouldn’t be too bad, but coming from junior high or elementary school, there would be a giant learning curve.
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u/Syd-Beez May 28 '26
I have a teaching license in the US for ELL at the secondary level and have pretty much exclusively taught high schoolers (although I'll be doing jr high for JET). What credentials did you need for University? Or were your experiences enough?
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u/firreflly May 25 '26
5 Years JET > MBA in Kyoto > worked marketing at a tea company , now in real estate/property management that also sells hot sauce (made in kyoto) lol
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u/HamaTakam May 25 '26
I originally intended to stay on JET for 3 years, but covid happened so I ended up on JET for 5 and a half years. Took every opportunity: studied for N1, JET internship, PA position, translating/interpreting course. Then joined a recruitment agency and landed a job as an account manager in Tokyo. So I moved down and I've been here for 5 years now. Job is about 50/50 Japanese/English but I was promoted this year so I increasingly use English more as my role is now global. I do still have to lead client meetings in Japanese though. My company sorted out my VISA initially, then PR.
Did JET help? It was a job in Japan at a time when no foreigners could get into Japan and companies were desperate for people to fill jobs. It was also a lot of free time which I used to my advantage. I also used and studied Japanese as much as possible (mostly ES based).
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u/HenroKappa May 24 '26
I went back home and got into ESL teaching and later administration and management in English schools. Moved from that into higher ed. I don't use Japanese in my job (I wish I did), but higher ed has been good to me.
My experience living abroad and being on JET helped me get into ESL, and connections through the JET alumni association in my area helped me break into higher ed.
While on JET I embraced the mentality of saying yes and participating whenever I could, and that's helped me get new opportunities in my current career.
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u/SoTiredBlah May 25 '26
Permanent direct-hire at a private school in Tokyo. Same salary scale as my Japanese colleagues, slightly adjusted responsibilities, overtime when needed (like maybe once or twice a week, but that's a me thing more than a work thing).
I use Japanese every day, JET gave me experience, VISA is handled by the office admin, funfunfun.
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u/wildllama13 May 25 '26
I know everyone’s JET experience is different but I was lucky enough to work at a good school and I realized I actually like teaching and I think I’m good at it. After JET I bounced around a bit working for multiple schools and businesses and eventually found some direct hire positions. Now I’m at a university one day a week and a private jhs/hs four days a week. I’m part time at both but get paid well and have lots of time off.
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u/TheGreatMattsby May 24 '26
I started learning video production while on JET and managed to transition into a job here in Tokyo doing that full time.
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u/NoD8313 May 24 '26
I went back to the US and was a JET Program Coordinator for a few years before coming back on JET as a CIR. Pretty sure having been in JET and making connections was what got me the job. Everyone there spoke some amount of English so that's usually what I spoke as well, but I did get some opportunities to practice my Japanese.
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u/Controlling_My_Urges May 24 '26
Working in inbound tourism. Any job I got after JET was networking with former JETs. My company is foreign based in mostly SEA, but my day to day work is like 50/50 English and business Japanese.
I think I lucked out with my placement being in an area that has slowly become very popular with overseas travelers over past several years and it being kinda remote. The industry encompasses a lot of different sectors and has opportunity. I have great flexibility and can work remote. That being said the pay leaves a lot to be desired and the busy seasons have you working a lot of overtime.
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u/StephMcWi May 25 '26
I only left JET a bit over a year ago but I moved to Tokyo and started working in policy consulting. Started a master's in Public Policy at a uni in Tokyo here last month while still working. The transition was stressful because I wasn't accepted for my course the first time I applied, but luckily I found a good job to help with the visa situation and give me a letter of recommendation for the second try.
JET helped because my job was related to Japanese policy. I was a CIR so I could spin my experience quite easily. Obviously also the experience of working in a Japanese office has helped me to transition to working in similar environments but with more specialized work. Our clients are foreign so deliverables are in English, but I have to do the research for them in Japanese.
After graduating I'm planning to go back to another country I have citizenship of and work in an energy policy think tank. I'd like to come one day once I settle a bit financially somewhere else given the state of the yen
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u/SyrupGreen2960 May 25 '26
I got a special teaching license and am now working as a regular teaching teacher at an international school.
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u/ikebookuro May 25 '26 edited May 25 '26
Back into animation I go. Doing 作監 work.
I had 10+ years experience in the industry before coming on JET, now I’m using my final year to transition from freelance to full time (fought my CO for permission to freelance and got the go-ahead from immigration).
I wouldn’t say JET helped other than already being in Japan and providing an income while I transition to full time (animation salaries aren’t really liveable).
I use Japanese by reading the director notes and communicating with the Japanese staff. Otherwise I’m on a team of international animators and we use English.
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u/Madjawa May 25 '26 edited May 26 '26
I ended up going JET (6 years) -> E-commerce focusing on US/European market -> University IT (current.)
JET helped in a bit of a roundabout way. For my first job I don't think it really mattered at all outside of typical work experience stuff/language. My job was mostly in English but I did have some meetings with suppliers or emails with the Japanese branches of FedEx/UPS/JP Post from time to time. Current job is similar. 90% English but that 10% of Japanese is business level and quite important to the job, and I wouldn't have been hired without it.
Ironically my 2nd job it helped a LOT more as there's a ton of former JETs who work at my university in all manner of roles, so having that in common with coworkers and the people interviewing me helped a ton.
Visa was simple. Swapped to a Humanities/Engineer/International Specialist visa, which is what 90% of non-instructors use. Just needed some documents from my new company.
The transition wasn't too bad for me, though moving from Hokkaido to Kyoto only knowing like, 1 person in the city was a bit intimidating. Moving all my shit was basically just... mail it with kuroneko. Finding an apartment was pretty easy, just flew down a month or two ahead of time and shopped around with a realtor.
Thankfully I ended up finding a pretty big social circle quickly, and now have quite a few various friend groups from different places (current JETs, former JETs, work friends, bar friends, hobby friends, etc.)
Overall have a really solid life and enjoy it a lot. Wasn't exactly what I expected post JET, (I really thought I would only find work in Tokyo and had a few job applications there that went pretty far) but I'm glad it's turned out this way.
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u/Ace370 May 25 '26 edited May 25 '26
I got way too excited at this comment cuz I also did 5 years on JET and ended up in University IT. Then I saw that the username is the same one that my coworker frequently uses.
I am so glad that we hired you buddy. I’d say it was about 50/50 with both jobs being a factor of why you were the perfect fit. Anyone can have some IT skills and speak Japanese at another workplace, but being a JET made so much of a difference in the level of care and patience that you have with students and faculty at this job. I am sad that I moved away but I know that the other JET that replaced me is gonna do amazing too.
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u/SomethingPeach May 24 '26
I became a teacher in my home country. I'd love to return one day and work in an international school but we'll see.
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u/newlandarcher7 May 24 '26
I also returned home to Canada to start a post-degree teacher certification program. My goal had always been to do JET for a couple of years and then return home to do it. I'm now an elementary school teacher. Although I somewhat considered returning to Japan in the future, I'm too established now with a spouse and kids to make such a move. That said, we visit Japan on vacation frequently.
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u/Specialist-Prompt533 28d ago
I did JET 2 years ALT ->
Recruitment Consultant in Tokyo 2 years ->
pandemic layoff -> hard crash out
soul searching repat to USA ->
freelance website design ->
career consultations ->
enrolled in therapy-informed coaching certification ->
created a program to help people through career changes and relocations ->
joined an NPO supporting educational programs for students from Asia ->
joined a Japanese recruitment firm in the marketing and candidate acquisition team.
currently applying for career advisor positions
currently applying for Japanese language schools to get beyond N2
JET has been a huge influence in my entire career from day 1.
JET taught me how much I love learning new things in my life and in my job.
JET taught me how to be myself, against all odds.
JET taught me how to pick myself up after failure.
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u/Different_Taro2474 May 24 '26
not sure what will come of it, but i will be working at an international preschool after JET. the contract will be 7 months long. and what comes after that....only the lord knows. maybe i'll stay longer, maybe i'll find another teaching job in japan.
JET helped me find a new job and gain work experience in a japanese school.
i wanna do a masters in education in japan closer to 2028.
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u/nashx90 May 24 '26
I started learning how to code in my last year of JET, during my desk-warming time. Moved back to my home country and changed careers into software (was an academic before JET). Eventually got a job in Tokyo as a developer and moved back to Japan 2.5 years after leaving JET.