The age old debate: JET vs. Interac

This is post is largely due to the JET and Interac job controversy of which is better. 

Recently I was thrown in the debate of which is better with a fellow ALT...a JET. I was sincerely disappointed to find them uneducated in the topic and have therefore made this article to tell people that one is not better than the other for any one specific reason.

 It all depends on a personal preference. For myself, Interac is much better largely due to the choice of placement and the vacation time. Choice of placement was the most important thing to me. What you have to do when deciding if a job is right for you, is to determine what you value in it. I can promise you that JET pays for a lot more things and then, on top of that, they will pay you more for your work as well. So if it is money you are after, look no further. 

Here I have made a table, based on a lot of research and the help of my friend Ben Brannan that displays each company's values and what they have to offer. So I hope you will find this very helpful if you are considering a job in Japan. 

	JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme)	Interac
Salary	¥3.6 million per year ¥300,000 a month	Varied ¥250,000 a month Rural placement with a vehicle ¥240,000 a month Rural placement ¥230,000 a month Urban/Suburban placement Months March, April, July, August, and December are prorated according to the number of days worked. ~¥13,000 a day (rate may vary) domestic recruit  Note that once you have completed a contract that you are then considered a domestic recruit. Rate varies from branch to branch and city to city. ¥20,000 a month (additional) Transportation costs.
Vacation	10 days leave (average 12-20) 15 national holidays minimum	10 assigned paid vacation days 3-4 weeks in the winter  (prorated salary) 2-3 weeks in the spring  (prorated salary) 1 month+ in the summer  (prorated salary) All national holidays
Housing	Is subsidized up to 50% Employer will find for you	Not subsidized Employer will find for you
Airfare	Round trip airfare is paid for Note that return airfare is only paid for upon contract completion.	Not paid
Location	Minimal to no choice (circumstances of choice: need to be near a hospital or have a spouse who is already settled in a specific city) Mostly rural Cannot reject given placement or will face termination as a candidate and rejection of any future applications.	Choice of region Can reject given placement and the placement office will find a new placement offer. Rural or suburban placements depending on preference  Large city placements, like Tokyo or Osaka, typically go to people with experience.
Number of Employees	4,334 ALTs (2010)	2,500 - 3,000 ALTs
Insurance	Required. National Health insurance Pension options	Required. National Health insurance or InterGlobal Insurance Pension options * Do not physically help in the acquisition of National Health insurance, as it is government issued insurance and Interac is a company (whereas JET is a government program).
Time Restraint	5 year maximum After third year the renewal process is more rigorous requiring additional interviews and essays.	None
Age Restriction	40 years of age	No limit Suggested that BoE's prefer younger candidates. Moving up to an office job and upper management is possible for older employees, but they must have first worked as an ALT.
Transfer	Limited to none	Very easily acquired  (based on the mutual needs of a BoE) Placement preference given to those with experience
Application Process	Longer process More difficult  Less likely to be accepted.  *see statistics in article	Shorter process. Easier.  Find out results quicker.
Employer	The government. You are employed by the Board of Education.	Interac. You are not regulated by the school and do not have to do things that are not sanctioned by Interac (grading papers, joining a club, making tests, etc)
Secondary Jobs	Not allowed	Allowed but cannot work for competing companies (other ALT companies such as JET) Not allowed to private tutor students from classes. (students not from your classes are acceptable)
Future Resume	Opinion: It is a government sponsored position and would likely look a bitter better on a resume.	Opinion: It will look like a typical ALT teaching job. Better than an eikaiwa.

***Application process: I discovered this interesting bit of information in the midst of my research, which could be a really important factor for some.
My references for this chart are the employees of JET, the employees of Interac and employees who have been one for a time and then the other, personal experience, as well as a few facts found from the page below as well as a few other pages. This does not mean that any of this is set in stone. Personal experiences vary. BOE's vary. Schools vary.

"The ALT applicant success rate varies from year to year. For the 2002 JET Program, 320 out of about 500 applicants were granted interviews at the Consulate General of Japan at Chicago; out of 320 interviewees, 185 were selected as short-list candidates, with 80 on the alternate list. Thus, for this year, 64% of applicants were granted interviews, and 58% were selected as short-list candidates. This adds up to an overall success rate of 37%." found at http://www.chicago.us.emb-japan.go.jp/JIC/jetfaq.html
Actually that site is full of useful information if you are researching about JET.

In recent years, I have found that JET and Interac are both always changing and progressing (or regressing). Interac has been pulling out of many areas and but still managing to grow in numbers. JET has changed their rules a lot in recent years including extending the period of stay from 3 to 5 years, as well as removing the paid for pension and health insurance, which you now have to pay for out of your salary. Also worth a mention is that the salary can possibly vary with JETs. I do have one friend who is a JET and makes a cut about the others, with ¥310,000 a month.

As far as their reputations go. I will leave that to you to research and come up with your own opinion.

Or you can check out The Rising Daikon for more information on the categorical subjects. As well as for a few case stories of both sides.