For me, the bottom line is, it is a job just like any other job out there. You get what you make out of it. If you’re up for the challenge and want to try living in Japan, then by all means, go for it.
Yes, the JET program offers college graduates an easy opportunity to experience living in Japan. And yes it can open doors to other careers but you need to know what you’re doing with your life.
In my opinion and experience, the JET program is great when you just graduated from college and need a nice 1~2 year break from school. I also strongly believe that most people should do JET right after graduating college which is when you’re around 22~23 years old. Typically you should get in around 22 and do a year or two then get out around 24~25 years of age. At 25, you still have a lot of youth in you to do other things besides being a JET ALT (ALT= Assistant Language Teacher). Don’t take your life for granted.
My first year as a JET was awesome because everything was new and challenging. But after the first year, the work becomes mundane to the point I wanted to quit before my contract ended. Fortunately, I was smart enough to not waste my time in Japan so I took advantage of everything I could on my own. I learned to read and write Japanese, I learned martial arts, and I even entered a grad school program in Japan that led me to other places.
Remember that being an ALT has it’s fun and glory but at the end of the day it is a low skill job. You’re pretty much speaking and teaching English. Teaching english is a dead end job for most people especially for those who don’t plan to become language teachers so make sure you figure something out with all the free time you’ll be getting as an ALT.
In terms of money, the money isn’t bad but it is also not great at all. Actually the money is way worse considering how week the yen is right now in 2024. Doing JET won’t make you rich but the income you earn should make you comfortable compared to other non- JET ALTs if you save your money and invest it in the right places.
So yeah, if you’re young and want to do JET, go for it. Have a good plan! Don’t f’n do JET if you’re older than 25 years old. If you get in right after college make sure you have an exit plan. Remember JET is a cultural exchange program and nothing more. Think of what you can get from JET professionally. Nobody wants to become that 50 something year old gaijin who can’t speak Japanese that still teaches english at some shitty-runned eikaiwa.