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Post by wapiko on May 15, 2019 15:42:30 GMT 9
Staff from a nearby town are preparing to get their first CIR ever and they've sent over a list of questions to me. I'm curious as to your take on some of these, especially if you were the first CIR to come to your location. I was lucky enough to have a pred and I also had my living situation ready to go, furniture and all, but I know there are merits to starting from scratch as well. What could they do best to prepare adequately enough for a completely new person with no pred?
Job responsibilities have been left out because it's pretty focused asking what my city CIRs do and then what HR/CO does as far as employment.
For some of these questions, it may help to know that while the town is fairly populated it is still inaka and trains are not the most frequent. Winter also means a couple meters of snow on average.
Living situation (some of this seems better suited for the actual CO side of things but I think it would be nice to have a say)
- Is an apartment best? If so, should the contract begin before or after they arrive? (I wrote in 同時?)
-- Is any consideration given to other types of lodging (guesthouses, boarding houses etc)
- Who is the benefactor for these? (I'm in teacher housing so I assume mine is the BOE)
- How much input should be received from the incoming CIR beforehand in regards to their living situation?
- Should we consider somewhere close enough they can walk to work?
Daily life
- Do you use a car for commuting and daily living? (I sure as shit do, I live 2km from both offices and further from a good grocer/supply store)
- Do you need someone to arrange for the phone contract? (I did that with my co-CIR, do you think it would be easier with someone else?)
- To what degree should assistance be given? (everyday items, furniture, someone to help buy electronic items, Lifeline [wtf is this] etc
Receiving a new CIR
- What prepwork should we pay attention to in particular before receiving a CIR?
-------------------
Thanks in advance for any input you can give!! I don't know when they're going to get their CIR but I want their transition to be as smooth as possible from their home country!
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Post by Aya Raincoat on May 15, 2019 16:04:43 GMT 9
Staff from a nearby town are preparing to get their first CIR ever and they've sent over a list of questions to me. I'm curious as to your take on some of these, especially if you were the first CIR to come to your location. I was lucky enough to have a pred and I also had my living situation ready to go, furniture and all, but I know there are merits to starting from scratch as well. What could they do best to prepare adequately enough for a completely new person with no pred? Job responsibilities have been left out because it's pretty focused asking what my city CIRs do and then what HR/CO does as far as employment. For some of these questions, it may help to know that while the town is fairly populated it is still inaka and trains are not the most frequent. Winter also means a couple meters of snow on average. ------------------- Thanks in advance for any input you can give!! I don't know when they're going to get their CIR but I want their transition to be as smooth as possible from their home country! Thinking of what the ideal situation could be... Living situation (some of this seems better suited for the actual CO side of things but I think it would be nice to have a say) - Is an apartment best? If so, should the contract begin before or after they arrive? (I wrote in 同時?) I think apartments are better than the options below, just for independence reasons; the contract should be signed when the CIR arrives (is the CO willing to pay for key money, etc.?). However, this does get a bit complicated when the person doesn't come at the beginning of the month, and therefore havea weird end date (so they have to move out before their contract is over).
-- Is any consideration given to other types of lodging (guesthouses, boarding houses etc) See above.
- Who is the benefactor for these? (I'm in teacher housing so I assume mine is the BOE) In my case, I believe it's my CO.
- How much input should be received from the incoming CIR beforehand in regards to their living situation? In an ideal situation, some input should be received, but at the same time, I would hope that people at the CO know where good places to live, like where stores are and things like that. It's possible that the person moving in has never looked for an apartment and doesn't know what to ask for. In my case, I just inherited the position's apartment, along with all the stuff left by a bunch of preds (this is both good and bad).
- Should we consider somewhere close enough they can walk to work? Yes, if there is enough stuff around for life. Being able to walk to a grocery store or at least a combini seems much more important to me. I have to take a train to work, but they are frequent. It takes me about 30 minutes (vs. 45-60 minutes if I were to walk).Daily life - Do you use a car for commuting and daily living? (I sure as shirt do, I live 2km from both offices and further from a good grocer/supply store) No
- Do you need someone to arrange for the phone contract? (I did that with my co-CIR, do you think it would be easier with someone else?) N o one helped me, but I kind of wish they did. Same with Internet.- To what degree should assistance be given? (everyday items, furniture, someone to help buy electronic items, Lifeline [wtf is this] etc Pretty much all of our furniture (including some small electronics) is rented, and the rental fee is taken from our pay. This is really good because you don't get here to an empty apartment, but the downside is you don't get to choose. I had my everyday items left by my preds (including futons, etc.), which really helped too, although some of it was gross, and dealing with cleaning was draining and depressing at first. The utilities (that's Lifeline) were taken care of when I made my bank account.Receiving a new CIR - What prepwork should we pay attention to in particular before receiving a CIR? - Have a good idea of what you need them to do
- Realize that they speak Japanese, but may not be used to cultural things
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Post by dr. pussy popper on May 15, 2019 16:08:31 GMT 9
Ohhh, interesting.
I was the first CIR in my position, but not necessarily the first CIR in my area. So I think daily life/ job considerations are something I can share whereas details regarding my contact/lodging itself was already in place. But not having a pred certainly threw a wrench into things.
Living situation
- An apartment is best, but if possible tell the applicant before they arrive what options (plural) they have. I was told they couldn't find housing near my workplace so I had no choice but to stay in my Leo Palace. Then, during winter, I was told there actually WAS the option of giving me a place near work, but it needed repairs so they just x-ed it. Perhaps I would have been fine with that situation and needing to repair over where I currently live, because it is inconvenient.
- There should be more considerations given, but I didn't have that luxury.
- There should be input because it's only a bigger headache when the CIR arrives and is not pleased/ put into an uncomfortable position. I had to reach out about a mattress and whether my CO could purchase one for me before I arrived. This was necessary otherwise I would have been sleeping on the floor for a weekend.
- Definitely consider distance. Taking a long commute via bus is extremely draining for me and I wish I had a say in how far my commute was. Not having a car and relying on crappy inaka public transport is really, really exhausting.
Daily life
- I don't drive a car because I cannot afford to purchase my own. I wish purchasing one could be somewhat subsidized by my CO but it's not. My workplace and apartment are 12 km away.
- I arranged a phone contract by myself online. I think people prefer to decide those things for themselves.
- To what degree should assistance be given... as much as possible. I didn't have a car nor did I have internet for a while, so if a coworker didn't drive with me to pick up essential life goods/ furniture I would have been completely screwed. Newcomers don't know anything about the area and don't know where to turn. Don't just dump them to fend for themselves for a weekend like I had to when I first got here.
Receiving a new CIR
- Give a CIR a list of duties and expectations, and walk them through the facilities of their workplace and where important documents, etc. are held so that they can competantly start working. Devote a day or more when they first start out actively training them, whether that be through explanations or shadowing. I didn't get the full run-down about my workplace until maybe a month+ in. My supervisor doesn't work in my office and we were in the middle of preparing for an important performance, so everyone was too busy for me. I was really stressed out and didn't know what to do with myself for a while because no one ever told me what was expected of me and no one explained where anything was. I had to depend on calling for help for literally everything. (**This problem is ongoing in some ways because the problem was not dealt with initially and therefore has snowballed in some ways).
In general, make sure the CIR is on the same page as everyone. Don't just tell them people's names, write them down (with kanji). If anything can be offered in written form, do it. When you're jetlagged it's hard to stay awake, let alone remember everything. Make sure you have resources that the CIR can look back on later.
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Post by Dee on May 15, 2019 16:28:20 GMT 9
Staff from a nearby town are preparing to get their first CIR ever and they've sent over a list of questions to me. I'm curious as to your take on some of these, especially if you were the first CIR to come to your location. I was lucky enough to have a pred and I also had my living situation ready to go, furniture and all, but I know there are merits to starting from scratch as well. What could they do best to prepare adequately enough for a completely new person with no pred? Job responsibilities have been left out because it's pretty focused asking what my city CIRs do and then what HR/CO does as far as employment. For some of these questions, it may help to know that while the town is fairly populated it is still inaka and trains are not the most frequent. Winter also means a couple meters of snow on average. Living situation (some of this seems better suited for the actual CO side of things but I think it would be nice to have a say) - Is an apartment best? If so, should the contract begin before or after they arrive? (I wrote in 同時?)
Yes, I believe an apartment is best, however it is at the discretion of the CO. If they need to sign a lease/rental agreement it should be signed upon arrival.-- Is any consideration given to other types of lodging (guesthouses, boarding houses etc) - Who is the benefactor for these? (I'm in teacher housing so I assume mine is the BOE)
I live in townhall owned apartments.- How much input should be received from the incoming CIR beforehand in regards to their living situation? I think they would deserve the same consideration as if a new ALT were coming in? It would probably be nice to be close to work/shopping/etc. I was given a choice of 2 different apartments.- Should we consider somewhere close enough they can walk to work? That would be nice, but if they are expected to get a car it may not be necessary. Daily life- Do you use a car for commuting and daily living? (I sure as shirt do, I live 2km from both offices and further from a good grocer/supply store)
While I am close enough to walk to and from work and to the grocery store, due to family and being in a super rural area we have a car. - Do you need someone to arrange for the phone contract? (I did that with my co-CIR, do you think it would be easier with someone else?)My supervisor asked if I had a preference on what kind of phone/phone company I wanted to use, then took me there to get everything setup. She was there to help, but I ended up doing the contract on my own and assisting the new ALT that was there with me. I was glad to have some input on which cell phone company I would be using.
I set up my internet mostly on my own though, and did get some help from my supervisor. All other utility bills were setup through my CO, then soup helped me set up all the auto-drafts so all my bills are taken from my bank account regularly. - To what degree should assistance be given? (everyday items, furniture, someone to help buy electronic items, Lifeline [wtf is this] etc Yes, yes, and yes. My CO provided us with all the basic furnishings and appliances upon my arrival (futons and bedding, couch, TV, stove, fridge, washing machine, dining table/chairs, plates, silverware, pots/pans, trash can, ironing board/iron, coffee pot).Receiving a new CIR- What prepwork should we pay attention to in particular before receiving a CIR? ------------------- Thanks in advance for any input you can give!! I don't know when they're going to get their CIR but I want their transition to be as smooth as possible from their home country! |
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Post by 𝑜𝓇𝒾𝒽𝒾𝓂𝑒 on May 15, 2019 16:32:09 GMT 9
I was the first CIR in nearly 30 years to come to my placement! For my apartment, it was arranged before I got there and was all ready for me to move into straight away when I got here, I just had to go sign the contract I think. My CO asked me what I'd want apartment-wise (I responded not on the first floor, near work and the station, separate kitchen, separate sink, fairly recent build) and looked for apartments that met or near-met those requests, then I chose the one I wanted and they arranged it all for me. The only thing I had to do was a slightly awkward over-the-phone verification of who I was, while still back home. I pay the whole rent, it goes to the landlord, who is just a random unaffiliated-to-my-work dude. If the CIR gets to choose where they live, then whether they need to be close enough to work to walk should be covered 'cause they'd choose somewhere close to work if they can't drive etc. Furniture etc. and appliances (my apartment didn't even come with lights in the two main rooms) were bought (all by me) either the day I got to my placement or the day after, with help from my CO - two coworkers (soup and onee-san coworker, and not soup the day after) took me around to various shops and helped me buy all my appliances and go through warranty etc. If they have an English-speaking person who can help with this it'd be useful because with the jetlag it was super confusing for me trying to understand everything I was doing/buying/the warranty etc. 'cause (at the time) neither of the coworkers with me spoke Japanese Phone contract I set up before I came here via Sakura Mobile 'cause I wanted to keep the phone I already had and use that, I just set it up online then picked up the SIM card at the Tokyo Orientation, but I think it's good to ask in case they want to get a Japanese phone.
My CO did help me set up my bank account though, and my internet, kind of (they sorted out the contract stuff but I had to get RA ALT-senpai and his wife to actually help me set it up)
I'm not really sure what to suggest regarding prepwork though... My CO also ordered a hanko for me, and asked my preference regarding that (whether I actually wanted my name on it in Katakana or English or if I had any other ideas, I ended up getting the ATEJI I chose for my first name with help from my year abroad Kanji teacher)
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Post by starbreeze on May 16, 2019 9:08:49 GMT 9
I was completely new to my rural town!
- Is an apartment best? If so, should the contract begin before or after they arrive?
My first month's rent was prorated, but I am pretty sure my contract started before I arrived since my coworkers got the key and were setting up things for me before I arrived the first week of August.
-- Is any consideration given to other types of lodging (guesthouses, boarding houses etc)
I would have liked to have been in teacher housing since it is a lot cheaper than my private apartment (although older) and even closer than my 3-minute walk to work. But when my CO contacted the BOE they were told that those apartments could really only be occupied by teachers (even though I KNOW they have empty apartments...ううむ). There is also housing for prefectural employees that is pretty cheap, so to the extent possible try to score things like these (although maybe reconsider if it is dreadfully old/unclean/has primitive bath/heating systems).
- Who is the benefactor for these?
I have no idea... assuming my CO though.
- How much input should be received from the incoming CIR beforehand in regards to their living situation?
My CO was nice enough to get in touch and offer a couple of options. Ultimately the only real differences were that one was cheaper but further out and one was more expensive but closer and had an extra bedroom. It helps to have the input of the party in question.
- Should we consider somewhere close enough they can walk to work?
But of course! For some people I hear it is mandatory that they live nearby.
- Do you use a car for commuting and daily living?
Nope, although my CO tried to convince me to get one. I eventually caved (even though I don't really need it) because I recontracted and wanted to be able to explore more.
- Do you need someone to arrange for the phone contract?
This is totally optional. My CO tried to help me but I ended up ordering a cheap MVNO SIM card for my current phone online. I would have preferred help setting up my home internet though, because everyone uses the same company here anyways so there isn't much to customize on that end. And because someone had to come to my apartment to drill a hole in the wall? (which turned out not to be the case, but my coworkers were asking if I felt uncomfortable being there alone with someone and all and offered to come over anyways...)
- To what degree should assistance be given? (everyday items, furniture, someone to help buy electronic items, Lifeline [wtf is this] etc
Hmmm... due to lack of a pred my apartment was pretty barren when I first got there (but they did provide a futon, T.V., washing machine, refrigerator, microwave and AC which I was hella grateful for...) . We spent the first day after I arrived shopping for supplies, which, since we had a car, was very appreciated. I had to ask in advance what exactly I would have when I got there since I figured if there was something I could pack I could just bring it with me from the States so maybe be explicit about provisions...
- What prepwork should we pay attention to in particular before receiving a CIR?
I ditto everyone's response above.. I had no idea what my job even was until I finally just Line messaged my TANTO at Tokyo orientation like "What am I even doing??" so yeah, some expectations there would have helped. I only recently had a meeting with the Deputy Mayor and all of my (brand new as of this fiscal year) supervisory staff to explain exactly what he wants me to do here, replete with a crazy long list that would have been great to have like.. ideally before I even started but even within the first/second week in would have been great too.
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Post by Miscreative on May 16, 2019 9:55:10 GMT 9
wapiko fwiw i am not a first gen but rather 10th generation CIR and one of 5 so my office is used to this rodeo which is why i think it would be good to hear what more experienced COs do Living situation (some of this seems better suited for the actual CO side of things but I think it would be nice to have a say) - Is an apartment best? If so, should the contract begin before or after they arrive? (I wrote in 同時?) -- Is any consideration given to other types of lodging (guesthouses, boarding houses etc) i live in an area where houses are not really reasonable. all of us have/do live in apartments. our apartments are arranged by my CO and rented "by the mayor" and it is ready for when we move in. (but iirc Cantamen stayed in a guesthouse until her apartment was ready) Typically, the successor takes over the preds apartment (i am convinced that my apartment has been rented by my CO since the 1st EIGOKEN CIR but i cannot confirm). this cuts down on the COs need to pay key money, etc. and pay to move the provided items* if the successor's situation/needs are different (or the apartment is no longer livable for whatever reason) then my office will find a new place, taking into consideration the new situation. they moved KCIRs grand pred because he brought his family and they needed a bigger place. They moved FCIR because his preds place was BOROBORO af, far away, and was chosen for a CIR with a family (which hasnt been a need for the last 2 FCIRs) so they got a smaller place that is a 10 min walk from the office. (all of us can/do walk to work to both offices. i am the furthest from 2nd office which takes a fast walker 15 min to get to. me, about 20) also consider the costs/maintenance that comes with a house. many JETs, especially in the inaka deal with this for sure but the CO should be ready to help the CIR navigate "owning" a house in another country. *provided items (this is what was provided to me. this has been updated since i got here for TOITU sake across all JETs here. there is a chance that some of these were just hand-me-downs but the ones with * are for sure provided by my apartment) ~tv (and tv stand)* ~microwave* ~rice cooker* ~fridge/freezer* ~curtains ~washing machine* ~futon and bedding* ~towel (not officially. from co-soup who was nice) ~A/C, heaters - How much input should be received from the incoming CIR beforehand in regards to their living situation? if possible, imho i think the incoming CIR should be consulted. that said, they should keep in mind that they potentially want their successor to take over so they shouldnt get too out there? - Should we consider somewhere close enough they can walk to work? it depends. if your city isnt walkable to begin with... i would almost hesitate to say yes. being able to only get to work and nowhere else because you dont /need/ a car... i personally would struggle with that decision, especially if "walking distance" decreased the ease of getting a car (ie expensive parking). that said. i feel SO incredibly lucky that i have a 15-20 min commute on foot, mostly through a shopping arcade. it makes life so easy especially since i have two supermarkets also in walking distance (12 & 20 min). one thing to consider is the combined cost of rent plus transportation. i have very little in transportation costs (no car/parking costs at all) but i pay a decent amount in rent (i pay 45,000 of my 6MAN apartment because my office subsidizes it. KCIR has a bigger place and pays a bit more naturally) Daily life - Do you use a car for commuting and daily living? (I sure as shirt do, I live 2km from both offices and further from a good grocer/supply store) I do not because of the fact that the area that i live in would make it more inconvenient for me to have a car and i would realistically only use it like... once a week? unless i was being lazy and i appreciate all the minimal effort walking my life now allows me. my city /is/ a car society which does make me miss having a car for sure and once you leave my area, most people do have cars but i cannot justify one. while it may be inconvenient sometimes, i technically /can/ get most anywhere i want to using the public transport systems. (also not that that means my transportation costs are super low.) - Do you need someone to arrange for the phone contract? (I did that with my co-CIR, do you think it would be easier with someone else?) i did it with korean senpai. KCIRs soup i think helped her. this is case-by-case depending on the CIR/soup relationship and what each can/want to do - To what degree should assistance be given? (everyday items, furniture, someone to help buy electronic items, Lifeline [wtf is this] etc in my first few months, my soup/team were /super/ helpful. co-soup and her husband came to my place to help me set up my tv (i didnt have a cord and got confused because there is a satellite dish on my balcony that isnt usable?), and we borrowed a city car to go pick up a dining table set from hard off that i had found. they were there for the entire process of setting up a bank account and arranging for my utilities to come out of my account directly. they helped me look up internet options and what not. when i asked they would offer help but after some time had passed, i got more independent and they stopped being so loose with the help they were willing to give (because they expected me to start doing things on my own) Receiving a new CIR - What prepwork should we pay attention to in particular before receiving a CIR? i feel like this is a question for COs/TANTOs. i hope they are contacting other SHOKUIN, right? not just you? i am sure i have forgotten something but for now, enjoy my effort post. if you have any other questions you know what to do
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Post by Psychic Pug on May 16, 2019 13:33:51 GMT 9
Living situation (some of this seems better suited for the actual CO side of things but I think it would be nice to have a say) - I live in a mansion that's also kind of a ~business hotel~. The minimum stay is a week but the city hall/BoE has some arrangement with them so that JETs can live there (they don't rent to gaikokujin except jets). It's fully furnished and the rent is 5-6 man BUT (and it's a big bud) my office pays for most of it. So I only pay 14,800 (as of April 2019) including water. Work is only a 10-minute walk and there are shops, a hairdresser and a conbini around the area.
I think it's great to have a furnished apartment because it just makes it easy for everyone especially for a CO who will be receiving their first CIR. If they can't find an accommodation like that be prepared to help them even if it's just telling them where to get stuff or even better, driving them to shops (cause obvs they won't have a car and license to drive here when they get here). Not relevant atm but I overlapped with my pred for a week so they put me in a business hotel. I paid for it first and got reimbursed later. I was a NEET before jet so having this information before I arrived helped me prepare.Daily life- Do you use a car for commuting and daily living? I walk and most people get around by bus/bicycle. Puggerino moved out of the mansion to be with love of his life and our office covers his commuting expenses. I physically cannot drive and we're forbidden to drive for work (if we rent a car for KAMKO it's ok). You said they're gonna be in the inaka and I think somebody in the forums had a successor and even though they need to drive to survive (it rhymes!) they didn't allow him to drive in the inaka cause he was new and young or some shirt. Don't do that.- Do you need someone to arrange for the phone contract? (I did that with my co-CIR, do you think it would be easier with someone else?)I did it on my own but I went with puggerino when he did his cause my supervisor at that time was new so I had to guide her as well. Last year they had a problem with the residence card so he couldn't sign up without it but he was able to do it on his own the second time. Incoming jets and current jets use social media to share info so that's one way of getting info about phones. I found out some info through those groups and also previous experience from RYUUGAKU. Is it easier with someone else? Yes, mostly because of jetlag.- To what degree should assistance be given? (everyday items, furniture, someone to help buy electronic items, Lifeline [wtf is this] etc I think I mentioned it above, if they can't find or are unable to provide a furnished place then help them in buying furniture by driving them etc. Even though I had most of the furniture and appliances I needed, for my first weekend here my soup drove me to places where I could buy toiletries, household cleaning stuff etc.Receiving a new CIR- I think everyone who posted before pretty much said everything. I also think that having a new CIR is easier to deal with than new ALTs cause for sure cirs can speak Japanese and for most have already been to/lived in Japan. Having said that, studying for a year and working here long-term are different experiences. Jetlag will probably make it hard for them to function at the start but any CIR, especially first years, is always eager to work as long as they have something to do and have a great support system at work.P.S. CIRs are not ALTs. Some people enjoy it but I think a lot people who apply for cirs will be disappointed if they ended up doing an alt's job most of the time. |
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Post by Leilo on May 17, 2019 9:33:23 GMT 9
I am the first CIR ever in my city. I think there's a lot of good information in this thread, so I'll try to just mention some things I don't think have been said and explain my situation a bit.
Living Situation:
Before coming, they gave me two apartment options to choose from. I wanted more time to choose my own apartment or look through options, and I asked them to give me time to consider the options. But they took a few weeks to reply and by the time they emailed me the options, I was going to be departing in a couple days. So I didn't really feel like I had an option there, although I would have liked to personaly look for a cheaper or newer option, that wasn't next to a big road. I wish they would have replied to me faster and more frequently pre-departure.
Here's a funny point with them never having a CIR before: they didn't know if I could speak Japanese so they had a city ALT translate the emails to me into English at first. Maybe that's part of why it took a while for them to reply too. qq
Key money and first month's rent was really expensive for me. I had to pay about 300,000 out of pocket for the apartment bill on my first day. This was hard being a new grad who had just been working part time before. And nothing was furnished, so I needed to buy a washermachine, fridge, stove top, bed etc. My CO didn't provide any official help for the money, but they took me around to buy the stuff and helped set them up. I recieved a lot of help personally from my coworkers though. They gave me some furniture, and helped me pay when we were out shopping and I had reached my limit for withdrawing money for the day already. I don't have anything subsidized by the City Hall, sadly.
It would have been better if they told me I would need to pay this much money ASAP, before I arrived. I was lucky I had ordered enough yen and had enough money saved.
Daily Life
Living in the inaka without frequent buses, no JR train, etc. When I arrived they gave me a bycicle. The apartment they chose for me was in walking distance to the city hall and the supermarket, so I was ok there. But in my placement you need a car to really get around. They didn't offer any official help to buy or find a car, but I started saying that I was looking to buy a car etc. My first few months I rented cars short term when I was traveling etc. Eventually someone from a different KA/same BU heard that I wanted a car and he set me up with someone in my city hall, and they sold me their used car for really cheap. The coworker from my BU volunteered to help me do all the paperwork and yaritori with a car shop for some repairs. That was a big help.
Recieving a CIR
One nice thing they did at my CO: my soup passed around my email to my coworkers and asked them to send me introduction emails before I came. This was really nice since I didn't have a pred or any JETs from my city contacting me, so I got to hear about my city a little before coming. I would have appreciated if they had told me something about what my job or section would be like before coming too.
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akatsuki
Straight outta Narita
Posts: 46
CIR Experience: 1st year
Location: Yamagata
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Post by akatsuki on May 17, 2019 14:15:29 GMT 9
Staff from a nearby town are preparing to get their first CIR ever and they've sent over a list of questions to me. I'm curious as to your take on some of these, especially if you were the first CIR to come to your location. I was lucky enough to have a pred and I also had my living situation ready to go, furniture and all, but I know there are merits to starting from scratch as well. What could they do best to prepare adequately enough for a completely new person with no pred? Job responsibilities have been left out because it's pretty focused asking what my city CIRs do and then what HR/CO does as far as employment. For some of these questions, it may help to know that while the town is fairly populated it is still inaka and trains are not the most frequent. Winter also means a couple meters of snow on average. Living situation (some of this seems better suited for the actual CO side of things but I think it would be nice to have a say) - Is an apartment best? If so, should the contract begin before or after they arrive? (I wrote in 同時?)-- Is any consideration given to other types of lodging (guesthouses, boarding houses etc) - Who is the benefactor for these? (I'm in teacher housing so I assume mine is the BOE)- How much input should be received from the incoming CIR beforehand in regards to their living situation? - Should we consider somewhere close enough they can walk to work? Daily life- Do you use a car for commuting and daily living? (I sure as shit do, I live 2km from both offices and further from a good grocer/supply store)- Do you need someone to arrange for the phone contract? (I did that with my co-CIR, do you think it would be easier with someone else?)- To what degree should assistance be given? (everyday items, furniture, someone to help buy electronic items, Lifeline [wtf is this] etc Receiving a new CIR- What prepwork should we pay attention to in particular before receiving a CIR? ------------------- Thanks in advance for any input you can give!! I don't know when they're going to get their CIR but I want their transition to be as smooth as possible from their home country! You've had a lot of answers already but I'll just add my 2 cents! I was the first CIR in my relatively inaka city. My answers may be a tad different bc I was a direct hire before switching to JET almost 1 year in.
Living situation- Is an apartment best? If so, should the contract begin before or after they arrive? I was hired from within Japan and my CO arranged with the leasing company to show me 4 different apartments on a 2 day trip to the city and have me choose which I liked. I guess an apartment is best bc they are easiest to find+rent plus JETs usually come on their own and apartments in the inaka and generally more than sufficient for living alone. (Personally, a house would have been better and I'm looking to move into one bc my fiance may be moving here soon.)-- Is any consideration given to other types of lodging (guesthouses, boarding houses etc) I was not told of any other options beside an apartment but they told me to let them know if there was a specific apartment/lodging I wanted bc I had done my own research.- Who is the benefactor for these? My CO- How much input should be received from the incoming CIR beforehand in regards to their living situation? I think it is important to ask the incoming CIR what they are looking for in a room. My CO asked how big of an apartment I was looking at and how much rent I paid for my apartment in Osaka at the time so that they could match that after subsidization. They also helped me make a list of what would be necessary to buy and have delivered to the apartment the day I arrived so I could live in it right away. They even sent someone to measure for curtains, space for the fridge and gas stove, etc.- Should we consider somewhere close enough they can walk to work? If the CIR cannot drive then definitely. I do not have a licence and I let them know that before hand (my placement is a driving placement) so they only showed me apartments within walking distance of the city hall.Daily life
- Do you use a car for commuting and daily living? I do not use a car but it would definitely help. They gave me a bicycle within 2 weeks of moving here but it's the inaka and a car would definitely be helpful especially in the winter (we get a looottt of snow). I currently depend on coworkers or the ALTs to drive me to and from faraway places.- Do you need someone to arrange for the phone contract? I had a phone in Japan that I set up on my own years prior so I didn't need help with this but I'm sure the incoming CIR would appreciate all the help they can get.- To what degree should assistance be given? Once the CO doesn't feel like they are overextending themselves I guess with as much as they can? My CO may have been (and still are) overly accommodating in that I feel more like I've been adopted rather than hired. But I guess with as much as they are comfortable with.Receiving a new CIR
- What prepwork should we pay attention to in particular before receiving a CIR? I guess making sure that the CIR knows exactly what their job will entail. What kind of work environment to expect etc. I was lucky in that I was able to visit city hall and meet everyone months before I officially started working there so I was able to get a feel for the atmosphere and get to know who I was going to be working with. Those coming in blind don't have that luxury so I guess be a little forthcoming with details about work. |
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Post by wapiko on May 23, 2019 10:49:29 GMT 9
Thank you so much everyone!!! I didn't get to bring it up much in my meeting as my Boss hogged a lot of the speaking time but I'm going to be working closely with Numanuma Town in the next few months so I'm going to be relaying these suggestions/feedback to them. Also going to volunteer to help out the new CIR because he's gonna be in a whirlwind of BATABATA I have a feeling!
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