Throwaway acc.
So, I am currently living in Japan on a “special activities”. I’ve got plenty of interviews lined up for many well-known (for better or worse) companies and some smaller schools as well. However, I also have my eye out for jobs starting that actually pay well but don’t begin until April of next year.
One interviewer warned me that while some people break their contracts, it looks horrible on their resumes, so don’t. That freaked me out. My plan was to get hired, secure a work visa so that I don’t have to waste $$$ flying back home, and work from whenever I can until I possibly find a new job starting in April (so about 8 months of work). I know people do this all the time for big companies and don’t think twice about it, but I am beginning to realize that I would feel bad if I did this to a small school that actually treats me well. Also, I realize it would be unethical to omit work experience at a job where you did not fulfill the contract on resumes.
Any thoughts? Am I thinking too hard about this? Is it bad that I might commit to a yearlong contract knowing very well that I am actively seeking to break them for another job? Should I be upfront and tell them that I am looking for other jobs before the 12-month period?
13 comments
It’s a scare tactic. You give your two weeks and go on about your life.
Are you going to be in the same industry (*e.g.,* moving from one IT job to another or moving from one teaching job to another)? I’d be cautious about breaking a contract in that case: people do talk and they do inquire about short job stints, especially in teaching. If you’re moving from one industry to another, you’re probably not going to be damaging your prospects too much with regard to the new industry.
Don’t most teaching contracts end in March anyway? You didn’t specify which you were. If you’re at eikaiwa just give notice like yiu would anywhere else.
It happens all the time, that’s the English teaching game basically. They’re just saying that to scare you into staying.
When scaring doesn’t work the other thing they will try is guilt tripping.
They’re used to it.
I’ve done it. I regret it only because I gave up a decent bonus. Something like ¥160,000 but honestly the amount of stress I had from that job made me very sick so I suppose losing that money was worth it.
It only looks terrible if you do it multiple times. If you find a better job and stay there a while and learn some new skills, the next employer won’t question it. When it’s time for you to move on, don’t hesitate. To quote the immortal Keith Richards, “After all is said and done, I got to move, I had my fun. Let us walk before they make us run.”
A job is a job, it’s not something that should own your life or future plans. Just sidestep their intimidation tactics and give your 2 weeks once you get hired for something better. At least you’re not with JP Morgan Chase where they want 6 months notice.
Ending a contract and taking a new job is a business decision, just as it would be a business decision if they were to fire you or lay you off. There should not be an issue, as long as you quit with notice and keep your work ethic all the way to the end.
When asked why you left, however, you need to have a more positive reason other than “that place sucked and the pay was low.” You should mention what you learned there, and your desire to move on to do more X, to learn more about Y, and how you felt the company you are interviewing with would provide that opportunity.
Some places MIGHT ask about it but people do it all the time and it’s all about how you frame it.
I did this a while back. I worked a job for about 8 months and then applied for a job that started in April for higher pay. They actually asked me about why I was leaving my current job after only working there for ~6 months at the time and I was basically like, “While I enjoy teaching, I want to use my degree/skillset more. I have experience doing [thing related to the new job] and I really enjoyed it so I want to continue getting more experience [doing thing].”
How bad is that when you get an infection, you take pills to kill the parasite?
I mean what about lying on your resume and saying you finished anyway? Who’s gonna check?
None of these places will go out of their way to help you so you shouldn’t do anything extra to help them plain and simple.
I broke my contract with an eikawa. I signed a second year contract but decided not to work with them anymore at the beginning of the contract. The only downside for me is that they said they won’t give me a recommendation letter because I broke the second contract (even though I finished the 1st contract with them). Some companies in Japan require recommendations letters for previous employers.
I am applying now for new jobs and I just tell them that they can contact my previous employer for reference, if they need it.