Direct-hire vs JET: what's the difference?

JET is a government programme that recruits ALTs from overseas and handles your relocation, salary, and support, but assigns where you go. Direct-hire is a job you apply for yourself, directly to a Board of Education, so you choose where, but with no programme behind you. Since Boards want people already in Japan with some ALT experience, many start on JET and move to direct-hire once they are settled.