Job Discussion Forums

[DD]

Hi There,

I have just finished working in Korea and are back in Australia, I have a B of Communications (no TEFL ETC) and are looking for a job in Japan. A language school is fine. However I want to be in Osaka or Tokyo. I have applied with Nova but have not heard back, I can only assume it was because I sepecified that I wanted Tokyo or Osaka.

I have checked and continue to moniter all the other websites like gaigin pot etc, but are wondering if this is not a good time to be looking. I have basic japanese ability. Glenski I would appreciate it if you could sent me all your pearls of wisdom on re-locating to Japan also. :

Any other wisdom or ideas would be greatly appreciated. Oh also unfortutnately I do no have enough money to risk getting there and looking for work, I do have enough money though to sustain 5-8 weeks with a job organised.
Thanks for your time My email address is [email protected]

[Glenski]

DD,

Send me an email with more details on your situation and specific questions about relocating.

[email protected]
Glenski

[iekika808]

Have you tried looking into other organizations that hire teachers from abroad like Aeon or Geos? I just completed an interview with Geos and got a job offer from them yesterday. I was really impressed with Geos. For more information from them, check out www.geoscareers.com.

Aeon also travels to different places to conduct interviews. Check out their website at www.aeonet.com.

Nova might take a while to respond. When I sent in my resume through their website, they never responded to me by email. Instead I got an application and company information through the post.

Some other websites that you should check out are www.ohayosensei.com
and www.jobsinjapan.com.

[David W]

[Glenski]

David W,

Remarks like yours are pretty empty without citing some details or examples of what you mean. Would you be up to enlightening people about these?

To write something akin to XYZ Company sucks" without saying why leaves everyone hanging.

[David W]

Fair go Glenski, you know as well as I do what the unholy trinity are like. They can go in check in the job information journal of this site if they like. Must I repeat the things that have been said hundreds and hundreds of times on this and other forums before? Do you want to hear about the unceasing pressure to make more and more money. Any kind of teaching coming second to the almighty dollar. Inflexibility, treating native and non-native teachers like assets instead of people. Lying to teachers and students as a matter of course. Shall I go on? Well may you play the devils advocate but don't insult me by suggesting I don't know what I'm talking about. I think 2 years at GEOS qualifies me to comment, don't you?

[Glenski]

David W,

I never said you didn't know what you were talking about. Can't figure why you took my message as an insult. My intention was to ask you to inform people, rather than just write "XYZ company sucks".

Your message under iekika808's didn't say anything more than an empty complaint. iekika808 and DD seemed to be newbies to job hunting in Japan and deserve more than that. I only felt that you should provide more details, whether to point them to the job information journal, or to explain your own experiences. That's all. Besides, where is it written (on this thread or in your profile) that you worked for GEOS for 2 years?

People with experience (like you and me) should never assume newbies know things like "what the unholy trinity are like". And, many newbies (as infuriating as it gets to us experienced people) neglect things like FAQs, even on sites such as the ESL Cafe, so I think it's only right to point that info out to them before ranting about a place.

Wouldn't it be nice if every EFL/ESL discussion forum had a FAQ that people HAD TO read before entering? Not that it would stop some, but it just might help cut down on some repeated questions. Anyway, I'm beginning to stray off subject...

No offense intended.

[David W]

Yes you're right Glenski it would be nice if people read more before asking questions. Your patience quotient is far higher than mine. As for your post, well if no offence was meant then I'll take your suggestion to heart. To the above poster who was impressed by GEOS I suggest you go here http://www.letsjapan.org for a warts and all look at eikaiwa in Japan. There's a lot to wade through and some of it is unpleasant. I would also advise against going on the message board there if you are faint of heart.
I would go into some of the personal indignities I suffered at GEOS but I fear I would still be typing this time tomorrow.Instead I'll just tell you one story that illustrates just what GEOS is all about........ Around the time my wife was due to give birth to our first child I was working at GEOS in Okinawa. As is the custom in Japan, my wife had returned to her home town (in Shikoku) to give birth. I had arranged with my superiors that I could leave for the airport straight away as soon as my wife went into labour. Well one Friday shortly before mid-day I arrived at work to find a big-wig from head office (in beepuoka) there to whip us into shape, GEOS never being satisfied unless each school is personally servicing Japan's natinal debt. As I'm sure the more perceptive readers can already guess that same day my wife rang to tell me that she was going into labour. So I, as pre-arranged, began to get my stuff together to go to the airport. The GEOS stooge asked me where I was going and I explained my story. He flat out told me I can't go. "Think of the students" he said. I told him all my students knew of my situation and were understanding as any reasonable person would be in that situation. He was unmoved I must stay, my job was at risk otherwise. Being the only native teacher in my school there was no-one I could turn to, the previously understanding manager suddenly siding with the head office goon in a stunning act of betrayal that I could never forgive her for. So with my job at stake but with my emotions in turmoil I broke down, not knowing what to do. This head office flunkey then had the gall to say to me "well if this is the way you react perhaps you aren't GEOS material".
In the end under the threat of dismissal I stayed until the next day. Fortunately I arrived in time to see my child born but I never forgot nor forgave the cruel and heartless way they treated me and left the company soon after. Ironically the heartless goon from head office was unfairly fired from GEOS soon after for some bogus reason. I shed no tears. This is just one of a hundred stories showing just how the big eikaiwas treat their workers.

[Sunpower]

I agree with the above post.

The big chain language schools lie to the students, staff and teachers.

I find them to be completely unethical.

So! If you can get your visa through one of them - Then go for it!

I can't begin to tell you how much I dislike NOVA.

And from people who I've talked to, GEOS, Shane, GABBA, AEON, etc, etc are pretty much all the same.