Job Discussion Forums

[AmorFati]

Hey,

I posted a help topic recently but some mods deemed it necessary to delete it. I'm not sure why, maybe it was the semi-very-minorly-inflammatory nature of the post. Anyway, here it is again, sans the flames of disgruntled disappointment.

...

So, you've decided to apply to ECC Japan, a corporation with the mission of "uniting the world in peace and love." You, like me, are probably feeling some trepidation as your interview date inches closer. You may have been rejected from JET, and you are hoping to score with ECC. Well, before you even put too much thought into it, I recommend you know this...

Would people describe you are being an excitable ball or inexhaustable joy, energy, and happiness? When doing your laundry, surfing the internet, or painting a wooden fence, do you make it look like it is the most ridiculously fun thing anyone could ever do? If so, you will almost defintiely be accepted.

Would people describe you are serious, cynical, aloof, down-to-earth, reserved, shy, academic, ambitious, rational, or sarcastic? If so, you will almost definitely be rejected.

Sadly, it quite literally is as simple as that. Even if you "can be exciting and crazy around friends," like me, you have to come off as an intrinsically and genuinely exciting and happy person at all times, no matter what you are doing. That is what they are looking for, and if you don't have it, you don't stand a very good chance.

MOVING ON:

If you have appied to the Toronto office, you will probably interview with John Barrie in a small room barely big enough to hold an eight person table. Nice atmosphere, however, so the room size isn't that problematic. John looks a lot like Toby from the American version of the Office, but this isn't that important. It's just to give you a general idea of what to expect from the scene.

Anyway, you will be interviewing with 5 other people probably, at most. The first two or three hours will be reading over an information packet, asking questions, and hearing about how ECC wants to unite the world in peace, love, and prosperity by breaking town language barriers.

After this session, you will break for lunch. I recommend bringing your own. After coming back from lunch, John will do a teaching demonstration and you will be expected to follow. You may have to do it alone or with two others, but since alone would probably take too much time, I am guessing it will be with two others.

In your demo lesson, you will have to teach vocabulary words as well as some words to put it in context. For exampe, you may teach "soccer" and "I can/can't play." Pretty simple. I'd hate to say preparation doesn't matter, but it doesn't. If you don't have the energy to naturally wing it, you won't be accepted anyway.

You will get a card that looks (to the best of my memory) like this:

WORDS: Soccer, Baseball, Football, Basketball, Hockey
BASIS: I can play/I can't play

ONLY THESE WORDS WILL BE ALLOWED DURING YOUR DEMONSTRATION

During your demonstration, make sure to get the other students up and moving. DO NOT MAKE THE MISTAKE OF NOT DOING THIS, WHATEVER YOU DO. John criticzed all six of us for not doing this.

First, you'll teach the words, then play a game. Then, you'll teach the "BASIS," and play a game. Then you'll put it together and play another game. It shouldn't take more than 10 minutes, at very most.

After the demo lesson, you'll take the grammar test and go for personal interviews. You'll probably already know if you are accepted or not based off of feedback from the demo lesson.

The interview is easy. Don't worry about it. The grammar test was easy for me, but could be hard for others. Just prepare for it, as it tries to trick you. Memorize parts of speech, even really obscure ones. Memorize common mistakes, such as was/has been, who/whom, etc. Most of the grammar test can be very easily deduced since the sections tell you what is wrong with the sentence, and then you just have to find where the "agreement" is wrong.

Anyway, good luck with ECC and I hope you have much fun in Japan. Hopefully this helps. Feel free to send me a PM if you have any questions.

ECC Japan teaching english mock lesson demo lesson grammar test ECC Japan ECC eikawai

[Mapleblondie]

I did my interview in Toronto with John, and he seemed quite nice. There were 4-5 other people doing their interviews that same day, but we all were given our own topics to present individually for our demo lesson. We were given the topics randomly right before our lunch began, and I was so worked up trying to think of the best way to present the sports words I was given, that I barely ate at all. The entire day was GO GO GO, but once the demo lesson is over, the rest is pretty much a breeze. I was shocked to hear that so many people on this board have found the ECC grammar test to be hard. It struck me as common sense things mostly, and things that any native speaker should be able to answer with a bit of thought. John gives everyone an hour to write the test, but most people don't need the entire time...Or at least that was the case for everyone interviewing on the same day I was doing so. And yes, after that was the individual "interview", if that's what you could even call it. It was pretty much just the questions: "When would you be available to go to Japan?" and "What do you think your biggest strength is? Biggest weakness?"...The rest is just about personal preferences, and he gives you a sense, then and there, if you've gotten the job or not. I am not sure how many people got hired from my session, as we did not keep in touch and John/ECC does not make tat info public. I suppose, though, that the demo is the most tell-tale of all the parts of the day....Well, that and credentials and/or experience living in Japan or else where abroad. ECC seems like a decent company and I'm sorry that things didn't work out for you, but I don't think their system is much different from the other Eikaiwas, in terms of happy-personality expectations. The COMPANY is a COMPANY...They are not a public school, and John made that quite clear. They don't fail sutdents. They encourage them to improve, and try to entertain them while exposing them to English/North American language and culture. Just as any company would, they are trying to sell their product, and whether it's really fair or not for employees to have to appear happy all the time, that is what they want and need to be financially successful. Sarcastic and dull, academic people are not an appealing after-school choice for most Japanese kids/adolescents. Heck, I wouldn't want to be bored after being drilled with academics all day at school...

[AmorFati]

[babar6789]

Do they like Brits at ECC? I was thinking of putting in an application.

[Ashtonmd]

I too had my ECC interview in Toronto with John. It went similar to as mentioned above. However if someone has an interview coming up I would like to throw in my 2 cents:

The grammar test - while not necessarily "hard" for a native English speaker, those that did not study English or linguistics, or are not actual teachers may find it a little tricky. I personally have a degree in biology, so for me there were a few grammar terms I had never seen before and a few (10 I think) teaching terms all of which I just winged. Over all I think I did well considering I was the only person in my interview of 5 people that had no linguistics background.

The demo - ok so this really isn't a big deal at all. I have to admit that this was what I was most concerned about - but you have to think that everyone is going to be doing it too, and who cares you're probably never going to see these people again! I did my topic with one other person. We chose to do animals: tiger, monkey, giraffe and snake - with the phrase being "what is it?" "it's a _____".
when presenting the animals I got everyone to get up and start acting like the animal and saying its name. (if you were 5 i think it would be fun??) And then to introduce the phrase I used to puppets with different voices to ask and answer the question.

Interview - lasted all of 10 mins, and was at the beginning told I should expect a job offer. Then was asked the typical questions posted above.

I did get the job offer - while it took a little longer than the 2 weeks I was told. I am happy to say that I accepted and will be starting at the beginning of November in Osaka!!!!

[southofreality]

Congrats! Osaka has a lot of cool places and stuff to do.

[ironclad80]

[Mr_Monkey]

[starteacher]

[Inflames]

[Cool Teacher]

Not all interviewers are good at their job though you know. I have a mate from Austrialia who keeps going to the same job interview and getting turned down every year even though he's a native English speaker and hes has 15 years or even more experience teaching English!!!

One time they gave the job to a woman from Nepal and not to him. He says they don't really want a good qualified native teacher they want a clown. He told me I should apply to the job but I am happy where I am.

[Mr_Monkey]

[ShioriEigoKyoushi]

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[Mr_Monkey]

Interesting question - I left an eikaiwa to do my CELTA, and when I came back all my employers wanted to see was my certificate.

[ironclad80]