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SA_Massive
Joined: 22 Apr 2004
Posts: 26
Location: Aust
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 Posted: Sat Jul 24, 2004 5:37 am Post subject: Big schools - Chance of getting recruited from within Japan? |
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Does anyone here work for any of the big Conversationsal English Schools?
I was wondering what my chances are of getting a gig with AEON, NOVA, GEOS, ECC etc from within Japan around November/December?
I am probably moving into a friends place in Shimonoseki in Yamaguchi prefecture (Moving from South Australia) . Offcourse I am prepared to move for a job. I'm coming on a working holiday visa, but I have a degree so sponsership is possible.
I have no experience.
What are my chances? Better than applying from here in Oz?
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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| Posted: Sat Jul 24, 2004 6:15 am Post subject: Re: Big schools - Chance of getting recruited from within Ja |
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| SA_Massive wrote: |
I was wondering what my chances are of getting a gig with AEON, NOVA, GEOS, ECC etc from within Japan around November/December?
A gig is what rock bands do. A gig with NOVA will require you signing a year long contract. pretty long gig if you ask me. Chances are better as they can meet you in person, you are here already and can start work. More choices of schools than just the big chain schools
I am probably moving into a friends place in Shimonoseki in Yamaguchi prefecture (Moving from South Australia) . Offcourse I am prepared to move for a job. I'm coming on a working holiday visa, but I have a degree so sponsership is possible.
[Sponsorship is not needed on a working holiday visa and you can work in Japan for up to a year on a WHV before requiring sponsorship. If you want a job in Japan you will have to move here anyway. Dont know much about Shimonseki but its a nice part of the country and close to Kyushu and Hiroshima. i was in Hiroshima last weekend. Nice place to live I here.
[/b]
I have no experience.
Not needed for an entry-level teaching position as you get OTJ training
What are my chances? Better than applying from here in Oz?
Anybody's guess. depends on time of year. where and how hard you look. What your resume looks like. More jobs if you are here already than just the five big schools. Even better if you have a degree for the work visa
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Sat Jul 24, 2004 8:23 am Post subject: |
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November/December is a pretty bad time to look for work in Japan. People are wrapping things up for the New Year holiday.
As for the Big Four...
GEOS has an online application for its GEOS for children jobs. Otherwise, I think you have to apply for overseas recruiting, not in Japan. They say that periodically they interview in Oz, so read the web site or contact the Toronto office.
NOVA has local offices in Tokyo and Osaka; otherwise you can interview on their recruiting schedule in Brisbane or Melbourne. Read their web site for info.
ECC also has local offices (Nagoya, Osaka, Tokyo) as well as something in Australia. Read the web site.
AEON has an office for people interested in two options: adults and children - apply to Tokyo; children only - apply to Okayama. You can also apply in Sydney.
What your chances are I can't say. As Paul wrote, it depends on lots of factors. You'll have to see what the Oz recruiting schedule is, of course, to see whether timing is better there or in Japan. I don't think either location offers any easier interviewing process, if that's what you are driving at. |
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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| Posted: Sat Jul 24, 2004 8:35 am Post subject: |
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| Glenski wrote: |
NOVA has local offices in Tokyo and Osaka; otherwise you can interview on their recruiting schedule in Brisbane or Melbourne. Read their web site for info.
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Just an extra word of warning. NOVA uses a third party outside recruiting agency to hire and interview candidates in Melbourne. Its likely you would not speak to a NOVA employee in the initial stages and the agency will pass on potential employees to NOVA for consideration. If you pass the interview stage and get accepted for a full time job with NOVA, I believe there is a $AUS400 fee paid to the recruiting agency in Melbourne. Sydney and Brisbane etc may be different and I dont know the rules about applying in another state.
Working holiday visa you can only work part time hours at NOVA and overtime hours are banned on a WHV. There was a big stink a few years ago about part timers on WHV earning more with overtime per month than full-time contracted employees. |
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SA_Massive
Joined: 22 Apr 2004
Posts: 26
Location: Aust
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| Posted: Sat Jul 24, 2004 4:27 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks Paul H and Glenski..
I would prefer to teach at a smaller school. However I am under the impression that smaller schools are less likely to hire and train an inexperienced teacher... What do you reckon?
I don't expect the interview process to be 'easier' but I hope I would have a decent chance of getting a job due to sheer proximity and exposure to schools.
[quote ] [PaulH] : If you want a job in Japan you will have to move here anyway. [/quote]
Sorry for being unclear, I meant move from Shimonoseki to the schools location  |
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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| Posted: Sat Jul 24, 2004 4:53 pm Post subject: |
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| SA_Massive wrote: |
Thanks Paul H and Glenski..
I would prefer to teach at a smaller school. However I am under the impression that smaller schools are less likely to hire and train an inexperienced teacher... What do you reckon?
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Having experience or not is only one of the things they look at. I worked at a small school in Takamatsu (Shikoku) with no experience but they look at other things as well
Having a proper work visa/ working holiday visa
Available to start when they need you- some schools ask for residency in Japan and wont wait for you to arrive in the country or arrange sponsorship from overseas
Personality. Quite important: will you fit in with the character or the school and will you be happy there. Your general attitude towards your job and teaching. Even if you lack experience you can be motivated outgoing and enthusiastic. The training can come later as the students in a sense are paying to sit in a room with a foreigner, and dont worry too much about how much training you have had. Students are very forgiving.
I think the school will just want to see that you have the right attitude, you will be punctual and be able to work well with their students, by being sociable and friendly etc. Formal training and experience is not always required.
Smaller schools usually have smallet budgets and can not afford massive advertising and can not afford to hire teachers overseas like the big schools can
My best advice is to look at sites like http://www.ohayosensei.com and http://www.jobsin japan to see what jobs are available.
NOVA has small branches but how do you feel about living in a rural area where there are very few foreigners and probably not much to do at night?
Do you prefer working in a large city?
FWIW training at NOVA can take a couple of days before they throw you into a classroom with students. To be properly trained in EFL will take longer- a CELTA course can take over 100 hours or up to a month to complete.
Its possible to get started with very little training in language teaching and just work from the teachers manual and bouncing ideas off your students. Most schools will show you the textbook and how to use it and how to work from it. In a sense you learn by doing. Students mainly want speaking practice and to speak in English. Your job in a sense is to get your students talking as much as possible, usually by getting them talking about their experiences or relating the exercise to themselves. Getting them talking about Japan and Japanese culture always works wonders. Once you get here then you can research various teaching techniques and improving your skills. teaching itself is not difficult, its not rocket science, but it can be hard work and it can get monotonous teaching the same lesssons every day. Not a lot of mental stimulation but you will work hard trying to make lessons interesting for students as well as for yourself. |
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SA_Massive
Joined: 22 Apr 2004
Posts: 26
Location: Aust
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| Posted: Sun Jul 25, 2004 1:32 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for your detailed response Paul,
I think after reading this and other boards for around 6 months I am ready to take the plunge and move. I think I have the a likeable personality suited to teaching and I have a degree (albeit in Commerce), so thats a start. Atleast I'll have free accommodation in Shimonoseki while I'm job hunting..
No harm in trying
You will be hearing from me...
BTW, What about advantage of blond hair & blue eyes ?because I have both!  Is this just a myth? |
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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| Posted: Sun Jul 25, 2004 1:37 pm Post subject: |
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| SA_Massive wrote: |
BTW, What about advantage of blond hair & blue eyes ?because I have both! Is this just a myth? |
BIG myth
Just because you look like Brad Pitt doesnt mean you know squat about getting a job here or anything about language teaching. Students dont care what you look like, as long as you are a native speaker, your classes are fun and enjoyable, dont turn up to work hungover and dont try and seduce them in class.
You get nationalities and races of every persuasion here, including Asian Americans and blacks. A few New Zealand Maoris around too. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Sun Jul 25, 2004 2:00 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| I am under the impression that smaller schools are less likely to hire and train an inexperienced teacher... What do you reckon? |
Two part question in my book...
1. Less likely to hire you? Maybe, maybe not. If they follow the track record of even the largest schools, they will hire anyone that meets immigration's requirements. (You do.)
2. Less likely to train you? Probably, because they don't always have the resources. Training itself can be pretty meager, even with the big eikaiwas, so don't expect a months of full pay and 8 hours of intensive training with several instructors in freshly pressed suits pounding into you their format with shiny ring binders full of key phrases, student profiles, and sections on misconduct. You might just be told, "Here. Follow this textbook. Read it for a day or two to get the general idea. You start teaching the day after tomorrow." |
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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| Posted: Sun Jul 25, 2004 2:08 pm Post subject: |
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NOt sure if I mentioned this, but if you want to get professional training in this field, you have to pay for it out of your own pocket and do it on your own time. Your employer will pay you to be a warm foreign body in a seat and will not give you a month off to do a CELTA course, or time to do a Masters degree.
Language schools here will train you here how to get through a 50 minute lesson without scaring away the student or having them ask for their money back.
You want to get training about how to teach properly: you do it yourself. I'm now on my third degree, pushing 40 and Im still teaching myself how to teach well every day. Dont expect anyone else to do it for you because come six months you will be chasing after their job and thats what scares trainers the most, when you become more knowledgeable than them. That's when you become dangerous. |
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