Job Discussion Forums

[Noble Peasant]

Hi all.

I'm referring to the online-based company which has its HQ in Japan and markets itself as a great medium for Japanese students learning English (and even English-speaking students taking Japanese classes!). Supposedly they have thousands of employees but it occurred to me when looking into a job with them that bizarrely, I hadn't heard too much chatter (positive or negative) about them in the internet-based ESL world. Has anyone ever worked there or know what the word on the street is from those who have? It would be great to hear from others who may have heard some good things or have any positive experience from time spent there to report on. It would allow me to be a bit more confident following up with them.

Thanks.

[kpjf]

As far as I am aware Cafetalk is simply a site where you advertise yourself after registering to become a teacher. Then, naturally they take commission after someone buys a lesson with you through their site. They aren't "real" employees. It's actually a relatively new website and it seems to me related in some way to lang-8.com (which is also a Japanese company).

There's a similar site called italki.com where you can advertise yourself as a teacher and all payment goes through their site. You could check it out. So, in short, if Cafetalk is anything like italki.com you're definitely not an employee. Students contact you for lessons after seeing your profile/prices; if, on the other hand, you were an employee Cafetalk would supply you with the students.

[Noble Peasant]

[kpjf]

No problem Noble Peasant (NP NP!)

Curiously, I "won" 5 free French lessons on Cafetalk, via a promotion I saw on lang-8.com. So, I can choose anyone I want to teach me for 5 free lessons. I find Italki's prices are a lot better than Cafetalk's, but this is from the language learner perspective, so maybe Cafetalk is better for you for offering your services.