Job Discussion Forums

[bucko2004]

My girlfriend and I are thinking about applying for jobs at Aeon. We both have degrees, I have 6 months experience with Nova from last year, and my girlfriend has experience working with international people, so hopefully we're qualified enough to get in (as long as we pass the interview!)

Anyway, my quesion relates to where we would end up being placed. I understand that Aeon gives each teacher their own individual apartment, which is not negotiable, but what I'm wondering is that if they give us each houses in a similar area then what is to stop the two of us "living" in the one house? (I realise that we'd still be paying for rent at both locations)

Also, as we are partners we will be wanting to live as close to each other as possible, but what are the chances that Aeon puts us in areas far apart from each other? That would really suck!

So we're looking for as much info as possible on what you all know about Aeon couples, especially to do with accommodation.

Cheers,

Bucko

[katk]

From what I understand, several couples have applied and gotten work with AEON, I know that there was a married couple that applied when I did and they were working with them both, and on another message forum I know of a couple that both got hired, so I guess they do work with you. I would e-mail them and ask them....

[QueenSerenity42]

Would anyone happen to have an e-mail address for AEON or Amity so that we could ask questions directly?

[wintersweet]

http://www.aeonet.com/faq/index.html#q8

If your question has not been answered, e-mail the nearest recruting office:

http://www.aeonet.com/recruiting/index.php

[QueenSerenity42]

Groovy. ^_^ Thanks, wintersweet!

Last (stupid) question of the day - anyone know if AEON has a publishing division? I know a couple other eikaiwas do, but not sure about this one.

Thanks all!!

QS42

[wintersweet]

N.B.: AEON just got a point in its favor by answering my (unrelated to this topic) question by e-mail about two hours after I sent it.

[The_Hanged_Man]

I worked for AEON for about a year and a half and it was a fairly good experience. The only thing that really bothered me was all of the self study campaigns where we had to hawk overpriced mediocre materials to our students. Other than that I liked working there and they stick well to everything they promise you in the interview process and on their website. I'm pretty sure they have their own publishing division, but I don't know much about it. Let me know if you have any questions.

[craven]

Hi
Aeon does have its own (horrible) publishing division called "IOLE" (Aeon Institute of Language Education). I too had a really good time working for Aeon, but the teaching materials were pretty bad (although better than a lot I've seen). The 2 major problems with them were a) they were overpriced, and b)the core books were entirely grammar-based, leading to weeks where you'd have to teach conversations written ENTIRELY in passive voice!! I second comments about Aeon's sales campaigns...I found them very disheartening, even though I liked the rest of the work there.
Aeon recruits in house for IOLE in case you're thinking of getting hired there. I'm not sure how long you have to work for Aeon for them to consider you though.

[Willy_In_Japan]

Aeon recruits a lot better than GEOS in some respects. They REALLY downplay the selling aspect of it, where as, GEOS is quite up front about what they expect.

I found GEOS books to be generally excellent, albeit, also overpriced.

It seems to me, that both Geos and Aeon push the book campaigns, but at least GEOS gives the teachers a kickback for the books they sell.

Aeon seems like GEOS to me from what I read, but enjoys a better reputation. Go figure.

[stillnosheep]

Aeon pay 5000 yen pcm more and set you up in a single apartment subsidised to 42000 yen pcm so naturally they have a better rep.

[Willy_In_Japan]

Geos pays extra payments that work out to about 5,000 or so a month, plus they give you a 15,000 yen stipend in urban areas such as Kanto.

Apartments are single as well. There is no real difference in this area. In fact, GEOS pays kickbacks for the book fair, and has the POTENTIAL to make more on extra payments depending where you are.

I still don't get why they enjoy a better reputation. Not that I love GEOS or anything.

[stillnosheep]

With Aeon you only pay 42000 yen pcm rent. As far as I know Geos apartments can be much more expensive.

Aeon's better rep probably derives mainly from their selection and training process. More professional recruiters; interviews at better hotels; meeting new arrivals at the airport and ferrying them around by Shinkansen; 7-8 days training on full pay followed by 2-3 days of lesson observation also at full pay, etc.

With Aeon there seems to be less pressure to sell the self-study materials or to spend one's free time socialising with students.

Ultimately the quality of your experience whilst teaching for either depends upon your own personal and professional qualities as well as those of the School Manager and your co-workers.

[craven]

The reason Aeon and Geos seem the same is that as little as 15-20 years ago they WERE the same company! They split off over a business plan dispute or something along those lines.

The reason I went with Aeon in the first place was its apartments. I wasn't too keen on having to share an apartment in a foreign country with kids fresh out of college! The one thing I didn't like was that my recruiters didn't really tell us about the sales before we went (although I have heard from lots of other people whose recruiters were very up front about this). How much sales you have to do depends on what kind of financial straits your school is in at the moment...it can be pretty heavy if it's time to make spirits and there's no money in the bank.

I didn't know that Geos paid bonuses to staff for sales...I suppose if you're comfortable with doing sales that'd be a nice perk!

[Willy_In_Japan]

As long as your apartment isn't more than 15,000 above the 42,000 Yen which is 57,000 yen a month (if you are in the Kanto or Kansai areas) , the Aeon apartment isnt a better deal.

Geos meets people at the airport and in my case, paid for a bus to Shinjuku and a train to my destination with escort.

Training does sound better, if it is with full pay and a week. Geos offers 4 days training in Toronto or Vancouver and only pays $150 in Toronto and nothing if you stay at the 'wellness centre' in Vancouver. Considering that you have to pay for your own accomodation in Toronto, you could almost say there is no paid training. Of course, they send you for more training when in Japan from time to time and that is paid.

I went to a GEOS interview, and then a day later an AEON interview. There were two people at the AEON interview that were at the GEOS interview. One of them was so shaken up by the GEOS interview, that he said, 'If I have to go to Japan with GEOS, I'm not going!'. The GEOS interview was a bit harsh. HOWEVER, it was clear to me from the AEON interview, that they expected the EXACT same thing with regards to selling.........but AEON REALLY DOWNPLAYED IT......for example they said 'Oh, from time to time, the manager MAY come in and ask you to interview a potential student, and give a level check' (as if this was a rare event). In the GEOS interview, they gave no such glossing over. I don't think they mentioned ANYTHING about a book fair or selling books at my AEON interview, but they were rather up front about it in the GEOS interview.

The bonuses USED TO BE quite lucrative at GEOS, but have been progressively cut to the bone. In fact, I have heard stories from the webmaster of 'Let's Japan' who talked about getting in the area of 50,000 yen a month 'extra payment'. I think the best I ever did was 17,000 in one month. Some months nothing, and some 5,000 or so. At the GEOS interview, they implied that you could make 'big bucks' with 'Extra payments'...........maybe in the past......not now.

Geos pays you 5,000 yen for a homestay referral,.....bonuses per book sold during book fairs, a percentage of the fees of Sprint and Active lesson RENEWALS, plus a fee for a 'successful interview'. So, if you get lucky, and are placed at a good school, you have the potential to make more at GEOS.

I never got past the first interview day at AEON, but I could see how they were really downplaying their expectations during the recruiting. I read a lot more about shocked AEON employees regarding selling pressure compared to shocked GEOS employees.

[stillnosheep]