Job Discussion Forums

[seamonkey]

Hi, i'm new to this forum. I've just finished doing a CELTA course and am looking for a good job in Japan either as a teacher or an ALT
I had an interview with Nova yesterday, but ive read nothing but negative things about them in this forum. The Jet scheme sounds good but the deadline has passed this year. Can anyone recommend any good companies that i can apply to? I'd appriciate any advice.

[Gordon]

There is an ad a few days ago on Dave's for MIL in Chiba. They look as good as they come (perhaps) for conversation schools in Japan. Apply to them. I'm not endorsing that they are great, but there are few complaints here about them, which says quite alot.
There is a certain school in Takamatsu that rhymes with Bingo that you DO NOT want to work at.

[tokyo376]

Nova's a good way to get started in Japan. It's not difficult to get a position, and they make the process of getting here quite smooth (visa, apartment, etc.). The salary's pretty good, and the work is easy. I worked for them for a year and didn't have any major problems.

Nova's like any other big company. They don't care about you, and just want to make money (shock!). Since all I wanted from them was a visa and a paycheck, we got along just fine.

Also depends on the type of job you want. At Nova, you'll be sitting in a tiny cubicle all day. I felt a bit stir crazy at times.

Good luck with whatever you decide. I enjoyed my time at Nova, but a year was enough.

[Glenski]

Assuming that you interviewed with NOVA because you have a bachelor's degree to accompany that CELTA, and because you can't afford to come to Japan, you have limited options.

About a dozen places go abroad to recruit for teachers. A handful more do phone interviews abroad. At least with the former you get to see someone from the office face to face.

As for hearing nothing but bad news about NOVA, you must not have read some of these.
http://markcity.blogspot.com/teaching.htm
http://vocaro.com/trevor/japan/nova/level_up.html
http://www.grassrootdesign.com/articles/nova.asp
They aren't stellar reviews, so don't get your hopes up, but at least they are realistic, honest appraisals.

You have to realize that many (most?) people who get jobs like that have rarely worked elsewhere, let alone in ESL/EFL situations, and many have false preconceptions about what it is like to work here as a teacher. Moreover, NOVA is the largest eikaiwa in Japan. Is it no wonder that you see lots of complaints?

[seamonkey]

Thanks for the advice, but what is a MIL?

[Gordon]