|
Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Jazz1975
Joined: 14 Feb 2006
Posts: 301
Location: Zama, Kanagawa
|
 Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2006 5:07 am Post subject: |
 |
|
| SDSUMarcus01 wrote: |
| 6 days. I received the application confirmation last Thursday and the acceptance for a group interview yesterday. |
Hopefully, it's the same thing for me. I applied to the Toronto office. On a side note, my friend, who got in through NOVA, got invited to her interview/interview session within a week as well, so who knows? Just keepin' my fingers crossed. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Willy_In_Japan
Joined: 20 Jul 2004
Posts: 329
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 9:01 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| I will say, however, that AEON is my first choice because, from what I've read, you actually get weekends off be it Sat-Sun or Sun-Mon. At least this is one of my reasons. Also, where is everyone located? |
I am located in Ibaraki, 30 mins from Akihabara by train. All the benefits of living in Tokyo, without the downside!
Regarding AEON.....my understanding is that getting the Saturday-Sunday off, Monday to Friday shift is similar to winning the lottery. Why? Because most of the national holidays fall on mondays. And, no, they don't give you a compensetory day off. GEOS works the same way.
As Ive mentioned before when the topic has come up, I worked for GEOS, and find it amusing that AEON enjoys a much better reputation. I found AEON's interview to REALLY downplay the negatives such as sales pressure. Hower, I could see they were pretty much the same as GEOS. GEOS didn't mince words during their interview, but AEON REALLY downplayed things like selling books, renewals and doing level checks. I remember one quote the recruiter used. "From time to time, you MIGHT be asked to do a level check by the manager." as if it was a once in a blue moon type of thing. AEON and GEOS are cut from the same cloth however......really........I heard they were once the same company until a dispute between the owners. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Jazz1975
Joined: 14 Feb 2006
Posts: 301
Location: Zama, Kanagawa
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 9:13 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Willy_In_Japan wrote: |
| Regarding AEON.....my understanding is that getting the Saturday-Sunday off, Monday to Friday shift is similar to winning the lottery. Why? Because most of the national holidays fall on mondays. And, no, they don't give you a compensetory day off. GEOS works the same way. |
I'd say @ winning the lottery. Also, it means you get to enjoy an ACTUAL weekend and do all the stuff you would do back home WITHOUT having to go into work the next day. That, plus the fact that most events probably take place on the weekend...and not working would enable me to check them out. What are my chances of getting into Tokyo through AEON or any of the schools that accept me? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Jazz1975
Joined: 14 Feb 2006
Posts: 301
Location: Zama, Kanagawa
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 9:32 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Willy_In_Japan wrote: |
| I found AEON's interview to REALLY downplay the negatives such as sales pressure. Hower, I could see they were pretty much the same as GEOS. GEOS didn't mince words during their interview, but AEON REALLY downplayed things like selling books, renewals and doing level checks. |
In doing my research, even though NOVA is not my first choice, I like the fact that there is no pressure to sell. At least that is my understand from what I've read. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
stillnosheep
Joined: 01 Mar 2004
Posts: 2068
Location: eslcafe
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 10:28 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Willy_In_Japan wrote: |
| [As Ive mentioned before when the topic has come up, I worked for GEOS, and find it amusing that AEON enjoys a much better reputation. I found AEON's interview to REALLY downplay the negatives such as sales pressure. Hower, I could see they were pretty much the same as GEOS. GEOS didn't mince words during their interview, but AEON REALLY downplayed things like selling books, renewals and doing level checks. I remember one quote the recruiter used. "From time to time, you MIGHT be asked to do a level check by the manager." as if it was a once in a blue moon type of thing. AEON and GEOS are cut from the same cloth however......really........I heard they were once the same company until a dispute between the owners. |
They were once the same company. Now they are not.
At Aeon there is far far less pressure to sell extra's etc than at Geos.
Aeon enjoys a far higher reputation because it treats teacher's far better. It charges students more than Geos and can afford to give a (fully paid & with free accomodation) full week's (sometimes 10 days) training to newly arrived teachers, ferry them to their new job by Shinkansen, put them up at a hotel for 2-4 days whilst they 'take-over' from the teacher that they are replacing, subsidise teachers' apartments down to 42000 pcm etc.
Nonetheless they are a large Japanese eikaiwa chain and behave like one: Stoopid prescriptive curriculum, a preference for image over substance, a cavalier disregard for employees rights, illegal contract clauses etc.
Also their training material contains many cult-like references to pseudo-confucian claptrap about the need to conform to the existing culture and how 'successful' teachers stay away from 'negative influences' (ie people critical of Aeon management) etc etc.
I'd rather not work for either of the lying thieving scumbags but of the two the decision is a no-brainer. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
dudelebow
Joined: 01 Feb 2006
Posts: 42
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 10:43 am Post subject: |
|
|
you don't have to worry about how much you sell at that company unless you are hoping to get a renewal offer. but even then, the only thing that matters is if the education dept/ area/branch manager/head teacher like you or not. heaviest influence is the branch staff. as the other guy said, the place is a crap shoot. you can go from having the time of your life to misery when new anal and foreigner unfriendly managers step in.
you don't even have to worry so much about getting fired. they rarely ever do it especially after you've been working at the school for a while and the students get used to you. one warning...the managers and assistant managers there might take a romantic liking to you. happens often. if you make them feel slighted in anyway, you can kiss your new contract chances goodbye. rumors will fly around and you'll be finished. happened to me.
aiming for a 2nd year contract with rough japanese management at that company can be difficult for the following reasons:
-foreign teachers make more money than they do. japanese teachers and staff hate that.
-if you opted out of the social insurance plan, that means you get more break time than them. when they see you using that break time for break time, that angers them. you might not see it on their faces though.
-when you renew, you get paid a higher salary. that means the school has to work harder for expenses to pay you. it's easier to let the new teacher come in who is at the modest salary.
-foreign teachers are popular and get attention. although japanese realize this, they get jealous of it. and they look to see how much you try to take advantage of it.
there are more, but these are the main ones. proceed with caution. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Jazz1975
Joined: 14 Feb 2006
Posts: 301
Location: Zama, Kanagawa
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 11:58 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| dudelebow wrote: |
| one warning...the managers and assistant managers there might take a romantic liking to you. happens often. |
Well, I'm Asian and to this day, I can count on one hand the number of Asian men that have taken a romantic liking to me; non-asians seem to gravitate to me more often. Therefore, if they are both Japanese, I'm not too worried about this happening to me. Still, I have read your other point and they have been duly noted. Thanks for the heads up. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
dudelebow
Joined: 01 Feb 2006
Posts: 42
|
| Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 12:40 am Post subject: |
|
|
| ohh, you're an asian-canadian woman? well, that might serve you better and worse in some ways. some japanese are not as 'accepting' of other asians, especially foreign ones living in their country. although you are canadian, they will see that more on your passport and visa registration info rather than how they perceive you and treat you from a racial and cultural stand point. their expectations and tolerance of you may also be different. this company has a tendency to hire managers that you report to that have marginal understanding of western people, culture, and sadly enough sometimes....english. this is not to scare you off. just be prepared for the worst. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
SDSUMarcus01
Joined: 13 Oct 2005
Posts: 20
|
| Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 3:10 am Post subject: |
|
|
| dudelebow wrote: |
| ohh, you're an asian-canadian woman? well, that might serve you better and worse in some ways. some japanese are not as 'accepting' of other asians, especially foreign ones living in their country. although you are canadian, they will see that more on your passport and visa registration info rather than how they perceive you and treat you from a racial and cultural stand point. their expectations and tolerance of you may also be different. this company has a tendency to hire managers that you report to that have marginal understanding of western people, culture, and sadly enough sometimes....english. this is not to scare you off. just be prepared for the worst. |
I'm an american born chinese also... and from what I've heard, there are some negatives to it but some positives as well. I guess I won't be able to say unless I go.
I think it'd be worse if I went to China. They'd treat me like dirt because I'm of Chinese heritage but can't speak the language. Hell, some of them treat me like dirt already over here for being a banana. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Jazz1975
Joined: 14 Feb 2006
Posts: 301
Location: Zama, Kanagawa
|
| Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 5:01 am Post subject: |
|
|
| SDSUMarcus01 wrote: |
| I think it'd be worse if I went to China. They'd treat me like dirt because I'm of Chinese heritage but can't speak the language. Hell, some of them treat me like dirt already over here for being a banana. |
<---Raises glasses & toasts fellow Asian. I've heard a few negatives, eg. the preference of NON-Asians teaching English, but other than that, my friend who is currently teaching in Japan and who got me interested in the TEFL field, IS Asian as well and she mentioned to me that she gets "let into" some nuances of the culture that many of her colleagues don't as they think she is "one of them". Although, she has mentioned that the Japanese students are very surprised when they realize she is their teacher.
As for being a 'banana', I haven't been treated like dirt in Toronto. Then again, I know enough Cantonese to "get by". I don't know about China or Hong Kong, but I'm treated okay by my own people here. However, I'm sure that some of them would complain about my lack of command should I talk to them long enough...lol. So far, many respect me for trying.
Point being? I KNOW what it's like to live as a 'foreigner' in my own country despite having a perfect command of English. White people do not see me as 'Canadian' and my own people do not completely see me as 'one of them' since I don't have a perfect command of Cantonese. Therefore, I won't be phased that easily about being seen as a foreigner or "gaijin". |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Jazz1975
Joined: 14 Feb 2006
Posts: 301
Location: Zama, Kanagawa
|
| Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 5:22 am Post subject: |
|
|
| dudelebow wrote: |
| ohh, you're an asian-canadian woman? well, that might serve you better and worse in some ways. some japanese are not as 'accepting' of other asians, especially foreign ones living in their country. although you are canadian, they will see that more on your passport and visa registration info rather than how they perceive you and treat you from a racial and cultural stand point. their expectations and tolerance of you may also be different. this company has a tendency to hire managers that you report to that have marginal understanding of western people, culture, and sadly enough sometimes....english. this is not to scare you off. just be prepared for the worst. |
Dude, although these are very valid points and taken very much into consideration, my more immediate concern is not being hired because I am Asian and not Caucasian. However, I was wondering if you can list out how being Asian can serve me better and worse at the same time so I am prepared. Thanks. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
SDSUMarcus01
Joined: 13 Oct 2005
Posts: 20
|
| Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 6:38 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Jazz1975 wrote: |
| Point being? I KNOW what it's like to live as a 'foreigner' in my own country despite having a perfect command of English. White people do not see me as 'Canadian' and my own people do not completely see me as 'one of them' since I don't have a perfect command of Cantonese. Therefore, I won't be phased that easily about being seen as a foreigner or "gaijin". |
LOL, that's exactly how I feel. I don't fit in with white people because I'm one of those over-achieving asians. I don't fit in with the "real asians" because I've been "white-washed." I only really fit in with a tiny minority of westernized asians. It's not that I don't have friends who aren't of other races... but nearly all of the time I get some joke about being asian.
And if my "fellow Chinese" found out I was learning Japanese and NOT Cantonese or Mandarin... they'd shoot me. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Jazz1975
Joined: 14 Feb 2006
Posts: 301
Location: Zama, Kanagawa
|
| Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 6:52 am Post subject: |
|
|
| SDSUMarcus01 wrote: |
LOL, that's exactly how I feel. I don't fit in with white people because I'm one of those over-achieving asians. I don't fit in with the "real asians" because I've been "white-washed." I only really fit in with a tiny minority of westernized asians. It's not that I don't have friends who aren't of other races... but nearly all of the time I get some joke about being asian.
And if my "fellow Chinese" found out I was learning Japanese and NOT Cantonese or Mandarin... they'd shoot me. |
Marcus, I've pm'd you. Not sure if you've received either one of them. As for me, I'm not an "over-achieving Asian". However, I will say I'm not one to rest on my laurels. What we DO have in common is that we only fit in with a tiny minority of westernized Asians. Most of my friends are NOT Asian. I have nothing against my own people, just the luck of the draw so to speak. Then again, while I was in school, I was never one of those students who made it a point to join the Chinese Students Association or Asian Focus (an Asian student association). I find those groups to be very cliquish in nature. My belief is to be friends with whoever proves themself to be a true blue friend regardless of nationality/culture.
I'm actually not learning Japanese at this point, however, that may change if I am successful with getting into Japan. Mind if I ask where u r located at the moment? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
SDSUMarcus01
Joined: 13 Oct 2005
Posts: 20
|
| Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 7:48 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Jazz1975 wrote: |
| SDSUMarcus01 wrote: |
LOL, that's exactly how I feel. I don't fit in with white people because I'm one of those over-achieving asians. I don't fit in with the "real asians" because I've been "white-washed." I only really fit in with a tiny minority of westernized asians. It's not that I don't have friends who aren't of other races... but nearly all of the time I get some joke about being asian.
And if my "fellow Chinese" found out I was learning Japanese and NOT Cantonese or Mandarin... they'd shoot me. |
Marcus, I've pm'd you. Not sure if you've received either one of them. As for me, I'm not an "over-achieving Asian". However, I will say I'm not one to rest on my laurels. What we DO have in common is that we only fit in with a tiny minority of westernized Asians. Most of my friends are NOT Asian. I have nothing against my own people, just the luck of the draw so to speak. Then again, while I was in school, I was never one of those students who made it a point to join the Chinese Students Association or Asian Focus (an Asian student association). I find those groups to be very cliquish in nature. My belief is to be friends with whoever proves themself to be a true blue friend regardless of nationality/culture.
I'm actually not learning Japanese at this point, however, that may change if I am successful with getting into Japan. Mind if I ask where u r located at the moment? |
For me... I just have lived in more areas with less asians. Except for New York, every other area I've lived in has had a relatively small percentage of asians. But in NY there were a whole lot of the "he's not a real asian" type asians. In Bermuda, I was like THE only asian on the island (who wasn't a tourist). In Ramona, CA I was one of like five in a school of two thousand. It's only now that I've been going to college that I see a lot more asians.
I guess this is why I'm not that daunted by getting flak in Japan. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
womblingfree
Joined: 04 Mar 2006
Posts: 826
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 1:51 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Willy_In_Japan wrote: |
| AEON and GEOS are cut from the same cloth however......really........I heard they were once the same company until a dispute between the owners. |
Indeed Geos and Aeon were the same company, it was called Amvic. Legend has it that Amvic stood for American Victory, but I certainly hope that's a myth.
It was started by two young men who are now the Presidents of Aeon and Geos respectively. It split into two companies about 25 years ago, so both companies are exactly the same age.
Mr Aki is the president of Aeon and he's still very good friends with his old pal the Geos president, whose name I don't know. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling.
Contact Dave's ESL Cafe
Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
