Job Discussion Forums

wolfman · Joined: 18 Jan 2006 Posts: 189

I've noticed a lot of people asking for advice on the interviews with AEON. but i have a more general question.

I've been looking more into JET until a couple days ago when i heard about AEON. AEON seems to have a bit more flexibility than JET in terms of application. but it doesn't seem as well known.

am i right with these observations?

is one program distinctly better than the other?

as always, any help is appreciated!

womblingfree · Joined: 04 Mar 2006 Posts: 826

JET and Aeon are completely different.

JET is a governmnt based scheme to supply ALT's to high schools in Japan.

Aeon, Nova, Geos, ECC, Berlitz, Shane, yada-yada... Are all private language schools teaching mostly adults in little offices dotted around towns, cities and shopping malls.

JET has better remunerations and is professionally managed and probably looks better on the CV.

All the other private schools are run for profit alone, you are a necessary evil. However you'll probably have more fun at a private language school as you can hang out with students of your own age, and your co-workers will be english speaking graduates. Also you'll be placed in a big city if that's what you want.

wolfman · Joined: 18 Jan 2006 Posts: 189

Perpetual Traveller · Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Posts: 651 Location: In the Kak, Japan

Not sure exactly how picky you'd want to be, for fear of looking a bit difficult, but I asked for something in the Kansai region, which includes Kyoto, at an 'A' school, which means high school and above, and when I received my job offer that is what I got, adults (mostly business people) and just outside Kobe.

PT

womblingfree · Joined: 04 Mar 2006 Posts: 826

dudelebow · Joined: 01 Feb 2006 Posts: 42

I can only speak for the company's EAST division. I had an interesting experience with them. Be careful of these guys. They try to get you to sell your soul to adopt an attitude towards the job that is ridiculous and unreasonable in the name of 'professionalism'. examples: no crossing your legs in class or meetings. call students at their homes when they are absent. calling all students by their last name "mr. sato". laughable, yet mandatory warm up activities. i could go on. the head guy who runs the EAST division and name rhymes with mr. teriyaki is a nutcase. so is their highest ranked western representative who has a familiar speech impediment 'uhh uhh uhh' and last name rhymes with the word 'filler'. the foreign training staff is either fearful for their jobs or have suffered a cult like brainwashing. or perhaps they have just been in japan too long. who knows. anyway.....it all depends on your branch office and managers. if you get on with them, you can get away with anything. if you don't, you better be a 'yes-man' or you can kiss your chances for contract renewal goodbye. they evaluate teachers on the following: teaching, interpersonal skills, and business support. the latter two are just ways if they need to reject a contract renewal offer even if you're a standout teacher. they are not honest and forthcoming about your work performance. if you didn't get along with your manager, then it's your fault and you lacked the interpersonal skills or cultural sensitivity. if you didn't sell enough self study materials, then you lacked the business support. it's a crap shoot. my first 6 months with them, despite the head office's attempt at mental control, was excellent. after the new area and branch manager stepped in, it was downhill for me from there on. proceed with caution.

womblingfree · Joined: 04 Mar 2006 Posts: 826

seanmcginty · Joined: 27 Sep 2005 Posts: 203

I worked for AEON west for two years and it sounds a lot different. I had no idea there were differences like that between east and west.

I never had to call students at home, never had to call them by their last name, never had to refrain from crossing my legs....

AEON west was pretty good. I never had any dealings with head office people, they pretty much just let me do my thing. The manager and assistant managers observed my lessons maybe 3 or 4 times in 2 years and then offered annoying advice/criticism but that was about the extent of the interference. I didn't have to do any set warm up activities or anything, basically so long as I did that weeks unit in the text I was free to use whatever activities I want.

We had to sell study materials in AEON west too, but I never had head office people pressuring me or anyting. When I worked at GEOS though....boy was that ever a pain in the ass.

I also worked for GEOS, and I have to say a lot of this stuff going on in AEON east sounds like my experience there. The two companies used to be the same (GEOS and AEON), so maybe thats why.