Job Discussion Forums

Omeo · Joined: 08 Feb 2005 Posts: 245

How hard is it to find another job while working for Westgate? I ask because it seems like you work during business hours all week with only weekends free to look around. How can you find something else to do when your contract is up with a schedule like that?

furiousmilksheikali

Omeo · Joined: 08 Feb 2005 Posts: 245

I was referring to when you'd have time for an interview.

Yes, I've voluntarily changed jobs many times. I've only been fired once. But when I changed jobs before, I did the interview on a day off from the job I already had. I posted the question because it seems like one might have a hard time being available for an interview given the work schedule at Westgate.

canuck · Joined: 11 May 2003 Posts: 1921 Location: Japan

Omeo · Joined: 08 Feb 2005 Posts: 245

Other companies will interview during those times? I assumed they'd be closed outside of normal business hours.

Omeo · Joined: 08 Feb 2005 Posts: 245

Actually, nevermind. I'll just take your word for it. Thanx.

canuck · Joined: 11 May 2003 Posts: 1921 Location: Japan

ripslyme · Joined: 29 Jan 2005 Posts: 481 Location: Japan

This is a hot tip:
If a prospective employer schedules an interview during weekday regular business hours.... call in sick from your current job and go to the interview. shhhh! It's a secret.

Omeo · Joined: 08 Feb 2005 Posts: 245

I thought you couldn't call in sick in Japan unless you were near death and had proof of it.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Regular university teachers call in sick. The semester has built-in flexible time to do that, and as long as they hold 13-15 classes per semester, it's ok. They just have to make up the missed days, somehow, whether on the same day of a different week, or on Saturday. Perhaps WC will allow this, too.

But, do you really work 12 hours a day for WC? I think not. You should have some free time in there to schedule an interview.

ripslyme · Joined: 29 Jan 2005 Posts: 481 Location: Japan

sundissentialgirl · Joined: 30 Jul 2006 Posts: 6

Yes, you do work 12 hours a day at westgate. You'll only be teaching 6 or 7 40 minute classes during that time, but you have to be onsite approx 9 hours a day and your commute could be anything upto 90 mins each way (mine was 50 mins each way).

You can call in sick (I did and many others during my term there without serious consequences) but they will try to make you go to hospital. Just refuse, say you've got chronic stomach probs and you can't leave the barthroom, let alone negotiate a trip to the hospital unaccompanied and in Japanese. This worked for me.

So you can go for an interview elsewhere during office hours but you'll have to call in sick and make sure that once you've done it you turn off your mobile phone, or else Westgate'll be ringing you every hour for an update!

Hope this answers your question Very Happy

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

Omeo, I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but judging from some of the questions you have asked here lately, do you really think you can handle living overseas? Questions like this and whether or not you can get a job in Nagoya and how hard it would be are really common sense I think or something we cannot answer for you. I am not trying to insult you, just wondering if you have put a lot of thought into living away from home.

On the other hand, you might be a person who just needs to have all the answers before he/she goes somewhere. Life is a bit of a risk, you don't always know where you'll end up, that is the thrill of it.