Job Discussion Forums

djpoole · Joined: 04 May 2007 Posts: 20

Ive been reading the discussion on NOVA, which leaves my head in a bit of a spin!!

It is, of course, a tempting place to start for newbie, but the various comments are off putting to say the least!!

Some of you have advised newbies to not even start with NOVA and to seek out employment elsewhere, can you make any suggestions of schools to try?

I will be applying from the UK and would like to be assisted with my accomodation.

solarmist · Joined: 10 Feb 2007 Posts: 52 Location: Fort Collins, CO

I think most of the people on this forum blow the Nova thing out of proportion. Nova is very much fast food English, and they overcharge for rent, but its a job and they do really help you get everything together. They pay decent wages, don't pay you late. And most people don't have any serious complaints (by serious I mean by making your life hell or something like that), they just don't like they way they do business and that a lot of the managers (trainers) are jackasses. Its stuff you see with every job that has high turn over and nearly no qualification requirements.

I personally know that I won't like the job when I get there, but it won't bother me either because I know what to expect. The people that seem to have the biggest problems with it are either people that this is their first real job(ie never had to work to support themself), qualified teacher, or people that have experience in Japan.

Its basically a mindless job and that bothers a lot of people, but if you don't mind doing what your told (whether its stupid or not), and show up on time, you shouldn't have any problem with this for a first job in Japan.

As far as I know Aeon, Nova, and Geos, all will help with your visa, and at least getting an apartment secured, but I think I remember someone saying that you have to pay first months rent when you move in (for Aeon that is). Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. Nova deducts rent from your salary, so I'm assuming that its after the fact.

Honestly, though the best first job in Japan would have to be the JET program, but the time frame is very strict and that's why I'm not going that way (I missed the deadline).

The majority of overseas hires are among the big four and JET because they have the resources to help with relocate a person and can do interviews overseas.

djpoole · Joined: 04 May 2007 Posts: 20

So youre going over to work for NOVA? When are you going?

solarmist · Joined: 10 Feb 2007 Posts: 52 Location: Fort Collins, CO

I'm leaving on July 23rd.

japolak · Joined: 14 May 2007 Posts: 40

hey solarmist, can you describe how your interview was?

Dipso · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Posts: 194 Location: England

solarmist · Joined: 10 Feb 2007 Posts: 52 Location: Fort Collins, CO

For me it was basically an impulsive thing. I'm currently a first year graduate student and I was looking around the job fair and saw Nova was going to be at our school, so I talked to them and got an info packet, application, and an interview for the next day.

I filled out the application and did some research on Nova that night about what kind of stuff they ask. The normal stuff. Why do you want to work for us? Why Japan? Etc. Do you have any preferences for location? Any teaching experience?

I also came up with a list of my own questions. Like, what's rent like? Can you get internet in your apartment? What kind of promotions are available? What's the time frame for those? What's the dress code? Etc.

The next day I dressed nice (not business though as I didn't own a button up shirt and tie) and showed up about 30 min early. When I went in I gave her my application, copy of my passport, copy of my diploma, and showed her my original diploma. Then she went into the questions, and I would interrupt every now and then with my questions. I've been told that you have to come up with at least some kind of answer for every question when interviewing with Nova (I had one question I didn't really have an answer for, so we came back to it later and I made something up).

The next part of the interview was a mini lesson. You're given a few minutes to look over a page out of their Diplomat textbook to see the format (and everything is basically set for you, so you just have to follow along) and the interviewer plays a low level English student (I thought she did a really good job actually, I guess she had to deal with a lot of them) and you go though the lesson (like 5- 10 min) and afterward the interviewer will critique you, both good and bad.

Finally, the interviewer explains a little about the hiring process. She gives her recommendation (which is usually followed) and submits that and your application packet to Japan, which makes the final decision. They told me I'd get an email in about two weeks if they want me. After two weeks I got a letter (I have the letter and all written correspondence in the "Everything you want to ... Nova hiring" thread) saying they'd like to offer me a position contingent on passing a background check. It cost $50 and you list you jobs, addresses, schools, for like the last five years in order. This is just to make sure you can get a visa (it seems Japan won't give out visas if you have almost any record) and your not a child molester.

Check out the other thread for what happens after that.

solarmist · Joined: 10 Feb 2007 Posts: 52 Location: Fort Collins, CO

That's a good point. Unless you ask for it, and they have it available Nova apartments are double or triple occupancy.

Jon Taylor · Joined: 09 Mar 2005 Posts: 238 Location: Tokyo

stillnosheep · Joined: 01 Mar 2004 Posts: 2068 Location: eslcafe

ironopolis · Joined: 01 Apr 2004 Posts: 379

I hadn't realised Nova require this background check, although I've known a lot of people who worked there. It's true that it's not a requirement for a visa. If this is something they've started fairly recently, then I suspect it'll be because they've had their fingers burnt a few times when they've employed people who turned out to be pretty dodgy.

To be honest, I think Nova should bear the cost of such a check, or at least offer reimbursement of the fee as long it comes out clear and you take the job. However, it's not actually unheard of for the applicant for a job involving access to children to have to bear the cost of the background check. I've had to get a police background check(and pay the cost of it) for jobs I've applied for outside of Japan before, and posts on this site indicate quite a few other people have as well.

Many teaching jobs in Japan (perhaps even most) don't do any kind of background check, even though they're employing people with access to young children. Personally, I'd rather have people checked for any previous that would make them a potential risk to the children they'll have access to, first and foremost.

At the end of the day, if you're given the choice of an eikaiwa that checks if you're a child molester and one that doesn't, you can decide if this is something that bothers you and choose accordingly.

solarmist · Joined: 10 Feb 2007 Posts: 52 Location: Fort Collins, CO

solarmist · Joined: 10 Feb 2007 Posts: 52 Location: Fort Collins, CO

japolak · Joined: 14 May 2007 Posts: 40

Did they give you the location that you want to live/teach in?

solarmist · Joined: 10 Feb 2007 Posts: 52 Location: Fort Collins, CO

They did, but I knew they would before the interview. I'm very good at finding out how to get what I want and then doing that. I wanted to be in Osaka, and they have a multimedia center there, so I just applied to that. And once I'm there a little while I'll transfer to a branch where I can get face to face experience