Job Discussion Forums

flyingkiwi

Hi guys, would really appreciate some advice on this.

I've been applying for a lot of jobs lately (I am in Japan, coming to the end of my current two year job contract), and I had an offer from school A. School A is in a prime location near Tokyo, but it will be potentially very busy with average pay. I have about five more days to accept their offer or not.

Meanwhile, school B and school C are starting to look very attractive. I haven't interviewed with them yet, and maybe I won't until next week.

The thing is, by next week I would have had to make my decision on School A. I wish I had more time so that I could, ideally, look at all the options and then choose.

Someone suggested that I should accept school A, and then, if I was offered a better position by school B or C, then I should just tell school A that I changed my mind. Is this ethical?

What would you do in this situation?

Cheers.

ReedNZ · Joined: 30 May 2007 Posts: 19 Location: New Zealand

How "in demand" do you think you would be? If you know they would really like to have you working for them, just ask for an additonal week or so to make up your mind. Or have they said thats the deadline, simple as that?

flyingkiwi · Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2007 5:23 am Post subject:

Basically they said that 'it would be great' if I could decide by such and such a time.

Quibby84 · Joined: 10 Aug 2006 Posts: 643 Location: Japan

Hey, just one word (or two) of advice. If this school is saying that they need someone ASAP it might mean that someone (or more than one person) has upped and left without so much as a week or two warning. If someone does this to a company it can sometimes mean that that company is not the kind of company you want to work for. So either this has happened or they were not organized and didnt look for someone sooner. Now, this may not be the case at all...but you may want to think about this just in case it is...

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

Too little data (as usual).

Why are B and C more "attractive", let alone "becoming" such? Give us something to compare with A.

flyingkiwi · Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2007 1:05 am Post subject:

Ok,

A: close to Tokyo, good location, but about 40 lessons per week. 250,000 yen. Rent expensive.

B: In Aichi, smaller school (not as much pressure perhaps??), 300,000 yen. Rent not as expensive.

C: In Kagoshima, very near where I work at the moment, no not much trouble in moving. 12 classes a week(!!) Board at school payed for (I think). 250,000 yen.

seanmcginty · Joined: 27 Sep 2005 Posts: 203

A sounds pretty nasty. 40 lessons a week = 8 lessons per day, which is pretty crazy for only 250.

Take a chance at B or C.

JaredW · Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2007 1:39 am Post subject:

ironopolis · Joined: 01 Apr 2004 Posts: 379

I agree that A doesn't sound a very good deal at all, and all the less so given what you say about B and C.

Is A an eikaiwa? If not, you'd probably be no worse, and maybe even better off at an eikaiwa, like one of the big 4, compared to A. So if you're worried about having nothing if you don't take A and then B and C fall through, you'd always have the eikaiwa option to fall back on.

Financially, C looks to be the best bet, if you'd be paying no rent there. I reckon you'd be paying more than 50k in rent and utilities if you took B.

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

"Board" is not rent, but meals. Be careful what it says and means.

Tell us more about the Aichi job. Not many details, and it may not pay to assume that smaller is easier. Are you the only teacher there? How many classes?

You may also want to consider the climate in those areas.

flyingkiwi · Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2007 4:39 am Post subject:

I am not too sure about the Aichi job, except it is a small school and maybe 26 hours per week. School A actually also has 26 hours a week, but 40 minute classes (hence 40 classes a week).

I just found out that School C is actually a Catholic School. It is an all-girls school, so do you think they would prefer a female English teacher, or they wouldn't mind either male or female?

School C might not interview until mid-July. Do you think it would be ok to tell School A to wait for my decision until mid-July? Or, would they lose patience and think that I was not enthusiastic enough (bear in mind I cannot work for them anyway until mid-August at best).

sallycat · Joined: 11 Mar 2006 Posts: 303 Location: behind you. BOO!

c looks good, but it's really an impossible question to answer.
ask yourself:
which one do i really want?
do i have the money to hold out until my preferred option comes up, and to survive if it falls through?

flyingkiwi · Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2007 4:52 am Post subject:

I have about 1,100,000 yen saved up, so I should be okay for a couple of months at least.

gaijinalways · Joined: 29 Nov 2005 Posts: 2279

Plus depending on your visa situation you can take privates and wait on a better offer. It's hard to do if immigration is knocking on the door, but the visa belongs to you and you can stay in Japan even without a job.

seanmcginty · Joined: 27 Sep 2005 Posts: 203

One thing to note is that even if the lessons are only 40 minutes long, teaching 40 of them a week is going to be much more difficult than teaching 26 1 hour lessons. More preparation, more students to talk to, more paperwork, etc. Plus those lessons probably won't be back-to-back but spread out over the day, so you'd be likely looking at some long hours.