Job Discussion Forums

[Osiyo]

Ryu: I will definitely consider an Altia position, but I haven't been offered one yet. Hopefully I will have one final Skype interview with an Altia guy later this week, if all goes well. The only issue I have with Altia is that they require a driver's license and I dunno if I wanna go through that whole process when so many teachers in Japan don't need to.

As for the company I started this thread about, I am really confused. I completely understand what you guys are saying about the contract, and that is definitely one of the reasons I started this thread. The contract/application really paints the school in a bad light, but everything I have heard from past and present employees working there is positive. That is worth something, isn't it? One of them even said that it is less work in comparison to Aeon, with none of the sales pitching stuff, just teaching. It also seems like the director is a nice guy who has been running this school for like 40 years. I'm also in contact with him.

I've gone from pretty much deciding not to take the job to back on the fence after speaking with people who have worked / do work there.

[seklarwia]

At the end of the day, you are the one who has to make the final call.

I would never take this contract, because you are basically giving your employer the permission to enslave you if he chooses to do so. If this director decides he doesn't like you, he can up your workload a whole heap more than 26 teaching hours per week you are being quoted and make your life a misery. And personally I'd like to know exactly what my work hours were, how much I'd be paid and the maximum amount of work I'd be given each week.

If you are willing to take this risk, then go for it and good luck to you.

Keep us posted on your decision and if you take the position, you should tell us what it is like to work for this school later.

[Osiyo]

Thanks. I will definitely keep this thread updated.

Well, I can address the whole 300k vs 250k thing. The job I am applying for is 6 days a week, and it would be a for 300k a month. I would be replacing the current 6-days-a-week teacher who is leaving in August. The other teacher works 5 days a week and so makes 250k a month.

The teacher who I would replace is currently doing 40 40-minute lessons per 6-day week. Compared to my current full time office assistant job here in the US that doesn't sound too bad to me.

I'm still waiting to hear more information, but that is some of the stuff I have learned so far.

[Glenski]

This is one case where you have to think about what the current employees are telling you. How long have they been there? What do they think of the specific clauses we have brought up here?

Are they the types who don't care about being used/abused, or are they just blind to the ramifications?

Or are they considering leaving and feel some misplaced sense of loyalty to get a replacement ASAP?

[Osiyo]

The one I have talked to so far has only been employed for a short while (she is not the teacher I would replace), but I have emailed the teacher whose place I will take (if I take the job), and she has been working at the school for 10 months. Hopefully she will get back to me soon.

The teacher I have talked to did mention that all of the teachers hired typically stay for at least a year, if not more. The girl I would replace is obviously leaving after a year, but the two before her worked there for two years and four years. I will quote some of the stuff she has mentioned to me regarding the contract:

"I had similar concerns about the contract before I got here, and I'm happy to answer any questions you might have. I know it's hard to judge a language school from overseas. So let me assure you, KGG is legit and Mr. Shima [the director] is very kind and fair, pretty much a traditional Japanese businessman."

...

"A typical day would be about 5 to 8 40-minute lessons (and usually a student or 2 will be absent on any given day). You can have lessons scheduled anytime from 1 pm to 9:40 during weekdays, and 1-7 on Saturday. Often, you wouldn't have to come in until 3 or 4 pm, and on some days you can leave early (I think you would be able to leave early on Tuesdays and Wednesday (~7:40 pm), if the schedule doesn't change)."

...

"I don't feel overworked (Side note: I only work 5 days a week. At KGG, one teacher works 6 days a week and earns 300K a month while the other works 5 and earns 250K ). Compared to my friends at Aeon (one of the big corporate Eikaiwas in Japan), we at KGG seem to have a much lighter working day, sometimes with 1 or 2 hour breaks between lessons (and there's always scheduled lunch and dinner breaks, so you never have to skip a meal). Also, at KGG you don't have to be a salesmen like you do at the big Eikaiwas (interviewing prospective students, staff meetings, etc). Mr. Shima handles everything on the business end, so your only job is to teach."

...

"Yes, the part in the contract about being "dismissed for variety of reasons such as not meeting the institute�s expectations or standards" is pretty disconcerting. From what I've gathered, some of the English teachers Mr. Shima hired 20 or 15 years ago (back when it was easy to get a job teaching English in Japan...) were bums, who would consistently come to work hungover or skip work altogether, without letting him know. Honestly, I don't think you would have any problems, as long as you're punctual and dressed alright."

That's about everything relevant to the contract that we have discussed so far.

[Shimokitazawa]

Why don't you take it, see how it goes. You always have the right to quit if you don't like it.

[Osiyo]

I think I am leaning towards doing just that, but I am still waiting to hear from the other teacher.