Job Discussion Forums

[ellethecat]

ARE there any recruiters/ placement agencies that help people find a job in Japan?
the only one Ive delt with seems suspect (wants original documents)

Has anyone dealt with an honest agency???

or is it best to apply to schools independnetly. (I've tried this but it seems slow going and I wouldnt mind paying a legitimate agency to secure a job.)

[zorro]

just apply directly. it'll take just as much time and you won't get messed around.

[PAULH]

[Gordon]

Paul,
Would the schools still want to interview face to face? Isn't that what a recruiter is supposed to do, find the teachers and screen them?
If not, seems like a pretty easy job being a recruiter.

[Wolf]

http://www.ohayosensei.com/
http://www.jalt-publications.org/tlt/jobs/
http://www.jobsinjapan.com/
http://www.eltnews.com/jobs/index.shtml
http://www.pacificnet.net/~sperling/jobcenter.html
http://www.gaijinpot.com
http://www.tefl.com

Forgive the double post.

Recruiters for Japan are not necessary. The big companies like NOVA, GEOS, AEON,ECC, Westgate and Interac do their own overseas recruting. Many of these places are not good to work for, and have a hugely high turnover rate. What many other schools do for teachers is hire experienced teachers unhappy with NOVA et al. but willing to stay in Japan. A few other smaller schools just place ads at one (or more) of the sights above and wait for the resumes to come flooding in.

Some schools are willing to hire from abroad and do telephone interviews in lieu of a face to face one (they ask for a picture to put a face to the voice.)

As a general rule teachers - especially teachers new to the profession or region - should never trust recruiters.

[PAULH]

I have heard some real horror stories about private recruiters working in Korea, some real doozies. Some of them are now trying to muscle into Japan by recruiting teachers for schools over here.

My advice is to contact the company directly, because remember the recruiter is not working in your interest but that of the employer because thats the guy who pays his commission. many employers dont really have the wherewithal to contact people living in foreign countries, dealing with English email, fax machines and recorder messages.

the only recruiters I have heard of in Japan are one that interviews people for NOVA in Melbourne Australia (the teacher pays about $400 if he gets a job offer) and another one in eastern Canada, Toronto or Ontario or somewhere.

Watch your back at all times. Just remember would you hire someone without meeting them first, and just rely on the word of a third party, who has one hand on your wallet?

[joncharles]

I am embarrassed to say that I am one who has been duped. I spent months sending resumes to schools and never getting a reply.. I even have experience. So when a recruiter contacted me through the Resume page here on Dave's sight I decided to give it a try... now after sending visa money and finding out the school hired someone else for the position (because I was late, they say) I now have to pay a 2000baht fee to get my documents back. It isn't too unusual about the original documents. Several schools I have seen advertising also stated they needed to see original documents to show the government for the visa. When I interviewed with Nova four years ago I brought my original to the interview.. they copied it and was still required to have it with me when I reported. Maybe the large schools can get away with not showing the government original documents.. but when I went in to renew they wanted to see the original.

[ellethecat]

YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY TO GET YOUR DOCUMENTS BACK-HAVE YOU GONE TO YOUR LOCAL CONSULATE AND COMPLAINED???