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jherigurl
Joined: 05 Jul 2004
Posts: 4
Location: Los Angeles, CA
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 Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2004 5:04 am Post subject: Another Nova Question.... |
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First, let me say that I have been reading through these posts for a few weeks now and you guys crack me up!!! 
I am packing up to move to Nara in about a week to work for NOVA and am just curious to hear from those of you that have NOVA expertise.
I have seen a lot of info on here about NOVA...lots of gripes...I understand that the nature of the message board beast is complaints before expressions of happiness or joy. But, here's my question....Is there anyone out there that is working or has worked for NOVA that has ENJOYED it (in full or in part)? If so, what about it did u like? |
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migo
Joined: 04 Jul 2004
Posts: 201
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| Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2004 5:42 am Post subject: |
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I'm sure you can find some positive testimonials on NOVA's website.
BTW, please don't use "u", this is a message board not a chat room. You don't have to respond to something instantly so there's really no reason to use chat conventions. |
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jherigurl
Joined: 05 Jul 2004
Posts: 4
Location: Los Angeles, CA
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| Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2004 6:41 am Post subject: |
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Thank you for your reply Migo. However, I wanted to hear from the people on this forum about their positive experiences (if they've had any) with NOVA. Do you work for NOVA? Have you had any positive experiences?
Also, it is very interesting that you criticized my use of "u" as an abbreviateion, but you started your criticism with "BTW", also an abbreviation. So, thank you for your side-note, but please do not jump on my case when you are doing the same thing. Thanks!
My intention with my question was to find some positivity on this site (I have seen plenty of it). But I wanted to find out if there was any with regards to NOVA. So, I re-pose my original question.....
Is there anyone out there that is working or has worked for NOVA that has ENJOYED it (in full or in part)? If so, what about it did YOU like? |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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Gordon
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 5309
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2004 9:06 am Post subject: |
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Glenski,
She doesn't want fair experiences, just positive ones.  |
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Iwantmyrightsnow
Joined: 12 Feb 2004
Posts: 202
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Ajia
Joined: 22 Jun 2004
Posts: 31
Location: Mie-ken
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| Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2004 1:14 pm Post subject: |
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I'm sorry I don't work for NOVA but I have two friends, guy and girl, who have worked for NOVA in the past 1-2 years. They both enjoyed it very much. They recommended NOVA to me when I was thinking about applying for jobs in Japan. He was placed in Kanazawa and she was placed near Osaka. They both rave about how it was a great experience teaching and the people they worked with/for were really cool. They did have some things to complain about but mostly their comments were positive.  |
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BenJ
Joined: 11 May 2003
Posts: 209
Location: Nagoya
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| Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2004 1:41 pm Post subject: |
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| for what it's worth, several of my colleagues back in an Australia school (whom I consider to be very good teachers) recommended Nova as an easy way into Japan - while they weren't effusive in praising the place, they certainly didn't criticise it much either. Just treat it as a job and don't have high expectations of professionalism and you'll be fine. |
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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| Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2004 2:32 pm Post subject: Re: Another Nova Question.... |
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| jherigurl wrote: |
| But, here's my question....Is there anyone out there that is working or has worked for NOVA that has ENJOYED it (in full or in part)? If so, what about it did u like? |
This is going back a few years, but my second year in Japan was at NOVA and though its grown since then, I found it relatively enjoyable. this was before email and flaming websites. Students on the whole made it worthwhile, thoug 11 months was more than enough for me.
Look out for the students, be punctual, dont let the managers rattle your chain and you will be fine. its only a JOB. |
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migo
Joined: 04 Jul 2004
Posts: 201
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| Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2004 11:30 pm Post subject: |
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| jherigurl wrote: |
Also, it is very interesting that you criticized my use of "u" as an abbreviateion, but you started your criticism with "BTW", also an abbreviation. So, thank you for your side-note, but please do not jump on my case when you are doing the same thing. Thanks!
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BTW is an accepted abbreviation, like FIY; u is just wrong. |
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jherigurl
Joined: 05 Jul 2004
Posts: 4
Location: Los Angeles, CA
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| Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2004 11:32 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks all for your replies.
I am more comforted to know that some of those who have made this huge life-changing decision before I me have not been completely miserable with the job. |
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worldwidealive
Joined: 03 Mar 2004
Posts: 84
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| Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2004 1:52 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| BTW is an accepted abbreviation, like FIY; u is just wrong. |
Ahhh, that should be FYI, not FIY....so just FYI Migo.
Sorry - couldn't resist. 
WWA |
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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| Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2004 3:49 am Post subject: |
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| jherigurl wrote: |
Thanks all for your replies.
I am more comforted to know that some of those who have made this huge life-changing decision before I me have not been completely miserable with the job. |
The average foreign male employee works at NOVA 8 months. Female employees last about 6 months. Turnover in one year is about 70%.
Not that NOVA doesnt have long term employees but I would hardly call it life-changing. Its just a year out of a short life on this mortal coil.
As I tell people who come here with a negative attitude before they even start work: no one is twisting your arm and no one is making you work for a big language school. Its a free, personal choice out of limited alternatives as to who with and where you work. If you hate it so much and make up your mind you will be miserable before you have even go on the plane, SIMPLE...... don't sign the b___y contract. Come here with a plane ticket and wallet full of cash and find a job on your own. Then you may learn what it means to be miserable. |
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jherigurl
Joined: 05 Jul 2004
Posts: 4
Location: Los Angeles, CA
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| Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2004 4:37 am Post subject: |
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Paul,
First, let me thank you for your reply.
The huge life-change I was referring to was the decision to move to another country in general, especially one with such an extreme change in language, culture, etc.
I think my last post was a tad misunderstood. I do understand the turnover rate at NOVA. I understand that a lot of people go to Japan via NOVA with certain expectations that are not met. I also understand that the way an experience affects someone varies very much from person to person. Therefore, I know that MY experience in Japan with NOVA (or any other experience I may have, for that matter) depends primarily upon ME and how I deal with it and choose to perceive it.
I was just wondering if EVERYONE who worked for NOVA had a miserable experience so that I could prepare myself mentally for a higher possibility of being dissatisfied with the job. However, if some people did in fact enjoy it, there is a higher possibility that I may also.
I am just comforted to know that there are some people out there who didn't experience a torturous NOVA experience. |
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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| Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2004 5:10 am Post subject: |
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| jherigurl wrote: |
I was just wondering if EVERYONE who worked for NOVA had a miserable experience so that I could prepare myself mentally for a higher possibility of being dissatisfied with the job. However, if some people did in fact enjoy it, there is a higher possibility that I may also.
I am just comforted to know that there are some people out there who didn't experience a torturous NOVA experience. |
If I could add a little perspective:
NOVA has a ceratin profile of candidate that they look for and if you end up working for them you will see that they fit a certain profile. Becuase of this it attracts a certain type of person, and though people have a different way of dealing with it, you will tend to find the same people make similar types of complaints on a bulletin which gives rise to people thinking working for NOVA means selliing your self in to slavery, you become an indentured servant and NOVA is the devil incarnate. I worked at NOVA and survived- I am still here and saw it for what it was, a big company with thousands of employees, you are just a relatively anonymous low-level employee who goes through the revolving door of the company. To them you are just a number on a balance sheet. NOVA has 250 branches, 5000 employees and no branch or manager is exactly alike. Some branches you get great managers and teachers, other places the trainer or manager will be like the dweeb or nerd you avoided in high school, except he is now your supervisor. Just go with the flow.
As to the type of people they hire they are usually:
New graduates and never held a full time job before
have never travelled overseas
have no formal training in teaching or ESL
speak little or no Japanese
Its my guess that some are straight out of living with their parents and semi-dependent
Many new people are culture-shocked, lack japanese ability and not used to living in a foreign country with different laws and customs and speaking a different language. This is not New York or Toronto and the business culture is different here. NOVA is no saint, and nor are the new teachers for that matter, some who come and jump ship or try to hit on their students. It works both ways.
Not sure about how many women come to NOVA compared to men but japan's business culture doesnt seem that woman-friendly. My guess is you get the macho party frat boys applying and getting jobs at NOVA than women. Just a gut feeling. I worked with a few women at NOVA and many of them didnt seem to be enjoying themselves that much, for a number of reasons which you will discover- nothing to do with NOVA per se, but life here in general seems to affect women more than men (dating etc).
You add all these points together and you are going to get 23 or 24 year old people who feel disoriented, lonely, alienated, confused yet exhilirated, and then when they bump up against some of NOVAs more arcane rules and its unique way of doing things they will tend to rebel and release all their frustations on a bulletin and take out their problems on the company.
Im not saying that its the company's fault, but people have different ways of dealing with their experience when they get here, and you can not entirely believe everything you read. Even I have bad days and vent my spleen (last week was a classic example when some felt my wrath) but that doesnt mean I think Japans a bad place. thats just the way it is.
Take the posts you read with a HUGE grain of salt and go in with your eyes open. You are just being asked to teach English, not perform heart surgery. NOVA is as good (and about the only place) you can start as a newbie, so put on your waterwings dive in and make the most of it. You will have bad days and meet some people you wouldnt normally associate with, but you will get that anywhere, even working and living at home. In the US etc you can avoid them, but in Japan you are all thrown together becuase you are 'gaijin' and it becomes a little ex-pat clique during and after work. |
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