Job Discussion Forums

[NicolaM]

Hi guys

I'm flying out to Osaka in June to work in Nova's Multimedia Centre and just have a couple of questions I thought people might be able to help with.

First of all, the multimedia centre wasn't my first choice but am more than happy to give it a try - but does anyone know if its possible to move to a branch if I decide I'd like to later on?

Also, with regard to the future, I have been told that in the branches there are opportunities for promotions and advancements - is it the same for the multimedia centre?

These forums have been so useful while I've been getting ready to go - some fab advise has been dished out in the past - hopefully someone will be able to help me with this.

Ta

[Rorschach]

First question: Yes, you can transfer but you may have to wait until your probation is over (about two months). Where you decide to transfer determines how long you have to wait for it to be approved. A lot of it has to do with demand. Don't even think about transferring to Sapporo as Nova closed down transfer requests due to its popularity. A place like Tokyo is fairly easy though due in part to the high turn over of staff.

Second question: Advancement is a little slower at MM because there are a hell of a lot more teachers than in a regular branch. To be honest promotion at Nova isn't really worth it, some of things I have seen trainers do for promotion is just degrading. If you do go that route it's fairly easy to become an Assistant Trainer but beyond that you better prepare to put in some long years to higher up food chain (for example, the area manager at MM has been with the company since it's inception 20 odd years ago). Advancement in branch is a lot quicker but I have no idea about working conditions.

[osakajojo]

This was a few years ago, right after the MM center opened, so I don't know how much has changed, but I knew someone who started at MM, put in a request to move to a regular branch school about the time his probation was over and it was granted about 3 months later. His son worked at Tsukaguchi and he was able to move in with him until he found a place of his own. The school he was transfered to was Itami- just a hop, skip, and a jump from Tsukaguchi. It worked out quite well for him.
Hope this helps

[Zzonkmiles]

You must be a regular instructor (that is, finished probation) in order to apply for a transfer to another branch. How long it takes for your request to be approved depends on how flexible you are and how popular the schools are you want to move to. If you MUST go to Branch X in City Y, you might be waiting for a pretty darn long time. But if you are willing to change your days off and settle for being assigned to ANY branch in a particular city, your request may be approved more quickly.

As for promotions, it's easier to get promoted at a branch because there are fewer teachers around and things aren't as impersonal as they are at MM. You're a bigger fish in a smaller pond. MM has hundreds of teachers and dozens of trainers. To get promoted to AT, you have to do a lot of schmoozing and sucking up. You'll only get a 10,000 yen/month pay raise, but A LOT more responsibility. You'll also have the dubious honor of being assigned to teach the most difficult students--the chronic whiners, the students with the lousy personalities, etc. The increased responsibilities may be good for your resume, but the job is not good for your sanity. It's a thankless job and it's not worth it even if you might think it looks cool to be one of the few high and mighty green tags in a sea of lowly purple tags.

It is possible to become an AT after a 12-16 months (sometimes even faster). But to rise beyond the level of AT, you usually have to put in several years, as most of the full trainers and the head teachers have been working at MM for about 3-6 years. And among these ranks, there's a lot of politics involved. Some full trainers have even been demoted to AT because of such politics. As for the blue tags (regular staff--these are the bosses of the green tags/trainers), almost all of them were green tags or trainers at branches beforehand. So they've been working for Nova for years and years, 5-10 in many cases. Oh, and forget about becoming a pink tag or a red tag. That's not going to happen--at least not at MM.

[Rorschach]

[The Barbarian]

Hi Nicola

First of all I have to say that I would have very serious reservations about your character if you are seriously interested in advancing yourself through Nova. OK, I don't know you but I've met enough of them to know a bad attitude when I see one. I nearly strangled one of the new Nova arrivals at the airport with her chewing gum.
Imagine that you are the pencil necked geek at McDonalds who aspires to get that assistant managers position - same deal. Youre asking 'do you want fries with that' everyday with little change to the script, and the students are the burgers cut directly from the cash cow.

For your own sake I hope you do 7 - 9 months and check out with your dignity for your well deserved place on a masters degree scheme.

grrr...

[NicolaM]

Thanks for all the replies, they have been v useful.

And barbarian ... no need to worry about my character (though thanks for the concern!) Was just wondering how limited my options were in MM centre compared to branches, was not saying that my goal in life is to become that "pencil necked geek at McDonalds who aspires to get that assistant managers position"

Cheers

Nic