Job Discussion Forums

Canuck2112 · Joined: 13 Jun 2003 Posts: 239

I recently applied with AEON and just received this email:

"Thank you for your resume and essay, and your interest in teaching English in Japan with AEON Corporation.

At this time, we have no positions to offer. We will keep your resume on
file, and contact you should positions become available.

Thank you again for your interest in AEON."

Has anyone else received this from them? Do you think it is genuine, or perhaps a euphamism for "your essay/resume didn't cut it"? Maybe I'm just being paranoid?

Thanks
Mike

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

Sounds like a pretty standard rejection letter from any company in any country in the world.

locagrl814 · Joined: 04 Jun 2003 Posts: 58

i agree with glenski. sounds like a standard letter of rejection.

astroboy, did you go for the interview at NOVA? Do you know why NOVA rejected you and your gf? I'm going for my interview this thursday in NYC. I'm afraid they'll reject me as well. Did they tell you that they weren't gonna hire you right after the interview? I'm getting paranoid

Sunpower · Joined: 22 Jan 2003 Posts: 256 Location: Taipei, TAIWAN

Tell them that your interested in moving up in the company - That you aspire to reach a supervisory position like Assistant Trainer, Trainer and maybe one day even Area Manager.

Tell your interviewer that you are interested in supervisory positions.

They have lots of teachers but not too many people want to be a supervisort.

Even before my first 6 months in the country and on the job, I was asked about an A.T. position.

Tell them that you'll work and live anywhere - You're flexible with location and size of the school.

Then once you're in - transfer to where you want and make some decisions then as to what you think is good for you.

locagrl814 · Joined: 04 Jun 2003 Posts: 58

astroboy and sunpower... thanks for the advice! you guys just made me feel so much better.

Jax · Joined: 28 May 2003 Posts: 16 Location: UK

NOVA have to be a little more picky than just wanting a bachelor's degree - I sent in an application and never heard from them and I thought my application was pretty strong (Bachelor's degree in Eng lang and Lit, Master's degree in international studies, TEFL qualification, previous work / management experience etc.)

I even emailed the London office twice and asked if they could cofirm they had received my application (I sent it online) but they still didn't bother to respond. In the end I decided to let it drop rather than actually call them - and I'd read some of the complaints about NOVA by then.

I applied to ECC and had a similar problem but, when I called, I was told they hadn't got around to going through applications yet and have subsequently got an interview with them next month.

Should I be worried that they don't seem very organized?

Celeste · Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2003 10:57 am Post subject:

Sunpower · Joined: 22 Jan 2003 Posts: 256 Location: Taipei, TAIWAN

Jax - You are TOO QUALIFIED for Nova.

NOVA H.R. probably saw you as HIGH-RISK in that you are educated, probably an independent thinker (I don't know how old you are but am guessing you are at least in your late 20s), have some pedagogical training in EFL and, thus, have your own ideas on how to teach English...Not a good match at all with NOVA.

They're standards are very low.

NOVA wants young 20 somethings who have never really had any other significant work experience. NOVA wants people who are afraid to complain or speak out when they are treated unfairly. NOVA wants to hire people with little or no life expereince or life skills. Nova also wants to hire people who do not know how to teach English (sounds messed up, doesn't it).

You DO NOT NEED A DEGREE to work for NOVA.

I've met many people on spousal visas with no degree. They were working full time and part time.

(Has this policy changed since 2000? - That's when I left the company).

Try a college or university if you indeed have an M.A.

Or go to Tokyo and teach corporates with GLOVA or Forum.

Better money and you won't have poeple policing or micro-manging you like the do at NOVA.

Serious, NOVA supervisors will treat you like a High School student.

However, timing is everthing and I admit having also met older, mature instructors teaching at NOVA.

But that's my take on both NOVA and other large langugae schools like it.

Shiit, for anyone else signing on with NOVA, I suggest using the slimy basttards for a work visa and then finding a teaching gig where you are treated like an adult, have more control over what and how you teach and where the money is better.

Jax · Joined: 28 May 2003 Posts: 16 Location: UK

Thanks for the reassurance - I have to say I was a bit concerned! After reading some of the complaints people have with NOVA, I'd pretty much decided not to interview with them anyway!!

I think, on balance that ECC will be a better option. I feel a lot more confident about working for a company with more satisfied employees. I want to be able to work somewhere where I can feel that I am not completely wasting my students' time.

Thanks again!

locagrl814 · Joined: 04 Jun 2003 Posts: 58

i had my interview with nova today. the orientation session was ok. i thought that the interview was pretty easy. the lady just asked me what i would do if i had 3 students in class-- one of the students is a HS student who doesnt really care about learning English. The second student is a mother who speaks clearly and is very eager to be out of the house. The lady used the term "word salad" to describe the lady's english skills. The third student is a businessman taking classes at NOVA to go up the corporate ladder. She wanted to know what kind of approach i'd take to handle the situation.

Aside from that, she asked me about why I wanted to go to Japan, why I wanted to teach there, and asked if I thought I was ready for it. She also asked about culture shock and how I would react to it.

I think I answered the questions very well. I'm afraid I sounded very intellectual though. From what I've been reading in the forums, NOVA tends to hire those who have no experience and not very well learned. Although I just got out of college, I think she was however impressed that I worked for Air France while studying and interned at the Mexican Consulate here in NYC. I hope she doesnt think that I'm overqualified.

I applied for multimedia teaching which is based in Osaka. It's a pretty new program. Since I love computers, I thought I'd give it a try. Hopefully, the lady didnt think that I was overqualified or a little too opinionated. Frankly, I don't think myself opinionated... i do think that I'm eloquent.

Mosley · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Posts: 158

Sunpower is basically right on about NOVA , EXCEPT for this: as of about 2 yrs. ago, all newcomers to the company MUST have a degree. NOVA didn't change that- Japanese immigration did!

TokyoLiz · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1548 Location: Tokyo, Japan

Yep, waaaay overqualified for NOVA.

But then, if you ARE a college grad, have never travelled before, have no teaching experience, are energetic and wanna meet people, then I would suspect that NOVA's for you.

It wouldn't work out for me, either. I've been teaching ESL/EFL and English composition for almost 10 years. I wouldn't fit in at NOVA.

NOVA does take care of their new fish. They set you up with apartments, cel phones, bank accounts, give you rudementary 'training' in teaching skills, and give you a chance to earn decent money. Not a bad deal for a 22 year old gal or guy right out of school. It's a place to start.