Job Discussion Forums

[Mark]

Hi folks,

Kind of an opinion question here.

There's a private jr/sr high school very close to my house. I currently work for high private sr high school through an agency, but it's over an hour away.

I'd like to apply to this school, or at least ask them which agency they use and then apply to that agency.

How do you think I should go about doing this? Is it okay to walk into the high school and ask to speak with someone from the English department? What's the proper etiquette for a situation like this?

Thanks,

Mark

[Sweetsee]

Good question Mark,

I was in the same situation and actually did enter the school and ask to speak with an English teacher--didn't work. Probably a little bit like someone knocking on your door and wanting to do your dishes for you if you pay them. Everything in Japan is based on relationships and that school obviously does there business with one agent or another. I think it would be nearly impossible to get your foot in the door that way, pretty much unheard of. They like dealing with the agents so they don't have to deal with you.

What you could do, and I did, is to scope out the school and track down the native English speaker they are using, shouldn't be too hard, perhaps you have seen this person coming and going. Approach them and explain your situation, could be a foot in the door.

But if you are determined to approach the school directly, you will need a business card and a Japanese salesperson to introduce you. Look sharp, say nothing, leave a cover letter and resume in a clear folder and give it your best shot, but I don't think it will work.


Good luck to you,
s

[Mark]

Thanks for the thoughts Sweetsee,

What I've decided to do is to prepare my resume along with a Japanese-style resume and approach the school directly. I'll try to speak in Japanese and ask if I can leave my resume at the reception desk to be delivered to the English department. If they want to call me in, then fine, if not, then fine. At least I tried. I might also ask them in my cover letter if they could tell me which agency they use so that I can apply to that agency. If they don't want to interview me, then hopefully they'll at least tell me that info.

That's a good idea about talking to the current native speakers, but I don't think I could just walk up and ask them. I know I'd be kind of put off by someone who did that to me about my high school. But if I happen to see someone coming out of the school, maybe I'll give it a shot.

Did talking to the native teacher help you to get a job at that school?

Mark

[Sweetsee]

Nope, never got a job there.

[yamanote senbei]

Another option Mark, is to get a job though a teacher outsourcing company, and then force them and the private school to make it a direct hire. It has happened before.

[Sweetsee]

Don't know about forcing the issue, but schools have been known to approach teachers who have come to them from agencies.

[Mark]

[yamanote senbei]

How long have you been working at this school for this agency? It's possible that you may already be legally considered a direct employee of the school rather than the company.

It's also possible that the agency you now work through never was doing legal dispatch, which means that you may have potential claims against them. Dispatch companies, legal or not, usually take 30% of the dispatched teacher's salary. That should be your money, not your agent's. It's illegal.

[Mark]

This is my first year with the school. My agency actually takes 46 percent of the money the school pays for me, not including travel reimbursement though. It's a big percentage, but the school pays quite a bit for me, so I still get paid higher than the average ALT. I was under the impression that the average ALT agency took around 50 percent of the money. Where did you get 30 percent?