Job Discussion Forums

CaseyG · Joined: 02 Mar 2007 Posts: 14 Location: Los Angeles, CA

I have recently applied to NOVA, GEOS and AEON. I have already heard back from two (NOVA, GEOS) for interviews, and I am interested in opinions of and experiences with these three companies. I have read a lot of other threads that touch on NOVA individually, but most of them were somewhat dated, and I am interested in specific comparison of the three.
I am a youngster, new to this place, never taught overseas before, so I am looking to the salty dogs' well traveled, wry opinions. I have enjoyed reading the caustic replies to other posts, so canuck, furiousmilk, jimdunlop, etc... let me have it.

furiousmilksheikali · Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2007 6:21 am Post subject:

Welcome to the board CaseyG and congratulations for using your very first post to beat this old dead horse.

There have been similar threads on this very theme as well as polls. I think if you do a search for "Like a Rolling Stone" then you can find a number of them.

The problem with polls such as these is that they are almost impossible to respond to given that few people will have worked for two let alone all of your poll options. The wry opinion of a salty dog is that none of the eikaiwa schools are places that one would wish to work, so the best option is "other". Unfortunately, being new to this game you probably won't have the experience or qualifications to work in those particular "other" places.

If you have a degree and are eligible for a working visa then I suggest you put the names of the big four eikaiwa companies in a hat and then randomly pick one out.

CaseyG · Joined: 02 Mar 2007 Posts: 14 Location: Los Angeles, CA

Haha. Thanks milk. Just what I wanted.

movinaround · Joined: 08 Jun 2006 Posts: 202

AEON.

The only two downsides compared to the others is that the vacation (while roughly the same amount) HAS TO be taken on the three major breaks (Golden Week, Obon and New Years). The other one is really depending on your taste. It didn't bother me. But NOVA schools "tend to" have a lot more foreign teachers at their schools (as they are bigger schools). If you have any specific questions, I will answer them, but if you want the who spiel, you will have to search. I can only write it out so many times.

CaseyG · Joined: 02 Mar 2007 Posts: 14 Location: Los Angeles, CA

Thanks movin. I was tending toward AEON, partly because they offer single occupancy apartments, while NOVA tends to have shared apartments. And I think AEON pays a little more. Being a beginner, I might prefer a school/company that provides a more regimented lesson plan and curriculum. After I have some experience teaching I'm sure I will prefer more of a hand in creating my own lessons.
Guess my question is truly rote, but I expected that response. I know specific questions would be best, but having no experience, I am stuck in the realm of generalizations.

canuck · Joined: 11 May 2003 Posts: 1921 Location: Japan

CaseyG · Joined: 02 Mar 2007 Posts: 14 Location: Los Angeles, CA

Haha. Thanks canuck. I am honored to be dishonored in your eyes.

seastarr · Joined: 22 Sep 2006 Posts: 76

Hi,
I worked for Nova for a year in 2005/2006. It wasnt as bad as people tend to make it out to be. Here are a few good points. Some say Nova stands for No Vacation...I didn't find this to be true for a couple of reasons. You do get ten days of paid holiday to use as you wish, and about 8 days over xmas/new years. The ten days may not seem like a lot, but, Nova also allows shift swaps, which are days you trade with other teachers in order to get the most out of your vacation. Most of the other schools also give their holidays over Japanese public holidays, which tend to be the most expensive and busiest of times in Japan. With Nova, you can take them whenever, as long as you give a couple of weeks notice. See a great seat sale? You can go with Nova, this is not the case with most other language schools. I also applied and was accepted to go with Aeon as well...I chose Nova because I was going with my boyfriend and we wanted to live together...Aeon apts. are single occupancy and you HAVE to have them...even if you decide to get a place with a friend or otherwise..you are responsible for the rent for the place. For some, this isnt an issue, for others it is. There are upsides to having roomates too, as they are a great resource when you first get to Japan. I really loved meeting so many teachers from other countries as well, which I think is probably unique to the Nova experience because Aeon and Geos employ Japanese teachers as well, so their numbers of international staff are not so huge. With that said, there was also a lot of crap that went with Nova too, but I think that is probably the case with most schools. I was the help shift queen in my area, which meant I had to work at a lot of schools on a weekly basis because of a teacher shortage in my area. My apt. was handy to most schools so I got shuffled a lot. As a genki female, I also had to teach loads of kids classes, which got to be a little much. If you have any other Nova questions, feel free to ask.

movinaround · Joined: 08 Jun 2006 Posts: 202

CaseyG · Joined: 02 Mar 2007 Posts: 14 Location: Los Angeles, CA

I, understand the possible benefits of living with other teachers. But I am a little wary of living with other people in an already cramped area. That is keeping NOVA at the bottom of my list at the moment.

seastarr · Joined: 22 Sep 2006 Posts: 76

The roommate thing has its advantages and disadvantages for sure. As I lived with my boyfriend, there were no real disadvantages...I also met quite a few teachers who got along really well with their flatmates. But I know that also wasnt the case every time. I knew a lot (especially girls) that shifted roommates quite often due to disagreements. I guess it depends on how flexible you are willing to be. I know quite a lot of people who thought it was great to have someone there when they first arrived in a strange city to show them the ropes. I also knew some very nice people that ended up living with people that no one should ever live with. In most cases, even the roommates that didnt get along held it together for the time they were there...some did better than others of course, and some moved in with their girlfriends or got their own place or transfered. I really dont care if you choose Nova or whatever, going to Japan is a fantastic experience if you care to make it one.

alwayscurious · Joined: 28 Feb 2007 Posts: 4

furiousmilksheikali · Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 3:52 pm Post subject:

CaseyG · Joined: 02 Mar 2007 Posts: 14 Location: Los Angeles, CA

'The other eikaiwa are the same.'

I think AEON and GEOS offer single occupancy apartments. I know the eikaiwa aren't very desirable, but outside of the language schools I am not sure I have any options. Any suggestions?

seanmcginty · Joined: 27 Sep 2005 Posts: 203

I've worked for both GEOS and AEON. They are practically identical (and in fact they used to be the same company until they split in two in the 1980s). I sould say AEON is marginally better than GEOS to work for because there is less sales pressure and paperwork (come to think of it those are the crappiest parts of the job so maybe AEON is a lot better). From what I've heard that only applies to AEON's west division, if you end up working for AEON in Tokyo its pretty much exactly the same as GEOS.

Both GEOS and AEON put most of their teachers up in Leo Palace apartments, which are cramped, ugly and usually in bad locations but are cheap, easy to maintain and a million times better than having to live in shared accomodation.

I haven't worked at NOVA but there are a few things that must really suck about working there whihc you won't have to deal with at GEOS or AEON:
-Their "classrooms" are glass cubicles so you get no privacy while you teach.
-They don't teach the same students each week so the schedules sound pretty chaotic
-The company has been down on its luck lately, with a couple of high-profile cases (one involving teachers arrested for drugs, the other the company being investigated by the government for cheating customers out of refunds).

On the other hand they don't seem to have to do any sales work and it is otherwise the same mind-numbing work as at any big school, so the differences probably aren't all that big.