Job Discussion Forums

[zo327]

So after all of the issues that came about like a hurricane surrounding NOVA and the suspension, there are still a number of us who have received offers, and even accepted these offers, to teach with NOVA in the coming years, and are at a fork in the road. I can't see this being an easy decision, even with the cloud overhead of NOVA.

So I wanted to ask both new recruits and vets, NOVA or not, what do you think is a better choice - go to Japan and hope NOVA will stay intact for at least a good chunk of time, or not take that bet and start again from scratch to look into other opportunities?

[codedals]

Stick with Nova. I don't have any formal business savvy, but its easy to see that if a bunch of new recruits get frightened and jump ship, a bad problem could become much worse. If a bunch of us high-tail, we could make the predictions of demise a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Eh, I'm gonna weather the storm...


//cliche-count : 3

[GIR]

I interviewed and accepted back in March, just got my ship-out date (in Septermber) last week. I'm going to try to see it through, but definitely waiting until the last minute to get my plane tickets.

As long as they have a job for me when I get over there, I think things will be OK. If they go under after I've arrived, I think it will be easier for me to find another job.

Anybody know if the host bars hire Americans who only speak rudimentary Japanese?

[partialtone]

I'm also staying the course.

[southofreality]

Yes. Stay the course. If NOVA hasn't dropped you yet, you're probably good for at least 6 months worth of work. Save every last yen you can and maybe take a part time gig with GABA or something. You can set your hours there so it's possible to work just a handful of hours each week on top of your NOVA hours. And if NOVA tanks, you'll already have another gig.

[partialtone]

Does that 6 months start now or in September?

[southofreality]

I did say 'at least'.

[Temujin]

I don't see any reason not to come. The only real negative way this would affect you would be if Nova went bust, and that ain't gonna happen. Whatever changes Japan has gone over in the past decade or so, the Japanese government is not in the business of actively making it's companies go bust.

Nova is desperate for teachers - you'll be treated well and there'll be plenty of overtime if you want it.

[midnightpariah]

I just got accepted and I'm going to stick with it as well. It seems that Nova still has business despite all of the negative stuff floating around.

[solarmist]

I just got my passport back today with my visa stamp/sticker (I leave in 31 days) and I'm sticking with Nova. A company as large as Nova won't go belly up from not being able to sell contract longer than a year, they'll just shift focus to more short term contracts until the suspension is over. And getting dropped from government contracts will hurt, but they're primarily focused on the public at large, so this won't make that much of a difference.

Also, when I called Nova to get their take on it they said they will actually be hiring more teachers in the coming months, in order to be able to fill those time slots that were supposedly available.

Companies as large as Nova don't disappear, even in the US; the worst that happens is they declare bankruptcy, have consultants come in and reorganize the company, then come back under a new name, and its business as usual.

[sallycat]

i think sticking with it is a good idea, for the visa if nothing else. calling nova for their take on it? nova lies. honestly, the head office people are not bad people but all they will tell you is the company line. thy have years of practice at not telling the truth: why start being honest now?

a random example...when nova started underhiring because they were (very) short of mony, the official reason given for the lack of new teachers was that the overseas recruiting offices had made a mistake about how many people to hire.

[Khyron]

[partialtone]

[zo327]

Anyone heading out there in late September? And how long does it take to receive our visas? It seems long since I've heard word.

[solarmist]

I'll be leaving at the end of July and it took just over two months for me to get my Certificate of Eligibility and about another two weeks to actually get it. Then getting the actual visa only took one week, so all in all it took me about three months from beginning to end