Job Discussion Forums

[hopscotch]

ALS of Chiba is not as reputable as their advertisements assert. You will not be paid for training, you will have huge up-front costs that are typically covered expenses when you work for other schools. Next, the company has a "rent" scheme mixed into their pay schedule. You will pay double the value of the apartments even while living in less costly rural areas. There are both franchise and ALS-owned schools. If you work with a franchise school, be sure to find out if the school owner has been sued for wrongfully withholding wages, or adding unwarranted deductions (these are huge cuts). The Japanese mngt., of ALS believes that they are fundamentally superior to all the foreign workers in their employ, and they do nothing to bridge cultural understanding. The company is a boring place to work with some questionable "handlers" who manage the foreign workers. You can do much better with other outfits.
Finally, just so you know, you will be expected to attend "training meetings" on your days off. These meetings are UNPAID and if you miss, you will fined by the American Language School. That's right, you will be fined but you will by no means be paid. The management thinks that their time is more valuable than the foreigners' time. You can find companies that pay you for the training days!

[kimsmith]

I'll agree that it is a shock to find out that training is unpaid, but you do get paid for the week of observations that follows. I didn't have any up-front costs - the apartment was fully-furnished thanks to the previous teacher. The rent I pay is average for the area I'm in. Maybe I've just been lucky, but the Japanese staff that I've encountered have been very helpful and friendly. The teaching is no more or less boring than teaching anywhere else I've taught over the years.
The upcoming seminar is paid, and so far, all my monthly salaries have been paid.
I hope things get better for you with ALS, but as you say, you can find other schools...