Job Discussion Forums

[sejanus203]

I recently went through the rather lengthy Aeon interview process, and was met with some discouraging news. The recuiters were very against the idea of bringing a spouse along, and told me straight out it is impossible.

I was wondering if anyone had some actual experience with this issue? Is it truly not possible to bring someone with? I just find it somewhat hard to believe that they would be that way.

[Hot-Carl]

Aeon is very anal about you letting you share "their" apartments with anyone. They seem to require that all teachers hired from abroad use their apartments for the first year, and only then do they "allow" you to find your own place.

In reality, this is illegal. The problem is; how would this ever be resolved to favour teachers (and their legal rights?). Realistically, the way around this is to pay for a second accommodation (guest house or whatever). Have your spouse secretly live with you, but tell them that she's staying at her own place (the guest house) if they ever inquire. Your spouse would also have to sort out their own visa, unless your spouse is Japanese.

You could get hired and try to fight this during your first year there. You'd have to research for yourself if the fight is worth it. You could also just get hired at Aeon for the visa, go job hunting once in Japan since you have a visa, secure your own place, and then have your spouse come down once that is all figured out.

[sejanus203]

Thanks for the advice! I really did think that it wasn't right of them to stop married couples from living together. The problem is, I really don't want to have to pay for another living area. We truly don't mind going through the visa paperwork ourselves. I just wish that they were more willing to work with married teachers

[Shiggy]

I would advise against working for Aeon. After attending their seminar and being told that I couldn't cross my legs or wear a black suit, I immediately knew that Aeon wasn't for me.

[Apsara]

Most eikaiwa have dress codes, so Aeon not wanting teachers to wear black suits isn't all that extreme.

Leg-crossing being frowned on is a cultural thing, it's seen as a very casual and possibly disrespectful way to sit here and I basically heard the same thing at eikaiwas I worked at after I was hired.

You can be pretty sure that new recruits working in sales etc at Japanese companies are also told not to sit with their legs crossed in front of customers, so again, not so extreme in this culture.

Personally I wouldn't see either of the above as reasons to turn down a job, but to each his/her own.