Teach English--What company to select?

[Marauder]

I hope someone can help me. I am very inerested in teaching english in Japan but I'm not sure which company I should apply to. Most likely I will choose beween Geoscareer or NOVA. Does anyone have any suggestions?
From looking at the 2 websites the companies seem very similar, so I'm hoping personal experiences can help me make my choice.
Should I just apply to both at the same time, just in case one rejects me.

Thanks for your help.
Mike D.:confused:

[budd]

teachers nova got a bad reputation among a few of my peeps over there
but that might be because they dated them... :o

[jeisan]

i hear more bad things about nova than any of the other big schools...

[Marauder]

Thanks for the info. Looks like Geoscareer might be the best choice.

[Erik]

Originally posted by Marauder
I hope someone can help me. I am very inerested in teaching english in Japan but I'm not sure which company I should apply to. Most likely I will choose beween Geoscareer or NOVA. Does anyone have any suggestions?
From looking at the 2 websites the companies seem very similar, so I'm hoping personal experiences can help me make my choice.
Should I just apply to both at the same time, just in case one rejects me.

Thanks for your help.
Mike D.:confused:

What part of canada are you from?

[Marauder]

I live in the Mississauga area. Are you thinking about teaching in Japan?

[jeisan]

i know a girl that lives in mississauga. i only remember that because of its name.

[Erik]

Originally posted by Marauder
I live in the Mississauga area. Are you thinking about teaching in Japan?

I was, but not really interested now as I decided to go back to school again... but I looked into a few companies... There is a very large one internationally that seems to be quite good. A guy I know got hired and they pay approx $3200 CDN/month w/ transportation costs, and a bonus at the end of your contract (6 months or 1 year...yer choice). They also will pay for a plane for you to go back home at the end of the contract. 5% tax on that earnings and work 24hours in a week... sounded pretty good... =) He's working on the side also teaching and easily pulls in $50,000+ he says. last year he made $60,000... but this is mainly because of the work he does on the side... =)

http://www.ktc-canada.com/facilities/teacher.htm

Is the main link, but my buddy is working for a subsidy company called peppykids. I can grab that email address for you if you want later...

They'll get youa work VISA as well, but your required to have a degree... (doesn't matter what it's in...they don't care)

[tychan]

hey, i would like to know if there is a way that a person can go to japan and work there without a degree. i mean, is it possible at all to work and live in japan or have a working visa even if you dont have a degree in anything? a lot of people (regardless of how many bad things i have heard of it) have told me that nova is a place that will do that. anyway i am so curious abot this.

[Zanza]

I wanted to teach swedish over there.. but I don't know anymore.

[Erik]

Originally posted by tychan
hey, i would like to know if there is a way that a person can go to japan and work there without a degree. i mean, is it possible at all to work and live in japan or have a working visa even if you dont have a degree in anything? a lot of people (regardless of how many bad things i have heard of it) have told me that nova is a place that will do that. anyway i am so curious abot this.

You could always get a Working holiday VISA and then see if the company will sponsor you to get a work visa I suppose... but you'll end up paying more income tax and probably less pay.

[ViciousBrutality]

What kind of money do english teachers get paid in Japan?

[Erik]

Originally posted by ViciousBrutality
What kind of money do english teachers get paid in Japan?

I've seen approx 255,000yen/month all across japan, but it differs on where your going too. If you need to covert yen into you currency, you can check out http://www.x-rates.com/ . BTW, this figure seems to be based off a lot of companies requiring a degree in anything. As long as it's a degree or higher.

[Zanza]

Swedish in Tôkyô, that would maybe be to much for me. But if I get more courageous maybe I can do it! :happy:

[budd]

i am still looking for ol girl's email about nova... gomen!
o machida kudasai (ne :p)

[moku]

Hi I am also intrested in teaching in Japan... well actually just finding work in Japan, so I can learn the language. Are there any good recruiting agencies that anyone knows of online?

[Zanza]

Teach swedish, maybe maybe maybe :happy:

[Glenski]

hey, i would like to know if there is a way that a person can go to japan and work there without a degree. i mean, is it possible at all to work and live in japan or have a working visa even if you dont have a degree in anything?

tychan,
The only way you can work as a teacher in Japan without a degree is to have a working holiday visa (Americans not eligible), a spouse visa (married to a Japanese, that is), or a dependent visa (married to a non-Japanese with a FT job in Japan). Go here for info on visas:
http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/w_holiday/index.html
http://www.uk.emb-japan.go.jp/eng/visit/visa-exempt.html
http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/

What kind of money do english teachers get paid in Japan?

Vicious Brutality,
As Erik pointed out, the baseline for language conversation schools is about 250,000 yen/month. (Don't accept less.) Go to www.eltnews.com, and look in the lower left corner for the link titled Guide to teaching, and take that link to a good review of salaries for various types of teaching jobs.

Hi I am also intrested in teaching in Japan... well actually just finding work in Japan, so I can learn the language. Are there any good recruiting agencies that anyone knows of online?

Moku,
Go to the link I just gave to VB, and let us know what kind of teaching you are interested in. Giving accurate answers depends on that. You don't need to know Japanese to teach; in fact, schools frown on its use in the classroom anyway. Don't expect an employer (any kind) to hire you just so you can learn Japanese. Extremely few will hire foreigners that can't speak Japanese pretty fluently. If you want to look at some recruiting information, go to these web sites.
TEACHING:
www.ohayosensei.com
www.eslcafe.com
www.gaijinpot.com

TEACHING & OTHER WORK:
www.jobsinjapan.com
www.jobseekjapan.com

[budd]

i'm still looking... i think i may have deleted it :( aw man

[Zanza]

:p :p :p :p

[Ninja Rock Star]

Originally posted by jeisan
i hear more bad things about nova than any of the other big schools...

I worked at NOVA 4 years.

There's nothing particularly wrong with it.

What I saw happening a lot though, was college grads turning up in Japan at NOVA- maybe their first full-time job ever!- and moaning 'cause their class was too full or that they were forced to wear a tie(!) or that they had to be in class on time!

C'mon! It's an easy job and the money is good.

If you've ever worked in a bank or an office or in the public school system you'd NEVER complain about NOVA. Piece of cake-job.

[moku]

Thanks everyone for the info. I sent in my resume at Aeon and now am just waiting for an interview date:wave:

[think_too_mut]

>A guy I know got hired and they pay approx $3200 CDN/month w/ transportation costs, and a bonus at the end of your contract (6 months or 1 year...yer choice).

Hi, my first post. Arrived to Japan for work 10 days ago.

Would 3200CDN be enough to move someone from Canada to Japan? I would guess that's what teachers can easily get at home.

Just came back from the real estate agent - they are asking 200K per month for the apartment, 2 months "key money" for the landlord, 1 month key money for the agent, 3 months deposit (telling upfront I'll get back only one month), 2 years contract...utilities come atop of that.

It's 1.4 million Yen to move in...no furniture...It's not a big place, 42sqm, Shinjuku area.

What would 250K salary do?

I was expecting prices like that but did not know teachers were on relativelly low salaries, like 250K.

[Glenski]

200,000 yen/month for an apartment??????

The average apartment cost is 70,000 yen. And, yes, they are small, but you obviously pay for location.

The average teacher's paycheck is 250,000 yen/month.
Utilities are 15,000 yen/month.
Insurance is 2500 yen/month (1st year only, then 10 times that)
Groceries are 30,000 -40,000 yen/month
Phone bill is 5000-8000 yen/month.
EVERYTHING else is still unaccounted for, such as...
reading material
snacks
nighttime entertainment
transportation
sightseeing
film costs
postage
souvenirs (and shipping)
emergencies not covered by insurance
outstanding debts back home
flights back home
long distance and local phone calls

Do the math with an apartment rated at 200K/month.

Find a roomie or get a cheaper place.

[think_too_mut]

Glensky,
Thanks for the info, I still have no clue how much I need per month.

Right now, I'm staying with a friend, his apartment is 4800US$ per month + all. Of course, his company pays.

About 80sqm. My toilet is like an airplane toilet with shower crammed in...
I better prepare for a new idea of personal space and dimensions...

[senseiman]

I worked a year at GEOS and two years at AEON, I don't think that I would recommend them as good employers. Your main job at both of them isn't really to teach english, its to sell overpriced lessons and textbooks to students. The amount of things you sell is the only measure that the management uses to judge your ability as a teacher, so it can be a stressful job.

On the other hand, the 250000 yen per month they pay is more than adequate to get by on in Japan. Plus they'll get you a visa, no problem. After working for them, I was able to find much better, more relaxing work and am enjoying life in Japan much more. Contrary to what Ninja rock star says, I"ve heard nothing but bad things about NOVA from the teachers I've met, and I spent four years in the army so I know a little about hard (or in this case, plain lousy) jobs. I would recommend them even less than GEOS or AEON.

I live in a fairly spacious 4 room apartment in a nice quiet neighborhood and only pay 70,000 yen per month for it. I'm a 15 minute bike ride from the downtown train station in a mid sized city. Of course if you live right in downtown Tokyo you are going to pay ludicrous prices for crappy little apartments, so the obvious answer is to avoid Tokyo at all costs.

[Glenski]

Glensky, Thanks for the info, I still have no clue how much I need per month.

That's Glenski, with an i, please.

I have a breakdown of monthly expenses on Excel if you want it. Just send me an email. ghill18299@aol.com

Basically, it goes like this.

Average rent = 50,000 - 70,000 yen/month
Average utilities = 15,000 yen/month
Average groceries = 30,000 - 40,000 yen/month
Average phone bill = 5000 - 8000 yen/month
National Health Insurance (1st year only) = 2,500 yen/month

Practically everything else is extra.
Reading material
Haircuts
Emergency medical treatment
Flights home
Movies
Video rentals
Snacks
Nighttime entertainment
Sightseeing
Film costs
Replacement stuff (batteries, clothing, note paper, etc.)
Cable or satellite TV
Long distance and local calls (neither are free)
Local transportation (often paid by employer)
Souvenirs
Shipping and postage (for letters, postcards, and gifts)

Figure on burning about half of your 250,000 yen paycheck on basics. Going out a couple times a week for moderate drinking will run 30,000 - 50,000 yen/month. Snacks could run an additional 10,000 yen/month (that's just a Coke and munchie per day on average).

For more details, just ask.