Interview for teaching job in Japan this thurs

[lv426]

Hi everyone, my original post doesn't seem to be here. Any ho, I originally did a thread on hear about finding a media job in Japan, which proved more difficult than I anticipated. So I started looking for teaching jobs instead.
Since then I have been accepted for an interview this Thursday at Shane in London this thurs, hopefully to go to Japan just after new years. Here's a link to the company below.

Become an English teacher in Asia this year

I was wondering if there is anyone who has any experience with them, and had worked for them in Japan. Some advice on the interview would be good, and maybe on the pre-interview task I have to do.

One draw back to the Shane school is that they prefer people with teaching certificate, I only have a BA Hon so it would mean that if they accept me then I would have to take a one week course in London. A two hour + train journey each way.

So if someone could perhaps offer me some advice on this, I would be very grateful. Thanks.

 

[Glenski]

The only advice I will give you is, don't put all your eggs in one basket. Shane/Saxoncourt doesn't have a stellar reputation in Japan.

 

[lv426]

Ah ok, you mean that their not considered to be very good or that their not that well known in Japan? Thanks

 

[Glenski]

Oh, they are VERY well-known! They just aren't stellar in their reputation towards treating teachers very well.

 

[lv426]

Right... thats slightly worrying. Would you say that AEON is better than them then?

 

[Glenski]

Despite having never worked for either place, my impression from being on these forums for quite a few years is, yes, AEON is better. Not perfect, but no place is. I think you should consider 2 options:

If you can come to Japan, you'll have more opportunities to choose from. Not that it is a chooser's market. It's not. The market is flooded, so it is an employer's market, but at least being here shows some commitment to employers, and many require that you are in the country before they even consider an interview. You can work out the visa details later.

If you can't come to Japan to job hunt, you'll be limited to about a dozen or so places that recruit from abroad (some with a direct presence in your country, and fewer by phone interviews which can be dodgy in themselves). You'll save some money in setting yourself up with a base of operations here, but you won't have as many place to apply to, and you'll have to deal with the recruiters' timetable and locations in your area.

 

[lv426]

You make allot of sense Glenski, as you did in the last thread I did. And I agree with what your saying, I'm not exactly thrilled with the amount of control that Shane or Aeon may have over their employees. And I have heard of people being used by companies, giving them extra shifts and so on, work at odd hours.
But as you said, signing up with them will save money, e.g. paying for flight and so on. The people I have talked to so far have been very helpful and sound nice, however I realizes this doesn't bare on the Japanese side of things. Again on the pulse side, I did have a Japanese friend who worked for them and recommended it to me.
Going over to apply for jobs is probably the best way; however as a recent post grad student money is something I have minus figures of. As far as I'm aware to apply for a visa after I have been to Japan, would mean that I have to come back to the UK to get it?