Teaching English in Japan - Nova any good?

[ipsi()]

I'm thinking about doing this at some point, as an interesting experience. Nova is advertising on the Careers website of my University, and I was wondering if they're actually any good. They seem like quite a large company, so I figure they must rate as at least ok, if nothing else.

I've also got some questions about the salaries they're offering:

Tokyo: 239K - 283.5K

Osaka: 230K - 274.5K

Nagoya: 228K - 270K

Sapporo: 220K - 267K

Kyushu: 220K - 262K

[Multimedia: 230K - 302K]

All amounts are monthly, and in Yen. Are the lower-end salaries something you could live on and still be able to save money, provided you didn't live an excessive lifestyle and made some concessions to saving money (like eating in most nights, walking where possible, etc)?

Are some of the locations significantly cheaper than others? I believe accommodation is provided for us, so take that into account. EDIT: My bad. Accommodation is not provided. How sad. I guess they'll be charging market rents then.

So yeah. If someone could tell me if those salaries are good, and if they have heard anything about Nova, I'd appreciate it.

Also, my girlfriend would be coming with me, if possible. I see from Nova's website that they also teach Chinese to Japanese people, and if so, this could allow me and my girlfriend to travel and work together. Anyone have any experiences with this side of it?

Thanks all!

[BrandeX]

Nova probably has the worst rep of the "english mills" in the ESL community. Employee's even had to form a union to combat company policies.

Being a Nova teacher is the bottom of the teaching barrel in Japan. Lots of people start with them and then quit when they find a better job. A Nova job could be in a good place or a boring place.

Nova had a big image problem a few years back when one of their teachers got caught selling pot to students. That is about the time when the Nova Union was formed. Nova wanted to require drug testing for all the non-Japanese in their company but did not plan to have Japanese tested because the assumption was that only foreigers were on drugs. ha, ha, ha...Also Nova sometimes fire teachers who get romantically involved with students.

When I meet a Nova teacher I just try to stay clear of them because they are always broke and clueless about Japan.

NOVA sucks! ECC sucks! They are factories that eat your soul.

JET is a far better option, but much harder to get.

My advice - go with NOVA, get the visa and bail.

Their turnover is 3 monthly on average.

CONS

Long hours, fairly tedious and routine work. teach the same lesson 3-4 times a day. You are working when most people are on holiday or knocked off for the day.

Pay high rent if you use NOVA apartments. 70,000 yen per person by 3 people is 210,000 yen for an apartment that costs NOVA 90,000 yen to rent from the owner.

Anti-fraternisation policy. Can not socialise or talk with students outside office hours. Totally illegal but NOVA still enforces this rule in places

Can be a bit of a bubble where you work all day, go out with NOVA teachers and even live with them. Can be a hermetic existence where you are physically in Japan but live in a "gaijin bubble" of NOVA teachers.

Some of the managers leave a lot to be desired. promoted because of brown nose loyalty to managements and simply worked there the longest. No real training in ESL outside NOVA. little Hitlers.

Rather anonymous. You are one among 4000 teachers. just a number on a spreadsheet. You quit your job and you will be replaced the next day. No one will miss you.

High turnover of teachers and no one stays ver long. 90% in some places every year.

Very little upward mobility. Not really a career-track job. Wages have been stagnant for the last 20 years and have recently gone down.

Lose your job and you lose your apartment too. Best to keep your job and roof over your head separate in case you quit or want to quit and need somewhere to live.

NOVA though the starting point for most teachers here has a rather low job status and prestige. Most students know that NOVA teachers are not real or trained teachers but newbies just out of college, musicians or backpackers doing an OE in japan. NOVA teaching is an entry level position.

No say in where you get posted. they send you where they have a vacancy ro they need someone.

Though I would never outwardly encourage a person to apply for this kind of job, I wouldn't dissuade them either. I'd just warn them a bit, that's all. It's like those guys who perform acts of self-mutilation on stage - you know, sticking swords down their throats and grinding their faces in broken glass. Their claim is that, as they expect and prepare for the pain, they don't perceive it as unpleasant. This is the name of the game if you want to work for Nova et al. Prepare yourself for the worst and you might just be able to keep a Zen head above water.

I have never worked at Nova but I have worked at an English language school. From my experience, the benefits of working on the JET program way outweighs working in a conversation school.

This one's no contest. JET ain't perfect (check out the threads on that one), but it's a way better deal than NOVA.

I wasn't involved with either Jet or Nova, but if I had to make a choice, it would be very easy.

Jet all the way.

I taught English in Japan, and I enjoyed my students but hated the work and the company I was working for.

Then I met some teachers who worked for NOVA. I was working in nirvana compared to those poor saps.

I can't make this clear enough: DO NOT WORK FOR NOVA.

You will get zero respect in Japan if people find out you work for Nova.

Absolutely. Working for NOVA is like becoming a proctologist.

You start at the bottom and stay there.

Hopefully some of that helps. More info can be found of course on ESL teaching-centric message boards.

[novemberfog]

All amounts are monthly, and in Yen. Are the lower-end salaries something you could live on and still be able to save money, provided you didn't live an excessive lifestyle and made some concessions to saving money (like eating in most nights, walking where possible, etc)?

It is better than most entry level japanese employees in industry, but you'll have to provide your own health insurance, and you won't be able to save big money for sure. You could live a modest life on those amounts though. You'd still be able to go out and get pissed in the pub on the weekends or eat out and what not. I guess it all comes down to your rent. Though the pay in Tokyo is higher, the rent is a lot higher than other parts of Japan too.

I an not an ESL teacher, but in Japan NOVA has a reputation for poor teachers and outrageous administrative practices. Just this summer NOVA made the headlines for shady and illegal contract policy with students, and then some ESL teachers also were busted trying to buy ganja. In fact NOVA is in serious financial trouble, at least that is what the business papers are saying. The government is threatening to shut them down if they don't clean up their business practices.

Also, my girlfriend would be coming with me, if possible. I see from Nova's website that they also teach Chinese to Japanese people, and if so, this could allow me and my girlfriend to travel and work together. Anyone have any experiences with this side of it?

I wouldn't keep my fingers crossed. You don't get to pick where you go. They might take it into consideration, but they need ESL teachers all over the place. Chinese teachers are not quite in demand at NOVA though. There are probably limited locations where Chinese is taught. In Tokyo there are a lot of private language schools just for Chinese language. But if you both ended up in Osaka or Tokyo, there are so many NOVA school locations and convenient public transport that I doubt it would be a problem for you. But if you ended up in Tokyo and she in Osaka...

Having said that, if you're just looking to live abroad in Japan for a year it can't be that bad. You'll probably make enough to live a comfortable life and maybe save enough for a few trips here and there. I imagine most of the complaints from teachers come when they stay onboard. But really all schools are like that. I've never met an ESL teacher in Japan that was happy with their job unless they were teaching in a university or public high school.

[pandaxiongmao]

I knew some Chinese people that worked for Nova MM Centre in Japan. Unlike the Westerners, they had to already be in Japan for a significant period of time - that usually involved them having studied for a Master's degree or higher at a Japanese university.

From what I could tell, Nova would not sponsor visas of Chinese people that had been there less than 5 years. Chinese workers at Nova that were in Japan for less than 5 years were typically doing Nova part time while they also worked toward a degree in a Japanese university.

By Chinese worker, I mean a Chinese person from mainland China. An ABC or other Chinese with western citizenship might have an easier time getting a job at Nova, assuming they survive their current financial troubles.

For a westerner with some Japanese skills, getting a job at Nova would help you get a work visa. You could then work anywhere you want - the Japanese work visa does not bar you from working at places other than the one that sponsored you for the visa. Other than that, the reputation of Nova workers is as Novemberfrog posted.

[ipsi()]

Thanks everyone! Sorry I took a while to reply. But your advice and posting of opinions has been quite helpful to me!

So yeah. Not going for Nova then, by the looks of it. I really do want to find something that won't mean me being separated from my girlfriend for any great length of time, and this sounds like it would not be what I want.

So yeah, thanks guys! (And girls?).

[gato]

Nova no more.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119394083023779349.html?mod=fpa_mostpop

Japanese Lesson: How Do You Say, 'Taken for a Ride'?

By YUKARI IWATANI KANE and YUKA HAYASHI

November 2, 2007; Page A1

Now, the Nova teachers are jobless and those who have lived from paycheck to paycheck are stuck in Japan. Some have been threatened with eviction from their apartments because Nova, which had provided housing and deducted the rent from teachers' salaries, stopped paying rent months ago. In the past week, 300 Nova teachers have swarmed the usually orderly employment agency office in western Tokyo, called Hello Work, seeking jobs.

[DrWatson]

Nozomu Sahashi, the company's quirky founder, was fired last week as president and has dropped from sight. Now, worrisome details are trickling out: The 56-year-old executive had quietly moved profits from publicly traded Nova to his private company, a court-appointed administrator alleged at a news conference.

I thought it seemed odd that he would seek funding from an equity group in the Virgin Islands. It just didn't make sense.

Some other news about this guy:

From the Yomiuri News: Nozomu Sahashi and his ego

From the Mainichi Daily News: Sahashi's side Business

From the Mainichi Daily News: Shady stock dealings

From the Mainichi Daily News: Stock speculator comes forward

Very irresponsible behavior, if you ask me. Like a yakuza boss. So I guess it is fitting that Sahashi is from Osaka.

[ipsi()]

Woops. I guess that shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who has been paying attention, but that's not an awful lot of fun for those teachers over there. Anyone here know someone who's been affected?

Kinda glad I did some research first .