Dead Time
Summer in Japan is a dead time, as far as getting an English-teaching job is concerned. I’m not enirely sure why, but I guess it’s because many students disappear for their summer holidays. Some schools, like NOVA actually sell them travel packages and homestay trips, where they can practise their newly-acquired English skills in an English-speaking country.
So, if you’re trying to get a job in June, July and August, don’t be terribly surprised if you’re rejected. This trend is even more apparent now that schools like NOVA and ECC are reportedly hiring more people from inside Japan than outside, to save costs.
So when is the best time to get hired? September and March, it seems. I can vouch personally for September, because when I wanted to delay my arrival in Japan from mid-September to mid-October, my eikaiwa told me that wasn’t possible, that they needed in in Japan as soon as possible. April is also when schools start their year in Japan, so many students sign up in March and April to supplement their studies at school or university.
So, that’s one factor you might want to take into account when applying for teaching jobs in Japan.
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September 6th, 2006 at 6:59 pm
from my experience very recently, berlitz is hiring, and does most of its hiring in japan. ecc says they dont hire in Japan at all, and nova and aeon dont sponsor visas from within the country… I cant guarantee the facutality or freshness of the information for anything but berlitz and aeon.
September 6th, 2006 at 8:59 pm
I have heard of an occassion where a teacher who’s visa with another company failed then changed from part time to full time with nova and nova sponsored her new visa….if that makes sense. I guess having a history with the company could help.