Thursday, January 17, 2008

First Job Interview at Gaba


There's me looking moody, ready for my interview!
I went over to Ebisu's Gaba Recruitment Centre for my first interview and Information Seminar this evening. I really need to start using a train guide for my journeys to find the best route - I'm just guessing really... (This was my busiest train journey yet - on the Yamanote line from Tokyo station to Ebisu station. It was about 5.00 and it wasn't shoulder-to-shoulder but it was quite crowded, but I was sitting.)

Well I found the place (the directions they gave me were quite good so it wasn't too difficult) and I got up to the sixth floor, was there at 5.45 for a 6 o'clock seminar. I'd been there about 30 seconds before a man came out and asked us to come into the presentation room, where we started to fill out forms.

It asked all the questions I didn't want to be asked. What is your phone number? Do you have a Japanese bank account? So I told the truth - phone number was pending, and I was planning to open a bank account as soon as I could either get through on the phone or find a branch of the right bank.

Then we had a 35 minute slideshow presentation about how flexible Gaba is and how it will work if we get the job. I had stumbled across a thread from Gaijinpot.com about Gaba earlier in the day, and it was not very positive at all, so I was a little worried about what it would be like if I actually got the job.

After the presentation, we were given a Post-Presentation booklet (basically a mini-exam) and they pulled us out a group at a time to be interviewed individually during the 40 minutes we had to complete the booklets (although we ran over slightly). I basically knew what to expect due to reading about a similar experience on Sum0's Japan Blog.

The first question asked us to complete this story. "Wonder Woman, Santa Claus and I were sitting on a park bench..." so I made up some tripe about us discussing who would win in a race, then Santa winning by using his sleigh (I'm sure I mispelled sleigh - is this one of those exceptions to the 'i' before 'e' except after 'c' rule?).

The second asked us to describe how we would explain the difference between "I like" and "I'd like" to a Japanese student of English. I used the "I like cake" and "I'd like cake" example.

Then there was a question that gave a student's profile, followed by an extract from a textbook about 'Causes and Effects' with sentences like "CAUSE - I was really hungry. EFFECT - I ate a cake". The question asked us to customise (spelt with a 'z' but I just can't bring myself to do that) the task for this man who sells home entertainment systems to US companies. So my answer went something like: Our system is good, so you will sell more. Because our system is good, you will sell more. Etc. etc.

Then there was a table with space to write different conjugations of 'to teach'. Stock up on your metalanguage (the language of language) before you go because you will need to know the past, present and future perfect and continuous versions of "to teach". I won't write my answers here because I'm sure I got them wrong (a vast hole in my knowledge for someone who claims to be an English student I know).

The last question was on idioms. It asked us to explain four idioms to a student and describe how we would teach the meanings. They were: 'on the ball', 'down to earth', 'out of the blue' and one other. Maybe somebody else who has taken this Gaba test could shed some light on it. Are there any other questions I've missed?
I'm sure Gaba won't be happy I'm revealing their test on the Internet but if they complain, I'll remove it. I want to help anyone else in my position as much as possible. It's not easy!

In my individual interview, I was told that my charcoal-grey suit wasn't black enough, and that my age was a problem. Being under 20 is turning out to be the biggest barrier of all here! I was told that I needed to open a Japanese bank account (which I already knew) and that, being under 20, I would have to have an interview with the big cheese of Gaba to make sure I understood enough business English. They invited me back for another interview on Tuesday, but I don't hold out much hope. I didn't in the first place, Gaba being one of the biggest schools in Japan, and me being an 18 year old with little teaching experience and no University degree. But it was an interesting experience, seeing an interview and understanding a little more about teaching English in Japan.

Because Gaba wants its teachers to commit to a long-term contract, working there would keep me in Tokyo for several months or so, and I'd much rather be able to stick to my original plan - find informal work at a smaller school or privately in Tokyo, and then move to Kyoto in April and do a similar thing there, then work my way down to Kyushu for the last month, before returning home in August. So we shall see. But I'm basically back to square one in terms of job hunting (I received an email from the other school saying that they were sorry but they'd already filled the position - grgh!).

On the plus side, I saw a poster for the Blue Man Group on the train home, I saw them at the Big Chill festival last year and they were great. Worth seeing...

27 comments:

Matt said...

Yeah, I generally found Gaba quite intimidating. But the pay's decent.

mike said...

I didn't work at GABA but went through the interview process, from the date of my first interview till I got a reply the process lasted 31 days (You can read my full story at http://gabagabagaba.blog.com/) In the long intervals between interviews I used the time to check more details about GABA - the Internet turned up a gold mine of negative reviews !
I also had an interview at another school run by a gentleman that was an ex-teacher at GABA, he had nothing good to say about GABA, apart from their flexible work schedule.
I was left with the feeling that the organization has a habitual pattern of lack of respect and disregard for a persons dignity.
I still don't have a job :(

Miles said...

Gaba is definitely one of those experiences where it's different for everyone. I think it was fine for people on their gap year like I was, but for longer term jobs you may have to work harder than I did!

Best of luck finding a job!

Miles

Unknown said...

Hey, sorry for leaving a message suddenly here. I'm from Taiwan and I'm planning to apply for GABA instructor job for my working holiday in Japan. I really like your blog,and if it's possible, may I ask you some further questions? Here is my FB justin19871130@gmail.com

looking forward to hearing from you :)

Miles said...

Hey Justin!

Yeah, that's fine! I'll send you an email :)

Miles

Stella said...

Your charcoal grey suit wasn't black enough??... Oh my god, Japan.. Seriously..

Anonymous said...

Hey!
Thank you so much for your precious information. I have been following your blog for a while and my first phone (from Canada) interview with Gaba is on Tuesday. I'm super scared because I am a native French speaker...I have plenty of experience teaching English and living in the UK but I am afraid that my accent will ruin everything..:(
Did you meet a lot of non English native speakers at gaga..?
Thank you!

Miles said...

Haha, yeah I thought that was a bit over the top! But my school didn't have any problem with it, and they've changed the rules so you have to wear a "dark suit" now.. hehe

Miles

Miles said...

Hi Marianne,

Yes I did! I really wouldn't worry about your accent - I worked with people from all over the world whose native language wasn't English at Gaba. So I'm sure that won't be a problem!

Best of luck in the interview!

Miles

Unknown said...

HEy Miles I'm thinking of doing some Gaba work! I am currently in the UK and thinking of going over there November.

Could you possibly send me an e-mail at dragosgiugula2000@yahoo.com so I can ask you a few questions ? It would really help clear up some fears I have.

Thanks loads !

Miles said...

Yeah of course! I'll email you now :)

Miles

Unknown said...

Hey miles, great blog you got there! Like Justin and Dragos,im considering applying for a position at GABA. Recently they held a seminar in Singapore (thats where i'm from)and they painted a really 'rosy' picture of the company.However, it's quite contary to what i found on the net.

would you kindly drop me an email at jomkster_007@hotmail.com so i can ask you some burning questions?!

Thanx bro, appreciate it

Miles said...

Hi Kevin,

Sure, no problem!

Miles

Qurat Noor said...

Hey!
It's amazing how even after 5 years of posting this blog post you're still being contacted by so many people(me being one of them)and to top it all you're eagerly replying/helping everyone. I must say it's highly applaudable. : )

Your post was very helpful. I have applied at GABA and have already gone through the telephonic pre-interview. I have my interview/information seminar this coming Friday, March 8th, and I was wondering if I could contact you regarding some queries that are bothering me.
Hope to hear from you soon. : )

P.S: Congrats on graduating! After reading your "graduation" post I'd like to know what you're currently doing. : )

Miles said...

Hey! Thank you very much :) Well I hope I can be of some help.

Of course you can! Feel free to email me at miles_davies@hotmail.co.uk :)

Miles

Nic said...

Thanks for writing this, I've got an interview with GABA on Friday and its certainly helped!

One thing I wanted to ask though was what resources do you get to actually do your demo lesson with? I've found lots of ESL lesson plans but most of them require a white board/materials and I have a feeling GABA won't provide anything like this. How did your demo lesson go?

Miles said...

Hey!

I actually didn't get anything in the way of resources. They gave me some papaer for notes, which I used for word cards instead. Of course I did it ages ago, so it could have all changed now, but yeah - they gave me nothing!

Best of luck for the interview!

Miles

Unknown said...

Hi Miles,

I just wanted to thank you for such a detailed and interesting blog!! It's exactly what I needed now I'm about to graduate and thinking about my options if I move to Japan.

What's strange is that after reading for a while and seeing you graduated from Leeds, I realised you know some of my friends in Sheffield.
Small world! :)

Miles said...

Hi Jill,

Thanks! Very glad I could help :) Oh really!? That's so funny! It is a small world indeed.

Best of luck planning everything for post-graduation :)

Miles

wallpaperflower said...

Hi Miles!

I came across your blog while looking for GABA reviews. I'm having my interview next week and I was hoping I could email you to ask some questions regarding their interview?

My email is michellemarie.dizon@hotmail.com

Thanks Miles! :)

Miles said...

Yes that's no problem! I've emailed you :)

Miles

-ian said...

Hey Miles! I don't know if you will still read this, but I've recently just joined Gaba. I just wanted to drop you a quick shout and say "thanks!", your posts really helped me figure out what to expect when I was starting out.

Hope you're doing well wherever you are mate.

Miles said...

Oh good news! Glad I could help in some way :)

And I'm currently living in Melbourne, so no complaints!

Enjoy Japan :)

Meera said...

Hi Miles,

I was hoping to apply for GABA, and was wondering if I could ask you a few questions regarding living and setting up whilst in Japan?
My email is: meeraness89@gmail.com

Thanks!

Miles said...

Sure. I've sent you an email.

Miles

Somnambulist said...

Hi Miles, I appreciate your blog and would love some more info too if you are not too inundated?

My email is tazquamar4@gmail.com

Thanks mate!

Miles said...

No worries, I'll email you now :)

Miles