Interac ALT

Edit: Er, I mean in the Hikone area.
Typo ftl.

weird...i lived in hikone for a few months...

hey,
i just passed the initial application screening, and am considering working with Interac. I am still looking at other companies such as Amity and ECC. I'm trying to do research on the schools and find your information very helpful. If you have any advice, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Hey! I just got accepted for a position with Interac in Yokohama. Is anyone else going to be in that area? Does anyone have any advice on how to find housing? Are there any former Interac Yokohamas out there that have any advice? What to look out for? Thank you.

Hi,

Does anyone know if Interac or any other company takes couples? My husband and I would like to go and teach together.

Thanks!

( To the dude who lives in Atlanta) There is a branch in Nashville, TN, which I requested. I have passed the phone interview with Interac, and they invited me to go to the seminar there. I am beyond anxious/stressed/worried/etc. The date for the seminar is November 20th.

I have researched on what to expect during this seminar and it doesn't seem too harsh. The one part I am worried about is the lesson plan. Obviously because they are videotaping it and sending it to the main branch in Japan.

My question(s):
1.) Any specific "do's" and/or "don'ts" to perform during the seminar?
2.) My options for my psuedo-classroom lesson was a bit...unexpected. ( Option 1 talks about buying shoes, option 2 deals with directions, and option 3 talks about irregular verbs... :-/ ) None of these jump out at me. Anyone have any advice, hints, and/or tips on which one I should go with?
3.) Any other advice?

Thanks for your time.
3.)

Interac has been bought at due to financial difficulties and there is a good chance of them being dismantled and sold off by the new ownership.

Link to discussion on daves esl cafe
http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=84375

Link to General Union, where it was first reported.
http://interac.generalunion.org/news/752

Seems the rumors were exaggerated and everything is ok. Sorry about the mixup.

I'm on to the final stages of the Interac as well. I'll probably be seeing 'Jesse' (two posts above) at the Nashville seminar on the 30th, in fact. Where did you see that you only had a few options to choose from for your lesson plan? I'm e-mailing my recruitment officer about that right now, because I haven't seen anything yet about limitations for the 5 minute demonstration. (Actually, I'm wondering if this has to do with the fact that I haven't sent my waiver/consent forms yet--I suppose I will do that in the e-mail as well).

It's really calming to see such a diverse response to the topic of being an ALT at Interac. I can sort of estimate the good and bad from the extremes and moderate posts on here.

I'm also taking a class in NY during May/June that I OKed with Interac, CELTA, which I'm sure folks on here have heard of. (here's a link from the esl cafe about it: http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=88320 . I figure it's a great back up plan, and seeing as though I don't have any teaching experience, I think it'll prepare me for the reality of what is to come. (like most I just have B.A. , mine's in East Asian Languages and Cultures and CMCL)

My questions are pretty much the same as Jesse's. What can be expected at the seminar? Is it still similar to this: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=106344308889 ? Except I'm also wonder how the whole vouched system, which was mentioned when the thread was started over three years ago, applies to todays Interac program?

Ahh, just found the PDF file I missed checking out in the seminar e-mail. There are indeed guidelines for the video portion.

In other news, I sure wish I could edit posts on this forum, I see quite a few areas I could have made more articulate in my previous message.

hey all...so new to this..but can someone advise what questions to expect from the phone interview portion with Interac...thanks in advance!

If you can't pass the phone interview without guidance about questions (basically cheating), theb you're a lost cause.

Forgive me if the question has already been covered or sounds repetitive:

Is there an age requirement or range as an ALT for Interac? I did not find an age requirement via website but have read that it is frowned upon to be over the age of 35+?

Secondly, is "any" type of teaching experience a definite requirement?

Thanks!

hey i did the interview on the 27 may i am waiting on a response from interact however i want to know if it actually works out financially when you drive versus taking the bus or riding a bicicle. also can you save base on the fact thet it is so expensive in japan.

Hi, I was wondering for you ALTs who have worked with Interac, how soon should you apply for a position? I will be free in the summer so should I apply now?

Also, I was wondering if you when you got to Japan did anyone have a lot of trouble meeting people to hang out with?

Thanks.

I hate to revive an old thread, but I also don't want to create another thread where I'll just be referred to an old thread, lol!

I am just wondering if anyone has recently had any work with Interact? I am considering Interact, but the very good chance of being in such a rural location that I am required to get a Japanese drivers license and a car is making me consider other companies in more urban locations. I don't want to live in a big city like Tokyo, but I also don't want to live in the sticks. I had to my whole life and after living in Boston, MA for a couple months public transportation has become my best friend. I don't want to have to get a car again!

On the application, say that you don't want a driving position (They do ask if you can drive and if you can ride a bike). They're fairly good at accommodating that type of request and there is also plenty of suburban positions that have a smaller city/town feel but are compact enough that you can walk, take public transit or ride a bike to get around.

Just be clear in your application what you're looking for and they'll do their best. Interac does have plenty of city/suburban positions just do your research for areas that you'd be happy with and requesting those or asking for similar will also help increase your chances of finding a good placement.

I'm still unsure if I'm hired or not. I was told I'll get an email from them after the interview if I pass and I did but the content of the email was pretty vague. The branch manager just told us that he's informing us that they're still waiting for open positions and that we need to wait for a week or to to get further instrauctions. He didn't clearly say if I'm hired or not.