I (F) have an interview with aeon soon and they said the dress code for it is business professional and sent their link explaining it.
Seeing as I bought my first suit ever a few months ago for job interviews in Japan, I’m still not 100% sure what they are expecting.
Will a white shirt be acceptable with a black suit? Or is light colour everything but white?
Also does the shirt need to be a collared shirt? Button up only?
Also how much makeup is acceptable amounts? (I wear none on a daily basis, so I’m a bit clueless in that department)
Any other tips for a successful first interview? (And maybe second while we’re here)
I speak English, have a degree, have a pulse and know I need to be genki, but anything else important?
7 comments
Do you need anything else? Not really unless you have a crippling social disability of some kind, but even then they probably will look past it
I too am interviewing with AEON, you can look here for information. Don’t overthink it , this pdf makes it clear what they expect and want: http://www.aeonet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Dress-Code-06-2022.pdf
Hi there. Since you used the words makeup and blouse, I’m going to assume you are female-gendered. 🙂
Yes, the blouse should have a collar. A button-up business-style plain cotton shirt is the norm. It doesn’t have to be white, but it shouldn’t be a neon or overly bright color, either – think soft pink, light gray, or light blue as examples. Earrings too would be nice; or a necklace, but not mandatory.
As for makeup, even if you don’t generally wear any, it would be a nice touch if you put on a light shade of lip gloss or lipstick, and some powder foundation. If that makes you roll your eyes, I don’t blame you; but most women in Japan wear at least a bit of powder and lip color. It’s going to make you in line with the norm.
Also, Aeon has a history of making teachers stand up during the interview so they can check if you’re wearing a full suit – yes, they are assholes – so suit pants or a knee-length business skirt is mandatory.
Basically, try to look like you’re going to church – conservative, traditional. Not flashy, or overly fashionable. Japan is conservative, and female teachers dress conservatively.
As for the interview, well, yeah … just smile, be friendly, be outgoing, and answer all their questions in full, as articulately as possible. That really is all they care about: someone who can make a good impression.
Suck up to them as much as you possibly can. That’s all AEON cares about.
Not sure if it’s different from when I worked there over a decade ago but black suits used to be unacceptable. It’s good to have one in Japan, but not for teaching at Aeon.
I think a black suit with a white shirt under should be fine! I personally wore a black suit with a blue button up shirt under, and the recruiter recommended I wear the same outfit to my next interviews with Aeon. My shirt also wasn’t collared, but it was a solid blue button up dress shirt.
They will ask you to stand, so make sure you have appropriate bottoms like mentioned in their dress code. Solid colored slacks, or a knee-length skirt. No clothes with bold colors as well.
As for makeup, I agree with the other person that mentioned some color on the lips. I would say mascara maybe, if you’re comfortable with applying makeup on your eyes! I personally just filled in my brows and did eyeliner.
Tips for the first interview: make sure you have reviewed the website and contract! I also watched the video under “Aeon Interview Preparation” just in case lol. And I was just curious. My recruiter asked fairly easy questions, but I’d still review just in case. I’d review close to the interview, so the info would be fresh in your mind, too. She asked how many classes I’d have a day on average, the base salary, the hours of operation, amount of work hours per week, etc. I remember I didn’t get an answer completely right, but my recruiter was chill about it and corrected me nicely. Other than being genki, I was asked to explain why I wanted to live in Japan specifically (this is when I had to stand), and what I want to gain from my experience teaching in Japan. She also asked about my location preferences, and how many kids classes I’d like to have a day.
Tips for the second interview: Plan to get into the Zoom a couple minutes prior, just in case there are any technical issues. Be ready to take notes, since they give a lot of info. I personally just took my notes on a Google doc. It’s a group interview, so don’t take all the questions from the others, but do try to stand out in a good way lol. For the lesson demo prep, pay attention to how the lesson is modeled for you by the recruiter. You will have to do your own 5 min lesson demo later on that day. You don’t have to be perfect, but just show you’re doing your best. They’ll give you feedback on the lesson, which you’ll have to use for your next lesson for the final interview!
Good luck!!
Is AEON still doing all the interviews online or will they require you to go to an in-person one?