ECC Japan Interview Questions
& Process

First, there was a test to check your grammar and comprehension skills. Then, you had to create a sample lesson plan. After that, there was a teaching demonstration where you watched a sample first and then did your own. Finally, there was an interview about yourself.

After applying, I had an interview session in LA. It kicked off with a long presentation about the company, followed by a grammar test, a teaching demonstration, and finally a short interview. I didn't end up getting the position. It's a good idea to ask a lot of questions during the session to show your interest and be ready for the final interview, as you might be a bit worn out by then. The grammar test was pretty strange, covering things like parallel structure, redundancy, agreement issues, basic grammar terms, and spelling of some unusual words. It seems like they're mostly trying to figure out who's an extrovert and who isn't. So, if you're good at small talk, go for it, but otherwise, your chances might not be that high. Even with that, the interview wasn't super stressful, apart from the really expensive parking at the Marriott.

The hiring process was quite extensive, starting with an online application that involved answering about 15 questions. After submission, I waited for an email to schedule an in-person hiring session, selecting from available dates and locations. Note that they don't cover travel or accommodation costs. The session itself involved about 4-6 candidates and lasted from 11 AM to 6 PM. It began with an overview of the company and their expectations. Following a demo lesson by an interviewer, we were grouped to prepare a presentation on assigned vocabulary words, focusing on being energetic and engaging while encouraging peer participation. The session concluded with a challenging grammar test. Some groups might have a final in-person interview, but my group had a follow-up Zoom interview scheduled via email. Rejection emails were generic, stating they couldn't offer a position without specific feedback. Breaks and lunch were provided but not covered.

The interview day started with a group of about 12 people. For the first 2-3 hours, we went over company and position info, which was mostly in the pre-emailed materials. During this time, the two interviewers gave presentations and asked some open-ended questions about teaching philosophies and scenarios. Then there was a grammar test that lasted about an hour. You needed a passing score to move on. In my group, everyone passed. A vocab question about a sommelier was still on the test. After the grammar test, we did class demos. The interviewers demoed a kids lesson, and we had to take notes. We were split into groups of 3 and each had to teach a segment of the kids lesson, aiming for 3-5 minutes per segment. It was important not to go under time, even if it meant repeating activities. Stopping early looked bad. You don't need to be an expert for this demo; just be high-energy, smile a lot, and get into it to show you can teach kids. Afterwards, there was a short one-on-one or two-on-one interview where they asked about job preferences like location, start date, and the kid to adult class ratio. A 50:50 or more kids than adults ratio was suggested as the safest answer. I got a job offer about 3 weeks later, with a standard 4-month start timeline.