Job Discussion Forums

[snowbunn20]

I just decided to try to do jet since the app. is due DEC 1. Which is no problem for me since i do live in DC. The only problem is that i am unemployed and out of school. There for i have no clue who should i even ask for recomendations . it says to have Business, profferes or an employer to write the rec. *sigh* should i just ask a friend and a friends parent or what. Any ideas would be appreciated...


Desperate

[lou lou]

Although you say you are out of school, could you not contact them for a recommendation If you have a previous employer I would ask them, or ask this question in an email to the JET website, they are relly helpful.

[Nismo]

You need to have a former teacher or employer write one for you. You can't have a friend write one for you - you will not get past the first stage of application screening.

[Willy_In_Japan]

When I applied to JET, I had been out of school for about 10 years and was not too keen on walking up to former Prof's and saying 'hi, remember me? Could you write me a recommendation?"........I included some letters of reference, and said that I had no access to that kind of thing.

My application was tossed in the garbage for being 'incomplete'.

Don't even bother sending it in without those letters.

As an aside, I met one of my Prof's later, as I was driving people to the airport, and he did remember me, and said that he would have been pleased to have written a letter of recomendation for me. So, don't be shy......go to your university, and get the letters.

[Mike L.]

[mike82]

well i just decided to apply for the jet program and have already graduated from college and just got hired last month. i didn't really feel comfortable asking my boss for a recomendation for a job since i just got hired. so i asked some friends who are clients of mine to write the recommendations. just wondering if this is a good idea or will jet just flat out reject my application.

[PAULH]

[King of Babylon]

Not long ago I had intentions of applying for the JET program. Not anymore for reasons too numerous to mention at this juncture, but I still amassed about 85% of my application, including the two references.

The rules are that if you have not actually graduated from university by the application date, at least one of your referees must be from your university, or whatever academic institution you attended.

I also do volunteer tutoring in ESL, so I got the teacher of the class I tutor to provide me with one reference, and I got the other from one of my university lecturers (in linguistics (and has actually taught in Japan, and I think his brother was once a JET). He casually informed me that these 'To whom it may concern letters' are worth NOTHING. LESS than nothing.
Those are the words he used. He still took the trouble to give me a really professional sounding reference though.

Thats my two cents. Whether they're worthless or not I have no idea. My lecturer is American, but he was also talking about how things are in Australia. I'd say get references from previous teachers or employers, but if your application succeeds or fails it will probably be due to something else entirely.

[Tremac]

I'm on exchange right now in Belgium in a high school. Could I get the English teacher here to write a letter about me, describing how well I speak with the class or what a great help I am ?

Anyone familiar with OnlineTEFL.com? I just got my certificate there, could my tutor write a letter about me?

The only job I've ever worked at that required my social security number was a gas station, will that just make me look stupid? I've done volunteer work at a hospital, but that won't help me.

I'm 19, btw.

[PAULH]