Job Discussion Forums

uncane · Joined: 24 Jan 2005 Posts: 11

I am not sure if this will even come up, but I was curious if I should or should not mention that I have a serious relationship with a Japanese girl and that is one of the main reasons I wanna go back (I spent a semester abroad there...) and the main reason why I requested the places I requested.... Thanks!

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

I wouldn't explain it as the reason you want to come back. Perhaps it would carry more weight if you explain it as the reason you request a certain location.

ChotoHen · Joined: 17 Apr 2004 Posts: 41

Did you hear back already?

uncane · Joined: 24 Jan 2005 Posts: 11

haha, ChotoHen eh?... no i didn't hear back yet, which is kind of making me worry, but i am trying to be a glass half full type of guy Smile

ChotoHen · Joined: 17 Apr 2004 Posts: 41

Yeah...I'm sitting on pins and needles. The wait is killing me. My glass is only a 1/4 full though. Hopefully I'll have a bit o luck (same to you!).

uncane · Joined: 24 Jan 2005 Posts: 11

thanks, good luck to you also!

Nismo · Joined: 27 Jul 2004 Posts: 520

Don't even mention it. If you end up breaking up with her and feel depressed / wish to leave for home, you are going to put them in a bind. They want employees who have a desire to teach, because that means that it is more likely the employee re-contracts, and cuts down the costs involved with recruiting new employees.

GambateBingBangBOOM · Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Posts: 2021 Location: Japan

You'll get turned down outright, or make it to the very bottom of the waiting list if you give them even the slightest impression that you would turn down any placement for any reason or could have a reason to leave part way through the contract (like if you and your g/f broke up).

JET is an HR recruiting company run through your embassy. They want to place people who will stay for the maximum length of time (3 years normally) and then return to their home country and tell people 1. How awesome JET is. And 2. How awesome Japan is.

uncane · Joined: 24 Jan 2005 Posts: 11

ok that all makes sense... thanks for the advice!

droptheworld · Joined: 06 Aug 2004 Posts: 21

From what I hear JET wants people who don't plan on staying in the country long after the teaching contract. I'm still waiting as well, but If I get the interview I plan to make it clear that I don't plan on staying in japan long.

good luck,
scott

GambateBingBangBOOM · Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Posts: 2021 Location: Japan

One of the reasons the JET programme exists is to increase Japans image worldwide and it's pretty hard to do that if all the people who are supposed to go back to their home countries all impressed with Japan never go back.

Get this (ever increasingly dated) book to read about the JET programme:

http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/item.asp?Item=978052021636&Catalog=Books&N=35&Lang=en&Section=books&zxac=1

It's highly recomended reading for anyone who will be applying to JET or who is on JET and wants to know why a government is paying to send recent graduates to the middle of nowhere on the other side of the planet to talk to little kids.