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G Cthulhu
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 1373
Location: Way, way off course.
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 Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2010 12:53 am Post subject: 2010 JET Interviews |
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Good luck to everyone that got an interview. It looks like an interesting range of people will be interviewing. Maybe I'll see you there.  |
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projectrook
Joined: 08 Jan 2010
Posts: 45
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| Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2010 2:13 am Post subject: |
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Good luck! Where will you be interviewing at?
I am in the boat of people who applied at the last minute. I still have not received my confirmation card. I was getting really worried about it so I e-mailed the DC office and they said that due to the large amount of applicants this year (isn't it growing every year anyways?), not all the cards have been sent out yet. I should be getting mine by the end of the month, along with most likely a charming little note saying I did not make it to the interview stage. Not negative thinking, just rational. If I were to get an interview and the interviews start it Feb., I should have gotten something by now.
Disappointing, but not the end of the world. I do however have an interview for ECC coming up soon. So if I can ace that, then I should be going back to Japan sometime mid-year. |
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G Cthulhu
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 1373
Location: Way, way off course.
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| Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2010 4:44 am Post subject: |
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| Same as last year, I'll be interviewing applicants in Chicago and Denver this year. |
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olive eyes
Joined: 22 Jan 2009
Posts: 14
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2010 6:08 pm Post subject: How are decisions made? |
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| Hi projectrook! Have you heard from the JET Programme yet? I must admit that I was absolutely shocked when I received my letter stating that I was not selected to the interview stage. With eight years of ESL/EFL teaching experience in four different countries, including 16 months in Japan, and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and a TESL certificate, I was so sure that I would have been a great candidate for the JET programme. I've been thinking that perhaps my age had something to do with being rejected. I'm 38 years old and get the feeling that the JET programme prefers candidates fresh out of university. G Cthulhu as someone who is part of the interviewing stage, how are decisions made on who gets selected to the interview stage? Also, what are they looking for in candidates' packages that are sent to the Japanese Embassy? |
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projectrook
Joined: 08 Jan 2010
Posts: 45
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| Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2010 8:59 pm Post subject: Re: How are decisions made? |
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| olive eyes wrote: |
| Hi projectrook! Have you heard from the JET Programme yet? I must admit that I was absolutely shocked when I received my letter stating that I was not selected to the interview stage. With eight years of ESL/EFL teaching experience in four different countries, including 16 months in Japan, and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and a TESL certificate, I was so sure that I would have been a great candidate for the JET programme. I've been thinking that perhaps my age had something to do with being rejected. I'm 38 years old and get the feeling that the JET programme prefers candidates fresh out of university. G Cthulhu as someone who is part of the interviewing stage, how are decisions made on who gets selected to the interview stage? Also, what are they looking for in candidates' packages that are sent to the Japanese Embassy? |
-Olive eyes
I have not received a letter saying if I did or didnt get an interview. I dont imagine I will until much later because just last week I finally got my confirmation letter. So I am most likely at the end of the list when it comes to things being sent out.
Im sorry to hear that you didn't get an interview. There loss of course. Age might be a reason, however I would have to say that maybe the fact you are over-qualified is more of a deciding factor. Sometimes companies, especially in the field of education, tend to find it more taxing to "un-train" someone before training them. Is it fair? Probably not. Because there are a fair number of people that can easily adapt to whichever teaching style is needed. However, there are some out there that have the mindset that "I know the best way to teach and I am not going to learn the way you want me to do it". So companies, in a way to not deal with that will just not hire people that they deem over qualified.
With your qualifications, there are other roads you can take to get back into teaching in Japan. Did you happen to make any solid connections during your time in Japan? It couldn't hurt to try and pull in some favors.
Best of luck to you. |
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Asher
Joined: 14 Sep 2006
Posts: 47
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| Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 2:53 pm Post subject: |
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| I'm guessing this refers to interviews for non-US applicants? |
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natsume
Joined: 24 Apr 2006
Posts: 409
Location: Chongqing, China
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| Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 12:45 am Post subject: |
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| JET isn't a company. I was accepted to the program at 37. I know two JET ALTs in my area who have MATESOLs. Hopefully G Cthulhu will chime in here, but many of the theories about what the JET program is looking for, or not, often do not stand up under scrutiny. My observation is that it seems that JET is looking for many different kinds of candidates, and generalizations are very hard to make. |
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G Cthulhu
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 1373
Location: Way, way off course.
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| Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 2:59 pm Post subject: Re: How are decisions made? |
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| olive eyes wrote: |
| G Cthulhu as someone who is part of the interviewing stage, how are decisions made on who gets selected to the interview stage? Also, what are they looking for in candidates' packages that are sent to the Japanese Embassy[/size]? |
Hi,
I can only give you an outline, I'm afraid. The applicant packages are checked for accuracy. If you missed something in the packet that was asked for then it's binned. A surprising number of people can't seem to get the paperwork together for even that step. I've seen apps where they forgot to put their name on it!
After that, the application forms are checked for content. They're graded for the various answers. I haven't seen the current grading schedule, but up to a few years ago they would weight depending on various factors they had historical evidence of success on the program with - certain degree types do better than others, certain educational groupings. Most of that is simply data collection and group matching. The real test is the SOP and reference letters. These need to be good. Many aren't.
The instructions tell you what they're looking for and that's exactly what the graders want to see. They want to see an interest in Japan and understand what you can offer JET. They don't care what you can get out of it, except in the most general sense. They want to see understanding that it will be stressful, and that you are adaptable and flexible and that you understand you can't be certain of what you'll be going into at that point.
Without knowing what the details of your app were I couldn't really hazard a guess as to why you didn't get an interview, although I can say age wouldn't be a problem. |
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G Cthulhu
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 1373
Location: Way, way off course.
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| Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 3:03 pm Post subject: Re: How are decisions made? |
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| projectrook wrote: |
Sometimes companies, especially in the field of education, tend to find it more taxing to "un-train" someone before training them. |
I never really get why people think JET is a company. Seriously. It's like they've failed to read anything about it at all. Ever.
And I doubt training (or 'un-training') is something people have to worry too much about with JET.   |
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Jaradcel
Joined: 02 Mar 2009
Posts: 11
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| Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2010 7:47 am Post subject: |
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WHOO HOO! SINGAPORE LETTER! <3
Don't think G Ctulhu can hint anything from overseas can he?  |
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G Cthulhu
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 1373
Location: Way, way off course.
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| Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 12:36 am Post subject: |
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| Jaradcel wrote: |
WHOO HOO! SINGAPORE LETTER! <3
Don't think G Ctulhu can hint anything from overseas can he? |
Congratulations.
The interview scoring/process is the same at each location. It all changed in 2008/2009 and there is now only one global method used. Coming from an HR background, it's actually a pretty solid methodology. Before they switched to the new format individual countries could "adjust" the interview process somewhat if they wanted.
I *could* tell you how it works, but I'm not going to. Sorry.
Anyone reading that's interviewing in Denver on the Monday or Tuesday, or Chicago Thursday through Saturday (I'll stay through Sunday and make a holiday of it) that might want to go out for a drink or something, let me know by PM. I can't really do that *before* your interview. Unless you pay for all my drinks.   |
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kelhal08
Joined: 22 Jan 2010
Posts: 4
Location: Florida, US
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| Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 5:10 am Post subject: |
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Congratulations to all who got an interview. I applied to JET this year as well. I'd be interviewing in Miami if I get one but I have a couple of questions that maybe one of you could answer.
1. Not to be pessimistic but does anyone know of someone who applied to JET and was not accepted then applied for a second time and got in?
2. If you do get an interview, do you have an option of interview times or is one given to you?
Thanks! |
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Asher
Joined: 14 Sep 2006
Posts: 47
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| Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 1:07 pm Post subject: |
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Do letters go out to those who got an interview? The US JET webpage hasn't listed the ID numbers yet.
Last year the list wasn't available until March, IIRC. |
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ssjup81
Joined: 15 Jun 2009
Posts: 664
Location: Adachi-ku, Tokyo, Japan
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| Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 2:02 pm Post subject: |
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| Asher wrote: |
Do letters go out to those who got an interview? The US JET webpage hasn't listed the ID numbers yet.
Last year the list wasn't available until March, IIRC. |
It came out at the end of January, the list to show who got an interview or not for the US. |
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G Cthulhu
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 1373
Location: Way, way off course.
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| Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 2:19 pm Post subject: |
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| kelhal08 wrote: |
1. Not to be pessimistic but does anyone know of someone who applied to JET and was not accepted then applied for a second time and got in?
2. If you do get an interview, do you have an option of interview times or is one given to you?
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1. Good numbers are in that boat, so if you're in that situation it's all about the interview. Remember the goal to convince the panel that you're adaptable, interested, and have things to offer. Its not about what you'll get out of it.
2. Interview times are pretty much fixed. If you have a real problem with the day/time then you can sometimes make a case for getting it changed, but I've only seen it happen once or twice a year (out of several hundred interviews each time). There's actually more flexibility if you have an emergency come up on short notice, in which case they can sometimes move you to the end of the week. It better be something like your arm falling off or your entire family dying because not much else is accepted: JET is not about you and has other people to accept if you can't organize yourself on 2-3 weeks notice. |
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