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John Lennon
Joined: 04 Sep 2009 Posts: 7
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Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 8:06 pm Post subject: Referance for the Jet Programme |
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Hi guys.
I am intending to apply for the next intake of candidates for the Jet Programme, so I have stated approaching referances and collecting documents etc.
One of the people I have approached is keen to help me out but is not sure what kind of things he should write to give me a good chance of getting in to the programme.
He has asked me for some ideas, I guess that this puts me in a good position as I can help influence what appears on my referance.
Is anybody able to give me any advice on what makes a good referance as I would really like to make a strong application.
Many thanks for reading.
John. |
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Glenski

Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 9:41 pm Post subject: |
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Good spelling helps. It's reference, not referance. Started, not stated.
Grammar is a plus, too. "I am intending" is unnatural. "I intend" is better.
What a person writes as a reference depends on their relationship with you. Previous employer?
Former coworker?
Priest?
Classmate?
If it's something related to work, describe your work ethic and positive attributes.
If it's a character reference, describe your personality and potential for living and working overseas (with perhaps some attention paid to interpersonal skills and potential survival against culture shock). |
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seklarwia
Joined: 20 Jan 2009 Posts: 1546 Location: Monkey onsen, Nagano
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John Lennon
Joined: 04 Sep 2009 Posts: 7
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Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 7:17 am Post subject: |
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Hi, thanks for the responses.
I'm applying from the UK and the reference is a former employer.
I shall make sure that my spelling/grammar are better for the application I actually send to the Jet Programme
Thanks again! |
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jazznfox
Joined: 04 Jun 2010 Posts: 20
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Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 5:49 pm Post subject: |
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long time browser, first time poster. It is not generally recommended to use family friends or relatives as references for JET (or any job app for that matter) but what if a family friend was also your employer? Except for being a family friend, my last employer would be a perfect reference. I worked for him for a year. |
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Bread
Joined: 24 May 2009 Posts: 318
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Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 5:51 pm Post subject: |
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Why do you need to say that he's a family friend? Ask for a purely business reference. |
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jazznfox
Joined: 04 Jun 2010 Posts: 20
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Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 8:11 pm Post subject: |
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I just mentioned he was a family friend for full disclosure on the forum. Of course, if I asked him it would be strictly business. |
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G Cthulhu
Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Posts: 1373 Location: Way, way off course.
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Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 11:12 pm Post subject: |
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Glenski wrote: |
Good spelling helps. It's reference, not referance. Started, not stated.
Grammar is a plus, too. "I am intending" is unnatural. "I intend" is better.
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"I am intending" is perfectly natural. You're right about the other stuff though.
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What a person writes as a reference depends on their relationship with you. Previous employer?
Former coworker?
Priest?
Classmate?
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Classmate? No. Useless.
Former co-worker? Not much better.
Priest? If you're American, yes, if you must. I see it a lot. It still weirds me out a bit, but the US is a very religious country & they don't even realize how strange it is. Anywhere else? No. Looks bizarre and is often regarded with alarm: JET doesn't needs any ghod botherers on the program.
Employer or supervisor. Good.
Prof. from school. Good.
Japanese national that has some Japanese social clout. Freakin' awesome - eg. if you do aikido or some such and can get a Jpn shihan (a real one) to do your ref letter then you're golden for the internview.
Former JET. Good if they stayed more than 1 year, otherwise only ok.
As for what to say, the application says what they want to hear: They want to know you're stable, reliable, open to new experinces and learning, stable, nice to kittens, and stable.  |
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