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G Cthulhu
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 1373
Location: Way, way off course.
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 Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 5:41 pm Post subject: US 2011 JET Interviews |
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Congrats to all that have interviews! You should have (or be about to get) your interview dates/times by now.
If you're interviewing in the US in Chicago and would like to meet for a drink and chat about Japan and JET then let me know. I'll be there most of the week - end of Feb to beginning of March. PM me! |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 9:55 pm Post subject: |
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This post will undoubtedly start a flood of posters asking why they have not been notified, when they can expect to be notified, if being out of their hometown for the past few days has made a difference, whether they can get on the alternates list, how to get on the alternates list, what they did wrong on the application/in the interview, etc.
Same thing every year... |
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G Cthulhu
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 1373
Location: Way, way off course.
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| Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 12:53 am Post subject: |
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| I should start charging for responses then? |
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G Cthulhu
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 1373
Location: Way, way off course.
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| Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 3:53 pm Post subject: |
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| ...... and resounding silence followed..... |
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shoegazer
Joined: 15 Nov 2010
Posts: 19
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| Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2011 1:42 am Post subject: |
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| Well for my part: thanks! I'm a bit surprised but happy to say I made it to the interview stage with JET. The only thing that's really bugging me is what to do about the fact that I already took a job offer with ECC. The thing is, they have yet to place me, so my visa isn't being processed yet. I mentioned I'd applied to ECC in my JET application, so it may come up regardless. I'm not sure whether my this situation might make me look less desirable as a JET candidate, and I'm also not sure -- assuming I make the cut and decide to go with JET -- what potential issues might arise at immigration if prior to this I hear back from ECC about placement and they start processing my visa. I guess this isn't necessary a bad problem to have on the surface, but it could get tricky if there are visa issues. |
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jazznfox
Joined: 04 Jun 2010
Posts: 20
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| Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2011 6:06 pm Post subject: |
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| No interview this year for me. *shrug* I'm at a loss for what they look for in candidates. Wasn't meant to be this year. No worries though. I'm still going to Japan, just not with JET. |
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Taxim
Joined: 09 Jan 2009
Posts: 15
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| Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2011 9:10 pm Post subject: |
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jazznfox- I'm not sure exactly why I was offered an interview, but I wouldn't be surprised to learn that it had a lot to do with my references.
Now, a lot of edu-employers in the States consider the reference letters to be of utmost importance. The English Department I currently TA for really stresses this. We hear it from the Department Head, the Director of Composition, and the PhD that leads our "career development" days. They all say the same thing; when looking over potential aps, the reference letters are the most important consideration.
It's kind of like finding a gf/bf. You figure that finding someone attractive (ap/cv/transcripts) is a given. What's upstairs (references/SoP/essay) is what really counts.
That all being said, I don't know if JET places the same stress on refs, but it's something to consider.
An enthusiastic letter (written by someone who really understands what you are applying for and what makes you a suitable candidate) is going to be a helluva' lot better than a merely 'good' letter about your general qualities. They even tell us to ask our refs if they can write "enthusiastic" letters. If the replies are anything but, find new refs.
Of course, if this is all old news to you, feel free to have a laugh on the guy who's just started finding things out.  |
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seklarwia
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 1546
Location: Monkey onsen, Nagano
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| Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2011 9:59 pm Post subject: |
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I had two stunning references one of which came from the local LEA (our version of a BOE) which praised me in my efforts for teaching Spanish, French and German, especially at a local secondary school in particular under less than ideal circumstances. I was doing teaching experience in preparation for the Introduction to TEFL unit in my final year at uni.
The other letter was from the head of Tandem at my uni where I had to help international and exchange students with their English, presentation practices, interview skills and essay writing.
They were both amazing references that not only talked about my gift for teaching, but about my flexibility, my cultural sensitivity and ability to make peopole feel at ease, my experience living abroad, how I was a fountain of experiences the like that most people my age couldn't even come close to sharing and all the other reasons I would be suitable for JET.
I had my personal statement proof read by two English experts. One of which has helped in the writing of quite a few that seemed to have scored JET applicants interviews in the past.
Guess what... didn't even get an interview... didn't even get word of not getting an interview until really late after I contacted them to ask about the status of my application. So it seems I had been forgotten  I didn't take it personally and even planned to apply again two years later... but alas thanks to my uni screwing up with my transcripts and RM managing to make one cheque disappear; it simply wasn't meant to be. |
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jazznfox
Joined: 04 Jun 2010
Posts: 20
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| Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2011 10:48 pm Post subject: |
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| Taxim wrote: |
They all say the same thing; when looking over potential aps, the reference letters are the most important consideration. |
Old news to me and not an issue. I have good references.
JET just wasn't meant to be this year. I'm not upset at all. I'm still going to Japan this year with a job in hand though if JET had worked out, it would have been the best way to go. |
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rtm
Joined: 13 Apr 2007
Posts: 1003
Location: US
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| Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2011 11:28 pm Post subject: |
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| Taxim wrote: |
| Now, a lot of edu-employers in the States consider the reference letters to be of utmost importance. The English Department I currently TA for really stresses this. We hear it from the Department Head, the Director of Composition, and the PhD that leads our "career development" days. They all say the same thing; when looking over potential aps, the reference letters are the most important consideration. |
I have been told similar things by people who do admissions and hiring at universities (not necessarily that references are the most important thing, but that they are important). However, in the case of the JET program, I really don't think it is so clear. Kind of as a counter example to what seklarwia said, in my case, I had references that were mediocre at best, and pale in comparison to seklarwia's (one was from my supervisor at the place where I worked night security during undergrad and another from a German professor for whom I was a TA). I did, however, get an interview and went to Japan on the JET program. Granted, this was over 10 years ago, so things might be different now.
I knew some married couples where both people applied to JET, and one person was a qualified teacher or had extensive ESL experience, while the other person had no experience and an unrelated degree - in both cases, the unqualified person was offered a job, while the qualified person was rejected. That's not to say that qualified teachers don't get accepted to JET - I knew a number of those, too. I just mean that it's hard to pinpoint why some people get interviews and others don't.
I think the decisions that are made about who is given an interview and who is not follow the good old JET mantra, "ESID". Each consulate might have their own criteria, or at least their own interpretation of the criteria, for who gets an interview (or gets offered a job). |
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G Cthulhu
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 1373
Location: Way, way off course.
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| Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 12:00 am Post subject: |
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| Taxim wrote: |
They all say the same thing; when looking over potential aps, the reference letters are the most important consideration.
It's kind of like finding a gf/bf. You figure that finding someone attractive (ap/cv/transcripts) is a given. What's upstairs (references/SoP/essay) is what really counts.
That all being said, I don't know if JET places the same stress on refs, but it's something to consider.
An enthusiastic letter (written by someone who really understands what you are applying for and what makes you a suitable candidate) is going to be a helluva' lot better than a merely 'good' letter about your general qualities. They even tell us to ask our refs if they can write "enthusiastic" letters. If the replies are anything but, find new refs.
Of course, if this is all old news to you, feel free to have a laugh on the guy who's just started finding things out. |
It bears saying. There's a lot of people that just don't 'get' it.
I can't speak to how things are graded these days for JET because I haven't seen the grading guidelines recently, but I can say that with any application system like JET (ie. process heavy) that the references and the SoP are the only two areas where you get a chance to shine personally and make your case.
The candidate stats and form filling is all pretty much fixed in so far as you don't have much rang to select across from candidate to candidate, and if you haven't got what they want there then you're sunk anyway, but if you're in the marginal pile then it's those references and SoP that make the deal.
Personally, I put more weight on those than I do the academics. I don't really care if your GPA is 2.5 or 4.0. Did you show consistency (either at a level or improving over time)? If you did then that's a positive. If you're all over the place throughout your school years then you're displaying for all the see the fact that you're inconsistent. But as I say, I think those are things that because you're simply picking out points on a form it's hard to differentiate who or how to rank.
The only variable for the JET app, *IMO*, that gives insight is the SoP and references. Of the two, I would always rank the SoP higher: it's a direct insight into the applicant. References are almost always positive. I see them as less useful. I only pay them much regard if a referee says something unusual. ***But as I say, I don't screen apps any more and don't know what they do these days. They could well simply consult chicken entrails for all I know. Right before lunch at a yakiniku place, I hope.  *** |
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G Cthulhu
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 1373
Location: Way, way off course.
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| Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 4:20 am Post subject: Re: US 2011 JET Interviews |
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Well, US interviews are next week. Good luck to everyone!
If you're in Chicago, let me know and we can go drinking afterwards. :) |
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Dark Machine
Joined: 30 Oct 2010
Posts: 24
Location: Liverpool, UK
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| Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 4:49 am Post subject: |
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| seklarwia wrote: |
I had two stunning references one of which came from the local LEA (our version of a BOE) which praised me in my efforts for teaching Spanish, French and German, especially at a local secondary school in particular under less than ideal circumstances. I was doing teaching experience in preparation for the Introduction to TEFL unit in my final year at uni.
The other letter was from the head of Tandem at my uni where I had to help international and exchange students with their English, presentation practices, interview skills and essay writing.
They were both amazing references that not only talked about my gift for teaching, but about my flexibility, my cultural sensitivity and ability to make peopole feel at ease, my experience living abroad, how I was a fountain of experiences the like that most people my age couldn't even come close to sharing and all the other reasons I would be suitable for JET.
I had my personal statement proof read by two English experts. One of which has helped in the writing of quite a few that seemed to have scored JET applicants interviews in the past.
Guess what... didn't even get an interview... didn't even get word of not getting an interview until really late after I contacted them to ask about the status of my application. So it seems I had been forgotten I didn't take it personally and even planned to apply again two years later... but alas thanks to my uni screwing up with my transcripts and RM managing to make one cheque disappear; it simply wasn't meant to be. |
I've applied two years in a row now and not got an interview, and had to phone the UK JET desk up to even get an answer same as you mate. JET in the UK at least to me seems a total crapshoot these days. I've had friends who had no teaching experience at Uni get interviews, some with great Japanese, others with none at all. Some with no work experience, some with bar work and other part time Student type stuff. I've also heard like everyone else about others with experience teaching getting interviews.
With so few places and well over 10,000 apps a year (if the numbers on the e-form mean anything) I'm not shocked. I had similar enthusiastic references from my Uni professors (one of whom I'd worked for and helped with teaching, prep and research and who was also the Uni's main JET 'advocate') and had my personal statement checked by 3 different people (2 who'd been on the program before, other was an English teacher I know) who said it was a top end statement, but still nothing. Not that it matters, I'm off to the far east anyway, JET would've just been more secure for me and better paid. It's just a shame that we really don't know what they're looking for, I wonder if they themselves know. Their choices for people (the ones you hear about) seem very random. If I knew I wouldn't match up to their requirements (not enough extracurricular activites or CELTA qualification makes me 'too experienced' for example) then I wouldn't bother applying. Ah well good luck to all who got an interview, hope you make it through.
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