Job Discussion Forums

Evil Giraffe · Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 32 Location: Kofu, Japan

got my letter. alternate status. this is not good as i just graduated and i feel like i now must put life on hold until i hear more.
they say that i could hear back anywhere from may to august. anyone know any more info about this holding pattern i'm being asked to wait in?

sakhan2 · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2003 3:41 am Post subject:

All I know is that alternates are placed only when short-list candidates drop out and leave spaces at or near the last minute. Its just the luck of the draw. Kind of sucks but at least its better than rejection Confused

Nothing you can do about placement but sit and wait.

Sorry I couldn't be more help

Evil Giraffe · Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 32 Location: Kofu, Japan

thanks for the info. i'm not so sure it's better than rejection though. at least i'd be able to simply move on. this just keeps me in limbo. but i understand what you are saying. guess i'll just wait and see.

Renea Bartlett · Joined: 18 Feb 2003 Posts: 5

EG
I wouldn't be so hasty.. I was in your exact situation a few years ago. I declined alternate status b/c I didn't want to play the waiting game and wanted to be eligible to reapply in the future (which I did this year... haven't heard yet though).
I really wanted to do JET and really wish I had waited for a possible opportunity to open up on the wait list. I took another job instead... yet I reapplied again this year.
I have no idea what the specifics of your situation are but I'd say if you've stuck with what is a rather lengthy process to this point, what's another couple of months?

thinkjedi · Joined: 04 Feb 2003 Posts: 8

I know a couple of former very good ALTs that started off as alternates, so I wouldn't assume the worst. You've waited this long...I'd stick it out another couple of months.

David

sakhan2 · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2003 10:41 pm Post subject:

To EG and other Alternates:

My boyfriend just received his letter and he is alternate while I am in for sure. I was initially panicked, but I spoke to my local JET coordinator ( I suggest everyone do that) and she was very reassuring. This is how it works:

Alternates are ranked according to their qualifications and how they scored on their interview and application.

As shortlist candidates decline their offers, the embassy moves down the list of alternates offering them positions based on how high they were ranked. If the alternate declines also, they move to the next in line. Through this process, most alternates are able to get placements.

My main concern was that if chosen as an alternate, you would be filling the place of someone for whom they have already selected a placement, and would have no flexibility as to where you could go. However, this is not how it works. When someone declines after initially accepting and being placed, it opens a space, not necessarily that exact placement. They will place you first based on your nationality, then whether or not you have a partener in the program. They try really hard to keep you together.

Hope this is reassuring, I strongly recommend you contact your embassy for more information.

Finally, just a thought, but everyone that I know of that applied as a couple (boy and girl), the girl has been short listed and the boy has been an alternate (including me)...I find this a bit strange...maybe there is a preference for females in this program?

TiGrBaLm · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2003 1:18 am Post subject:

Hey well I got my letter today and Im in the same boat as EG.

Guess the only thing we can do is wait this out and hope someone drops out and send in your reply paper ASAP

Hmmm...Guys getting alternated....maybe Sakhans onto something

Aqua78 · Joined: 08 Apr 2003 Posts: 19 Location: St. Paul, MN

I found out yesterday that I am an alternate, too. I've been waiting on this program for almost a year and a half now! I became interested in it in 2001, just a few days before the application deadline. Instead of rushing to get recommendation letters, etc., I decided to wait until 2002 to apply.

And now, almost EVERY DAY someone asks me if I've heard anything yet. I know they mean well, but don't they realize I would ANNOUNCE IT if I heard I was going to Japan? Besides, this isn't like finding out whether or not you won a random drawing; this has to do with success and failure . . . "So, did you find out whether you are a success or failure yet?"

Instead of answering that question again, I just sent out a mass email to everyone who's been asking, telling them I still don't know and won't know for a while.

For the sake of our own inner guessing games, does anyone know the breakdown of numbers for all of this? Like how many are short-listed, how many alternates, or anything else like that? A few weeks ago, I asked the info center if they could tell me how many people apply and how many get accepted - they said that in the U.S., about 40% of the applicants are selected for the program. I'm not sure how alternates fit into that picture.

If anyone has any info, or even wants to speculate about our odds (ex: do you think the war or SARS will scare many people off?), I'd like to hear about it.

Also, if some of us don't get upgraded, do you all think it's worth applying to other programs in Japan (Aeon, Nova) or should we look for better offers in other countries? I've heard that JET is by far the best teaching program in Japan, and that the others are a big step down. Originally I had my heart set on Japan, but after all this, I'm starting to feel more open-minded. I've heard good things about Korea, too.

Good luck to the rest of the alternates! (Short-listed applicants: have you thought about Korea?) Wink

TiGrBaLm · Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2003 7:14 am Post subject:

Hi Aqua,

looks like we'll be in the same boat for now ^_^

I really don't want to tell anyone about my current status as an Alternate Short List because you really don't know if your going or not. I don't even know if I want to goto those JET orientation sessions...I can just imagine the awkwardness of the following conversation *_*

"so what prefecture did you get assigned to?"...
"ummm...Im an ASLALT so I dont...ummm....know yet" (bows head in shame)

As for Korea that has always been my backup plan to JET. I put up a post here not so long ago and was immediately told by some ppl on here that going to Korea is like going to a 3rd world country and felt somewhat discouraged. I know there are a lot of bad schools in Korea.

Nontheless I'm going to make my own decision on Korea and won't let a select few skew my judgement.

The only problem I have with Korea, is getting started, I really don't know how! ^_* Should I go through a recruiter or just show up in Korea and look for a job etc.?

There is always hope my fellow ASLALTs!

Mighty Mouse · Joined: 08 Apr 2003 Posts: 1

Hey to all those who are on the JET waiting list! I am going to say to you the same thing I said to my new fella who's in the same position... I lived in Japan for three years as an English teacher. I wasn't a JET. I have seen both sides of the JET coin though. Some have it great, others don't. All in all it seems to be easy money. Most of the JETS I knew complained about having nothing to do all day but surf the Internet. I wouldn't complain about that!

To be honest though, I think JET is an easy option. Everything is done for you. It was really easy for the JETS not to leave the circle. Sure you'll make loads of Western friends but I think that kind of defeats the purpose of going to Japan. I made it a point only to hang out with westerners once a month, so I didn't lose my ability to speak English! I made loads of Japanese friends, had a great time doing it and now I work as an interpreter in my own country.

There are good and bad private schools out there, and I've worked in both of the extremes. I say if you really want to go to Japan then go! Don't be afraid to go it alone. Just be careful and take advice from people who know what's up! The first time I lived away from home was when I went to Japan. I taught adults and kids, they were all fantastic.... I have 10 photo albums to prove it!

Japan is a great place, the best way to enjoy it is to become immersed in the community around where you live. Learn as much Japanese as you can. I can give you tips! The biggest tip to pick up Japanese fast is... Go and live in the middle of no where, I mean you've got to eat, right? I'm making myself homesick, for Japan! Wink

Whatever happens!
Good Luck!
Take Care!
Might Mouse!

Mosley · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Posts: 158

My advice to alternates is to hang in there for a few more months. If you get on, it's well worth it. BTW, as far as I know, if you're finally chosen, then you WILL know your posting location before Orientation . Cheers
JET('96-'99)

G Cthulhu · Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2003 5:23 am Post subject:

There is a lot of interesting statements here. Many of them good, some of them simply uninformed.

JET alternates aren't selected directly as such. If an consulate applicant declines a position CLAIR has to approve it being offered to the next person on the consulate list. They don't *always* do this. Sometimes they over rule the consulate and take (whether from the same consulate list or another or an entirely different country) someone else.

Additionally, a large number of positions come up through people signing to re-contract and then changing their minds. This is common because CLAIR policy is that if you decline contract renewal in January you're out regardless - so a fair number of people that haven't really decide take the option of saying they'll re-contract when they haven't actually decided. These numbers are *far* higher than the numbers of new applicants offered places that decline. CLAIR assigns replacements for these by by simply working through a list of countries and the countries then work through their list of consulates, requesting alternates in turn. There's nothing 'fair' about this if your name is at the bottom of a consulate list and that consulate is at the end of the embassy's list - the positions are spread around, but it just sucks to apply from some places from year to year.

Also, bear in mind that with the job front in most countries sucking there should be fewer people turning positions down this year *and* the JET programme is probably contracting in overall numbers from this year onwards - alternate chances are /maybe/ not so good this year, sorry. Conversely, the people employed under the 2000 year push to break 6000 participants are all definately leaving now, so there *are* a proportionately higher number of places available overall - upwards of 3800, I believe.

Either way, you can do nothing but wait. If you're from a smaller country then your chances are better. Sorry for the news.

Aqua78 · Joined: 08 Apr 2003 Posts: 19 Location: St. Paul, MN

Thanks for the advice you all have offered. I've decided that I'm set on getting to Japan one way or another. If I don't get upgraded from alternate status, my back-up plan is to apply to Aeon.

I'm wondering about the best timing for this. My current lease is up in early August, so I'd like to leave around that time if possible (I could stick it out for a little while longer if I need to, though). Aeon's website says to expect 3-4 months between applying and leaving for Japan. According to this timeline, I should apply now.

However, what if Aeon offers me a position while I'm still waiting on JET? Can I tell them to wait, or would this hurt my chances or even disqualify me from Aeon? Would it be better to wait longer before applying?

cheryl · Joined: 01 Apr 2003 Posts: 119 Location: Japan

i know it's late but i just got my letter informing me i'm on the "alternate" list as well. it's not the waiting that bothers me so much, i can get a teachign job in canada while waiting to hear from the JET program, what's bothering me is wondering WHY i was put on this list. Is it because i don't have any Japanese language experience?

i know there's no way to find out, regardless, this bothers me. i can't help but think that one major factor against me is the fact that i'm Chinese (albeit born in Canada). What do the rest of u think? Am i just being paranoid?

Cheryl

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

Cheryl,

The aim of JET is to promote internationalization, so being of Chinese descent means nothing about your alternate status, in my opinion.

Of course, we don't know anything else about you, so who is to say why you were not on the A-list? Could be any of 1000 reasons.