Job Discussion Forums

[kikigirl222]

Hi all,

I have received confirmation for an interview with JET and was wondering if anyone can send me a few pointers, or share the kinds of questions I may be asked. Thanks in advance!

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

Ummm.... JET is an international program. You didn't even mention what country you're from, let alone whether you are applying for an ALT position or a CIR position or even a SEA (but I didn't think they were sent until April).

General advice (especially for the ALT position) is to know stuff about your country (famous scientist, musician, actor, artist, writer, etc. Also possibly stuff that has nothing to do with your experience in your country at all. For example, I was asked how I woud teach the Iditarod� although I'm from Toronto, Canada- which is south of most of the very northern states of the US, and the Iditarod� is a race in Alaska, USA. Moral of the story: you cant always expect someone who is supposed to be judging your ability to talk about your (and their) country to actually know the stuff about your (and their own) country that they ask you). They'll likely ask in the interview, and then if you get in, you'll find that not a single person in Japan really cares at all unless they happen to like your country.

Just like in the Statement of Purpose, concentrate on what you can offer JET, not on what JET can offer you, but ALSO be prepared to answer how you would use JET experience in your career after JET (i.e you want to be a teacher, or work in international relations etc).

Other hints: do a search. this topic comes up every single year. Check out www.bigdaikon.com but keep in mind that there are a lot of abusive, self-absorbed idiots on that site. In fact, it's so bad that in some prefectures, the prefectural advisors actually suggest people not post on it and not read it because it can become like a virtual constant source of negativity from disillusioned JETs who've been sitting at their desk doing absolutely nothing except getting stared at for weeks, months and in some cases years. It drags you down.

[G Cthulhu]

[kikigirl222]

Thank you for responding- I appreciate all of your time and expertise! I apologize for not giving important information... It was my first posting and I guess I'm already making rookie mistakes...

A little info about me- I will be turning 32 this month and have been teaching for 9 years (grades 5, 6, & 7, ranging in English Language Development, Reading Intervention, English, Social Studies, and Math). In addition, I will have my TEFL certification in June. I am a 4th generation Japanese American, although my limited Spanish-speaking skills are far more advanced than the few Japanese words I grew up hearing from my grandmothers. My international traveling experience is comprised of backpacking to countries in Central America and Europe-I have never been to Japan.

I am interviewing in San Francisco, California for an ALT position. I did try running several searches on this subject and came up with all sorts of other topics. Again, rookie mistake- probably not the last as this is all new to me (despite my dream to teach abroad, which began in my early twenties...).

[Glenski]

When you check out bigdaikon.com be sure you look at the links there to many other JET-related sites and forums. You've already been warned why the BD is not to be trusted completely.

One more small piece of advice. Being a 4th-generation Japanese is something you are obviously proud of, but that won't be seen as relevant to teaching here, especially with your admitted lack of language skills and not having ever been here. Your heritage may come up in peripheral conversations from time to time, but it won't necessarily mean much to those offering jobs. Just remember to say you are American and nothing more.

What did you have in mind in the way of pointers?

[G Cthulhu]

My 2 yen:

Skip the TEFL certification unless it's a real qualification, and *IMO* the vast majority of them offered in the US are not real qualifications.

How I would spin your interview: you have a genuine interest in Japan via your family history, you are experienced at teaching and want to take a year away to see a different education system in practice and *as an assistant*, you are open to new experiences and show that by pointing to your history of travel. You're excited about what Japan might be like and are looking forward to the chance to spend the year learning more about it.

The point is that you do have a lot to offer. You're going to raise flags over the teaching qualifications & experience in as much as the interviewers will want to make sure you understand that you'll be there as an assistant. You may end up in charge of a classroom at times or you may not; the point is that you are not licensed in Japan and are hired as an assistant.

As mentioned above, it's all about what you can offer Japan. You need to place it in the context of "why" for you, but it's not about you. They're looking for flexibility, open mindedness, and an interest in experiencing Japan and the Japanese education system. You might want to be able able to spout for 30 seconds on the differences between the US & Japanese education systems & why that interests you professionally, but try to avoid the cliches (eg. Japanese students are not "always quiet and studious" - 30 seconds in a vocational high school or elementary school will disprove that!) and say that you want to get past the cliches and see a slice of the Japanese education system for yourself.

The teaching experience is a double edged sword. You have to make sure that you acknowledge it because the interviewers will have concerns about you 'taking over' in a classroom, but you cover that by saying that you're interested in seeing a different system and see being the assistant in the classroom as an advantage because that takes the pressure off you to be leading the class and can concentrate on learning more about Japan and sharing your own culture with the students and community - some sort of guff like that anyway.

Basically, based on what you've said here, you're exactly what JET is looking for these days! Good luck, and don't over think it all.

[kikigirl222]

Wow! Thanks to everyone for all of your input! You really helped demystify many things for me. I'm grateful with how thorough the responses have been, and the time you took to reply to a stranger like me...