Last Updated: Sept. 4th, 2010
A Note: Please keep in mind the information in this post is based on the content found in Importing Diversity: Inside Japan’s JET Program by David L. McConnell – one of the few published academic studies of the JET Program. Throughout this post, I continuously note when the data was collected (the 1980s-1990s) and that it might not be reflective of the current selection process of some or any of the Japanese embassies or consulates that conduct interviews. This entry is not meant to serve as a definitive guide to the application process or as a list of the exact criteria JET candidates should fulfill. It’s just here to provide a bit of information to people who are interested in reading more about the application process. While I find the information within this article to be a fairly accurate representation of my experiences with the JET Program, please keep in mind that both the JET Program and it’s participants are a very large and diverse group. As such, the selection process seems to vary widely between individual consulates and between different countries. I don’t wish to encourage or discourage anyone for apply to JET with this post – I simple want to present a little bit of information on a process that many find extremely daunting, long, and fairly mysterious. ~C.
When I began applying to the JET Program in the fall of 2008, I spent a lot of time online trying to find information about how the JET selection process actually works. While the official JET Programme website, the AJET website, and every website for the consulates involved in the program all contain some information on the process, none of them actually get into the specifics of how JET goes about selecting candidates. Most of the websites just tow the party line, which goes something like:
“The recruitment and selection of JET Programme participants is conducted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is based on guidelines set by the Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications. (The number of participants from each country is determined according to the needs of the local governments in negotiation with the Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications.)
The final decision regarding acceptance of candidates is made at the Joint Conference for International Relations where the three Ministries (Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR) meet.”[i]
In other words, they don’t tell you a whole lot about how the selection process actually works and the criteria they use to accept people is somewhat unknown. After acceptance or rejection, most people just forget about the whole application process and don’t write about it anymore. But, something about its extremely opaque nature has always rubbed me the wrong way. I think that it is this opaqueness that makes the long selection process so uncomfortable for the applicants, especially for people like me who tend to micro-analyze things. So, I set out to find out more on how JET actually selects candidates.
David McConnell's book
Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of information out there. The best study of the JET Program is undoubtedly Importing Diversity: Inside Japan’s JET Program by David L. McConnell. While discussing his methodology, McConnell accurately points out that “I found negotiating access to Ministry of Education and CLAIR officials and gaining permission to observe national-level conferences quite difficult; a general ministry policy forbids any outside research on the JET Program.”[ii] The fact that outside research is prohibited, while not at all surprising, does a good job explaining why it feels like so much of the JET Program is shrouded in secrecy. Before you start demanding more transparency, keep in mind that this is not an entirely abnormal policy for a Japanese ministry to adopt…it just makes the application process more frustrating.
The following information draws heavily on the research in David McConnell’s book. Importing Diversity is the best book I’ve ever read about the JET Program and I think that it should be required reading for anyone who participates or applies to the program. However, the biggest problem with this information is that it is outdated. It was published in 2000 (making it at least 10 years old already) AND the book examines the early years of the JET Program. JET began in 1987, which officially makes the program as old as I am. Any organization that has operated for that long is bound to have undergone some operational changes. Therefore, it’s impossible to know just how outdated McConnell’s description of the application process actually is.
I still think that the information in his book is extremely valuable to potential JET applicants. In fact, my own experience with the application process and the information in Importing Diversity are extremely similar. Still, be sure to exercise your critical reading skills with the rest of this post.
Who actually selects the candidates?
Here is the official answer: “The final decision regarding acceptance of candidates is made at the Joint Conference for International Relations where the three Ministries…and the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR) meet.”[iii] Honestly, I cannot think of an answer that is more unhelpful. Here’s a better way to look at it:
The selection process is divided into two stages:
- Initial Screening – where your paper application and personal essay are read.
- Interview – where you are interviewed by a JET interview committee.
According to McConnell, the selection process (particularly in the early years of the program) was determined almost entirely by the consulate conducting the interviews. While the Ministry of Foreign Affairs retains the right to overturn the decisions of the selection committee, this authority is rarely exercised.[iv] I do not know how much centralization has occurred over the years, but from what I’ve observed this process has remained largely intact. This means that the actual decisions on who gets accepted are not made at a central office in Tokyo, but at the consulates/embassy that you apply to.
Let’s look at the two stages in more detail…
Initial Screening AKA The part where they read your application:
In the first year of the program, the Japanese embassy in Washington hired the Meridian International Center (well respected for its training of international diplomats) to conduct the initial selection process.[v] I think it’s safe to assume that the JET Program still outsources the screening process to a similar organization. Organizations like Meridian basically grade each application based on a certain criteria specified by the employer. The applicants who pass this initial screening will be offered interviews.
The specific criteria used by the Meridian Institution are confidential, but we can still look at how the initial selection process operates. Basically, a numerical score is assigned to each applicant based on factors like academic performance, letters of reference, and the personal essay. There is also ‘anecdotal evidence’ that Japanese language ability and the prestige of the applicant’s college are factors considered. Given Japan’s love for brand names, it is unsurprising that JET would find applicants from Harvard more attractive than community college graduates.[vi]
JET doesn’t post statistics online about how many applications they receive, how many interviews they grant, or how many applicants get shortlisted. In Importing Diversity, McConnell says that approximately two-thirds of the Americans who apply make it through the initial screening and granted interviews.[vii] He includes a statistic: in 1992, 300 applicants requested a Boston interview and 218 interviews were granted (~72%). Out of those, 95 were selected to participate in the program. (291) What does this tell us?
- Approximately 72% of the applicants received interviews.
- Of the applicants interviewed, approximately 42% were accepted into the program.
- Of the total applicants, approximately 31% were chosen for the program.
However, that was in 1992. I applied in 2008-2009. At my pre-departure orientation at the Boston consulate, I was told that less than ¼ of the applicants who applied through the Boston consulate were accepted into the program.
The website for the Japanese consulate in Chicago offers more up-to-date information. For the 2002 JET Program, 320 out of 500 applicants were granted interviews. Of those, 185 were shortlisted and 80 were placed as alternates. This means that:
- 64% of applicants were granted interviews.
- Of those interviewed, ~58% were shortlisted and 25% were placed as alternates.
- Of all who applied, 37% were shortlisted and 16% were placed as alternates. [viii]
If you compare the statistics from 1992 with those from 2002, you will see that the number of candidates accepted into the program has declined over the years. While that comparison does not take into account any regional differences between Chicago and Boston or the total number of new JETs hired in each year, it does show that the JET Program has become increasingly competitive. The JET Program has been shrinking over the past few years, largely due to the enormous expense associated with hiring JETs. JETs receive a competitive salary that is slightly higher than the salaries of first year Japanese teachers. This is in part due to the fact that JETs are removed from the seniority-based wage system that characterizes most government and company jobs. JETs also have part of their health care and insurance paid by their contracting organizations and many live in subsidized government housing, just like a normal public servant in Japan. Many schools and local boards of education find it is cheaper to employ ALTs from private English-teaching companies on a part-time basis rather than hire a fulltime JET ALT. Because of this and the large amount of JETs who choose to recontract, the JET Program has become very competitive.
Interview Process AKA the part where they ask you questions:
In Importing Diversity, David McConnell makes it very clear that the selection process if primarily determined by the consulate conducting the interviews. This means that your interview will be the most important part of your application process. While the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has the ability to overturn the decisions of the selection committee, this rarely happens. Therefore, the selection process for the interviews is determined almost entirely by your interviewers. This means that if you make it to the interview stage, your acceptance into JET will be based almost entirely on the impression you make on your interviewers. No pressure.
McConnell served on the selection committee at the Boston Consulate in 1992, 17 years before I applied through the same consulate. (Just thought I’d point out the possibility that this information might be outdated. Exercise those critical reading skills!)
According to McConnell, the composition of the interview committees is determined solely by the consulate conducting the interview. Typically, committees contain three of four local people from academia or Japan-related programs. Often, a JET alumnus serves on the interview committee. Only one Japanese representative is on each committee. According to the information on the Consulate-General of Japan in Toronoto webpage, “Interviews are conducted by panels of individuals with expertise in education, business, culture, international diplomacy and the JET Programme. All panelists assess JET candidates according to strict guidelines that help to ensure consistency in the quality of JET Programme participants.”[ix] On a side note, in 1992 interviewers received $400.00 per day while working on a selection committee.[x]
At the beginning of the interview period, the interview committees are brought to the consulate for introductions and a refresher course on scoring procedures and criteria. A list of sample questions is handed out as well as summaries of past cases where interview committees endorsed applicants who later encountered serious difficulties in Japan. Over the next few days, the interview committees conduct approximately twenty interviews per day, each lasting roughly 20 minutes. Score sheets are divided into three categories: definitely recommended, recommended with reservations, and not recommended.[xi]
If the applicant makes it to the interview stage, personal qualities become the dominant criteria for selection. Interviewers are told to look for applicants that are “outgoing, well-mannered and have a sunny disposition. A nervous temperament is not desirable.”[xii]
Each applicant receives are score out of a possible 120 points. The points are awarded from six different categories:
Click to enlarge
- Personality – 40 points: Consider flexibility, strength of personality, ability to adapt to foreign cultures, etc.
- Ability – 20 points: Consider self-expression, creativity, general knowledge, etc.
- Motivation – 25 points: Consider desire to participate in the JET Program, sense of purpose, interest in Japan.
- English Ability – 10 points: Clear pronunciation, proper word use, etc.
- Japanese Ability – 5 points: Evaluate conversation and reading ability
- Overall Impression – 20 points: Please recommend those applicants who seem sociable, stable and can adjust well to new situations. (In other words, this is another personality score.)
Recently Jason (of MyArgonauts and JapanJuku.com) posted a comment on this post that you all might find interesting:
After years of blogging and vlogging about JET, I got my first behind-the-scenes access to the application process this past February when I was invited, as a JET Alum, to participate in the interviews for 2010-2011 candidates.
Even tho I was an ALT for 5 years, I ended up interviewing CIR candidates and it was a really interesting experience. I did find out a few things that I can’t really discuss (there’s that whole secretive thing), but one thing I found interesting is that your paper application is graded on a point scale, with each section being assigned some number of points from zero to the maximum for that section.
The two sections getting you the most possible points toward getting that interview? Your SoP (essay) and your two letters of recommendation. So if you’re a future applicant – work on those two aspects completely.
Another thing I found interesting – we assessed all 6 people we saw that day on their own merits, but you inevitably end up comparing interviewee #2 versus interviewee #5, etc. He was better than she, or she was more genki than him, etc. So many factors can influence if you make it in or not, even the group you end up interviewing with that day.
And I know the numbers coming out the LA consulate last year and this year indicate an acceptance rate of about 1 in 6. So yeah, it’s competitive. But some of that falls to the shitty economy back home which makes ALTs stay in Japan longer, meaning less slots for newbies.
I think all the stuff about wanting whites over ethnicities, Americans over others, younger people over more mature applicants is hogwash. Those choices might be born out by stats of who actually gets in, but my guess is because tons more whites apply than blacks or Asians, tons more people in their 20s then in their 30s, etc.
Is the selection process fair?
Is any selection process fair? What are the characteristics of a ‘fair’ selection process? McConnell points out that as a whole JET application process has been well received in the United States by academics. However, there are several complaints that often pop up when people talk about the selection process –
- JET prefers applicants from the United States of America.
- JET has a tendency to emphasize youth and personality in the selection of participants
- Good Japanese language ability will hurt you in the selection process
- JET prefers Caucasians over other ethnicities (African American, Asian American, etc.)
Let’s look at these criticisms one by one:
1) JET prefers applicants from the United States of America – JET covers its own butt here by explicitly stating that “The number of participants from each country is determined according to the needs of the local governments in negotiation with the Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications.” Each local board of education has the ability to express preferences for what kind of ALT they receive. I don’t know what these preferences are specifically or how closely CLAIR tries to fulfill them, but they are undoubtedly things like nationality, age, gender, etc. If an overwhelming majority of the contracting organizations request ALTs from America, then JET must hire more candidates from America.
In any case, the preference for applicants from the United States is immediately obvious. According to the official JET Program website for the United States, as of July 2009, there are 4,063 ALTs in the JET Program. Of that, 2,428 are from America (~60%). There are 4,436 people participating in JET (ALTs, CIRs, etc) and of them 2,537 are American (~62%).[xiii] During the first year of the program, 70% of participants were from the United States of America.[xiv]
Japan has an extremely close relationship with the United States, despite the current disagreement over Futenma. There is a larger pool of applicants from America and most Japanese schools prefer American English. The entire JET Program was designed as an attempt to soothe US criticism that Japan was an insular, closed society that did not welcome internationalization. During the height of the trade-wars between America and Japan, JET was presented by Prime Minister Nakasone to President Ronald Reagan as a ‘gift.’ To deny the close relationship between the US and Japan is to deny 65 years of postwar history. McConnell was quite right when he quotes a Ministry of Home Affairs official as saying, “The first thing you should know about the background of the JET Program is that Japan likes the United States.”[xv]
However, it is now 2010 and the JET Program has been running for quite some time. From everything I have observed, it seems that JET accepts a fairly equal number of applicants from each participating country in terms of the number of applications they receive from each country. Like any program, JET is interested in selecting the applicants they consider best suited and prepared for the job – regardless of their country of origin. I highly doubt that JET would not hire a well-qualified applicant from Australia or the UK in favor of an under-qualified US applicant.
2) JET has a tendency to emphasize youth and personality in the selection of participants – McConnell quotes one professor from the University of Washington as saying, “All they do is choose people who are cute and cheery instead of those with teaching experience or sustained interest in Japan.”[xvi] The author himself says, “What struck me about the way the interviews were set up was not only the preoccupation with social fit and social type but also the relatively short time we were given to make difficult assessments about character – integrity, adaptability, openness to learning, genuine interest in children.”[xvii] Looking around Tokyo Orientation last year, it is clear that the preference for young college graduates has not changed over the years.
McConnell also relates two stories from his experience on a JET selection committee in 1992:
“There were also a few interesting cross-cultural moments. A Japanese member of our group gave a particularly low score to an interviewee who furrowed her brow as she spoke, arguing that this mannerism would be viewed negatively in Japan. In another case, a woman was rejected because of a very noticeable facial scar that Japanese members of the consulate found problematic.”[xviii]
I am quite aware that my own acceptance into the program merely reinforces the image that JET prefers youth, personality, and (perhaps) attractiveness when they hire candidates. However, while the entire JET Program seems to emphasize youth over teaching or ESL experience, I do not think that it is due to shallow prejudice. It is because the primary goal of JET participants is not to revolutionize foreign language teaching in Japan. A look at JET’s original mission statement from 1986 clearly reveals this:
“The Japan Exchange and Teaching Program seeks to promote mutual understanding between Japan and other countries including the U.S., the U.K., Australia, and N.Z. and foster international perspectives in Japan by promoting international exchange at local levels as well as intensifying foreign language education in Japan.”
Clearly, teaching is not at the top of the list of priorities there. I believe that in my application and in the previous posts I have written about the application process, I overemphasized the importance of the teaching component of the JET Program. My biggest difficulty with life as an ALT is that I spend too much time trying to be an effective teacher and not enough time hanging out with the local community and ‘fostering international perspectives.’ In other words, I’m too serious.
3) Good Japanese language ability will hurt you in the selection process – It’s really impossible to judge the accuracy of this claim. I have met JETs who speak fluent Japanese and JETs who speak absolutely none. Personally, I have never seen anything that would suggest that JET would not hire a qualified candidate because their Japanese was TOO good.
McConnell has a different perspective on this. According to him, he discovered quite by accident that “too much fluency in Japanese could actually work against one’s chances of being accepted.”[xix] Apparently, he was on the selection committee for a similar program (The Ohio-Saitama English Teaching Program) and their top candidate – who had a strong academic record, good personal statement, fantastic recommendations and extraordinary language skill – submitted a similar application to the JET Program but was rejected in the initial screening by the Meridian International Center. The author states, “ALT applicants with outstanding Japanese ability are seen as working against two major purposes of the program: the teaching of English and the introduction of Japanese language and culture to a new generation of foreign youth.”[xx] This statement points out that one of the goals of the JET Program is to improve the international perception of Japan by exposing young college graduates to different aspects of Japanese society and culture than they would encounter within their home countries.
4) JET prefers Caucasians over other ethnicities (African American, Asian American, etc.) – I have also never seen anything that would suggest that JET gives special preference to Caucasian applicants over other ethnicities. JET does not post statistics about the race or ethnicity of participants, so there is no easy way to find an answer to this question. McConnell only briefly examines this question in Importing Diversity. According to the 1987-1988 JET Participant Directory, roughly 1.5% of participants were of African descent and 5% were of Japanese descent.[xxi] This could have been due to the proportion of applications that the JET Program received that year and not due to racial bias.
In 2009, after receiving notifications of our acceptance/rejection, a friend of mine and I were sitting in the office of our Japanese History professor. While I had been shortlisted for the program, my friend had not been accepted. The professor said, “You can easily get a job at a private English teaching company, just bleach your hair blond.” The professor was clearly joking, but this comment does demonstrate the general stereotype that Japanese people love blond hair. This really isn’t the case; all hair that isn’t one of the three standard Japanese shades looks sufficiently foreign, not just blond. Every August, when Tokyo is flooded with the new batch of JET recruits, the hotel hosting the orientation does not look like it is hosting a neo-Nazi convention. The array of JET participants look just the way you’d expect them to look – like a healthy and diverse mix of young, bright-eyed professionals eager to start their jobs.
In 2010, Shane Krumeich of CLAIR posted a response to this blog entry addressing these points about the fairness of the JET selection process. They offer a much more up-to-date perspective than Importing Diversity and I’ve included them here (and the original post is still below in the comment section):
1. We do not prefer Americans. From the numbers I’ve seen, we take a relatively equal percentage of the overall applicants from each participating country (for English ALTs), so the greater numbers in Americans reflect the number of applicants.
2. We don’t prefer people without Japanese. This may actually have been the case in the past however, so I don’t think it is a dubious claim. In recent years we have reversed this and now we prefer people with some knowledge of Japanese, as they have an easier time adapting to life here. Japanese skills won’t get you shortlisted necessarily, but they are definitely preferred.
3. We do not prefer younger people directly from university, although there is the in principle age cap as it is a “youth exchange programme”. That said, there are far more youths, but this again reflects the applicants. Much of our recruiting is done at universities and university job fairs. However, if given the choice, local governments in Japan prefer people with some working experience and the interviewing embassies/consulates know this.
4. We certainly don’t prefer once ethnicity over another, although I wouldn’t doubt that 20 years ago those conversations reported in Importing Diversity were actually happening at CLAIR. The JET Programme has done a lot of good over the years though, and CLAIR is now, naturally, one of the most, if not the most, internationalized institutions run of the Japanese government. If even a hint of such a notion were ever to rise, believe me one of the former JETs at CLAIR like me would unleash terror on the person that entertained the idea. It would be comical, I assure you.
Motivations for participating in the JET Program in the late 1990s:
McConnell conducted extensive interviews with JET participants on their motivations for entering the program. Here are his findings:
Click to enlarge
- 25% drew some connection between Japan’s economic rise, their participation in the JET Program, and a future payoff.
- 20% had some personal or family connection that motivated their interest in the JET Program.
- 15% expressed an academic interest in Japan.
- 13% had a deep interest in teaching or ESL.
- 13% said that their motivation to travel to Japan was ‘simply a desire to see a different part of the world.’
- 9% mentioned their fascination with traditional Japanese culture.[xxii]
Of the JETs selected in the first few years of the program:
- 93% were single.
- 56.5% were female.
- The average age was 25.
- 85% said they could speak no Japanese whatsoever or had trouble with daily conversation.
- 93.8% came to Japan with a bachelor’s degree.
- 6.1% came with a master’s degree.
- 12% had come kind of TEFL certification.[xxiii]
Conclusion:
I hope that this post has helped clarify the selection process a bit. However, the best way to ensure your acceptance into the program is not to micro-analyze JET’s selection criteria. JET is an extremely large and complex program and a wide variety of factors influence the selection of candidates from year to year. Considerations that have nothing to do with your personal qualifications – like the needs to contracting organizations and the number of recontracting JETs – can either increase or decrease your chances of being selected.
The best advice I can give you is – make sure you research the JET Program before applying. After participating in JET for a year, I strongly believe that this program is not for everyone. Researching the program thoroughly and developing a clear understanding of the purpose and the goals of the JET Program will help you judge whether or not you are a good fit. As stated by the Toronto Consulate-General website, “A poor interview can easily affect your candidacy, and lack of research can adversely affect your ability to respond well. In some cases, your goals, skills and aptitudes may have been assessed as unsuitable for participation on the JET Programme, at this time. If you are not selected this year but would like to apply again in the future, we strongly recommend that you research the JET Programme, Japan and working in Japan, and evaluate your own reasons for wishing to participate.”[xxiv]
Many people discover that they are much happier working outside of the JET Program. There is no shortage of opportunities to live and work in Japan, if you are willing to put the work into discovering them. Good luck!
If anyone has more information on the JET Program selection process or has served on an interview committee, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the process!
For an overview of David McConnell’s take on the JET Program, please read his paper for the Winter 2002 Harvard Asia Quarterly: http://www.asiaquarterly.com/content/view/114/40/
Works Cited or Referenced
McConnell, David L. Importing Diversity: Inside Japan’s JET Program. University of California Press, 2000,
The Association for Japan Exchange and Teaching (AJET), The JET Programme FAQ, http://ajet.net/modules/articles/article.php?id=2
Consulate-General of Japan in Chicago, JET website, http://www.chicago.us.emb-japan.go.jp/JIC/jetfaq.html
Consulate-General of Japan in Toronto, The Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme, http://www.toronto.ca.emb-japan.go.jp/english/culture-education/jet-program/faq-selection.html
The Japan Exchange and Teaching Program: The Official JET Program Website for U.S. Citizens, http://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/JET/table1.htm
[i] The Association for Japan Exchange and Teaching (AJET), The JET Programme FAQ, http://ajet.net/modules/articles/article.php?id=2
[ii] McConnell, David L. Importing Diversity: Inside Japan’s JET Program. University of California Press, 2000, 26.
[iii] The Association for Japan Exchange and Teaching (AJET), The JET Programme FAQ, http://ajet.net/modules/articles/article.php?id=2
[iv] McConnell, 54.
[v] McConnell, 54.
[vi] McConnell, 54.
[vii] McConnell, 55.
[viii] Chicago Consulate-General of Japan, JET website, http://www.chicago.us.emb-japan.go.jp/JIC/jetfaq.html
[ix] Consulate-General of Japan in Toronto, The Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme. http://www.toronto.ca.emb-japan.go.jp/english/culture-education/jet-program/faq-selection.html
[x] McConnell, 54.
[xi] McConnell, 55.
[xii] McConnell, 56.
[xiii] The Japan Exchange and Teaching Program: The Official JET Program Website for U.S. Citizens, http://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/JET/table1.htm
[xiv] McConnell, 50.
[xv] McConnell, 50.
[xvi] McConnell, 56.
[xvii] McConnell, 56.
[xviii] McConnell, 291.
[xix] McConnell, 54.
[xx] McConnell, 55.
[xxi] McConnell, 60.
[xxii] McConnell, 60-61.
[xxiii] McConnell, 57 and 60.
[xxiv] Consulate-General of Japan in Toronto, The Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme. http://www.toronto.ca.emb-japan.go.jp/english/culture-education/jet-program/faq-selection.html
Tags: ALT, application, interview, Japan, Japanese, JET Program, slection process, teaching English in Japan
karen
Informative read, thanks for posting this. Are you leaving this programme this year or extending your stay another year? I wish you the best.
constantineintokyo
Thanks, I hope that this post was helpful. I’ve recontracted, so I will be staying with JET for another year. =) Were you accepted?
karen
Congratulations for recontracting! I can only imagine that recontracting must be as competitive as the initial application.
Unfortunately I got made an alternate candidate. I’m keeping my fingers crossed but I don’t have that much hope. I messed up the interview test badly. In a way the alternate status has been a kind of wake-up call. If I want to gain experience teaching and live in Japan, then I got to get my arse into gear!!
constantineintokyo
I’m sorry to hear that you’ve been placed as an alternate, in many ways that is much more stressful that just being declined. However, after following the link to your blog, I really don’t think you’ll have any problem finding a job in Japan, either in teaching or another field. While there are plenty of people who want to work in Japan, it is very rare to find someone with good Japanese skills. Seeing that you post in both English and Japanese, I am sure there will be many more opportunities available to you than to the average English teacher.
I have no doubt that you’ll be flying to Tokyo soon. When you do, be sure to drop me a line!
Kelly
This is very informative and a great read. Ever since I started reading up on the JET programme these questions have haunted me. I plan on applying to the JET programme upon completion of my BA (probably around 2012), however I am finishing my Associates at a community college. I soon want to major in Asian Studies, while taking Japanese classes, but the more I read up on the JET programme, the more I am afraid that I’ll be too much instructed in Japan and in turn rejected for that knowledge. It’s almost ironic. I am at a loss for what to do *sigh*.
constantineintokyo
The question of whether I knew too much about Japan to be a desirable JET candidate caused me a lot of concern while I was applying to the program as well. Honestly, I’m really not sure if a high level of Japanese or knowledge about Japan is a pro or a con when it comes to the selection process.
In my application and interview, I was pretty straightforward about the fact that I wanted to get a PhD in Japanese History and that one of the reasons why I wanted to do the JET Program was to experience the country and the language firsthand. It didn’t seem to prevent them from accepting me. So, I don’t think that majoring in Asian Studies or learning Japanese will be detrimental to your application. Don’t worry and good luck!
Kelly
Thanks a lot. That’s actually exactly what I wanted to hear 🙂
Adam
Excellent and well-written piece. Thank you for this great information.
constantineintokyo
Thanks, I hope that it helps clarify the selection process for nervous applicants out there. I would have liked to know some of this stuff while I was applying for the program.
I followed the link to your blog – sorry about your alternate status. It really is like being in purgatory and not something that I would wish upon anyone. =/ On the bright side, this does give you the opportunity to explore some of the other ways to move to Japan or be an ALT in Japan/Korea. Korea is an interesting option, in many ways it’s similar to how Japan was in the late 80s when it comes to education and English teaching. There is a government sponsored program in Korea that is very similar to JET, maybe you can look into that.
When you do end up coming to Tokyo, let me know!
atheistwithfaith
Really interesting piece, I have been looking for Importing Diversity but it’s a difficult book to come by in the UK (at a reasonibly price anyway).
I agree about the teaching aspect, the Japanese name for the JET Programme (外国語青年招致事業) doesn’t even mention teaching.
constantineintokyo
I think you might be able to order it through amazon.co.uk at a fairly reasonable price. I’ll also be writing a book review about it pretty soon. =)
Taro
Great entry!
I have find a few thoughts/articles of Japanese CLAIR Jet interviewers.
http://geocities.yahoo.co.jp/gl/tooru_ageta/view/20050127
http://www.geocities.jp/tooru_ageta/report16.html
They seem focusing on having the balance of adoptability, compatibility with colleagues and certain mental toughness in a classroom..not so much about Japanese knowledge or understanding Japanese language.
(by Japanese perspective for those abilities….that might not same as American)
My question is how can they communicate with non English speaking colleagues in the work place or a local community without speaking Japanese?
How can they understand heart to heart without pre-knowledges of their culture?
I think it’s all comes down to the level of the genuine interest…but still.
For pro or con, PhD or punk…this is all sort of ALT discussion site.
http://www.bigdaikon.com/
A great entry from the Bigdaikon site by a Jet ALT..
Re: What being a JET is really like…
by Heretic on 2010-04-05 Mon 10:42:13
jegger79 wrote:
Let’s not make this a waste of either your time or mine. I’m not going to be like most people on this forum and bitch and moan or try to compete on being the rudest or most clever jackass on this site. In fact, you can safely ignore 90% of what is written here. There are some people who post genuinely helpful or interesting things but mostly what you have are people who aren’t happy and find the unavoidable problems that accompany any program of the scope and nature of the JET program a convenient scapegoat for their misery.
Being a JET has it’s pros and cons and you will find that what applies to one JET in a city in Kyushu will be very different to another JET in the countryside of Hokkaido for obvious reasons. Japan may be homogeneous in some respects but it certainly has its diversity.
You will probably be an ALT…that means you are an assistant…you will have to check your ego at the school gate and do your best to realize why the Japanese English education system is the way it is…that you can’t change it single-handedly…that you can still make a difference in the lives of your teachers and students…and that your attitude and your patience will have a huge bearing on how well your worklife goes.
You will have to adapt to being a minority and an outsider. If it bothers you to have attention drawn to you at home, you are going to be very uncomfortable here. You are going to be representing your country and the whole of the outside world to the Japanese. Keep that in mind.
You will be living in Japan and earning a good wage for what turns out in many cases to be a very undemanding job. Sometimes you will feel guilty about this…solution…try to work harder. Make suggestions, be creative, dont let setbacks make you apathetic and turn you into one of the BigDaikon goons that sit at school on the internet posting about their mundane thoughts and boring (mostly fictitious) tales of sexual promiscuity.
Just think about it…they are sitting at a computer getting paid and not interacting with the students or teachers at their school…no wonder many Japanese come to have a bad impression of the JET Program.
Parting advice. Take a good hard look at yourself. If you are flexible, creative, willing to work against the odds to try to do your job, then you should be a JET. If you are comfortable being the center of attention, having a sense of humor about yourself, being a representative of your country then you should be a JET. If you like kids and are interested in teaching and living in Japan, then you should be a JET. Otherwise dont come over here and be a nuisance and embarrassment to the ALTs out there who are trying to make a positive difference and enjoy their lives in Japan.
constantineintokyo
This is a really great comment (as always, dude you rock!). I really hope people read it, because I think that you really brought up a lot of important points about JET.
But as for your questions, about how an ALT is supposed to connect with the community or students without speaking any Japanese or not knowing a lot about the culture…while JET does say that candidates don’t need to know Japanese be accepted to JET, I really think that some level of Japanese is absolutely VITAL for ALTs working with the program. Without it, it is extremely difficult to establish a relationship with the people around you. The most happy and successful JETs I know can all speak pretty good Japanese. Even if they didn’t know it before they came, they really made sure to learn the language once they got here. So, I think that JET really should place more importance on language – or at least they shouldn’t decide NOT to hire someone because their Japanese is TOO good.
Marlys Fusi
By far the most concise and up to date information I found on this topic. Sure glad that I navigated to your page by accident. I’ll be subscribing to your feed so that I can get the latest updates. Appreciate all the information here
Jessuru
I did the JET program for 2 years, and in all honesty, I think it’s an extremely unhealthy way to experience Japan, especially for the first time. The relatively good money and feeling of exclusivity seem great at first, but the innate shallowness of that wears off pretty fast. Then, what a very defective program it is becomes evident.
Don’t let programs like this ruin your interest in Japan (like it almost did me and quite a few people I know)
constantineintokyo
I can’t say that I don’t agree with you here, Jessuru. This comment reminded me of something my Japanese Literature professor said to me when I told him I had been accepted to JET.
He said, “I did the JET Program for one year and I hated every second of it. The only reason I decided to come back to Japan after that is because I didn’t want to feel like the program (JET) had broken me.”
Wow! But, after being in JET for a year, I now understand where he was coming from. While I don’t hate every second of JET, it certainly has some flaws. Typically, people like to blame the ALTs who participate in this program for these problems, like the ALTs aren’t working hard enough or they don’t care about their jobs, but that really isn’t very true. I haven’t met a single JET who wasn’t absolutely ecstatic to get into the program…it’s the stuff that happens after that makes them bitter and unhappy with the JET Program.
So, while I think that JET is an extremely awesome program, I also think that there are some things about it that can be massively improved. I am constantly thankful that I knew a lot about Japan before joining JET, because if I hadn’t I don’t know how I would feel about Japan after living here with JET for a year. In any case, I really relate to your comment. =)
Horacio Shotts
My friend mentioned to me your blog, so I thought I’d come have a read. Very interesting reading, will be back for more!
Kimberlee
You are a JET Goddess… I just wanted to put that out there…
constantineintokyo
Haha, JET Goddess. I don’t really know what that means, but I still feel insanely flattered. XD
Becca
Hey, I’ve seen some of your videos on youtube, and read your blog before when I was applying. I’m from the UK (still at university) and recently found out I’ve been shortlisted. I don’t feel like JET is a ‘reality’ for me yet though.
This information is interesting to me, even after finishing the ‘applying’ stage, and I think it will be invaluable to JET’s who are thinking of applying.
I like the way you consider certain preconceptions about the application process; I had heard every one of them while I was researching JET and your opinions on them were interesting to read.
constantineintokyo
I don’t have an ‘insider’ knowledge on the selection process for JET, so I don’t really know how they go about choosing candidates. But when I read this part of Importing Diversity I thought the information was very interesting. I’m glad you liked it too.
After the long application process, I also experienced that same feeling of ‘unreality.’ I don’t think it will really hit you until you’re all packed up and attending the Pre-Departure Orientation. Then you’ll be like, “Crap, I’m really going to Japan!”
The first few months in Japan are really busy and crazy. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!
scotchward
Great blog post, and a good read. What I found interesting though, is the perception that US applicants are somehow favoured. Taking into account the relative population sizes of participating countries, you get approximately:
1 successful applicant for every 121,839 people in the US
1 successful applicant for every 159,081 people in the UK
1 successful applicant for every 81,985 people in Australia
1 successful applicant for every 22,512 people in New Zealand
1 successful applicant for every 70,846 people in Canada
1 successful applicant for every 64,553 people in Ireland
Obviously this doesn’t take into account how many people apply each year from each country, and is simply each respective countries population divided by the number of participants (found here in the 2009 JET pamphlet). Still it would suggest that there isn’t any real bias towards US applicants.
constantineintokyo
That’s a really interesting comment, thanks!
I think the image that Japan is ‘biased’ towards US applicants is just based on the fact that every year there are more US JETs than JETs from other countries. This could just be because more people from the US apply to the program, so it’s really hard to definitively say that JET gives an unfair advantage to US citizens.
While it is important to take into account the origins of the JET Program and the post-war relationship between Japan and the USA, I ultimately don’t think it’s a fair criticism. I doubt that JET would not hire a well-qualified applicant from Australia or the UK in favor of an under-qualified US applicant.
Nessa
Great post!
Is it too much to ask to write about the “bad” things to expect from being a JET and experiencing Japan from that lence. I am so excited and my mind knows in the ABSTRACT that this is true but I would love an example or two… of course knowing that each contract is a unique experience.
Finally, I am from Montreal and I graduated in Japanese Lit as my BA @ MCGill and am completing my MA in Japanese History at Concordia Uni. In fact, I will be writing my thesis pretty much while I am in Japan! And my interviewers were all really happy by that. My speaking level is low (my reading is better) – I can introduce myself and say phrases but not hold a conversation. They were VERY aware that I was interested to experience Japan first hand and to further my knowledge for my studies.
constantineintokyo
I am going to start making more posts about the JET Program, including the more difficult parts of being an ALT. I don’t want these posts to just be emotional attacks on the program, but a more objective look at certain aspects of JET that can be improved. The reasons why I haven’t been posting a lot of entries about my personal experiences on JET are A) because I want to make sure to stay sensitive to the privacy of everyone involved and B) because it’s taken me 8 months to just get my head screwed on straight and properly reoriented to life here. When I first arrived, I was having way too many, “WTF is going on here, this is NOTHING like what I expected” moments to be a trustworthy commentator.
Haha, I know what you mean about Japanese! When I’m sitting comfortably at my desk trying to read something, Japanese doesn’t seem terribly impossible. But the minute I’m put on the spot and need to communicate I’m just like, “Ack! There’s no way I can speak this language!” Thankfully, that reaction has definitely started to go away since living here, but I still have a long way to go.
nihonbecca
I’d like to read those blogs about things that could be improved/negative experiences.
I think that the application process being so long, sort of makes you focus on the application, rather than the reality of living and working in a foreign country.
For example, I’ve been shortlisted, but all I’m worrying about is whether my health form was okay (I had to get about 3 different doctors/nurses to write on it and had problems with them sorting it out etc.) and I am feeling like it’s not ‘certain’ until they say my forms are okay and I get my placement in May.
And because of the worrying about forms I can’t even think about the realistic issues of being a JET in Japan. :/
Dork Huntress
This is a great and informative post. I have applied already and have been alternated, but i am certain any new applicants would find this a sources of invaluable information. I for one was wracking my brains and tearing up the internet for such information.
I also found your video’s very informative, thanks for making those too 🙂
I agree with a comment made earlier regarding the preference of JETs from the USA. I had always believed that as it was a greater nation, more individuals would apply creating a higher percentage of those who make it through, not necessarily a bias.
constantineintokyo
Sorry to hear that you’ve been placed as an alternate. I don’t envy anyone that experience, it makes me think of Dante’s Divine Comedy or something equally frustrating.
I hope you end up hearing some good news or finding another cool opportunity in Japan. Be sure to keep in touch, I’d look forward to reading more about your experience!
JGarant
Very interesting post. I wished it had been there for me to read when I applied. Information about the JET programme is mostly scattered everywhere and you never know if it is reliable. I’ve watched some of your videos on YouTube before the interview and after, to calm myself down. What you do is really helpful for all the future applicants, keep up the good work.
I made it into the JET programme and I’ll be heading to Tokyo in August. One of the few French speakers who get selected from Canada =D I’ve been studying Japanese for 4 years – but it is not very good yet – and I have already spent a semester in Japan. I was worried it would turn against me, but I’m glad it didn’t.
Thanks again for the thorough article.
constantineintokyo
Congratulations on getting into JET! All that hard work paid off! Be sure to let me know where you get placed (I’m always curious) and hopefully I’ll be able to see you in Tokyo!
JGarant
You asked that I tell you my placement, here it is: Mihama-chô, Wakayama-ken.
Wakayama was my third choice and I hope I’d be near the beach if I went there. So I’m pretty happy it is the case.
Maybe we’ll meet in Tokyo 🙂
constantineintokyo
Congrats on the placement! Wakayama-ken…lots of mountains. I was just down there visiting Koyasan earlier this month. If you like temples, you should definitely visit it! If I could, I’d trade you my beaches for your mountains any day…but I’ve just got this thing for mountains! =P
JGarant
I’ve been to Koya-san when I was living in the Kansai during my study abroad. I slept at one of the temples over there. It is a very beautiful place indeed 🙂
Well, I’ve got both mountains and beaches, since Mihama is on the coast of the prefecture. Couldn’t be happier =D
BlindIntensity
Thanks for all your hard work and research on this subject.
I will be graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology in May of 2011, and plan on applying for the Jet Programme in September when the application becomes available.
I have always been curious on some of the more ‘secretive’ aspects of the programme, and this really gives me a lot to think about.
Even with the odds, the worst that will happen is that i’m not accepted, right? There’s no harm is trying!
constantineintokyo
There is definitely no harm in applying!! Considering what JET is looking for, I feel like they’d be interested in hiring people who have studied Anthropology…at least, that’s what I would do if I was working on a selection committee. Good luck!
BlindIntensity
That’s my hope! Since the whole world seems to be going towards globalization, i think it would be important to have someone in your employ who knows how to look outside their own culture to see how things are working together.
Thank you!
shane
You’ve certainly done your homework. There is some stuff there I didn’t know, and I work at CLAIR. Importing Diversity is a great read, but it is dated.
Just a few things to clarify that I noticed:
1. We do not prefer Americans. From the numbers I’ve seen, we take a relatively equal percentage of the overall applicants from each participating country (for English ALTs), so the greater numbers in Americans reflect the number of applicants.
2. We don’t prefer people without Japanese. This may actually have been the case in the past however, so I don’t think it is a dubious claim. In recent years we have reversed this and now we prefer people with some knowledge of Japanese, as they have an easier time adapting to life here. Japanese skills won’t get you shortlisted necessarily, but they are definitely preferred.
3. We do not prefer younger people directly from university, although there is the in principle age cap as it is a “youth exchange programme”. That said, there are far more youths, but this again reflects the applicants. Much of our recruiting is done at universities and university job fairs. However, if given the choice, local governments in Japan prefer people with some working experience and the interviewing embassies/consulates know this.
4. We certainly don’t prefer once ethnicity over another, although I wouldn’t doubt that 20 years ago those conversations reported in Importing Diversity were actually happening at CLAIR. The JET Programme has done a lot of good over the years though, and CLAIR is now, naturally, one of the most, if not the most, internationalized institutions run of the Japanese government. If even a hint of such a notion were ever to rise, believe me one of the former JETs at CLAIR like me would unleash terror on the person that entertained the idea. It would be comical, I assure you.
constantineintokyo
Thanks a lot for the comment! The information in Importing Diversity is definitely dated…I repeatedly pointed that out in this post to make sure that anyone reading it is aware that most of the research and statistics are from the early 1990s. My own knowledge of the process is close to nothing, so I’m extremely happy that you posted this! I’m going to include the points that you made in this comment into the main body of the post, because I think it will be valuable and helpful to any future applicants who end up reading it. Thanks again!
Keiko Potthast
Valuable information and excellent design you got here! I would like to thank you for sharing your thoughts and time into the stuff you post!! Thumbs up!
Jason H.
After years of blogging and vlogging about JET, I got my first behind-the-scenes access to the application process this past February when I was invited, as a JET Alum, to participate in the interviews for 2010-2011 candidates.
Even tho I was an ALT for 5 years, I ended up interviewing CIR candidates and it was a really interesting experience. I did find out a few things that I can’t really discuss (there’s that whole secretive thing), but one thing I found interesting is that your paper application is graded on a point scale, with each section being assigned some number of points from zero to the maximum for that section.
The two sections getting you the most possible points toward getting that interview? Your SoP (essay) and your two letters of recommendation. So if you’re a future applicant – work on those two aspects completely.
Another thing I found interesting – we assessed all 6 people we saw that day on their own merits, but you inevitably end up comparing interviewee #2 versus interviewee #5, etc. He was better than she, or she was more genki than him, etc. So many factors can influence if you make it in or not, even the group you end up interviewing with that day.
And I know the numbers coming out the LA consulate last year and this year indicate an acceptance rate of about 1 in 6. So yeah, it’s competitive. But some of that falls to the shitty economy back home which makes ALTs stay in Japan longer, meaning less slots for newbies.
I think all the stuff about wanting whites over ethnicities, Americans over others, younger people over more mature applicants is hogwash. Those choices might be born out by stats of who actually gets in, but my guess is because tons more whites apply than blacks or Asians, tons more people in their 20s then in their 30s, etc.
Overall tho, a very good posting – glad I got to read it.
Cheers,
Jason
constantineintokyo
I am sure that you have a much more nuanced understanding of the selection process than I do…I know absolutely nothing about it, but I wanted to write an entry that I would have been interested in reading back when I was applying. I agree with you that I stuff about preferring whites/Americans/younger people is hogwash. There are a lot of factors that affect any application process and people tend to like to zero in on the most superficial and fixate on them. Thanks for taking the time to read this post!!
PS – I was hoping that you actually got the giant Mario tattoo! Or well… =P
Rodrick Wirtanen
Finally a smart blogger…I love how you’re thinking and writing!
tara
I think the selection process though tediously involved is not really difficult to understand if you look at it from the employers point-of-view. What they want to avoid are major headaches for themselves of which the worst would be employing someone who breaks their contract. This will undoubtedly be a perennial problem which is partly why they have the alternate list.
The reasons for failure can probably be summed up as a lack of serious thought about the realities of living in Japan. If you can demonstrate at the application process that your interest in Japan is sufficient to weather the inevitable culture shock, that you don’t have unrealistic expectations and are reasonably stable then (providing the rest of your application in terms of academic qualifications and some experience of working with children is acceptable) you stand a good chance of making it to the interview stage.
The next major problem they will want to avoid is employing someone whose behaviour will be unacceptable in Japan. This is also no doubt a perennial problem. The interview will mostly be a test of how presentable the candidate is. Obviously there is also the language test but in truth there are plenty of ALTs who cannot spell or punctuate.
judith
I just got my letter last week for my interview and I’m pretty excited! This post was helpful, but I’m starting to think that reading too much about it is making it worse for me. Interviews sound like they’re horrible. One question though, I keep reading on and off about a language test? Is that just for certain countries or does the US do that as well?
Elgin
Magnificent Post! The process does seem very mysterious, but I guess that’s the beauty in it; and what keeps us applicants so intrigued!
My interview was last week, and all I can say is that it’s all in God’s hands now! I just feel blessed to be in the interview stage, but I wish I did have more time with them (I love to talk lol)
thanx again 🙂
Han
Great blog post Constantine, I shared it with the rest of my JET friends This is a topic that always comes up when you put a group of JETs together. I’m glad you found and broke down for us a literary reference that gives us insight into how the JET selection really works.
I’m disappointed I stumbled onto this so long after the fact. You might remember me, we started JET the same year and chatted once or twice on Skype when we were both starry-eyed newbies. I’ve been reading through your blog this week because I’ve been bored at work, and I wanted to find out about your experiences in Japan (last year the rate of your vlogs/posts slowed down and turned into movie reviews which didn’t hold my attention as much, sorry ADHD)
Anyways seeing as how I’m a Canadian-Asian male who was placed in Osaka, I’m kind of the complete opposite of you in terms of a JET. That’s why I really wanted to pipe-in about the “is the selection process fair?” question.
1. I disagree with this criticism. Canadians are loved by the JET Programme and many of us were accepted. It comes down to who the contracting organizations has a preference for (if their last ALT was a great Canadian, they’re inclined to ask for someone like that again), and if your interviewers and consulate like you enough.
2. Agreed. And I don’t think this is an unfair criticism, it’s just a reality of the JET program, like you say. Although there were tons of different nationalities of JETs in Osaka, we all were able to become quick friends together because of our youth and fun personalities. The age cap is quite important IMO, as it helps students relate to you better. Teaching experience means little, and in fact I can tell you from experience working with other JETs that for those who actually had teaching experience, becoming a JET was a hugely jarring and disillusioning experience for these former teachers because being a good ALT in Japan is vastly different from being a good teacher in their native countries. That would worthy of an entire blog post on it’s own.
3. This is a minor factor. I can make a census group from the ~100 JETs I met. Japanese language ability greatly varies amongst us, some were fluent, some not. The most common factor is that we all demonstrated some sort of desire to improve our Japanese, that’s what was important.
4. Not true, as much as it might make us minorities feel better about ourselves for getting a rejection letter. JETs are extremely diverse. Again you’re being selected by your respective country’s consulates here. Do you really think Japan sends racist/selective diplomats to the countries they’re supposed to build ties with? What IS true however is that our experiences as JETs are very different whether you’re an ethnic Asian like me who can blend into a Japanese crowd, or a ‘visible’ minority like you Constantine (hah it sounds absurd to say it)
Hope you keep posting new things about life in Japan!
Ashley
Just stumbled across this post today (someone shared it on Twitter). Great comprehensive write-up on the JET application process! It definitely is difficult to determine what factors might be negative or positive in terms of who gets accepted and who doesn’t. My husband was born in Japan, spent his childhood there and speaks fluent Japanese, but for him I think it was a positive thing (he also had teaching experience and a LOT of experience working with children and teens). It didn’t hurt that his older sister had done JET also (and his younger brother was also accepted a year later).
Another note regarding who is put where: I was told the reason I was placed at my first school was due to the fact I was white (and the school hadn’t had a white ALT before). Here I was thinking perhaps it had something to do with my background, my skills, that sort of thing, and it just came down to how I looked. (I’m sure there was a bit more than that involved, of course, but more or less, that was a main factor). That isn’t necessarily directly related to who is shortlisted, but somewhat related.
I also wonder if part of the reason the US has so many participants is due simply to the fact there is a larger pool to draw from. This could just be speculation, but for instance, in the UK, I read last year or the year before that the JET Program isn’t quite as popular as it used to be and they’ve had to try and recruit more people to JET. I’m sure it varies quite a bit.
Anyway, thanks for taking the time to put this together.
dispense1983
This is such an informative post. Thanks for the entry. Maybe see you in Japan one day!
constantineintokyo
Thanks! I’ll probably be back in Japan in 2013 for a bit 🙂
Lauren
This is a great post about JET. I’m a ESL Major in college right now, and I’m seriously considering applying to JET after I graduate. However, do you think spending a semester studying abroad in Japan would help me appear more attractive to the JET interviewers?
Sid
Thank you so much for this wonderful post! Honestly I’ve been stressing about the application process so much that I’m up late at night researching everything I can think of. I know that if I do get granted an interview I will nail it, I’m charismatic and I enjoy answering questions and such. I just don’t enjoy putting myself on paper and hoping I did everything right. Reading your post has really put an “ease” on me because I know I have most of the paper work, (the application and forms have not been released yet for the 2013 application) I thank you again though for this post. I will probably sleep alright tonight haha.
Rick Fogle
Hello there,
I am graduating with a BA in Anthropology in December, and I am also considering this program. My question for you is, are there a lot of older ALTs over there right now? I just turned 34 so I hope my age doesn’t prevent me from going. Please respond when you can.
Jason
Rick – you can check out my vids on being an older ALT on my YouTube channel – Myargonauts. Best of luck. -Jason
Tif
Hi,
I want to say thanks for the awesome information. Your blog has been a great source of guidance for me during my JET process. Your advice on the JET application helped me so much, and next week I’ll be interviewing! I have dreamed of participating in JET since my freshmen year of college. It’s exciting to see it slowly coming together, so I wanted to thank you.
JET 2nd-timer
Fabulous perspectives on experiences shared at your site! I was a JET ALT back in 1999 – 2002 in Chiba-ken, and I loved it! I reapplied to JET again and was just granted an interview. One reason I’m reapplying is that the program notified that ex-JETs CAN return. I also want to get back into teaching after working outside of the field since leaving JET, and I want to be immersed in the language again to push my Japanese fluency further to pass the JLPT exam (passing N2 level is my goal).
Do you or anyone reading this have any quick insight, experience, or advice regarding the interview questions the second time around, or the likelihood that I will be accepted as a second-time JET participant before I go into the interview this coming week? Does anyone know how much harder the interview is for previous JETs??? Anyone know the interview questions asked of second-timers??? Thank you, in advance!
Juvenal Moniz Amaral
JET programed i just found from web side when i access the net and this information i do not know exactly. and I really interest with this programed if it has opportunity for young people i would like to apply this programed that all my short information soon i am waiting for you. here is my address: i am Juvenal Moniz Amaral. from Timor-Leste currently i am studying at University of Timor-Lorosa’e (UNTL) and now i am seventh(7) semester of English department and faculty of education art and humanity. here my phone number + 670 780 41 986
Kings (JET interviewee)
I am a JET applicant this year (2014), after my interview I notices something that worried me about my chances of getting into the JET Program. From all the applicants and former JETs I encountered on my Interview I was the only “minority” there. Most of my interview questions all revolved around “….as a unique individual….”. It got me thinking about acceptance rates for non-White applicants, after some digging around I found this: “Promoting Japan: One JET at a Time” an academic article by Emily T. Metzgar released in 2012.
Regarding Race/Ethnicity and fairness (#4) here is what shocked me about their results:
“Presentation of findings from this JET alumni survey therefore begins with general demographic information about the Americans who have participated in Japan’s large-scale public diplomacy effort… Concerning race or ethnic group, 79% reported being White, 14% Asian, 4% Hispanic or Latino, 3% Black or African American, and 6% either declining to respond or selecting ‘other.'” (pg. 25-26)
Any thoughts? Are my chances hurt at all by my “non-white” classification? Here is a link the full article:
http://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/publications/perspectives/CPD_Perspectives_Paper_3_2012.pdf
Shayshay
I’m carribean, so this question also concerns me a lot! I hope you got into the program this year. Could you please let us know how the rest of your application process went?
Ganbatte
Dexter
Great post. I will bbe experiencing a few of these issues as well..
Momo
YEAH Thanks for taking the time to do this. I just finished college at NYU and I have been interested in the Jet Program for years. This was super helpful.
Shayshay
YEAH Thanks for taking the time to do this. I just finished college at NYU and I have been interested in the Jet Program for years. This was super helpful.
Shayshay
oops sorry reposted twice lol my bad it told me my first one didn’t post because it was a duplicate so I tried again. Still an awesome article though <3
Davis
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