If a JET applicant ever tells you they weren't nervous in the days/weeks leading up to receiving their results, they are a liar. A true bald faced liar. Feel free to give people like this a solid kick to the shin because everyone who applies to the program gets nervous once results come out.
Two months of waiting, and it all comes down to one letter/email.
If you thought the over-analyzing post-interview was bad, it's nothing compared to this. Many people I've talked to, all strong applicants mind you, were convinced they'd been rejected outright or maybe (maaaaybe, with a sliver of hope) chosen as an alternate. I'm definitely part of this group.
I spent many a sleepless night going over and over my interview in my head, convinced I had screwed myself. After all, why would JET want someone who taught in their mock lesson that the sun is yellow when EVERYONE knows that in Japan they say the sun is red? (-1000 points for cultural awareness.)
Oh, and let's not forget that when they asked you 'what's interesting about you and what talents can you bring to your community in Japan' you answered, "Well... I'm a history nerd but I guess that's not really a special talent. Uh... I can play guitar?" (Fail.)
There was a lot of this going on, especially once the results were released and I watched on the ITIL forum as member after member posted their shortlist designations. One by one, the people I'd come to know from the Applying forum announced their shortlist status and as I congratulated each one of them the anxiety over my own results intensified. What if I didn't get in? It was a very real possibility.
I could picture it perfectly - everyone departing come July/August for a year of fun times and cultural experiences in Japan while I was left behind to decide whether I'd even bother applying next year.
Thanks to the Canadian consulate's decision to send out results via snail mail, we had to wait an extra few days. Someone called the consulate - the letters were mailed Tuesday. The waiting game was on. I didn't expect to see anything until Thursday but then Wednesday hit and I still held my breath as I opened my mail box slot.
Inside was a conspicuous white envelope from the Japanese consulate. I was expecting a package if I got in and a letter if I didn't. Right away, I said "Well, damn." and thought the worst. But as I was walking back to the house I noticed that it was a rather thick envelope. I'd heard of the Japanese penchant for long-windedness, but I was still left thinking, "If this is a rejection letter, it's the longest rejection letter I've ever seen!"
Was it possible that me, lil' ol' Canadian with the crappy interview, had possibly gotten in?
I didn't even make it into the house.
Standing on my front porch with an open can of Red Bull in hand, I tore open the envelope and got as far as "We are pleased...*skim* shortlisted" before I jumped, screamed with excitement and wound up dumping half a can of Red Bull on myself and my letter (oops...)
So after all that waiting - I'm going to Japan. Shortlisted, no less.
I'm absolutely thrilled, but my family - not so much. Mom and Dad are happy for me, of course, since they know how much I wanted to do this, but they're not thrilled with the idea of me being out of the country for a year or more. They've both been moping around the house for the past few days, giving me long looks with sad faces. Sara's been a bit more supportive and a lot less angsty about it but I know she'll miss me too (and I'll miss her).
Leaving my family and friends behind will be one of the hardest parts of this whole process. I'm going to chronicle a bit of the journey on here - emotional and otherwise - that takes place between now and August 1st so you guys can have an idea about what happens after The Letter.
Right now though, my biggest concern is the medical check that's required to be submitted with your acceptance letter. They only give you until April 24th to have a health check done - including a chest X-ray to screen for TB. Now, anyone from Ontario knows how hard it is to get in and see a doctor on short notice.
I went Thursday to a walk in clinic to see if they would help me. They refused. I went to my family doctor who was all booked up for next week but managed to see the other doctor who works with her as a walk-in patient. He did some of the tests and gave me the requisition for the chest x-ray. I now get to take time off work so I can go back next Monday, the only time my doctor was available, to get her to finish off my paperwork so I can mail it in to the consulate on time. Because it's not just that you mail it in by April 24th, your letter has to be at the CONSULATE by the 24th upon pain of disqualification (of course).
I have a feeling the next three months are going to be a lot of running around like a chicken with my head cut off but that this point I'm too happy/excited to care.
Japan, here I come!
Showing posts with label JET Program Application. Show all posts
Showing posts with label JET Program Application. Show all posts
April 11, 2009
February 20, 2009
JET Program Part 2: The Interview
"With great power comes great responsibility."
Uncle Ben was a smart guy. His words of wisdom helped Peter Parker become Spider-man, but they won't help you ace the JET interview. Sorry.
If you're anything like me and actually care about getting on the JET Program, it's hard to describe the JET Interview process as anything but nerve wracking.
I spent weeks (okay, months...) prior to my interview researching the program, preparing answers to interview questions, and thinking about how I would respond to some of the trickier scenarios they might throw at me. I also spent a lot of time lurking around several JET Program online forums. In particular, found the I Think I'm Lost Forum to be a big help because of their dedicated sections for applicants and interviewees - complete with past questions, advice and FAQs (available here).
I'm not sure how many other people prepared this way, but that's just how I went about it. Going into my interview I felt confident, certain that I was an ideal candidate for the position and determined to impress my interviewers. I left the interview room feeling less certain about all of the above, but more on that later.
I think my first problem might have been lack of sleep. Because I was stressing about the interview I got about an hour of sleep beforehand - under eye bags aren't the best way to make a good first impression. So after ice packs on the eyes, lots of make up and donning my sharp Executive-esque suit I headed to the University of Toronto to plead my case.
For the most part, everyone in the waiting room was very quiet and everyone waiting in the hall outside their room looked a nervous wreck. They had a video playing for us to watch in the waiting room. It was about the JET experience as an ALT and CIR. It was actually pretty good and I got some ideas from it that I used later in my interview so you should probably pay attention to it.
After the video there was a really awkward silence as the group of us realized we had 10 minutes to kill before we headed to our interview rooms. I decided to talk with one of the girls at the registration desk who happened to be a former JET. She was really nice and we had a good chat about what it's like to be the only white person living in a rural town in Japan. I believe her name was Andrea and she was incredibly nice - exactly what I'd imagine a former JET to be like. I felt really good after talking to her and totally ready for my interview.
When the time was right, I headed up to my designated room where they were waiting for me. There were only two people on my panel - a female former JET and a male member of the Japanese Consulate. The female JET was very friendly and the gentleman from the Consulate was very stone faced, but I'd kind of expected that going in so I was prepared for it. (Even so, it does a number on your nerves!)
The interview was about 25-30 minutes long and they asked me a variety of questions, with some of them being a little odder than others. I was one of the lucky (or unlucky?) few who got to do a teaching demonstration. More on that later as well.
Their first question to me was "How did you hear about JET?" Followed by, "Tell us about some of the research you've done into the program and Japan."
After those preliminaries were out of the way they focused primarily on my teaching experience. They asked what my most rewarding experience in the classroom was, as well was what my most challenging experience was. One question I thought was a little strange was they asked me to give an example of an instance in the workplace where I'd put my code of ethics into play.
They also asked the following in no particular order:
There were also several scenario questions they threw my way. One had was getting me to describe what I thought a typical day as an ALT would be. I gave a pretty detailed answer and they seemed pleased with it. For Scenario #2 they asked what I'd do if my friends and I made plans to go out on the weekend, and we wouldn't be back until late Sunday night, but I had a big day on Monday at school.
All in all I think my answers were okay to all of the above - showing that yes, I'd done my research, I had a brain and I could be an excellent ambassador to Canada.
Then came the dreaded lesson.
"We want you to demonstrate your teaching ability to us," they said wearing knowing smiles. "We're you're students and we know very little English. Teach us about colours."
Teaching about colours is easier said than done when all you have is a chalkboard with white chalk and 10 seconds to prep. Needless to say I think my lesson sucked hard. My drawings were horrible and overall I thought it wasn't very engaging. At one point I added a happy face to my deformed sun just to make it look somewhat better. By the time I finished the former JET looked like she was holding in hysterical laughter (not the good kind) and the member from the Japanese Consulate was stone-faced. They did participate when I asked them to though, which was merciful of them. I have to thank them for that!
Once the interview was over I asked them a couple questions of my own. I asked the former JET about what one of the hardest things about moving to Japan for her was and then I asked them both about what my chances of working with younger children were since I knew the BOE's are planning to introduce the English language program at the elementary level and I really wanted the opportunity to work with children. They basically said that it's up to the BOE wherever I got hired.
And that was it. I got up, thanked them, shook their hands and was ushered out the door.
I spent the entire rest of that day mulling over all the things I wish I'd said/done differently, things I should've told them, ways I could've done my mock lesson differently... Honestly I was driving myself crazy until I realized that at this point it's entirely out of my hands. If I'm accepted, awesome! If not, I'll move on to Plan B. Either way I'll be in Japan teaching English at some point next year. If it takes me a little longer to get there it's no big deal.
I'm glad to have the interview behind me and I'm ready to go on with life as I knew it before my JET application (while I wait for the final results to come out in the first week of April).
My advice to prospective JET interviewers is this - be friendly, SMILE (seriously it was stone faces everywhere when I was waiting), be enthusiastic, and know yourself. Know what you want, why you want to be in the program and all the reasons why you'd be an ideal candidate. And for the sake of doing better than me, prep yourself for several different styles of mock lessons (colours, national holiday, self-intro, lesson on your hometown/state/country, etc.). Colours was the one mock lesson I didn't prep for and that oversight just might have screwed me, so it's better to be over-prepared than under-prepared :)
Best of luck to everyone who still has to interview or will be interviewing next year. I've given you all the advice I can, now go forth and impress. With any luck I'll see you in Japan ;)
- The Genki Canuck
Onward to Part 3: The Results
Uncle Ben was a smart guy. His words of wisdom helped Peter Parker become Spider-man, but they won't help you ace the JET interview. Sorry.
If you're anything like me and actually care about getting on the JET Program, it's hard to describe the JET Interview process as anything but nerve wracking.
I spent weeks (okay, months...) prior to my interview researching the program, preparing answers to interview questions, and thinking about how I would respond to some of the trickier scenarios they might throw at me. I also spent a lot of time lurking around several JET Program online forums. In particular, found the I Think I'm Lost Forum to be a big help because of their dedicated sections for applicants and interviewees - complete with past questions, advice and FAQs (available here).
I'm not sure how many other people prepared this way, but that's just how I went about it. Going into my interview I felt confident, certain that I was an ideal candidate for the position and determined to impress my interviewers. I left the interview room feeling less certain about all of the above, but more on that later.
I think my first problem might have been lack of sleep. Because I was stressing about the interview I got about an hour of sleep beforehand - under eye bags aren't the best way to make a good first impression. So after ice packs on the eyes, lots of make up and donning my sharp Executive-esque suit I headed to the University of Toronto to plead my case.
For the most part, everyone in the waiting room was very quiet and everyone waiting in the hall outside their room looked a nervous wreck. They had a video playing for us to watch in the waiting room. It was about the JET experience as an ALT and CIR. It was actually pretty good and I got some ideas from it that I used later in my interview so you should probably pay attention to it.
After the video there was a really awkward silence as the group of us realized we had 10 minutes to kill before we headed to our interview rooms. I decided to talk with one of the girls at the registration desk who happened to be a former JET. She was really nice and we had a good chat about what it's like to be the only white person living in a rural town in Japan. I believe her name was Andrea and she was incredibly nice - exactly what I'd imagine a former JET to be like. I felt really good after talking to her and totally ready for my interview.
When the time was right, I headed up to my designated room where they were waiting for me. There were only two people on my panel - a female former JET and a male member of the Japanese Consulate. The female JET was very friendly and the gentleman from the Consulate was very stone faced, but I'd kind of expected that going in so I was prepared for it. (Even so, it does a number on your nerves!)
The interview was about 25-30 minutes long and they asked me a variety of questions, with some of them being a little odder than others. I was one of the lucky (or unlucky?) few who got to do a teaching demonstration. More on that later as well.
Their first question to me was "How did you hear about JET?" Followed by, "Tell us about some of the research you've done into the program and Japan."
After those preliminaries were out of the way they focused primarily on my teaching experience. They asked what my most rewarding experience in the classroom was, as well was what my most challenging experience was. One question I thought was a little strange was they asked me to give an example of an instance in the workplace where I'd put my code of ethics into play.
They also asked the following in no particular order:
- what my Japanese speaking ability is
- what Canadian landmarks I'd show to people in Japan
- what three things I'd bring with me to explain/share Canadian culture
- how I'd combat homesickness
- how I would feel if I didn't get my first choice of placement
- what my special skills and hobbies were
- how I would get involved with the community
- what volunteer work I'd done
- what experience I had working with/teaching young children
- what aspects of Japanese culture I wanted to explore
- what qualities I had that would make me a good applicant
There were also several scenario questions they threw my way. One had was getting me to describe what I thought a typical day as an ALT would be. I gave a pretty detailed answer and they seemed pleased with it. For Scenario #2 they asked what I'd do if my friends and I made plans to go out on the weekend, and we wouldn't be back until late Sunday night, but I had a big day on Monday at school.
All in all I think my answers were okay to all of the above - showing that yes, I'd done my research, I had a brain and I could be an excellent ambassador to Canada.
Then came the dreaded lesson.
"We want you to demonstrate your teaching ability to us," they said wearing knowing smiles. "We're you're students and we know very little English. Teach us about colours."
Teaching about colours is easier said than done when all you have is a chalkboard with white chalk and 10 seconds to prep. Needless to say I think my lesson sucked hard. My drawings were horrible and overall I thought it wasn't very engaging. At one point I added a happy face to my deformed sun just to make it look somewhat better. By the time I finished the former JET looked like she was holding in hysterical laughter (not the good kind) and the member from the Japanese Consulate was stone-faced. They did participate when I asked them to though, which was merciful of them. I have to thank them for that!
Once the interview was over I asked them a couple questions of my own. I asked the former JET about what one of the hardest things about moving to Japan for her was and then I asked them both about what my chances of working with younger children were since I knew the BOE's are planning to introduce the English language program at the elementary level and I really wanted the opportunity to work with children. They basically said that it's up to the BOE wherever I got hired.
And that was it. I got up, thanked them, shook their hands and was ushered out the door.
I spent the entire rest of that day mulling over all the things I wish I'd said/done differently, things I should've told them, ways I could've done my mock lesson differently... Honestly I was driving myself crazy until I realized that at this point it's entirely out of my hands. If I'm accepted, awesome! If not, I'll move on to Plan B. Either way I'll be in Japan teaching English at some point next year. If it takes me a little longer to get there it's no big deal.
I'm glad to have the interview behind me and I'm ready to go on with life as I knew it before my JET application (while I wait for the final results to come out in the first week of April).
My advice to prospective JET interviewers is this - be friendly, SMILE (seriously it was stone faces everywhere when I was waiting), be enthusiastic, and know yourself. Know what you want, why you want to be in the program and all the reasons why you'd be an ideal candidate. And for the sake of doing better than me, prep yourself for several different styles of mock lessons (colours, national holiday, self-intro, lesson on your hometown/state/country, etc.). Colours was the one mock lesson I didn't prep for and that oversight just might have screwed me, so it's better to be over-prepared than under-prepared :)
Best of luck to everyone who still has to interview or will be interviewing next year. I've given you all the advice I can, now go forth and impress. With any luck I'll see you in Japan ;)
- The Genki Canuck
Onward to Part 3: The Results
January 29, 2009
JET Program Part 1: The Application
In a world filled with uncertainty, the one thing that can be universally agreed upon is that the application for the JET Program is one giant headache.
The application itself is a three-part process: the paper application, the interview, the short list.
Paper applications become available usually in September/October and are due in the end of November. The 2008 application in Canada was available Sept 22 and due Nov 18th (just to give you an idea of the time line). This may seem like a significant amount of time to get one little paper application together. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that way! Between writing your Statement of Purpose (and re-writing it a dozen times), getting copies of transcripts or proof of enrollment, the necessary medical documentation (if needed) and obtaining the two reference letters you need to apply, you will be lucky to get your application into the Japanese consulate on time.
I started working on my application the first week of October and was able to submit it a week early, but I know a lot of people were down to the wire and here's why:
Reference Letters.
The biggest threat to your deadline is your reference letters - so take care of those FIRST. And be VIGILANT. One of my references was great - got everything into me well ahead of time. The other I literally had to email half a dozen times and then call to get the letter in time to mail it in. It's different for everyone, of course, but just be conscious of the fact that asking for a reference letter last minute doesn't look all that great on you (it makes you look disorganized) and not everyone can work to your schedule.
Transcripts/ Letter of Enrollment.
With the transcripts and letters of enrollment, it's usually college/university bureaucracy that puts the brakes on this one. Some schools have fees, others won't print transcripts at certain period in the semester, sometimes it takes a few days to get the documents printed... basically they're a huge pain in the ass and will wind up costing you if you don't take care of them early. At least if you tackle them at the start of the application process, they're something you can get out of the way and not have to worry about when it comes to that fast approaching deadline.
The Statement of Purpose.
Oh the Statement of Purpose, how I loathe thee. The SoP is a two page (max) essay detailing all the reasons why you want to participate in the program and why you'd be a good candidate. Writing that thing was one of the hardest compositions I've done to date because you simply don't know what they're looking for.
Are they going to appreciate your quirky sense of humour or your self-professed sushi obsession? Or is that going to be an immediate black mark? Should you focus on your teaching experience or international experience? Should it be formal or informal? Just how strict IS that page limit anyway?
Writing the SoP is no easy task and from what I've heard it can make or break your application so here are some things to consider-
At the end of the day, you're applying for a job - just like you would with any other company. Given that, professionalism seems to be the safest route to take. So if you're trying to decide between a formal or informal approach, go for formal. Treating the application seriously is a good indicator to the review panel that you are serious about the position and they should bring you in for an interview.
(On a side note, you should probably also refrain from mentioning in your SoP that you're an OMG! A DIE-HARD Naruto fan!, or that you have like absolutely EVERY Inuyasha volume ever published because it's like the BEST MANGA EVER! If you're a fan of anime and manga that's cool, but if it comes across that that's your reason for wanting to go to Japan they're going to move on to the next candidate. Save the fanboying/fangirling for once you're there).
Answer the question. I can't emphasize this enough. The JET application lists specific questions they want to see answers to in your SoP so it is a wise idea to use those as a guideline when you're writing. Mainly they want to know what your interest in Japan is, why you think you'd make a good candidate and what YOU can bring to the program. One of the biggest mistakes people make is talking about all the great things the JET Program will do for them. WRONG! This goes back to the whole "think of it like a job interview" thing. Your prospective employer doesn't want to hear how the job is going to make you a ton of money or give you worldly experience, they want to hear what you're bringing to the table and how you're going to improve their bottom line.
Edit. Edit. Edit. You're applying to be an English teacher so your SoP should be near perfect in terms of style, grammar and flow. Don't leave the SoP to the last minute thinking you can just whip something off and hand it in. You're setting yourself up for failure if you do that. Though there may be a gifted few who can write beautiful poignant perfect two page SoPs in an hour no problem, most of us need more time to gather our thoughts, get them to paper and then edit them.
I re-wrote my SoP half a dozen times before I was happy with it - the final version ended up being written the night before I submitted my application. I had at least three different people read over my SoP for spelling, grammar, flow and just a general sense of how well I answered the questions supplied by JET. This is where getting your SoP started early comes in handy!
Having a working SoP is also a great tool to give your references so they have more info on the program and your specific reasons for wanting to be a part of it. I gave a working copy of my SoP to both my references and they not only appreciated it, but were able to make reference in their letters to specific things I'd mentioned in my essay - so being organized works!
The Application
So you've got your letters of reference, transcripts, nicely polished SoP, medical forms etc. You're in the home stretch right? Not quite. Next comes the actual paper application which is an absolute mammoth 60 pages of reading. Some consultes still give out actual paper applications, the UK uses online forms and many others now provide workable PDF documents.
DO NOT (I repeat, DO NOT!) skip over the Application Instructions. It's easy to sit there and say to yourself, "how hard could it possibly be to fill in an application? I can't believe they have instructions for this!" Bad idea.
With the number of applicants the JET Program receives each year, they're looking for ANY reason to cut you. Those application instructions and your ability to follow them ultimately determines whether they consider your application or not. Why would they hire someone who is incapabale of reading and understanding simple instructions?
Right. So if the application instructions say "use paperclips, not staples" - use paperclips. If they say "be sure to answer every question, or write N/A" then answer every question or write N/A. It's not that hard, but you'd be surprised at the number of people who get simple things like that wrong and wind up with their application getting tossed.
I'd recommend reading the application instructions closely and then filling out a "test" copy of the application. I actually had a couple test copies going in case I changed my mind about something or made a mistake in a ceratin spot. The Canadian PDF this year gave a lot of people, including myself, trouble so we wound up having to fill it out by hand which took forever.
The actual application itself is around 14 pages long. Most of it is basic info like name, address, etc. the rest is work experience, international experience and your exposure to Japanese culture. Don't leave these last sections blank. If you have ANY experience, even if its minor, include it. The paper applications are graded on a point system so having nothing in those boxes gives you 0 points as opposed to the few you might get for having minor experience there.
Part of the paper application deals with placement requests. Placements are something that JET applicants seem to think a lot about when they really shouldn't. The application asks you to list up to three placement choices (cities or regions where you would like to be located within Japan). These by no mean determine where you'll actually wind up. It's better to think of them as "suggestions" or something to keep you busy while waiting to hear application results.
Your placement is entirely up to the Japanese BOE who hires you. Most successful JET applicants end up teaching at Junior or Senior High Schools in the rural our semi-rural countryside. The odds of actually being placed in the urban sprawl of Tokyo, Kyoto or Osaka are very slim (Tokyo, for example, only has 2 spots available). If the thought of living amongst rice fields in a town of 2000 makes you cringe, JET may not be the right option for you.
Okay, so now that you've spent countless hours putting together your application, making all the necessary photocopies, etc., triple checking it to make sure you've checked every box and answered every questions, it's time to send it off.
The JET application instructions include a detailed (with a picture) list of exactly HOW they want everything arranged inside your envelope. FOLLOW THIS CAREFULLY. How much would it suck to go through all that effort only to have your application chucked in the bin because you put your reference letters in the wrong spot?
Just a reminder - there is absolutely NO exceptions made for late applications. They will not be read, opened or even looked at. If it was submitted past the deadline it goes straight into the bin - better luck next year!
Now comes the hard part. Waiting.
It is a loooong two and a half months between submitting your application and hearing the results. Each consulate is different, but this year the Canadian consulate mailed out letters to successful applicants. The American consulate provides you with an applicant number and posts a PDF listing the numbers of successful applicants.
I was one of the lucky ones so I will be heading to Toronto on Feb 18th to plead my case. I'll update you then on the interview process, along with some of the questions they asked me.
Wish me luck!
Coming Soon: Part 2: The Interview!
The application itself is a three-part process: the paper application, the interview, the short list.
Paper applications become available usually in September/October and are due in the end of November. The 2008 application in Canada was available Sept 22 and due Nov 18th (just to give you an idea of the time line). This may seem like a significant amount of time to get one little paper application together. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that way! Between writing your Statement of Purpose (and re-writing it a dozen times), getting copies of transcripts or proof of enrollment, the necessary medical documentation (if needed) and obtaining the two reference letters you need to apply, you will be lucky to get your application into the Japanese consulate on time.
I started working on my application the first week of October and was able to submit it a week early, but I know a lot of people were down to the wire and here's why:
Reference Letters.
The biggest threat to your deadline is your reference letters - so take care of those FIRST. And be VIGILANT. One of my references was great - got everything into me well ahead of time. The other I literally had to email half a dozen times and then call to get the letter in time to mail it in. It's different for everyone, of course, but just be conscious of the fact that asking for a reference letter last minute doesn't look all that great on you (it makes you look disorganized) and not everyone can work to your schedule.
Transcripts/ Letter of Enrollment.
With the transcripts and letters of enrollment, it's usually college/university bureaucracy that puts the brakes on this one. Some schools have fees, others won't print transcripts at certain period in the semester, sometimes it takes a few days to get the documents printed... basically they're a huge pain in the ass and will wind up costing you if you don't take care of them early. At least if you tackle them at the start of the application process, they're something you can get out of the way and not have to worry about when it comes to that fast approaching deadline.
The Statement of Purpose.
Oh the Statement of Purpose, how I loathe thee. The SoP is a two page (max) essay detailing all the reasons why you want to participate in the program and why you'd be a good candidate. Writing that thing was one of the hardest compositions I've done to date because you simply don't know what they're looking for.
Are they going to appreciate your quirky sense of humour or your self-professed sushi obsession? Or is that going to be an immediate black mark? Should you focus on your teaching experience or international experience? Should it be formal or informal? Just how strict IS that page limit anyway?
Writing the SoP is no easy task and from what I've heard it can make or break your application so here are some things to consider-
At the end of the day, you're applying for a job - just like you would with any other company. Given that, professionalism seems to be the safest route to take. So if you're trying to decide between a formal or informal approach, go for formal. Treating the application seriously is a good indicator to the review panel that you are serious about the position and they should bring you in for an interview.
(On a side note, you should probably also refrain from mentioning in your SoP that you're an OMG! A DIE-HARD Naruto fan!, or that you have like absolutely EVERY Inuyasha volume ever published because it's like the BEST MANGA EVER! If you're a fan of anime and manga that's cool, but if it comes across that that's your reason for wanting to go to Japan they're going to move on to the next candidate. Save the fanboying/fangirling for once you're there).
Answer the question. I can't emphasize this enough. The JET application lists specific questions they want to see answers to in your SoP so it is a wise idea to use those as a guideline when you're writing. Mainly they want to know what your interest in Japan is, why you think you'd make a good candidate and what YOU can bring to the program. One of the biggest mistakes people make is talking about all the great things the JET Program will do for them. WRONG! This goes back to the whole "think of it like a job interview" thing. Your prospective employer doesn't want to hear how the job is going to make you a ton of money or give you worldly experience, they want to hear what you're bringing to the table and how you're going to improve their bottom line.
Edit. Edit. Edit. You're applying to be an English teacher so your SoP should be near perfect in terms of style, grammar and flow. Don't leave the SoP to the last minute thinking you can just whip something off and hand it in. You're setting yourself up for failure if you do that. Though there may be a gifted few who can write beautiful poignant perfect two page SoPs in an hour no problem, most of us need more time to gather our thoughts, get them to paper and then edit them.
I re-wrote my SoP half a dozen times before I was happy with it - the final version ended up being written the night before I submitted my application. I had at least three different people read over my SoP for spelling, grammar, flow and just a general sense of how well I answered the questions supplied by JET. This is where getting your SoP started early comes in handy!
Having a working SoP is also a great tool to give your references so they have more info on the program and your specific reasons for wanting to be a part of it. I gave a working copy of my SoP to both my references and they not only appreciated it, but were able to make reference in their letters to specific things I'd mentioned in my essay - so being organized works!
The Application
So you've got your letters of reference, transcripts, nicely polished SoP, medical forms etc. You're in the home stretch right? Not quite. Next comes the actual paper application which is an absolute mammoth 60 pages of reading. Some consultes still give out actual paper applications, the UK uses online forms and many others now provide workable PDF documents.
DO NOT (I repeat, DO NOT!) skip over the Application Instructions. It's easy to sit there and say to yourself, "how hard could it possibly be to fill in an application? I can't believe they have instructions for this!" Bad idea.
With the number of applicants the JET Program receives each year, they're looking for ANY reason to cut you. Those application instructions and your ability to follow them ultimately determines whether they consider your application or not. Why would they hire someone who is incapabale of reading and understanding simple instructions?
Right. So if the application instructions say "use paperclips, not staples" - use paperclips. If they say "be sure to answer every question, or write N/A" then answer every question or write N/A. It's not that hard, but you'd be surprised at the number of people who get simple things like that wrong and wind up with their application getting tossed.
I'd recommend reading the application instructions closely and then filling out a "test" copy of the application. I actually had a couple test copies going in case I changed my mind about something or made a mistake in a ceratin spot. The Canadian PDF this year gave a lot of people, including myself, trouble so we wound up having to fill it out by hand which took forever.
The actual application itself is around 14 pages long. Most of it is basic info like name, address, etc. the rest is work experience, international experience and your exposure to Japanese culture. Don't leave these last sections blank. If you have ANY experience, even if its minor, include it. The paper applications are graded on a point system so having nothing in those boxes gives you 0 points as opposed to the few you might get for having minor experience there.
Part of the paper application deals with placement requests. Placements are something that JET applicants seem to think a lot about when they really shouldn't. The application asks you to list up to three placement choices (cities or regions where you would like to be located within Japan). These by no mean determine where you'll actually wind up. It's better to think of them as "suggestions" or something to keep you busy while waiting to hear application results.
Your placement is entirely up to the Japanese BOE who hires you. Most successful JET applicants end up teaching at Junior or Senior High Schools in the rural our semi-rural countryside. The odds of actually being placed in the urban sprawl of Tokyo, Kyoto or Osaka are very slim (Tokyo, for example, only has 2 spots available). If the thought of living amongst rice fields in a town of 2000 makes you cringe, JET may not be the right option for you.
Okay, so now that you've spent countless hours putting together your application, making all the necessary photocopies, etc., triple checking it to make sure you've checked every box and answered every questions, it's time to send it off.
The JET application instructions include a detailed (with a picture) list of exactly HOW they want everything arranged inside your envelope. FOLLOW THIS CAREFULLY. How much would it suck to go through all that effort only to have your application chucked in the bin because you put your reference letters in the wrong spot?
Just a reminder - there is absolutely NO exceptions made for late applications. They will not be read, opened or even looked at. If it was submitted past the deadline it goes straight into the bin - better luck next year!
Now comes the hard part. Waiting.
It is a loooong two and a half months between submitting your application and hearing the results. Each consulate is different, but this year the Canadian consulate mailed out letters to successful applicants. The American consulate provides you with an applicant number and posts a PDF listing the numbers of successful applicants.
I was one of the lucky ones so I will be heading to Toronto on Feb 18th to plead my case. I'll update you then on the interview process, along with some of the questions they asked me.
Wish me luck!
Coming Soon: Part 2: The Interview!
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