The Interview

Many of you have asked what you can do to prepare for the JET Program and for the big interview:

Here is what you can do to prepare yourself for the JET Program experience:

For starters, if you're still in school, you could opt to take Japan-related courses: Japanese history, Japanese (language), Japanese Literature, Japanese Film Studies, etc. You might consider taking up a Martial Art such as: kyudo (archery), iado (swordsmanship), karate, judo, kendo (fencing), etc. If this is not your area of interest, you might consider taking up ikebana (flower-arrangement), bonsai, shodo (calligraphy), chado (tea-ceremony), or even a musical instrument such as the koto, taiko (drumming), or shakuhachi. Heck, even listening to Japanese music (J-Pop), reading manga (comic books), and watching anime could help you to develop a deeper sense of understanding and appreciation for Japanese culture and society.

Do keep in mind, though, that first and foremost, you're going over to Japan to become an Assistant Language Teacher. You should, therefore, attempt to figure out how you could enrich others' lives with your own culture and identity. You should also try to learn more about the Japanese Education System, if you can. There are many books on this subject (some are pretty dry, though -- even for us History majors. :-p) Understanding the system you become a part of will come in handy later on.

Here is how the interview process usually works:

You'll probably get a call from the Consulate or Embassy asking to set up an appointed time for you to go down for your interview. When you get to the appointment place, you'll probably have to sit in a waiting room, briefly, before getting called in. You'll probably have a couple of people on a panel before you asking a lot of questions. Generally, the panel consists of the JET Coordinator, a former ALT or CIR, and possibly a Japanese professor from a nearby school (at least that is what the panel was comprised of when I gave my interview).

They'll probably ask you a series of questions, ask you to elaborate on some of your school or extracurricular activities, ask if you have any questions for them, and then have you leave. In due time, you'll get told via phone or mail whether you got accepted into the program, are an alternate (which means you'll be on the waiting list until someone who was accepted declines to go), or get flat-out rejected (sucks to be you!)

Here's a quick tipsheet on what to expect during the interview:

Be prepared! You'll probably get asked questions like, "What made you decide you wanted to apply for the JET Program?" or "How do you see yourself being different from someone else applying for the JET Program?" or "Have you always felt comfortable living in your home country? (to determine whether you would make a good ambassador)" or "Do you have an interest in Japanese culture?"

Other questions that you might get asked include: "What do you plan to teach the students about your culture when you get to Japan?", "What would you do if you were 'groped' on the train? (directed at females)", "What would you say are the highlights of your country's history?", or "What do you think makes a good Assistant Language Teacher?".

Don't worry -- you probably won't get asked to describe the differences and similarities between your government's structure and the Japanese government's structure (unless you happen to be applying for a CIR position, but that's another story...)

You might even get asked to explain how you would carry out a sample English lesson in a class. Not to worry, though. Remember, it's not like you need to have a TSL certificate to go on the program. Plus, there should always be a JTE (Japanese Teacher of English -- love the acronyms strewn all over the place?) in the room when you're doing the actual teaching. So, do keep that in mind, as well.

How should you dress? Try using common sense here. How would you dress for other interviews? More than likely, you'll probably want to wear something professional. If you want to make a good impression, trust me, I don't think you're going to get hired wearing shorts, t-shirt, and flipflops. But, you know what? When I went in for my interview, I actually saw someone go in like that! Don't know if he got hired or not (more than likely -- no.)

Do you need to know any Japanese? No, but it might come in handy during the interview if you have prior experience. I had taken a year of Japanese in college and so during the interview, they wanted to see how much I knew even though I wouldn't be accounted for my answers. (You can bet I was sweating!) Well, they turned out to be some pretty simple stuff. Don't worry about not knowing anything about the culture either. The key thing to remember here is that you're interested in the program -- so that you can learn, learn, learn!

In any event, the best thing to do is to try and practice interviewing with a friend or relative. Have them ask you some of these questions (and maybe others, if they think of any). Before you know it, you'll have your answers down so that you could probably recite them in your sleep! Good luck with the interview!