Post-JET Career Options

Looking for a job now that you're back from Japan? Not sure what to do next? Then, check out this site! They have some great ideas on how you can spruce up that ol' resume.

The Official JET Program Screensaver

I'm not too fond of the blue color and the animation seems kind of choppy (maybe I should create a screensaver), but you can get your very own JET Program screensaver for the PC or Mac.

JET Extends Contracts!

This is big news! The JET Program now allows JET participants the opportunity to stay as long as 5 years!

"In the 2004 JET Programme year, an additional 4th or 5th year contract will be available for JETs selected for the position of Specialist Prefectural Advisor and/or Elementary School ALT. The application and selection process will be conducted by Host Prefectures/Designated Cities, and is only open to those JETs who complete three or four years on the Programme, who have shown outstanding work performance, and who have a suitable level of Japanese language ability..."

ALT Gets Facelift!

Yes, it has been awhile. I figured it was time to give the site a facelift. I think the last time I made changes to the site design was at least two years ago. Hope you like the new look!

Do You Speak Engrish?

For a really good laugh, you should check this site out. There's more than just the obligatory, "Pokari Sweat" and "I Feel Coke" here. It shows off the real reason why you should be in Japan. Some of my favorites? Not sure you want to eat these, but seeing this might make you laugh if you were at the store. Oh, and please, no smorking.

What is the JET Program?

What is the JET Program, you ask? As stated in the JET Program application, "The Japan Exchange and Teaching Program seeks to help enhance internationalization in Japan by promoting mutual learning and understanding between Japan and other nations. The program aims to enhance foreign language education as it is taught in Japan and to promote international exchange at the local level through fostering ties between Japanese youth and foreign youth." The JET Program was started in 1987 and has become extremely popular all around the world.

In 2006, the JET Program had expanded to over 5,500 participants from over 44 countries making it the world's largest exchange teaching program. The program is designed to allow university graduates the chance to serve either in organizations at the local government level (as Coordinators for International Relations (CIRs) or Sports Exchange Advisors (SEAs)) or in public and private junior and senior high schools (as Assistant Language Teachers, also known as ALTs). This is a website that is designed with the ALT in mind.

Who is running the show? The program is run by local Japanese governments cooperating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations. The Program lasts approximately one year, but the participants have the option to renew their contracts (currently a maximum of five years!)

A resourceful book was written about the JET Program. It is called, "Importing Diversity Inside Japan's JET Program" and is written by David L. McConnell, an Associate Professor of Anthropology at The College of Wooster. The book goes into great detail about the origins of the JET Program and also offers insight into Japanese society and its educational system. In addition, the author gives accurate depictions of ALT experiences in Japan.

Now let's cut to the chase: lots of you are wondering how much you get paid. Last time I checked, the program salary is still 3,600,000 yen/year (note: you get paid in yen). Check here to see what the current exchange rate for your currency. Do keep in mind that your salary will vary depending on other factors including: the currency exchange rate, local taxes, Japanese Social Security, and your placement.

A portion of the cost for mandatory health insurance and pension fund expenses is borne by each participant's monthly salary. Assuming you leave without unmanageable debts in your home country, this salary should be sufficient to cover average living expenses in Japan. Worked for me!

What is the Role of the ALT?

Now maybe you're wondering what you do as an ALT: ALTs are basically engaged in language instruction. Their duties usually include the following, but can vary depending on placement. First and foremost, ALTs assist with classes taught by Japanese Teachers of English. ALTs are usually assigned to help out with Reader, Grammar, and (at the senior high level) Oral Communication classes. Lots of fun to be had here -- just make sure you have a decent memory as there will be tons of Japanese students' names to remember!

ALTs can also assist with the preparation of supplementary teaching materials. If you're lucky, or if you've been teaching for awhile, the teachers may even give you free reign to design and plan lessons for the day! After my second year on the JET Program, teachers at my high school actually let me design classes for the whole semester! Again, though, keep in mind, it all depends on your placement.

ALTs will probably have to help with language training of Japanese Teachers of English. This can come in a variety of ways -- whether just helping during teacher meetings or maybe even during language seminars that are conducted by several ALTs.

ALTs will usually have to help out with the instruction of English Speaking Society (ESS) or English language clubs at their respective schools as well. These are basically after-school activities in which you may be asked to create short lessons or games that help a small group of students that really want to increase their knowledge of English and who also want to communicate more with a gaijin (foreigner).

ALTs may get asked to provide information on language and other related subjects for Teachers' Consultants and Japanese Teachers of English. Sometimes, there will be school district or regional meetings where you may get asked to help prepare and provide teaching information to your colleagues. Usually, you will do this with a Japanese Teacher of English from one of your schools. This may not always be the case, however, and again, depends on your placement.

Another thing ALTs may also get asked to assist with are English speech contests (although I never did, but I did have to evaluate a ton of tapes with students' reading voices included on them). In addition, there will most likely be local international exchange activities (such as festivals and other events) and other activities and duties specified by the host institution (this could include school cultural festivals, plays, and enkais - he he he. What? Don't know what enkais are? They're basically big school/office parties thrown throughout the year -- usually after big events. Now, don't have TOO much fun! ;-))

More than likely, you'll probably be placed in one of three types of placements: working out of one senior high school or junior high school, working out of one senior high school or junior high school and going to other schools on a periodic basis, or working out of a school board office and going to as many as 30 different schools during the month(!) All three types of placements will have their advantages and disadvantages. Unfortunately, you won't have a choice on which one you get.

Don't fall into the misconception that all schools are alike. You may come across some or all of the following: regular schools, low-level regular schools, commercial schools, technical schools, fishing schools, and handicapped schools. Of course, the types of students at each school will vary as well. You may end up at a school with students who are very diligent about studying or you may wind up at a school where the students smoke and act like delinquents. It all depends on your placement.

Preparations for the Job

Let's talk about how much money you should take with you. You may not get paid right away so it would probably be a good idea to bring at least 200,000 yen or so (USD $2,000) with you to cover the costs of transportation and food. Japan, as I'm sure you're aware is not always a cheap place (you have to know where to look!) for lots of products/services you find back home for less. But, don't despair! You'll get paid -- it might just take a little time, that's all.

Other things you'll want to have taken care of are your passport and visa (for without these, obviously, you won't be able to get into the country), possible medical insurance, and supplies. So, let's take a look at things that you might want to bring with you:

1. Flouride toothpaste (Japanese toothpaste generally does not have flouride in it. Be safe -- BYOT!)
2. Shaving cream and razors
3. Sanitary pads and tampons
4. Pharmaceuticals like aspirin, cold medicines, etc. (If I remember correctly, Tylenol, cannot be brought into the country legally -- so you might have to opt for some other alternative medicine.)
5. Antiperspirant and/or Deodorant
6. Make-up
7. Prophylactics
8. Nylons
9. Clothes (especially if you're not too keen on certain Japanese fashion.)
10. Shoes (especially if you have really large feet. I'm not kidding.)
11. English books and magazines

Other things to bring: Pictures of your family, friends, house, and daily life in your hometown. These will certainly come in handy for presentations to friends and any speeches you might have to make. Things like interesting ink stamps, postage stamps, coins, and stickers will definitely come in handy when giving out prizes to students. Also, slides may be helpful, too.Be aware that all of the way to the very last day of your contract (even three years into the program!), you're probably going to still be making introductions! Bleah! I think that to this day, I can still recite my introduction in my sleep!

If you have a laptop, I would definitely recommend bringing it with you. It will definitely make things easier (and neater!) when you're preparing things for classes. Also, if you have some computer literacy, you might be able to whip up some nifty "PowerPoint" or"Flash" presentations! Wow the kids! Ooh, ah, oh!

In addition, your computer will be a great way to keep in touch with family and friends back home via email, etc (and cut down on long-distance calls!). Heck, you can even keep in touch with me, letting me know you're doing while you're in Japan. There are some pretty good ISPs in Japan. The one I used (although a little bit pricey) was Global Online. Other things I may have forgotten to include are mentioned in this FAQ.

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!

The Arrival

Congratulations! You've made it to the land of the Rising Sun! Wow, bet you never thought you'd finally be here, huh? Yup, I still remember the feeling of jumping off of the airplane, fresh from a 10-hour flight from the states, and getting into the luxury bus that whisked my group away to the Keio Plaza Hotel in downtown Tokyo (actually in Shijunku which is about a 1 1/2 hour drive from Narita Airport).

Depending on when you arrive, you could either be a part of the first batch of JETs to go to Japan, the second group, or even possibly a third smaller group. I was part of the last group to head out. This is not always a bad thing. Actually, if you ask me, I think it was probably more intimate as I had to chance to meet and really get to know the other people around me since we were the smallest group and felt sort of like the "outcasts" compared with the rest of the pack(s) that had arrived in Japan earlier than us.

Orientation is the time when you attend lectures, workshops, and get to meet your colleagues whom you might not see again (a good time to meet as many people as you can -- you might not get another opportunity like this!) After Orientation is over, you'll probably meet up with someone who will escort you back to your placement.

Daily Life

So, you're probably wondering what life and times are like in Japan, huh? If you're like any other gaijin who ends up in Japan, you're going to go through your share of ups-and-downs, homesickness, and then final adjustment to everything. If you're not, you'll end up leaving Japan feeling really bitter and you won't enjoy your experience at all. However, most gaijin usually end up loving Japan, but always end up with a different philosophy about everything then when they first arrived.

Let's focus first on housing. You shouldn't have to worry about that too much. Your supervisor(s) will probably be taking care of that for you. What they might not take care of, however, are furnishings. Depending on if you have a predecessor or not, you may wind up with a lot of stuff or you might have to go out and buy everything yourself. If anything, it would probably be a good idea to bring along at least 200,000 yen (about $2,000 USD) before arriving to cover room and board until you get your first paycheck.

Weather in Japan can go from one extreme to the other as the seasons come and go -- so make sure to dress appropriately, too. Summers in Japan are extremely warm and humid. You could take a few steps out of your apartment and before you know it, you feel like you just got out of the shower! Be sure to drink plenty of fluids and make sure your apartment is equipped with air-conditioning. Hey, what's up with those *%?&$! noisy cicadas? They're all over Japan -- but fortunately, only during the Summer months.

Winters can be really really cold -- so make sure that you eventually buy a nice thick coat (and maybe some thermals), a kotatsu (table with heater), and lots of bedding for those cold nights. Brrrr! Don't worry about bringing that stuff, though, you should be able to purchase goods in Japan that'll do the trick! I remember going into classes in the winter and having to throw my jacket on -- and I was still cold! (My school didn't have central heating) Fortunately, they would bring portable heaters into the rooms, but students still carried around kairo (pocket hand warmers) because it was so cold.

Transportation in Japan is pretty amazing. Just about all of the trains, subways, buses, and ferries all over Japan are almost always on time. Make sure that you have the correct time schedules, however, as these tend to change pretty regularly.

Should all of these modes of transportation fail you (for instance, perhaps, you missed the last train back to your apartment), you could always take a cab. Just make sure you don't try to close the back door by yourself (the driver does this for you via automatic door).

Going Home?

So you didn't want to continue on as an ALT for another year? Or maybe you've overstayed your welcome. Prior to 2006, JETs were allotted to a maximum 3 year stay (like yours truly). During the 2007-2008 year, the number of years has been increased to 5. One clause for staying longer is that the ALT would have to pass Level 4 of the JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) or by completing an official CLAIR Japanese language course.

To be honest, though, I felt 3 years was plenty. I really couldn't imagine staying longer than that, but that's just me. Everyone will has their own opinions on how long is enough. Regardless, one thing is for certain when you leave Japan: reverse culture shock. That's right! The concept was initially formulated by Richard Brislim and H. Van Buren in 1974 and refers to the difficulties one can face when returning home from a long absence.

Reverse culture shock can be felt in different ways. Common conditions can include: boredom, apathy, problems starting a new job or project, anxiety, depression, and problems with social relations. Some people come to the conclusion that they are unable to "return home" and end up moving to another country. You may feel as if you have been "demoted" in social status.

Some of the anticipated behaviors one can expect upon returning home include: negativism towards the native society, personal change (trying to go back to your old self will likely be difficult, if impossible), and cultural change (you might have a greater appreciation for foreign cultures).

There is good news about all of this, though. Upon returning home, you start to evaluate and become more aware of what you have learned while you were abroad. Some of these things include race relations and sensitivity towards other cultures and ethnic groups. Many people feel that they have learned about both the foreign and home cultures and feel that they have come to understand themselves better.

Some returnees may have a feeling of contentment just prior to leaving Japan. They know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and that the contract has been successfully accomplished. For others, they may be feeling excited about starting a new phase of their life. Things that my have seemed irritating at the time can now be viewed with more objectivity or affection.

So, how should you deal with all of these new feelings and conditions? Maybe your friends and family aren't all that interested in what you have done/accomplished. Your best bet would be to vent your frustrations in a supportive circle. That's where JET Alumni Association can come in handy. It's always good to seek others, like yourself, who have also lived and worked abroad. You are now a multi-cultural person.

If you don't want your reverse culture-shock experience to be that painful when you return home, here are some things you can do to "keep up with the times" in your home country: 1) Develop an interest in domestic affairs. Afterall, it was you, who was away. 2) Keep up with the changes in business jargon, political expression, and social language by reading through letters or periodicals. 3) Access the job situation back home as much as possible.

So, what do I do now?

You have some work experience now in education, but suppose that's not what you want to do the rest of your life. You might be afraid that you don't have any real practical skills aside from a little bit of Japanese and a pocketful of yen. What are you to do with yourself? Graduate school might be an option. More specifically, maybe you're pondering business school!

In many ways, b-school is similar to the JET experience: Competition to get into b-school is just as intense as getting into the JET Program. Once in a program, you start to get comfortable with the notion that you are invincible and should be treated with respect (sound familiar?) Your degree will take you a few years and since you will probably be super-busy with your studies, you'll almost feel like you're in a foreign country because you hardly see your family and friends.

Now, with that said, here's where the similarities end. B-school is hard work -- really hard work. I went to Thunderbird (The Garvin School of International Management) for a short time and I can tell you, it was tough! You'll be spending a lot of time reading and writing. You will also have to deal with attending a lot of lectures, meeting groups with your peers, and let's not forget getting cold-called(!) during classes. Participation is part of your grade! But hey, some people would rather challenge their brains than stand in front of a classroom full of students acting like a tape recorder. Also, with b-school, depending on where you go, you may get to do interesting things like: take up internships/fellowships and get to study more Japanese (or another foreign language).

Thus, with all of this said, b-school is not for everybody. But if this is your planned route of choice, remember to plan early. Since most schools require a GMAT score, you'll want to take that well in advance. You'll also need to obtain a copy of your undergrad transcript, a couple of letters of recommendation, and have to fill out a lengthy application form. Also, don't forget, you'll need to send money in as well in order to get all of your forms processed.

First off, unless you're one of the crazy gaijin who decided to continue working in Japan even after three years on the JET Program (just couldn't get enough of the experience, huh, you guys?), you've decided to return to your home country, wherever that may be.

What to do now, you ask? Have no fear! There are plenty of opportunities available to you! Check out your local JETAA (JET Alumni Association).

Good luck! Life is short -- HAVE FUN!