Hi all, just got turned down by JET today and feeling pretty bummed (but I also applied to a few other ALT Japan companies as well so there’s still hope!) and I suffer from chronic insomnia. For me that means I have trouble trying to sleep at night (I literally do not feel tired at all and can easily do an all-nighter) and waking up then mostly feeling tired for the first woken hour then again around 2-4pm.
I had my statement of purpose reviewed by numerous people including strangers and made corrections and felt I did really good on the essay. And I have a bachelors in sociology and currently tutoring English online for essays and assignments.
Some other things about me that may have also affected the decline by JET:
* No TESL
* No teaching experience (but I have volunteered with children)
* No drivers? (Ma and Pa never taught me and we live in the middle of nowhere… No driving schools are willing to pick me up either)
13 comments
It’s certainly possible, but the essay section is a crapshoot anyway.
Could very well be pure bad luck.
It’s possible. I have a co-worker that has insomnia and they are a total burden to the company.
And I am pretty sure a drivers license company will be more than happy to come pick you up. After all you are paying them an arm and a leg for a license.
It’s hard to say. I was accepted with no TESL, prior teaching experience or a driver’s license. I can’t say your statement of health definitely didnt sway them, but maybe there aren’t many positions available atm that don’t require a car. Or it could be they didn’t like something in your essay.
Sometimes it’s just bad luck. I was turned down even though I had a TEFL certificate, a degree in international studies, 4 years of Japanese language study, experience as a preschool teacher, and a driver’s license. I know other people that got in with much less.
It hurt since teaching is my passion and I knew it was the career path I wanted to pursue. So I found a job at a private English conversation school instead and worked my way up from there to a position as an assistant professor here.
Of course now it’s trickier to find a way into the country with the pandemic. I’d say keep looking around at other openings where you can or maybe try applying again next year after getting a couple of the things on your list. You could also look at other countries that are more open to foreigners at the moment if you’re not set on Japan.
Its random as hell. Too many factors. Could even be where you’re applying from or just plain luck. On the bright side, ALT companies will take just about anyone. But on the other hand, borders are closed again due to the omicron.
On a side note, are JETs finally being allowed in again? With the whole border thing happening.
Doesn’t have to mean that there’s something wrong with your application, the other applicants might just be stronger
I thought that because there were no new JETs coming in, the JETs who were approved before the pandemic started take priority so they just aren’t really approving new people.
To be brutally honest it probably was. You have to remember there are hundreds of applicants trying for a limited amount of jobs. So why would they choose someone who has medical issues vs someone who has zero health or mental issues?
Is it right, no but that’s what is happening.
I didn’t think asking this question would cause so much hate against me…
I never understood know why you all air out your mental issues on your resumes or in interviews. If you are able to function with whatever you have, keep your mouth shut or you are not getting hired. Mental issues and working with children is big fat NO when hiring. Add that on the whole situation of living abroad alone for the first time for most applicants. You people are shooting yourself in the foot.
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The only way it didn’t play a part is if your application was already in the reject pile before the health check results were looked at; they don’t need a teacher that “struggles to wake up” (they’re going to be late often, huh?) and “feels around 2-4pm” (so they’re useless after lunch, huh?)
If you have anything, and I mean anything, in your application that isn’t perfect, it probably goes in the bin. Medical condition, any priors for anything at all, issues with degree, bad references, if it isn’t perfect its gone.
Even with a perfect application, its a flip of a coin. Since youtubers have made JET so well known, there are probably 50 applications for every 1 opening, so even if you have tons of experience, a master degree, teaching licenses, best chance is 50/50. anything less than that and its even bigger longshot.
Japan isn’t America. Saying you have depression will probably get you fired. There isn’t a level of acceptance for non-traditional medical conditions. Best to keep that to yourself and wait until after you have benefits like healthcare to bring it up with your doctor when you’re there.