HomeJET ProgrammePeople that were accepted onto the jet programme, what do you think gave you the greatest edge in your application/SOP/interview? Currently trying to figure out what steps I should take to make my application for 2024 more successful.
People that were accepted onto the jet programme, what do you think gave you the greatest edge in your application/SOP/interview? Currently trying to figure out what steps I should take to make my application for 2024 more successful.
People that were accepted onto the jet programme, what do you think gave you the greatest edge in your application/SOP/interview? Currently trying to figure out what steps I should take to make my application for 2024 more successful.
for more context, the only thing that isn’t completely average abt me qualifications wise is that I have travelled by myself to work internationally before. I know during the interview it’s completely up to you to showcase yourself, but I’m wondering if there is anything I can do that might help before applying in September? For example, am I likely to be accepted without teaching experience, even though I have worked with kids before? Is there anything that might stand out that you did which you thought helped you get chosen?
I got rejected last year and accepted this year. Personally, I think my SOP last year was much better. I also didn’t change my application much other than updating dates with newer info. Last year, I spent weeks perfecting my SOP and application. This year, I started working on my SOP about 3 days before the deadline.
I didn’t get accepted (yet) but I got to interview stage, I have my interview next month.. Personally, I’ve been hosting a successful Japanese / English language exchange for about 10 months, I volunteered at Experience Japan (yearly event) at Dublin, Ireland last year and I plan to volunteer again this year if I can (around that time I plan on visiting the UK for Japanese band haha). I’m trying to learn Japanese too. I’m no expert but my first time applying to JET but I think you want to focus on SoP, check resources online, get friends/family/co-workers etc to read and make any suggestions/corrections, I got like two people from my university to read it and give their thoughts and suggestions, there’s questions you need to answer that they want to read. Start writing / reviewing your entire application now or start fresh. Focus on SoP then when it opens up again, you’re not panicking to write something down. Ideally in your SoP you might want to add the, “after JET” part, as in, when you go back to your home country, even if you plan to stay in Japan after JET and get a different job, put that you’re going home to your country. Obviously don’t mention anime/manga in SoP, mention stuff like how you want to be a part of the community, goals, what parts of your culture you want to share etc etc.
I think that main reason I got through the first round was mainly due to my SOP and intercultural experience. I am beyond average but I volunteered for some small intercultural programs and they really love when you show how interested you are in other cultures no matter how small it is. As for the SOP I was told REPEATEDLY that this was the most important part of the application. I had mine edited 8 times in total, don’t be afraid to ask your letters of rec to read over it they are writing you a letter for a reason :)! I have a 2.8 GPA and received zero awards. I did get my TESOL but that is not required. I would just really focus on the SOP.
I got rejected twice with no interview, interview granted this year. Volunteered as an ESL tutor starting right before the application in 2021, did that for a year and started also ESL teaching a zoom class through the same org. Revised my SOP to be less flowery and more direct. Something I saw discussed almost nowhere when looking for reasons why I failed the first two times is that the people reading the sop’s are likely to be ESL speakers and hinting at things isn’t going to be understood, you have to exactly say what you mean. A former JET interviewer read my SOP for the 2021 app and said it was gold, I was exactly the kind of person they saw make it through the process. Failed. Showed the same SOP to a few friends who are ESL (including a current JET, his whole thing is linguistic study so he’s at native level but very aware of issues/errors) and they had a hard time with it. I got questions like “what are you getting at here? Did you even answer all the prompt questions? Why are you wasting time with this section?”.
For an example, I hosted an open mic for high school and college kids when I got out of college. Half of the ESL speakers didn’t even know what that meant, and JET application reviewers don’t have time to look up words. I told stories that seemed self evidently related to the questions, and they were, to the native English JET interviewer. To some of the ESL readers it read as a nice thing to include but they didn’t answer why I’d be good at the job. To some of the ESL readers it wasn’t even a nice thing to include.
You have to connect the dots for them – because I did this, I’ll be good at that.
I did 3x mock interviews with my university’s career office and I credit that with helping me give a strong performance and ultimately get selected. If this option is available to you, you should take advantage of it.
I had a story about why I wanted to teach. It wasn’t related to my degree, but in both my application and interview I spoke about why I wanted to spend time teaching. You know, what inspired me, how I wanted to give back after receiving such a good education etc. Basically it wasn’t just about why I was interested in going to Japan, but also about what I wanted to give while I was there.
Years back when I applied, international experience seemed like the most important thing. Everyone in my cohort had some kind of international experience such as study abroad or being raised in a multicultural household. It didn’t have to be Japan, just anything that showed you could adapt to a foreign environment. During my years on JET though I could see that they started hiring more people specifically with teaching experience or experience with Japan. Our job became much more academically focused compared to before due to changes in curriculum and the govt pushing for students to be more proficient in English.
I think showing adaptability and a variety of experiences gives you a great edge. Everyone who applies has at least a Bachelor’s degree, so a lot of common college-centered experiences won’t make you stand out. Having had experience with living abroad or any significant cultural exchange is a great way to show you can handle moving your life accross the globe. You also want to show you have /educated/ interested in Japan, as in not just liking anime/manga (a lot people only mention that when talking about why they like Japan). Show you have in interest in the people, the politics, the daily culture, etc.
I had studied abroad to Japan prior, studied the language, and have a degree specializing in global affairs.
JET alum here. I really tied my SoP back to the mission and vision of the JET Program, and I think that is truly the key. Read the JET Program mission statement and genuinely reflect on the purpose of the program and how you are the right person to help fulfill that mission. As you know, JET is more than just teaching program, it’s just as much of a program for grassroots international exchange and for being the bridge for strengthening the ties between your country and Japan. If you can find a way to articulate how you will carry out that mission during AND after your time on the program in the SoP, you will be golden.
Resilience and flexibility. I think what a lot of what gets people cut is if they’re super determined to get Tokyo or have a certain experience etc. and they don’t seem to have a grasp on the reality of the role. JET wants to know that if they send you to Japan, no matter where they send you, you can be flexible and resilient enough not to cut contract right away. Most of my interview questions centered around topics that more or less asked if I was cut out for being put through stress, isolation, and change. Like, I even got a question kind of like ”you say you use friends and family to get you through depressive episodes, but what will you do if we put you in the countryside where you’d be completely isolated?”
TLDR prove you can be resilient and flexible
My SoP focused on what I could do for them and what I hoped to do with the experience on my return. I acknowledged the reality that JET isn’t a well-regarded career boost or an opportunity to move to Japan permanently. Outlined realistic goals too.
It’s hard to place what they liked about my interview. The JET alum talked almost constantly about his own experiences, didn’t give the embassy officer chance to speak, was dismissive of my answers because he’d do things differently, and asked me to go into depth about the most asinine things which were often in direct contrast to what I’d written. I got perhaps 1.5-2 minutes of answers in throughout the 15 minutes.
I would say that it likely helped I was able to back up everything from my SoP because they were real thoughts and feelings, rather than what they usually get which is applicants writing what they think JET wants to hear, then struggling to memorise it and invent believable thought process behind it.
Just finished Jet after 5 years!-
Flexibility and adaptability, and working well under fluctuating deadlines ( think teachers coming to you and Asking if you can come to a class suddenly in 10 mins and lead or assist in the class)
Also having studied abroad in Japan seemed to give me and some I met in my 2017 cohort an advantage. They want to see you are resilient and can withstand the stress of going to Japan, and the stress of leaving which I found was WAY harder and stressful. If you have been to Japan already , they’ll be Less worried about your culture shock since you’ve already dipped your foot in
As for the SOP, on their website they mentioned being a cultural ambassador, enhancing cultural exchange and ties between Japan and your home country, so I added that plus wanting to give back to Japan
**Personality** – Your primary role will be interacting with other people and (hopefully) serving as a goodwill ambassador between Japan and your home country. They don’t want sullen and brooding people or people who are off putting. You don’t have to be super bubbly or extremely extroverted, I knew plenty of introvert JETs but you at least need to be personable and friendly and able to socialize in the work (and interview) setting.
**Genuine interest in Japan beyond anime/video games** – Its ok to be interested in both those things (I am) but they are going to be wary of otakus who see Japan as some fantasy wonderland of anime dreams. Japan’s a real place and you’ll be working a real job and living a (mostly) normal day to day life. They want you to be interested in and excited about living in Japan, but also you need to have realistic expectations and interests beyond the surface level help. History, culture, language, etc. Demonstrating that with involvement in activities in your home country such as attending cultural events, study, talking about topics in your interview, etc. definitely help. I had been doing kendo for a few years (not hard core, just once a week), id participated in some cultural exchange activities, I knew some things about Japanese history and was (and am) genuinely interested in that. Being able to articulate that in your interview/SOP helps a lot.
**Adaptability** – First, you’re moving to a different country where you will be living, most likely alone, with limited support. Even in the best of locations culture shock is a real thing, and demonstrated ability to adapt to different and challenging situations is important. One of the things they want to avoid is people bailing in the middle of their contract and homesickness/culture shock is a big driver of that. So if you have significant experience living away from home, especially in a foreign country that helps. Beyond that if you can highlight situations where you had to adapt and adjust to circumstances outside the norm especially involving foreign cultures and people thats a big plus.
**Letter of Recommendation from someone connected to Japan, either a Japanese person (best) or someone with ties to the Japanese community (professor, businessperson, etc.)** – This was the biggest change between my first application (wait listed) and second application (chosen). I was able to get a letter of recommendation from a Japanese coworker that I worked on some Japan related projects with. Not always possible and not everyone is expected to get one but I think its a definite plus if you can swing it. Even if its just your Japanese teacher, if they themselves are Japanese it goes a long way to show you can work with and be respectful of Japanese people and traditions.
For my SOP I just really tried to show my desire to teach and travel abroad. I also talked about my time working as a colorguard coach to showcase my experience with children. I also mentioned how I started learning Japanese in anticipation of living in Japan one day regardless of JET.
I know everyone says not to mention anime, but I actually did use anime as a semi focal point/introduction, but I used my interest in anime to showcase how it started my interests in Japan from a young age. For me anime was the catalyst for my current interest in both Japan, but also in discovering cultures different from my own.
I personally am not a strong writer so I leaned on the people around me who are. This helped me make sure it was written in an engaging and interesting way. The people helping probably read 3/4 versions of my SOP.
Personally I think what’s most important is that it’s engaging and interesting. These people read 1,000’s of SOP and it’s the ones that standout that will be remembered. Try to avoid saying cliche and overused verbage. Everyone who applies to JET probably likes Japan so just talking about why it intrests you won’t be enough.
Find something that makes you stand out. I did colorguard for years. So I talked about wanting to engage within my community and schools in Japan to join a colorguard team or club.
When I did my interview they focused pretty heavily on the colorguard aspect, because it’s the thing that probably made me the most unique.
Working with a career advisor from my Uni on my SOP did me the most favors I feel. She helped me approach it from the perspective of a recruiter. She told me about her past experience in HR and how she has been the person having to read hundreds of cover letters. She also told me how frustrating it was to keep coming across multiple cover letters that wasted her time by dedicating too much unnecessary info, to the point where she wouldn’t even bother to finish reading the ones who “said a whole lot of nothing” and danced around the point” in the first paragraph because she didn’t have the time. I was able to keep my unique writing style, but combined it with a technical writing style.
She also researched the program prior to our meeting and really stressed the technical writing aspects I should use due to the shear number of SOPs JET receives.
For Filipinos, many of your competitors have education background but I think they gave priority to those who have lived in another country or experienced intercultural exchanges.
I’ll start with a disclaimer: I can’t confirm what exactly JET is looking for. I can only tell you what I’ve read in guides or based on other people’s experiences.
What I’ve gathered is that JET is looking for enthusiastic people interested in intercultural exchange and Japanese culture. They should be willing to go pretty well anywhere in Japan and do almost anything asked of them. They want people who are flexible and adaptable because they want people to fulfill their contracts rather than dipping part way. Part of why they ask for international experience is because, if you can show can live within another culture and adapt to it, you are more likely to be able to adapt in Japan.
Having experience with teaching or mentoring also helps since ultimately, you are teaching kids English and about your own culture.
So, I basically tailored my application and SOP to these things. I leaned heavily on my work experience as a nurse. I graduated from university in 2010, so my education matters very little at this point, anyway.
I talked about working the front lines of the pandemic to highlight how I can work during difficult times. I talked about working in a remote First Nation reserve, where I had hardly any Internet, no potable water, and dealt with the water crisis, suicide crisis, and substance abuse crisis within a culture that has dealt with many traumas, discrimination, and even genocide. This experience seemed to impress my interviewers the most.
I lack any actual teaching experience, but I had plenty of experience mentoring nursing students, new grad nurses, and new hires. My interviewers also asked me about this.
With intercultural exchange and my interest in Japan, I had experience volunteering at local Japanese festivals. I also mentioned helping host a panel at an anime convention, haha. However, I wanted to use it to show I was comfortable talking about various things in front of crowds.
I am a firm believer that, when applying for a job, you should always back up your claims with evidence or past experience. For example, it’s all well and dandy to say you are interested in intercultural exchange, but how have you shown that in the past? For me, it was volunteering in festivals and working on that First Nation reserve. I don’t think 21-year-old me would have gotten into JET. I was super shy and meek, so I had zero of these experiences. Sometime in my 20s, I went “Fuck it” and started saying yes to all sorts of experiences. I gained so much from them and they only made my resume stronger.
Another common pitfall is when people go on a out how much they love Japan or how they have XYZ qualifications, but don’t talk enough about what can do FOR the program. How do you plan to teach students about your culture? How do you plan to use what you’ve gained in Japan to teach others back in your home country? This is important to JET, so don’t forget this part, too!
Being a sociable person with lots of hobbies and volunteer work. The exchange aspect of JET is just as important and they want outgoing people who they know will get involved in their community in Japan. The best way to show that is to show you’re already involved back home. Remember that the interview panel has to listen to the same questions being answered hundred of time. So don’t have practiced, boring answers. Make yourself exciting and stand out, but still professional.
I didn’t get accept last year, but I got to the interview this year. The only real changes I made were on my SoP.
This year I put a greater emphasis on my time being in Japanese schools during my time visiting Japan. This provided me with some cultural experience(learning more about my culture) and I stated that this helped me gain an appreciation for cultural relationships.
In all honesty, I didn’t feel like I had a very strong SoP. However, I had an outstanding letter of recommendation from one of my college professors that highlighted my participation in various memberships (i.e. a competitive mentorship program that is sponsored by the Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association). Additionally, I took up volunteer work in my free time at a local museum and re-started my once-a-week hobby of traditional Japanese dance.
I feel that so long as you show that you are active in the community, genuinely interested in Japanese culture, and are adaptable, you can get past the application phase.
I think, as with any job interview, it is beneficial to give examples of the experiences you do have and link them back to how it would help you with the job (jet). And to expand on your answers and be chatty and friendly. Even if you haven’t got the exact right answer you think they want and they are trying to throw you off, just work out how to present yourself in a positive light.
They asked me how I would cope as I had never lived in another country. I spoke about how I had lived away from home at the opposite end of my country for university, where there is a different culture (somewhat) and different dialects and accents. And about my firneds from different countries that I had met there. I also spoke about how I worked with people from many different countries and had to communicate with them in different ways, being sensitive to their different communication styles ect and how we shared music, movies and food with each other from our respective countries. (This showed adaptation, openess, cultural exchange)
My undergrad is in English literature so they asked me had I read any Japanese literature. I hadn’t. But I spoke about a Japanese illustrator I really liked who uses few or no words in his books (this showed I was still interested in Japanese culture and it was something specific that I could talk about at length), how i had seen an exhibition about him at Japan House years ago (showed my interest was sustained over time and I actually get out and about and do things, and that I understood how the aims of Japan House are somewhat similar to JET), how I had used his book whilst teaching my children (already applying cultural exchange in a way in my previous job, also showed teaching experience) and how I’d seen a video at the exhibition where he was talking in his hometown, and that he was surrounded by beautiful Japanese countryside and how I hadn’t realised how beautiful and scenic Japan was until I saw that (showed awe and curiosity I guess).
That was a horrible long sentence, sorry!
I guess my point is, even with one answer, when you don’t have the answer they might first be looking for (like yes I have read Murakami or whatever, which I bet is what a lot of people would say), you can show off many different points that DO make you a good candidate, even within 3 or 4 sentences for your answer. And make them specific to you and your experiences, so that it is unique. Even if it seems at first you don’t have what they are looking for (eg. I had never lived abroad, haven’t read any Japanese lit) you can show what you do have.
So to prepare, really think and draw out the experiences you do have, and really look at your SOP to see how you can talk about it.
And if anyone is reading this and a bit intimated by these things that seem essential at first like teaching experience or tefl or living abroad, don’t be as there’s many people who have none or one of those things who get accepted. Just be nice and confident and relaxed and talk about what you do have in a positive light. Personality and attitude goes a long way.
My passion for art and specifically Japanese art and *why* I am passionate about it. Trust me, my love of art is worldwide and not *just* Japanese art. Mine is specifically after the borders opened post-war and focused on technique versus specific art pieces/artists. This was brought up in my interview and I got to explain more to them but yeah. Now I’m working with the art program at the school I work at! 🙂
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for more context, the only thing that isn’t completely average abt me qualifications wise is that I have travelled by myself to work internationally before. I know during the interview it’s completely up to you to showcase yourself, but I’m wondering if there is anything I can do that might help before applying in September? For example, am I likely to be accepted without teaching experience, even though I have worked with kids before? Is there anything that might stand out that you did which you thought helped you get chosen?
I got rejected last year and accepted this year. Personally, I think my SOP last year was much better. I also didn’t change my application much other than updating dates with newer info. Last year, I spent weeks perfecting my SOP and application. This year, I started working on my SOP about 3 days before the deadline.
I didn’t get accepted (yet) but I got to interview stage, I have my interview next month.. Personally, I’ve been hosting a successful Japanese / English language exchange for about 10 months, I volunteered at Experience Japan (yearly event) at Dublin, Ireland last year and I plan to volunteer again this year if I can (around that time I plan on visiting the UK for Japanese band haha). I’m trying to learn Japanese too. I’m no expert but my first time applying to JET but I think you want to focus on SoP, check resources online, get friends/family/co-workers etc to read and make any suggestions/corrections, I got like two people from my university to read it and give their thoughts and suggestions, there’s questions you need to answer that they want to read. Start writing / reviewing your entire application now or start fresh. Focus on SoP then when it opens up again, you’re not panicking to write something down. Ideally in your SoP you might want to add the, “after JET” part, as in, when you go back to your home country, even if you plan to stay in Japan after JET and get a different job, put that you’re going home to your country. Obviously don’t mention anime/manga in SoP, mention stuff like how you want to be a part of the community, goals, what parts of your culture you want to share etc etc.
I think that main reason I got through the first round was mainly due to my SOP and intercultural experience. I am beyond average but I volunteered for some small intercultural programs and they really love when you show how interested you are in other cultures no matter how small it is. As for the SOP I was told REPEATEDLY that this was the most important part of the application. I had mine edited 8 times in total, don’t be afraid to ask your letters of rec to read over it they are writing you a letter for a reason :)! I have a 2.8 GPA and received zero awards. I did get my TESOL but that is not required. I would just really focus on the SOP.
I got rejected twice with no interview, interview granted this year. Volunteered as an ESL tutor starting right before the application in 2021, did that for a year and started also ESL teaching a zoom class through the same org. Revised my SOP to be less flowery and more direct. Something I saw discussed almost nowhere when looking for reasons why I failed the first two times is that the people reading the sop’s are likely to be ESL speakers and hinting at things isn’t going to be understood, you have to exactly say what you mean. A former JET interviewer read my SOP for the 2021 app and said it was gold, I was exactly the kind of person they saw make it through the process. Failed. Showed the same SOP to a few friends who are ESL (including a current JET, his whole thing is linguistic study so he’s at native level but very aware of issues/errors) and they had a hard time with it. I got questions like “what are you getting at here? Did you even answer all the prompt questions? Why are you wasting time with this section?”.
For an example, I hosted an open mic for high school and college kids when I got out of college. Half of the ESL speakers didn’t even know what that meant, and JET application reviewers don’t have time to look up words. I told stories that seemed self evidently related to the questions, and they were, to the native English JET interviewer. To some of the ESL readers it read as a nice thing to include but they didn’t answer why I’d be good at the job. To some of the ESL readers it wasn’t even a nice thing to include.
You have to connect the dots for them – because I did this, I’ll be good at that.
I did 3x mock interviews with my university’s career office and I credit that with helping me give a strong performance and ultimately get selected. If this option is available to you, you should take advantage of it.
I had a story about why I wanted to teach. It wasn’t related to my degree, but in both my application and interview I spoke about why I wanted to spend time teaching. You know, what inspired me, how I wanted to give back after receiving such a good education etc.
Basically it wasn’t just about why I was interested in going to Japan, but also about what I wanted to give while I was there.
Years back when I applied, international experience seemed like the most important thing. Everyone in my cohort had some kind of international experience such as study abroad or being raised in a multicultural household. It didn’t have to be Japan, just anything that showed you could adapt to a foreign environment.
During my years on JET though I could see that they started hiring more people specifically with teaching experience or experience with Japan. Our job became much more academically focused compared to before due to changes in curriculum and the govt pushing for students to be more proficient in English.
I think showing adaptability and a variety of experiences gives you a great edge. Everyone who applies has at least a Bachelor’s degree, so a lot of common college-centered experiences won’t make you stand out. Having had experience with living abroad or any significant cultural exchange is a great way to show you can handle moving your life accross the globe. You also want to show you have /educated/ interested in Japan, as in not just liking anime/manga (a lot people only mention that when talking about why they like Japan). Show you have in interest in the people, the politics, the daily culture, etc.
I had studied abroad to Japan prior, studied the language, and have a degree specializing in global affairs.
JET alum here. I really tied my SoP back to the mission and vision of the JET Program, and I think that is truly the key. Read the JET Program mission statement and genuinely reflect on the purpose of the program and how you are the right person to help fulfill that mission. As you know, JET is more than just teaching program, it’s just as much of a program for grassroots international exchange and for being the bridge for strengthening the ties between your country and Japan. If you can find a way to articulate how you will carry out that mission during AND after your time on the program in the SoP, you will be golden.
Resilience and flexibility.
I think what a lot of what gets people cut is if they’re super determined to get Tokyo or have a certain experience etc. and they don’t seem to have a grasp on the reality of the role. JET wants to know that if they send you to Japan, no matter where they send you, you can be flexible and resilient enough not to cut contract right away. Most of my interview questions centered around topics that more or less asked if I was cut out for being put through stress, isolation, and change. Like, I even got a question kind of like ”you say you use friends and family to get you through depressive episodes, but what will you do if we put you in the countryside where you’d be completely isolated?”
TLDR prove you can be resilient and flexible
My SoP focused on what I could do for them and what I hoped to do with the experience on my return. I acknowledged the reality that JET isn’t a well-regarded career boost or an opportunity to move to Japan permanently. Outlined realistic goals too.
It’s hard to place what they liked about my interview. The JET alum talked almost constantly about his own experiences, didn’t give the embassy officer chance to speak, was dismissive of my answers because he’d do things differently, and asked me to go into depth about the most asinine things which were often in direct contrast to what I’d written. I got perhaps 1.5-2 minutes of answers in throughout the 15 minutes.
I would say that it likely helped I was able to back up everything from my SoP because they were real thoughts and feelings, rather than what they usually get which is applicants writing what they think JET wants to hear, then struggling to memorise it and invent believable thought process behind it.
Just finished Jet after 5 years!-
Flexibility and adaptability, and working well under fluctuating deadlines ( think teachers coming to you and Asking if you can come to a class suddenly in 10 mins and lead or assist in the class)
Also having studied abroad in Japan seemed to give me and some I met in my 2017 cohort an advantage. They want to see you are resilient and can withstand the stress of going to Japan, and the stress of leaving which I found was WAY harder and stressful. If you have been to Japan already , they’ll be Less worried about your culture shock since you’ve already dipped your foot in
As for the SOP, on their website they mentioned being a cultural ambassador, enhancing cultural exchange and ties between Japan and your home country, so I added that plus wanting to give back to Japan
**Personality** – Your primary role will be interacting with other people and (hopefully) serving as a goodwill ambassador between Japan and your home country. They don’t want sullen and brooding people or people who are off putting. You don’t have to be super bubbly or extremely extroverted, I knew plenty of introvert JETs but you at least need to be personable and friendly and able to socialize in the work (and interview) setting.
**Genuine interest in Japan beyond anime/video games** – Its ok to be interested in both those things (I am) but they are going to be wary of otakus who see Japan as some fantasy wonderland of anime dreams. Japan’s a real place and you’ll be working a real job and living a (mostly) normal day to day life. They want you to be interested in and excited about living in Japan, but also you need to have realistic expectations and interests beyond the surface level help. History, culture, language, etc. Demonstrating that with involvement in activities in your home country such as attending cultural events, study, talking about topics in your interview, etc. definitely help. I had been doing kendo for a few years (not hard core, just once a week), id participated in some cultural exchange activities, I knew some things about Japanese history and was (and am) genuinely interested in that. Being able to articulate that in your interview/SOP helps a lot.
**Adaptability** – First, you’re moving to a different country where you will be living, most likely alone, with limited support. Even in the best of locations culture shock is a real thing, and demonstrated ability to adapt to different and challenging situations is important. One of the things they want to avoid is people bailing in the middle of their contract and homesickness/culture shock is a big driver of that. So if you have significant experience living away from home, especially in a foreign country that helps. Beyond that if you can highlight situations where you had to adapt and adjust to circumstances outside the norm especially involving foreign cultures and people thats a big plus.
**Letter of Recommendation from someone connected to Japan, either a Japanese person (best) or someone with ties to the Japanese community (professor, businessperson, etc.)** – This was the biggest change between my first application (wait listed) and second application (chosen). I was able to get a letter of recommendation from a Japanese coworker that I worked on some Japan related projects with. Not always possible and not everyone is expected to get one but I think its a definite plus if you can swing it. Even if its just your Japanese teacher, if they themselves are Japanese it goes a long way to show you can work with and be respectful of Japanese people and traditions.
For my SOP I just really tried to show my desire to teach and travel abroad. I also talked about my time working as a colorguard coach to showcase my experience with children. I also mentioned how I started learning Japanese in anticipation of living in Japan one day regardless of JET.
I know everyone says not to mention anime, but I actually did use anime as a semi focal point/introduction, but I used my interest in anime to showcase how it started my interests in Japan from a young age. For me anime was the catalyst for my current interest in both Japan, but also in discovering cultures different from my own.
I personally am not a strong writer so I leaned on the people around me who are. This helped me make sure it was written in an engaging and interesting way. The people helping probably read 3/4 versions of my SOP.
Personally I think what’s most important is that it’s engaging and interesting. These people read 1,000’s of SOP and it’s the ones that standout that will be remembered. Try to avoid saying cliche and overused verbage. Everyone who applies to JET probably likes Japan so just talking about why it intrests you won’t be enough.
Find something that makes you stand out.
I did colorguard for years. So I talked about wanting to engage within my community and schools in Japan to join a colorguard team or club.
When I did my interview they focused pretty heavily on the colorguard aspect, because it’s the thing that probably made me the most unique.
Working with a career advisor from my Uni on my SOP did me the most favors I feel. She helped me approach it from the perspective of a recruiter. She told me about her past experience in HR and how she has been the person having to read hundreds of cover letters. She also told me how frustrating it was to keep coming across multiple cover letters that wasted her time by dedicating too much unnecessary info, to the point where she wouldn’t even bother to finish reading the ones who “said a whole lot of nothing” and danced around the point” in the first paragraph because she didn’t have the time. I was able to keep my unique writing style, but combined it with a technical writing style.
She also researched the program prior to our meeting and really stressed the technical writing aspects I should use due to the shear number of SOPs JET receives.
For Filipinos, many of your competitors have education background but I think they gave priority to those who have lived in another country or experienced intercultural exchanges.
I’ll start with a disclaimer: I can’t confirm what exactly JET is looking for. I can only tell you what I’ve read in guides or based on other people’s experiences.
What I’ve gathered is that JET is looking for enthusiastic people interested in intercultural exchange and Japanese culture. They should be willing to go pretty well anywhere in Japan and do almost anything asked of them. They want people who are flexible and adaptable because they want people to fulfill their contracts rather than dipping part way. Part of why they ask for international experience is because, if you can show can live within another culture and adapt to it, you are more likely to be able to adapt in Japan.
Having experience with teaching or mentoring also helps since ultimately, you are teaching kids English and about your own culture.
So, I basically tailored my application and SOP to these things. I leaned heavily on my work experience as a nurse. I graduated from university in 2010, so my education matters very little at this point, anyway.
I talked about working the front lines of the pandemic to highlight how I can work during difficult times. I talked about working in a remote First Nation reserve, where I had hardly any Internet, no potable water, and dealt with the water crisis, suicide crisis, and substance abuse crisis within a culture that has dealt with many traumas, discrimination, and even genocide. This experience seemed to impress my interviewers the most.
I lack any actual teaching experience, but I had plenty of experience mentoring nursing students, new grad nurses, and new hires. My interviewers also asked me about this.
With intercultural exchange and my interest in Japan, I had experience volunteering at local Japanese festivals. I also mentioned helping host a panel at an anime convention, haha. However, I wanted to use it to show I was comfortable talking about various things in front of crowds.
I am a firm believer that, when applying for a job, you should always back up your claims with evidence or past experience. For example, it’s all well and dandy to say you are interested in intercultural exchange, but how have you shown that in the past? For me, it was volunteering in festivals and working on that First Nation reserve. I don’t think 21-year-old me would have gotten into JET. I was super shy and meek, so I had zero of these experiences. Sometime in my 20s, I went “Fuck it” and started saying yes to all sorts of experiences. I gained so much from them and they only made my resume stronger.
Another common pitfall is when people go on a out how much they love Japan or how they have XYZ qualifications, but don’t talk enough about what can do FOR the program. How do you plan to teach students about your culture? How do you plan to use what you’ve gained in Japan to teach others back in your home country? This is important to JET, so don’t forget this part, too!
Being a sociable person with lots of hobbies and volunteer work. The exchange aspect of JET is just as important and they want outgoing people who they know will get involved in their community in Japan. The best way to show that is to show you’re already involved back home. Remember that the interview panel has to listen to the same questions being answered hundred of time. So don’t have practiced, boring answers. Make yourself exciting and stand out, but still professional.
I didn’t get accept last year, but I got to the interview this year. The only real changes I made were on my SoP.
This year I put a greater emphasis on my time being in Japanese schools during my time visiting Japan. This provided me with some cultural experience(learning more about my culture) and I stated that this helped me gain an appreciation for cultural relationships.
In all honesty, I didn’t feel like I had a very strong SoP. However, I had an outstanding letter of recommendation from one of my college professors that highlighted my participation in various memberships (i.e. a competitive mentorship program that is sponsored by the Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association). Additionally, I took up volunteer work in my free time at a local museum and re-started my once-a-week hobby of traditional Japanese dance.
I feel that so long as you show that you are active in the community, genuinely interested in Japanese culture, and are adaptable, you can get past the application phase.
I think, as with any job interview, it is beneficial to give examples of the experiences you do have and link them back to how it would help you with the job (jet). And to expand on your answers and be chatty and friendly. Even if you haven’t got the exact right answer you think they want and they are trying to throw you off, just work out how to present yourself in a positive light.
They asked me how I would cope as I had never lived in another country. I spoke about how I had lived away from home at the opposite end of my country for university, where there is a different culture (somewhat) and different dialects and accents. And about my firneds from different countries that I had met there. I also spoke about how I worked with people from many different countries and had to communicate with them in different ways, being sensitive to their different communication styles ect and how we shared music, movies and food with each other from our respective countries. (This showed adaptation, openess, cultural exchange)
My undergrad is in English literature so they asked me had I read any Japanese literature. I hadn’t. But I spoke about a Japanese illustrator I really liked who uses few or no words in his books (this showed I was still interested in Japanese culture and it was something specific that I could talk about at length), how i had seen an exhibition about him at Japan House years ago (showed my interest was sustained over time and I actually get out and about and do things, and that I understood how the aims of Japan House are somewhat similar to JET), how I had used his book whilst teaching my children (already applying cultural exchange in a way in my previous job, also showed teaching experience) and how I’d seen a video at the exhibition where he was talking in his hometown, and that he was surrounded by beautiful Japanese countryside and how I hadn’t realised how beautiful and scenic Japan was until I saw that (showed awe and curiosity I guess).
That was a horrible long sentence, sorry!
I guess my point is, even with one answer, when you don’t have the answer they might first be looking for (like yes I have read Murakami or whatever, which I bet is what a lot of people would say), you can show off many different points that DO make you a good candidate, even within 3 or 4 sentences for your answer. And make them specific to you and your experiences, so that it is unique. Even if it seems at first you don’t have what they are looking for (eg. I had never lived abroad, haven’t read any Japanese lit) you can show what you do have.
So to prepare, really think and draw out the experiences you do have, and really look at your SOP to see how you can talk about it.
And if anyone is reading this and a bit intimated by these things that seem essential at first like teaching experience or tefl or living abroad, don’t be as there’s many people who have none or one of those things who get accepted. Just be nice and confident and relaxed and talk about what you do have in a positive light. Personality and attitude goes a long way.
My passion for art and specifically Japanese art and *why* I am passionate about it. Trust me, my love of art is worldwide and not *just* Japanese art. Mine is specifically after the borders opened post-war and focused on technique versus specific art pieces/artists. This was brought up in my interview and I got to explain more to them but yeah. Now I’m working with the art program at the school I work at! 🙂