Hello all!
I am currently interested in applying for the JET program which opens applications in a couple of days. I have been reading around the sub and have seen people say that JET/ALT jobs prefer fresh college grads with little to no experience. I even read one post where the OP was asking why they were being turned down from every job, and people said maybe that they had too many qualifications to be an ALT.
A bit about me, I have a bachelors in English, a CELTA, and three years experience teaching English in Vietnam (post CELTA). I returned home to the US in late 2019 for a little break with plans to return to Asia (Japan specifically), however COVID happened and I’ve been at home since. But now I am determined to make my way back east and I want to go to Japan.
But yes, what I’m asking is, is it possible that JET will turn me away since I have a little bit of experience in the field? I know that it sounds silly and I know it’s not like I’m not coming in here fully licensed with a decade of teaching under my belt, but I’ve seen people say JET/ALT jobs don’t want experienced applicants since they might think they “know better” and try to do things their own way etc. I’ve even seen some people say to lie and not say you have a TEFL/CELTA or any experience in order to have better chance of being accepted. It all seems a little bizarre and confusing, but I have every intention of applying to JET yet would hate to be turned away. Any advice or response would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you everyone!
11 comments
I have just under 4 years at an international school on Taiwan as a full time actual teacher. Just be aware. It’s not real teaching. So apply with that in mind. No your experience won’t exclude you.
I was hired off teaching in Korea for 2 or 3 years. One person I worked with had a masters in ESL and many were teachers in the states for various subjects. They are normally looking for a wide variety of teachers depending what local high schools and municipalities are asking for. Some might want someone with experience to basically run conversation classes, other just want someone fun for the kids to talk to and make language games.
What about age? I have been teaching, with a Bachelors in English and CELTA for over 10 years. Never got around to getting my American teaching license. However I may go for the Spain one.
I’m in my 2nd year now and taught for 10 years in the UK before JET. I’m 41. It depends how you sell your experience, I think. They did ask me about it in the interview.
Seems to be almost at random from what ive heard. Some people with Japanese ability and teaching qualifications get rejected, whilst others with absolutely nothing get accepted
I have known some very highly qualified JETs. A person might get disqualified for acting arrogant about their quals in an interview or presenting themselves in a way that suggests they aren’t open to compromise, but qualifications in and of themselves won’t do you in.
Now at a big chain eikaiwa on the other hand, qualifications can definitely get you to fail an interview. Their whole business model would crumble if they let someone who knows what they’re doing on staff. But JET isn’t a business and isn’t threatened by competence.
JET doesn’t care really care either way. They care what they can get in return for giving you a visa.
What dispatch ALT companies want and what CLAIR wants are two different things.
Heck, what CLAIR wants for two different positions that are essentially the same are two different things.
Apply. Be honest about your qualifications. You’ll get in or you won’t, but it is very unlikely it will be due to you being “overqualified.”
You are not “overqualified”.
The reason that being overqualified as a teacher can detriment you for JET is because they don’t want someone that is too overly confident in the classroom who thinks they know what they’re doing and will want to call all the shots. They don’t want conflict in classrooms or clashes over differences of opinion when it comes to educational philosophy, and the more experience you have the more likely you’ve developed strong opinions about how to teach. In most cases an ALT just supports the main teacher by helping out as directed and providing a more authentic class environment by looking “foreign”.
So I think during the interview, just show you are aware that the job is a supportive role, you are not trying to become the main character but you’re happy to step up as needed if that’s what the teacher wants. Also that you are happy to flexibly adapt to whatever the main teacher’s approach is and go with the flow.
As long as you don’t tell them you’re coming to teach.