24 Hours to Accept Shortlist

11 comments

1. [deleted]

2. I think it really depends on what your motivations were for JET and what career you’re in now. Is it the sort of thing where you can take a year or two and then readily re-enter your line of work?

3. I was upgraded pretty early, so it wasn’t THAT different from getting in right away, and even I was conflicted, although I did accept. I think a lot of that conflict is just because you’ve mentally settled into accepting and planning for the alternative.

   If you had gotten this promotion in March and been shortlisted right away, do you think you would have accepted? Presumably, you knew you would accept if offered in March. So, how much has ACTUALLY changed since then than it no longer makes sense?

   I 100% understand, but, also, you’d be letting 2 months difference in getting the news change your decision to do something that you’ve been planning for a year and may be your life for up to the next 5 years.

   If you DO decide to go, you’ll settle back into happily accepting that life path soon enough as well.

4. If you’re this settled at this point in your life, then you’ll likely never do JET or anything like it in the future.

   So my advice would be to do JET now before it’s too late! You’ve got the whole rest of your post-JET life to work on your career. Go to Japan and ride that ALT gravy train while exploring a whole new country. This is the kind of opportunity that is just too good to pass up.

5. Accepting the upgrade was the easiest decision I ever made

6. Pray about it, talk with your family, do what you gotta do. Good luck either way!

7. [deleted]

8. I had a similar problem. October came and I thought I’d never get upgraded by then, so I applied to some fancy University graduate programs I was sure I wouldn’t be accepted into.

   In November I heard that the best uni in the country would take me. Told everyone at my job and was super excited to move to a new city. Then 3days later JET emailed saying I’d been upgraded.

   It was a massive shock. I decided that I could aways do University another time, but I had waited so long for JET and there was no promise of getting in a second time.

   I’m in Japan now and happy with my choice. But that doesnt mean you shouldnt choose for yourself

9. JET is a year off; not a career choice. Don’t jeopardise future earnings unless you can afford it and fancy a year off.

10. So just to clarify, im not with JET but with Interac, I’m 33 years old, I am single, and I’m currently in Japan as of a few months! I’ve been having a great time but by no means is it cheap or a career promotion for me. I wanted to travel for a year and stay in Japan while doing so. I enjoy working with kids and always wanted to try my hand at teaching. So far everything has been on all ends of the spectrum ranging from smooth sailing to immense stress in the few months I’ve been here.
    If I just took a new job promotion I was happy about or had a partner I was happy with I gotta be honest, I don’t think I would go. That was before I even came here. Now that I’m here and finally acclimated to my environment a bit more and making friends and enjoying the job more I would still vote in your situation not to come. It truly is a once in a lifetime situation but that doesn’t mean you have to do it. I honestly feel like saving up money and vacation to come for 2-4 weeks of hardcore travel would suffice. I’m the same guy who also thought of this as a once in a lifetime kind of gig. I had almost given up on coming due to covid delays. All I’ll say is this job won’t do my bank account any favors and since I don’t have any intent on staying longer than a year it’s essentially a year long vacation (with some work added in with a Monday-friday schedule). I would suggest saving money and bringing your partner with you to visit what you want. Don’t feel bad about it.

11. I am headed out on the JET program this year. I am 68 and want to do JET before I get too old physically to do it. I will be working as a CIR with a mayor’s office on regional promotion and special projects, although I would be just as happy as an ALT. With the maximum age restriction removed (originally it was 30), you can consider JET as a post-retirement program, too. In my case, I don’t need the money b/c I have a good pension and won’t start taking Social Security until I turn 70, so I don’t need to pay off student loans or pinch pennies. And my grandchildren will still be around when I get home in a few years. You apparently have a good job with this one in a million promotion and are on a good career path. Better still if you have a good relationship that you don’t want to miss for playing around for a few years in Japan. JET or an equivalent program will still be around when you retire. Lillian Carter joined the Peace Corps when she was 68 and lived in rural India for a while (she was President Carter’s mother). Joe Biden became the oldest president. I am becoming the oldest JET. This isn’t the only JET chance you can have. It can be a gap year on the end of a long and satisfying career as well as a gap year before finding the right career. It can be a once in a lifetime chance, but for later in life rather than right now. Just an alternate set of ideas for you to consider. Best of luck in your decision.