How To Get A Job On The JET Program

Participating in the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program was one of the best experiences of my life. I truly believe living abroad makes you a more well-rounded, adaptable, and tolerant person. It teaches you life skills you wouldn’t otherwise learn in your own home country. Living abroad makes you acquire critical thinking and solution oriented skills. My experience gave me the best friends of my life. I want what I had for you and the reason why you’re probably here is to get first hand experience on how to get a job on the JET Program.

So here I am, a proud JET alum from Chicago who spent her three year tenure on Okinawa from 2012-2015. I’m here to impart my knowledge to you and fo’FREE. This guide is going to break down everything you need to know about the JET Program application process, preparing for the JET Program interview, and preparing for your departure to Japan.

In case you’re curious, check out my About Me Page and my JET Program archives for more information and first hand experience. I personally looked online at all the JETs on YouTube and for their blogs to get a great idea.

This blog post will be a massive one, so be sure to grab your coffee or your favorite drink, a snack, and your comfy pants. This is designed to answer all your questions from start to finish on everything about JET. I remember having tons of questions and scouring the internet for hours to read about everything I could.

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Table of Contents

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JET Program Frequently Asked Questions

1. How much does the JET Program pay?

JET Program participants receive approximately 2.8 million yen in their first year of appointment, 3.6 million yen in their second year of appointment, 3.9 million yen for their third appointment, and for those appointed for a fourth and fifth year, approximately 3.96 million yen for each year. JET Program participants have to pay Japanese income and resident taxes from this remuneration.

2. Do you need to speak Japanese to apply for JET?

No, you don’t. Before I went over to Japan I didn’t know anything about the language. Does it help for your transition over to Japan? Yes. I would recommend learning hiragana and katakana before you go. You can sign up for free Japanese lessons here.

3. Is the JET Program worth it?

Absolutely! As I said before, it was one of the best experiences of my life. I made my best friends on the program and what’s very attractive about the program is the JET Program takes care of a lot of the harder paperwork. In addition, they make the process as smooth as possible from start to finish. They have pre-departure orientations, post-departure orientation in Tokyo, and your coordinator will help you settle in. Compared to other teaching positions in Japan, JET has the best pay and the most benefits.

4. Do you need to be interested in Japan to apply?

DUH. Why else would you want to go to Japan? You’d have to be interested in the country, language, and culture to get the most out of your experience abroad.

5. Does JET pay for your flight?

Yes! Once accepted onto the JET Program, your flight is covered. Also, when you leave Japan, your flight back is also paid for.

6. How long can you be on the JET Program?

You can be on the program a total of five years. Some contracting organizations only limit the teacher up to three years while others can go up to five.

7. Is JET easy to get into?

The JET Program is extremely competitive. Only 800 people out of 5000 applicants make the final cut. There’s about a 25% acceptance rate for JET. Your paper application better be outstanding to stand out amongst all the other applicants.

8. Does the JET Program pay for housing?

It depends on your contracting organization. Some offer subsidized housing where you pay very little for rent. With others, you have to pay for your own.

9. How many JET applicants are accepted?

In the United States, the JET program gets around 4,500 applicants each year. Of those, around 1,150 were chosen to take part.

10. How do I pass the JET interview?

There’s a lot of different components that go into the JET Program interview. If you want to get accepted, you’re going to need to consider a few things like the JET Program’s core values and mission, reread your JET Statement of Purpose, answer some questions, prepare a demo lesson, and write down thoughtful questions for the interview panel.

11. What is the JET Program interview like?

You will be interviewed by a panel of three judges consisting of one person from the embassy, a former JET, and a Japanese language teacher. The interview will take anywhere from 20-25 minutes.

JET Program Lingo

Here’s some lingo to help you get started into understanding the workings of the program.

JET Program – The Japan Exchange and Teaching Program
JET – What people on the program call themselves.
Shortlist Candidate – This means you were selected to go to Japan.
Alternate Candidate – Candidates who scored well during the interview but didn’t get short-listed. If a position opens, they are invited to go to Japan.
ALT – Assistant Language Teacher.
CIR – Coordinator of International Relations.
JTE – Japanese Teacher of English.
Team-teach – Teaching together in a classroom with a JTE.
SEA – Sports Exchange Advisors (people who promote international relations via sports).
AJET – Association for Japan Exchange and Teaching.
CO – Contracting Organization.
BOE – Board of Education where elementary and junior high school teachers report.
ARC – Alien Registration Card
Kencho – Prefectural government office to which high school teachers report.
SDC – A yearly event where JETs from their prefecture and Japanese teachers of English gather together at a Skills Development Conference.
Gaijin Smashing – This is a slang expression for imposing your will upon the Japanese. Use sparingly and to get out of a bind.
Gaijin Bar – A bar where all the foreigners hang out.
Inaka – The countryside.
Unicorn – A fifth year JET (very rare and mostly jaded).
ESID – Every situation is different.

What is the JET Program?

Founded in 1987, the JET Program, is a multi-national program that invites foreign nationals from 70 different countries around the world to come teach English or promote international relations in Japan.

Similar to the EPIK Program in Korea, the JET Program’s most attractive point is how many countries are invited onto the program. JET has sent more than 70,000 participants from around the globe (including more than 35,800 Americans) to work in schools, boards of education, and government offices throughout Japan.

JET Program participants are placed in one of Japan’s 47 prefectures as an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT), a Coordinator of International Relations (CIR) or a Sports Exchange Advisor (SEA).

Assistant Language Teachers

ALTs are placed in the public school system under local Board of Educations (BOEs) and local city halls which deal with elementary and middle school ALTs. The Kencho JETs or Ken JETs are the ones contracted by the prefectural government and work in high schools. All ALTs work with a Japanese Teacher of English (JTE) to team-teach English lessons to the students.

Coordinator of International Relations

CIRs are placed in local government offices to promote the prefecture or city’s sister relations with other countries, translate and interpret, and even promote English education within the greater community. Although it’s a rare position, SEAs are actual sports professionals who are placed in local governments and the public school system to coach sports teams and assist with sports training in schools. (I heard a rumor they’re usually super accomplished athletes like ex pros or Olympians.)

How Do You Apply To the JET Program?

The process to apply to the JET Program is long so prepare in advance. It’s both an online and paper application. You have to start your application through the JET Program’s online application portal. This is specific to each country. After you submit all your required materials online, you then have to write your paper statement of purpose and send it to your nearest Japanese embassy or consulate. For me, I had to send it to the Japanese Embassy in Washington D.C.

Before you apply to the program, you’re going to need to check your eligibility in the next section down below.

JET Program Eligibility

Be interested in Japan. Be willing to expand your knowledge and appreciation of Japan. You must be motivated to participate in cultural exchange activities at your school and community.
Be mentally and physically healthy.
Have a bachelor’s degree or higher. If you’re a university student, you should have obtained your bachelor’s degree before your departure date.
Be adaptable the living and working conditions in Japan. Japanese have their own ways of thinking and doing things that will be a culture shock to you in the workplace.
Have excellent standard pronunciation, rhythm, intonation in the English language. You must have basic teacher credentials such as good voice projection, public speaking skills, and standard language skills, including strong writing skills and correct grammar usage.
Have not participated in the JET Program for three years prior to the application year (a JET who returned in 2018 is eligible to apply again for the 2021 JET Program, but a JET who departed in 2018 is not eligible) or have participated on the program for more than five years in total.
Have not declined a position with the JET Program.
Not lived in Japan for a total of six (6) or more years in the past ten years prior to the year of departure.
Have an interest maintaining some relations with Japan, even after completion of the Program.
Agree to reside in Japan under the status of residence stipulated in Article 2-2 of the Immigration Control and Refugee Act when entering Japan for the purpose of JET Program participation.
Obey all Japanese laws.
Have finished any periods of legal probation and/or paid any fines by the application deadline if a jail term was suspended.

ALT Applicants Must

Be interested in working with students Pre-K through 12th grade.
Possessing teaching qualifications benefit your application, although it is not required.
Be interested in Japanese education and English as a foreign language instruction in Japan.

CIR Applicants Must

Have a strong, functional command of the Japanese language (ability equivalent to the Japanese Language Proficiency Test Level N1 or N2 is desirable). It is strongly recommended that prospective CIR applicants take a moment to review the Japanese Language Proficiency Test guidelines and sample questions as means of determining ability level. CIR applicants are not required to have passed the actual JLPT N1 or N2 level exam, but should have language ability sufficient to do so.

JET Program Salary

The JET participant’s salary is determined by the number of years of participation. As employment through the JET Program as an ALT or CIR is a full-time paid position, JET participants receive a monthly salary from their contracting organizations. This is updated for 2023. Salary before tax for each contract year is:

Year 1: ¥3,360,000
Year 2: ¥3,600,000
Year 3: ¥3,900,000
Year 4/5: ¥3,960,000

So is this salary good? Hell yes. You’ll be paid more than any other teaching program or Eikawa (private teaching) company in Japan, and you may even have a higher salary than some of your coworkers.

JET Program Benefits

Japanese Health Insurance – Once you receive your ARC you’ll automatically be enrolled in the Japanese National Health Insurance and Employment Insurance systems, but are also given JET Accident Insurance, which can be used overseas, such as if you’re traveling or visiting home.
Japan Pension Insurance – If you’re an American ALT, the USA has a treaty with Japan. Once you complete your tenure, you can get your pension back. This is especially amazing because it’s a nest egg and a savings program you don’t even have to think about.
Tons of vacation time – JETs get 12 to 20 vacation days, 5 to 10 sick days, and daikyu (days given back to you for working on a weekend/holiday or overtime).
Study Leave – If you’re super lucky, your placement might support study leave (kenshu, けんしゅう). These are days where you don’t go into work, but instead stay home and study Japanese or go out and explore Japan as part of the “cultural exchange” aspect of the Program.
Tax exemption – America and Japan have a tax treaty. You are exempt from paying Japanese residence taxes for two years. If you’re not American, expect to pay about $1,000 USD for your first year.
Multiple support systems – When you move to Japan, you’ll be invited to join exclusive prefecture events and your own prefecture’s groups. These are amazing opportunities to get help, connect with people, and make new friends.
Opportunities for professional development – There are two grants available for participants (the TEFL Certification Grant and the JLPT Grant), an online Japanese language course, and a Translation and Interpretation Seminar for advanced Japanese learners. There’s opportunities to join leadership positions in your prefecture’s JET association, in AJET.
Transportation to and from Japan – The Japanese government pays for you flight to and from your home country.

JET Program Application Timeline

Applying to JET is one of the longest waiting games of your life. The process will take almost a year and then once you’re in, everything will go fast. JET Program applications are open from early September to late November depending on each participating country’s online portal. Once you’ve submitted all the application materials online and by mail, you will be invited for an interview in February, and you will hear your JET interview results by April. If you are accepted, you’ll need to start getting ready for orientations with your embassy before departing for Japan in late July (Group A) or early August (Group B).

Deadlines vary depending on the application year. Check your country’s official JET Program website to stay on top of things.

JET Program 2023 Timeline

Summer Departure 1 & 2: Saturday, July 29, 2023 | Saturday, August 5, 2023
Last Summer Departure: After August 5, 2023

Application Available: Monday, September 26, 2022
Application Deadline: Friday, November 18, 2022 at 11:59pm HST
Interviews: Late Jan – Early Feb 2023
Announcement of Results: March 2023
Notification of Placement: May 2023
Orientation and Preparation: June – July 2023
Departures: July/August 2023

How To Write an AMAZING JET Program Statement of Purpose

First off, what is the JET Program statement of purpose? In a nutshell, it is a two page double spaced essay that describes your motivations and qualifications for participating on the JET Program.

The JET Program’s Goal & Core Values

This is the first thing you have to think about because they are looking for people who meet this criteria.

English Language Learning
Internationalization at the local level

How does your story match up with the JET Program’s mission and core values? The easiest way to convey this in your statement of purpose is to imagine yourself in Japan with the local community you could be working in and contributing to. How would you bring a little bit of the outside world to your small corner of Japan? Believe it or not, what you do actually can change students’ lives. I introduced Mexican culture and easy Spanish in my high school classrooms when I taught in Japan. As a result, some of my students decided to study Spanish as their foreign language in university.

Key Points To Incorporate into your JET Statement of Purpose

Why you want to go to Japan and participate in the JET Program?
Why you are interested in the position you are applying for?
What effect do you hope to have on the Japanese community as a result of your participation on the JET Program?
What applicable experiences, professional skills, relevant interests, and personal qualities do you have, and how you feel these will be useful to you as an ALT or CIR?
What you hope to gain, both personally and professionally, from your JET experience if you are selected, and how participation will assist you in your future goals?

1. Why do you want to go to Japan and participate in the JET Program?

The JET Program wants to know why you want to live in Japan as opposed to another Asian country. What is motivating you to choose this path rather than pursue grad skill or get a job in your own home country? Your answer to this question is the bread and potatoes of your JET statement of purpose.

Connect your motivation to a personal event in your life. – For instance, like all 90s kids, I watched Japanese animation growing up without knowing it was Japanese animation. What originally got me into Japan? I went to the library and picked up a huge book about Japan travel and fell in love with all the beautiful places there.
Don’t say, “I want to go to Japan because I love anime.” – I guarantee if you write this, your application is just going to get tossed in the trash. If you want to mention it, consider telling your audience about the initial spark and then what steps you took that made you really want to live and work in Japan. You want to portray yourself as an active and curious person.
Mention your motivation briefly in the introduction and conclusion.

JET knows you want to live in Japan. Your why is important, but not as important as the rest of these questions you need to ask yourself.

2. Why you are interested in the position that you are applying for?

If you’re applying for the ALT position you need to consider what YOU can OFFER the JET Program. Do you enjoy working with children? Did you take on some tutoring positions to help others before JET? Volunteer in your church? What unique aspects do you bring to the table and how are you prepared to teach children on JET?

3. What effect you hope to have on the Japanese community and internationally as a result of your participation in the JET Program?

Read this question as, “What can you offer Japan?”

How will you engage with students in a meaningful way and cultivate relationships with your community and coworkers? Your role doesn’t end at 4:30pm when the work day is over. Internationalization in Japan is a 24/7 duty.

How would you get involved at your school? When I lived in Okinawa, I got involved in the teacher’s badminton club. I also coached the dance club on cheerleading stunts. I did English Club and even cooking events.

Think about what kinds of things you hope to bring to the JET ALT job. Your past experiences don’t need to be cookie cutter. But what have you done even in your local community that would also benefit the Japanese community you will be in? Show them how you’re ready to jump into the rollercoaster of a lifetime.

Strong action verbs to incorporate into your essay

create
design
acheive
accomplish
resolve

Example sentences

I would like to create lesson plans that incorporate popular culture for maximum retention.
I would like to start an after school English club to teach about culture around the world and accomplish international curiosity and relations.
I’d like to join a taiko group and perform with my community members and achieve lifelong friendships.

4. What applicable experiences, professional skills, relevant interests and personal qualities you have, and how you feel these will be useful to you as an ALT or CIR?

If you talk the talk, you better walk the walk. What accomplishments and experiences have you had that would benefit your students and community?

This means:

You must be a proactive person who has done social and interactive things before JET.
They’re looking for people who aren’t afraid to jump into unknown situations and work with people different from themselves.

Since I was in high school, I knew I wanted to go on the JET Program. Every move I made in college was strategic. I volunteered tutoring low-income Mexican workers on the other side of my university town and helped them learn English for their jobs. I also got a job at the English Language Institute at Illinois State University helping university students pass the TOEFL to gain admittance.

Ask yourself:

Have I helped out at a summer camp?
Have I volunteered at church?
Did I help tutor my classmates?
Did I babysit and help kids with their homework?
Have I been responsible for group projects at work?
Are you tenacious and won’t give up easily?

Don’t restate your application line by line. Instead use personal examples to glorify your achievements. You want to show that historically you’re someone who gets along with others under a variety of different circumstances.

5. What you hope to gain personally and professionally, from your JET experience if you are selected? How will participation will assist you in your future goals?

Basically what they’re asking is, “How will you promote Japan after JET?”

The answer is different for everyone. In my case, I became a blogger who is a travel expert in South Korea and Japan. Now let’s talk about you, and what you will do to promote Japan after you leave.

JET was founded with the goal of influencing their “soft power” all over the world. Hence why so many countries are invited to Japan. JET’s goal is internationalization so basically you’re going to Japan to understand Japanese culture and lifestyle and then sharing that with the world so they understand too. The “E” in JET stands for exchange so keep that in mind.

How will your time in Japan be tied into your professional career? If not, how will you get your community involved in Japan? Will you join a Taiko group or be part of a local Japan (and your home country) cultural society?

Pro Tip For University Students

Even though I’m an English major, I can’t do everything myself. I guarantee most universities have peer tutoring labs in a variety of subjects. Set up an appointment with a tutor and break down what is expected of you when writing your statement of purpose. Thanks to a peer checking over and helping me sort my thoughts, I had an AMAZING statement of purpose. Take advantage of free resources your university provides you.

General Tips & Tricks For Your JET SOP

Proofread, proofread, proofread!
Add emotion to connect with your audience.
Show and not tell how eager you are to live in Japan.
Ask, “Does my SOP reflect who I am and what I can do for JET?”
You can find examples all over the internet from previous alumni and on the JET Program Reddit.
Be unique, share your own story, use your writing style and voice.

Potential Interview Questions For The JET Program

I’ve compiled a list of potential interview questions. The questions you will most likely be asked will be tied to your personal essay. However, I recommend you look over these questions below, have answers and a lesson plan prepared just in case. Before I went in for my JET Program interview at the Japanese Consulate in Chicago, I had a list like this with answers for every question just in case.

The more unique and memorable your answers, the higher your acceptance rate is. I was lucky to be shortlisted on my first try. One of the interviewers asked me, “What holiday would you teach to your students and why?”

I answered, “I would teach Groundhog Day because it’s very interesting how we as Americans tell if winter will continue by letting a large rodent see its shadow.” This caused all three interviewers to laugh and won me brownie points because one of the interviewers happened to have his birthday on Groundhog Day. In addition, the other interviewer was a Japanese professor at the College of DuPage where I studied before I transferred to Illinois State University. Again, this won me points because we shared an alma matter.

I also recommend you memorize a self-introduction in Japanese for the interviewers. This shows that you are trying to adapt to your host country and you will also use this when you are presented to your coworkers in Japan. Try to be original and I’m sure that you will crush the interview.

Introductory Questions

Tell me about yourself.
Tell me why you think you are a good fit for this job.
What are your hobbies?
Why the JET Program?
How long do you plan to stay on JET?
Why Japan?
What interests you about Japanese culture?
What do you know about Japan?
Have you ever studied abroad?
Have you ever been to Japan?
What Japanese news stories/current events are you following?
What are your strengths and weaknesses?

Questions About Teaching

Why are you interested in teaching in Japan rather than another Asian country?
Why do you want to teach English?
Do you have any experience teaching?
Why have you chosen to teach when your university degree has nothing to do with teaching?
What do you think are the challenges of being a teacher?
What can you contribute to students in Japan?
How would you deal with a disruptive student?
What would you do if a child said they didn’t want to learn English?
If you had a student who never did their work, how would you handle it?
How would you handle a class with a mixed skill level?
What is the most important trait of a good teacher?
Give some examples of how you would make a lesson interesting.
Please do a mock lesson on your state.
How would you teach a lesson on American Culture?
What holiday would you teach your students and why?
Pretend we are your students and teach us about [topic here].
What age group do you want to work with?
How would you teach middle schoolers about contractions? (Will not = won’t etc)
Pretend we are students who don’t understand today’s lesson. How would you make them understand without speaking Japanese?
What would you say to a student who asks why you don’t have blonde hair and blue eyes?
What three things would you bring to a classroom to represent your hometown?
How would you represent America’s diversity in an activity?
What (English language) author would you recommend to elementary/ middle /high school Japanese students?
What would you do if the Japanese Language Teacher made a mistake in the class?
Do you think Japan’s educational system pressures students?

Questions About Life in Japan

How would you handle culture shock/homesickness?
Describe a time where you felt culture shock and what did you do to relieve that?
How will you manage your mental health?
Would you be comfortable being invited by coworkers to drink after work?
How would you handle a co-worker making unwanted advances toward you at a company party?
Say you are out with your co-workers. One of them gets very drunk and says to you, “[Name], I hate Americans and American soldiers. American soldiers are rapists and killers.” How do you respond?
What would you do if someone at a restaurant insulted Americans or got into an angry debate about culture?
What would you do if you were asked by your boss to work overtime constantly? Can you reenact this situation and what you would say?
How would you try to get involved in your community?
Where would you like to be placed and why?
Are you open to a rural placement?
Why did you choose _____ placement? How will you handle being isolated?
Do you plan on buying a car in Japan?
What are your goals (outside of work) for when you are in Japan?

Cultural Questions

What are two similarities of US and Japan?
What is a current US-Japan issue that interests you?
What would you say if you were asked about your opinion on Japan-China relations?
How did you first come to like Japan in a historical and/or political way?
Do you think that Japan and the US will continue to work together in the future?
Explain your experience in ____ and tell us how it would prepare you for this position.
What experience would you suggest to a visiting Japanese family that would tell them about your culture?
How would you react if an ALT had completely different views than you?
Okinawa is very different from the rest of Japan. How will you experience Japanese culture if you are sent there?
Future goals after completing JET?

Breaking Down The JET Interview

The interview will be 20-25 minutes long and will be conducted by a panel of three judges.

One member of the Japanese Consulate or Embassy
One professional Japanese educator
One former JET participant

Their questions will be formatted to evaluate your character and your adaptability to be able to live in Japan for an extended period of time. You will also be tested on your Japanese ability even if you know absolutely nothing. At the end of the interview you’ll get a chance to ask questions to the interviewers.

How To Prepare For The JET Interview

Read Over Your Statement of Purpose

These two pages most likely are what got you the interview, and the panel will have looked over them to prepare their questions. Your essay is the base of what you want to convey to the judges.

Prepare Answers To Typical JET Program Interview Questions

Just because I wrote these questions here, doesn’t mean they will be asked. They are guidelines, but pretty damn good ones so you don’t go in blind. Most questions you will be asked will be tied to your Statement of Purpose. If you wrote about how much you love Japan, then expect to answer questions tailored to that.

What’s most important in the interview is you are respectful, engaged, and honest. Those are people skills we should all have, but especially a teacher. Your students expect you to listen to them and make eye contact. It’s the same with the interviewers.

Anticipate Questions About Your Personal and Medical History

In Japan, your medical history isn’t private. If you admit you have depression, anxiety, and even an eating disorder you might be asked about it. If you had to write down a criminal history or a low GPA, expect to be asked about it.

In America we’re more open to discussions about mental health and how it affects our personal lives and the workplace. Unfortunately, it’s still stigmatized in Japan. They don’t talk about mental health because it’s seen as shameful. When asked those questions on the application, I chose not to disclose it.

If you write about your mental health, the panel are going to make sure you won’t be put in a harmful situation. If they deem that you’re not okay, kiss your opportunity on JET goodbye.

However, if you decide to disclose your mental health, then this is my advice; show how you’ve grown and become a better person from these experiences. I’m not going to sugar coat it and tell you Japan is roses, daises, and unicorns. Japan is nothing but the struggle bus, so these skills are SUPER important. This country truly in’t for the faint of heart.

Here’s some suggestions to show your improvement in “problem” areas:

Talk about what you would do differently if you could go through the situation again.
Talk about practical coping strategies that helped you grow.
Share an article, study, or breakthrough moment you had while dealing with your issue.

Be Ready To Talk About Your Time Abroad (If Applicable)

If you lived, worked, or studied abroad, expect to be asked questions about it. Take some time to reflect on those experiences and share a story or two to make you stand out amongst all the other applicants.

Questions you could be asked about your time abroad:

If you had a great time abroad, what made it great? Specifically, what people made it great for you?
If you had a difficult time abroad, what made it difficult? Was it something you could have changed or was it outside your control?
If you went through the difficulty again, what would you do differently?

Be Ready To Improvise

Working in a Japanese school is full of surprises. Sometimes the JET panel will ask you to teach a mock lesson. Two of my favorite websites to find lessons are waygook.org (which I used religiously while I taught in Korea) and Korshare. Both websites provide pre-made lessons featuring grammar points, games, and supplementary lessons. The panel of judges might ask you to teach them a grammar point, about a holiday in your home country, or how to teach something the students don’t understand. The point of this exercise to assess two things:

How well you think on your feet.
How you would act as a teacher.

I’m personally someone who never likes to be caught off guard. Prepare a lesson just in case. Here are some tips if you do end up teaching a mock lesson:

Stand up and present. If you’re lucky there will be a whiteboard. If not, pretend that there is one.
Walk around your mock classroom
Use A LOT of Total Physical Response (TPR). As a teacher in Japan, you will rely a lot on your body language to communicate and so will the students.
Speak slowly and clearly as you would to your students.
Don’t worry about the facts. Focus on keeping your composure and teaching a lesson.
Don’t overthink it and have fun with it!

Study Your Japanese

This part counts the least as you don’t need any Japanese language ability if you’re applying to be an ALT. This test exists so the panel will know where to place you and what area in Japan would be most comfortable for you. Usually the Japanese teacher will conduct this test. The questions change from year to year so がんばって!

Write Down Questions For Your Panel

When the interview wraps up, you’ll get a chance to ask your interviewers questions. There isn’t a lot of time so pick the must-knows. Having good questions prepared is your last chance to impress the panel.

Questions To Avoid:

When will we hear results?
When will we know what prefecture we will be placed in?
Where will you send the results to?

Ask These Questions Instead:

What are some good ways to get involved in the community?
What is something you weren’t prepared for when you went on JET?
What are some ways to connect with students?
How is my [employment/apartment/something you don’t know about] handled while on JET?

What To Bring To The Interview

Make sure you bring these three items to your interview:

Your interview voucher
Signed release form
Your photo ID

If you don’t bring them, you’ll forfeit your interview or any chances for going on JET.

Early departure candidates should bring these additional documents:

FBI Background Check
Health Certificate

Check with your JET Program coordinator a few days before to double check and make sure you have the right paperwork.

How To Dress To The Interview

This is a professional job; therefore dress the part. Men should wear business attire consisting of suits, dress shirts, and dress shoes. For women, the guidelines are knee-length skirts, dress pants, blouses, heels or dress flats, and suit jackets for ladies. Think Tokyo Salaryman or business woman chic.

I’m dating myself here, but almost ten years ago when I went for my interview, I wore a cute olive colored dress suit while everyone was wearing black. Needless to say, I stood out apart from the girl applying to be a CIR with hot pink hair and tattoo sleeves. Fashion is a statement and it can also help you stand out. Be aware Japanese have a very precise way of dressing for interviews so keep this cultural difference in mind.

A lot of people ask me where I shop and honestly, my favorite online store is Pink Lily. I have been shopping with them since last year and I always get the cutest and most unique clothes. Use my code GINA20 for 20% off your order.

JET Program Interview Tips & Tricks

Remind yourself you’ve got this. You are a bad ass.
Prepare constantly so you have nothing to worry about.
Watch the video How to Crush Any Interview. There’s great pointers on how to look confident and impress interviewers.
Use open body language. Don’t cross your arms or legs, look down, and act afraid. Sit up straight, smile, make eye contact and BREATHE. The more oxygen goes to your brain the more easily you will be able to think.
Arrive early. This will give you a peace of mind and help you to relax more.
Get plenty of rest.
Don’t eat foods that will make you gassy or want to pee right before the interview.
Listen to relaxing music or nature sounds.
The panel members are human too. Take them seriously and don’t treat them like robots.
Don’t answer right away and give yourself time to think.
If you make a mistake, don’t let it rattle you. Take a deep breath and move on. I promise your entire future won’t be decided because you messed up on one question.
Get specific with your answers and provide well-thought out responses.
If you have nervous jitters, smile, laugh and joke when appropriate.
Don’t ramble. This can happen especially when we’re nervous. Allow silence for the interviewers to write down notes or ask, “Did that answer the question for you or should I specify some more?”
If you would like the interviewer to repeat a question ask politely by using, “Pardon?” or “Could you repeat that again?”

Getting Onto The JET Program

Come March or April you’re going to get an email stating one of the following:

Short-list candidate – This means you scored high on the selection process and are invited to participate on the JET Program. You will receive your placement about a month later.
Alternate candidate – If you’re an alternate candidate, it means you scored well, but did not make it onto the shortlist. You may be invited to participate if a position opens between mid April and the second week of December of the departure year. If an alternate candidate accepts the invitation, they may have less time to prepare for departure compared to short-listed candidate.
Unsuccessful candidate – Candidates who do not meet the standards required for participants will receive notification at the same time as successful candidates. If you are not invited as a short-list or alternate candidate, you are still eligible to apply again the following year if you feel the JET Program is the right career opportunity for you.

Just know if you didn’t make it, there are tons of private schools in Japan who hire you and pay for your plane ride there as well.

Choosing Your Placement in Japan

On your application, you get to choose three places in Japan you want to go. On mine, I chose Fukuoka, Osaka, and Okinawa. I was lucky enough to get my third choice. Not everyone is as lucky. I will guarantee most people end up falling in love with their placement even if they didn’t want it at first.

Keep in mind it is rare for JETs to get the big cities, but they are placed there. Most placements are rural or suburban (I lived in a village in Yomitan-son, Okinawa that was really beautiful and had an American military base there).

I highly advise accepting your placement and then putting in for a transfer (even though they’re rare also). That being said, if you refuse your placement, you will not be able to apply for JET for a FULL YEAR.

Below is a video I made when I was first starting out with my YouTube channel. The quality isn’t the best, but it does show how much I loved Yomitan and how I grew to love my community.

JET Program Alternatives

If your heart is truly set on going to Japan and you were unsuccessful or turned down your placement, then consider these other options for getting a job in Japan.

Interac – Founded in 1972, Interac is Japan’s largest private provider of professional foreign teachers to the Japanese government through its ALT program.
Aeon – Founded in 1973, AEON has grown to become one of the largest and most respected private educational institutes of its kind, with more than 3,000 employees.
Gaba – Gaba is Japan’s leading provider of 1-to-1 English Language lessons. Whether it’s a career change, a career break, or your first position, Gaba provides professional support and a flexible schedule system so you can enjoy teaching in Japan on your own terms.
NOVA – NOVA is a subsidiary of NOVA Holdings Group. NOVA Holdings Group operates several juku (tutoring center) chains, a home tutoring service, a design company, translation, interpretation and corporate language services, and work and study abroad programs.

These programs are all Eikaiwas which means you’re contracted with a private company and not in the public school system. English speakers are private tutors who work on a class-based schedule and have total control of their lessons when catering them to each student. The biggest difference is you don’t have to be a native English speaker. You need to have a strong command of English, a bachelor’s degree, and the ability to obtain the Specialist in Humanities visa (JET and Interac sponsor Instructor visas).

Working on the JET Program

While everyone’s situation is different, there are some similarities. For example, a typical day on the JET Program for me looked like this:

Arrive at 8:30 am and join the morning meeting. (I stopped going my third year.)
Look at my schedule for the day and prepare class. I had about 12-15 classes per week.
I’d open my classes by writing the plan for the day, calling out names on the roster, and doing a mini English warm up.
Lunchtime usually consisted of chatting with my coworkers and making friends.
I held English Club once a week after school and also played badminton with the teachers every Friday night.
I left at 4:15 when I didn’t have any other obligations like helping with speaking contests, practice, or university entrance exams.
I usually did Cross Fit four times a week as well to help me stay fit and healthy.

Honestly, working on JET is much easier as a foreign teacher because you have less to worry about. I enjoyed my schedule and all the time off. Having downtime meant I had time to teach myself other skills like blogging.

Every place in Japan is unique and different. I’d highly recommend looking on your prefecture’s Facebook groups and connecting with your predecessor to know what to expect.

In Conclusion

Talking about the JET Program honestly makes me remember how exciting life was when I was applying. I still remember my JET interview like it was yesterday. In November the previous year, I had broken up with my toxic ex boyfriend. It was unseasonably warm that February because it was cool, humid, and rainy. I can still hear the Amtrak train horn blowing as the train left Bloomington-Normal Station to its final destination at Chicago’s Union Station. While on the train, I practiced diligently for my interviews while watching the raindrops streak across the windows.

Once in the City, my dad picked me up to take me to the Japanese consulate. As the rain fell I looked up at the bold lettering knowing my life was about to change forever. And off I went into the greatest adventure of my life.

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August 20, 2021 | 0 comments