Application Process Part 2: Interview

Tonight I'll be returning to the application process, specifically the interview. If you aren't a prospective JET applicant, this post will probably not be of much interest to you. Sorry!

So you've finished the paper application, mailed it in, sat around for a couple of months, and have been accepted to interview for the JET program! Congratulations, you are in the fortunate ~50% or so of applicants (I made up that number) who get to spend a bunch of money to travel to a stressful interview, followed by more months of anxious waiting. You lucky dog, you.

JET interviews, in the US, take place in mid-February over the course of one week. Applicants can choose a time and date within this one week window; its a first come, first serve system, so choose early. On the paper application, you choose a city to interview at; this city will also be the city you depart from, should you be accepted. It is possible to change departure cities, but it's a big hassle for everyone so choose carefully. I interviewed in Chicago.

I got a ride to Minneapolis followed by a bus to Chicago the day before the interview. While boarding the bus, I was so pumped full of adrenaline that I nearly forget my new suit in the car; this was Narrowly Averted Disaster #1. Don't forget your suit. Parenthetically, I had to buy one specifically for the interview; I went with charcoal, in an effort to look as drab and uniform as possible (Japanese business style) without looking I was attending a funeral. Leave the baby blue suit at home.

In Chicago, I stayed with an Internet Friend with whom I play Go. This made the trip much cheaper than it otherwise would have been, which was great. I spent the night before the interview attempting to review questions I thought I might be asked, sweating, and generally wanting the whole ordeal to be over.

In the morning I discovered that my passport, which was my primary form of ID at the time after losing my wallet, had been left in Minneapolis. My only ID was my college ID, which doesn't even really look that much like me. Narrowly Averted Disaster #2 - they ended up accepting the college ID, but it did not put my mind well at ease to have had the scare. Triple-check that you have everything you need.

I took a train to the interview site, the Japanese Information Center, nearly an hour and a half early. This turned out to be a good idea, as I had to stumble around in a department store for some time before I found the elevators. Make sure you give yourself enough time! Rumor has it that the receptionists take note of when applicants arrive, so be sure to get there the recommended 30 minutes early.

While waiting to interview, I was put with some other ill-looking applicants in front of a TV playing an amazingly perky video about the Program. The program followed the daily lives of some six applicants, none of whom were American - I can hardly blame them, as I'd tend to hide Americans whenever possible, too, if I was trying to sell an international program. After watching the video and reading some pamphlets about information I already knew, I was called in.

The JET interview takes place in a 3 on 1 setting. The applicant is seated before three representatives of the program: a former JET, a Japanese consulate worker, and a member of the community related in some way to the program or to Japan. In many cases, as in mine, this third member is a local professor. For approximately 20 minutes, the three interviewers will question the applicant on whatever they see fit, and the questions are notoriously difficult to prepare for. The interviewers all have copies of the application to review, and are seated at a table; the interview is specifically designed to be stressful. The setting itself is part of the interview; JET participants need to be flexible and deal well with stress and unexpected situations, and the interview is designed to an extent to simulate this.

Questions can range broadly between a variety of topics, and many are geared specifically to the applicant. Sometimes, questions will be asked related to the applicant's interest in Japan - what are some Japanese authors? Can you name the current Prime Minister? What interests you about Japan? Do you know the names of the four main islands? As I mentioned previously, JET applicants do not need to be Asian Studies majors or Japan experts, but genuine interest in Japan specifically - and not just "working abroad" or "Asia" - is required. If you are actively interested in working with JET, answering these types of questions shouldn't be a big deal. Brush up beforehand so you can answer confidently and not be afraid of these questions.

Some questions will relate to the applicants past experiences. In my case, I've studied in Japan and taught Japanese at a summer camp; I was asked about both of these experiences. Other questions might be hypothetical - "What would you do if you were asked to stay late for no extra pay? What would you do if you had an encounter with the police, and couldn't communicate with them? What would you do if you were propositioned by a student? (actual question, I've heard)". These questions are designed to be unexpected, again to see how the applicant will handle it. There generally isn't a "correct" answer, other than stressing how adaptable you are and not getting flustered. Some applicants have been asked questions ranging into the absurd - just answer as best you can and express how eager you are to resolve situations gracefully and to spread international understanding.

Some applicants are asked to give an example lesson to the interviewers, but not all are. It's very much worth your while to spend time beforehand thinking of some possible approaches to this. Short and simple is fine - you can cover a simple word topic, or teach a song, or something similar. There are many ideas on the Internet for this.

Once again, the motto of the JET program: Every Situation is Different. Every interviewee has their own experiences, and they can vary wildly even within the same interview group and consulate. Do the best you can and try to forget about it once the interview is over - you've got a good two months or so before you'll find out your results. Next time, I'll talk about the various results of the interview, and what happens next. If you are planning on applying, good luck - now is the time to start cultivating references and thinking about your Statement of Purpose.