#jet interview

[exo-raskreia]

HitsuKarin Ideas...

So according to the JET interview, when asked if Isshin ever reunited with Hitsugaya & Matsumoto after their past was revealed, Kubo basically said it wasn’t time for them yet. He mentions he had been asked by the anime staff if they could include it as a side story in the anime or something like that (during the Fullbring arc, it seems), but he had been against the idea.

I found this tidbit of information interesting... Putting aside what he said about them having recognized each other at the end of the Fullbring arc but not bringing it up with each other (since it doesn’t make sense - how could Hitsugaya, Matsumoto, & Isshin just disregard each other like that after about 20 yrs or something with no contact?! When they seemed so close in the past?), as well as this being yet another unresolved issue in the manga, I started getting ideas...

Since their past in the manga had been revealed later in the EBTR arc, he must’ve thought it was too soon to show it in the anime...but those scenes don’t necessarily correlate with what was going on between Isshin & Masaki, so it’s not like they couldn’t have been added as a side story, including an encounter, in the FB arc, right? The reason for Isshin leaving SS would’ve been left unknown until later, so it’s not like their encounter would’ve been a spoiler to those who don’t read the manga... So why so adamant?

Basically, my HitsuKarin senses activated... I know this sounds crazy, but what if Kubo had been planning to have them meet again sometime after Hitsugaya started spending time with Karin, in the future scenario where she is becoming/becomes a Soul Reaper? There were hints about her, so much potential.

Like...this sounds crazier but... If all had gone well with the final arc of Bleach & we’d gotten a proper IchiRuki-implied ending or something of the sort...as well as even hinting at Karin getting a sequel spin-off, Hitsugaya being the 2nd protagonist alongside her (and he’s like the most popular character of the series in Japan, why not)... I mean- It sounds like something interesting...

There are obviously fanfics with this theme, & I love it, but if it were to be true...oh, boy *rubs hands together*. So much potential with these characters... I list here several of their similarities & stuff, but imagine if something like this came to be...

On a side note, considering that supposedly Kubo had originally meant to end Bleach after the defeat of Aizen, with the farewell IchiRuki scene... Was their story really supposed to end there? Or “Bleach” was, but what if Kubo wanted to have them reunite later...in the sequel future with Karin’s story? Ichigo would regain his powers too (the whole point of the FB arc was to show he was unhappy living as a normal human & missing Rukia)... Is this too far-fetched?!

But I guess we might never know. Either way, I got these ideas for a while & had to rant.

[1hourfromsiberia]

Question received: I’m going to be interviewing with JET. What is the best way to respond to questions about “how would you deal with harassment/gender discrimination in the workplace?”

Hey! So, this is a great question and I think many other people would like to know the answer to it and other similar questions.

Here’s how I’m gonna approach it:

Instead of answering the question for you, I’m gonna tell you what the Contracting Organizations and CLAIRE would prefer in an ideal situation.

If an employee is harassed or discriminated against at work, some of the WORST things that would happen is

1) the employee doesn’t tell anyone

2) the employee becomes defensive and tries to deal with the problem by themselves, becomes stressed in the process and fails to complete work because of this

3) the employee becomes immediately confrontational and escalates the matter, thus instigating a larger conflict/fight

The pattern between all these?

The CO (Contracting Org)’s worst fear is - a situation they CAN’T control or know little/nothing about. That’s your employers worst nightmare. Companies love to manage. That’s what keeps things flowing smoothly. They want to know:

“Are you manageable?” “Will you let us manage you AND your problems?” “Will you be a part of a team and respect the hierarchy, or will you try to be a lone wolf and ignore the ladder of power?”

Your answers need to prove to them that you will NOT be one of those ‘lone wolf’ people.

BEST case scenario for companies?

1) If discrimination/harassment happens to you, you do not cause a scene (yes, this is terrible, but keeping face is VERY important in Japanese culture).

2) You quietly and discreetly go directly to the manager above you and report what happens to them in all the details you have

3) You sit back, avoid the harasser/other person at all costs, and allow higher-ups to decide on and execute the proper way to deal with it.

4) If it happens again, rinse and repeat.

In Japan, it’s crucial that you do NOT ‘deal with it yourself’. This might be seen as somewhat of a respected move in American culture (mostly because you’d be defending your pride and not ‘tattling’), but it’s not the solution here. Hell, arguably most American companies do not want you to deal with shit yourself. People dealing with people they have to work with every day causes tension, causes lack of work ethic, causes decrease in productivity. That’s what they wanna avoid. So no matter how wronged you’ve been, the expected thing is to just square up, go straight to the person above you and tell on them like the most responsible 2nd-grader you can imagine yourself to be.

Try not to let it become a culture-war either. Don’t start going off about how “this would NEVER happened in MY country!” It will just raise the tensions higher and make you seem bitter about things that are way above and beyond the single conflict mentioned. 

(I’m not saying it’s not good to compare countries and cultures, but there’s a time and a place for everything, and in this situation the best thing for everyone is control and swift management of the situation.)

[ume-chan-sensei]

Today I interviewed for the JET Program. Heading home from the interview, I’m not sure how well I did. I know I didn’t crash and burn but I don’t think I did a spectacular job either. They were really very nice people, but one of my interviewers kept a straight face the whole time so it was hard to read the atmosphere. They asked me tough questions about my lifestyle and even threw at me the dreaded “example lesson” question. I guess I’ll just have to pray and wait until April for the results.

[thebeccajar]

7 Last Minute Tips to Help You Prepare For The JET Interview

7 Last Minute Tips to Help You Prepare For The JET Interview

Interviewing for JET in the next week or two? Then this is for you!

Having been on both sides of the table as an applicant and an interviewer for the JET Program, I wanted to give some insider tips. I was a nervous wreck before I interviewed at the Japan Consulate in Boston four years ago, and everything turned out fine. I hope you will find my tips useful if you happen upon this before your…

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[thebeccajar]

The JET Interview Reprise

The JET Interview Reprise

It’s a pivotal time in the JET world…Right around this time, ALTs and CIRs around Japan are signing off on a piece of paper whether they will stay one more year in their placement or go back home, and future JETs in their home countries are preparing for their interviews. This time two years ago I was freaking out about my interview, so I figured I’d share my post about the JET Interview again to…

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[1hourfromsiberia]

hi! your blog is wonderful as always! i'm applying for the jet program this year, and already am starting to worry about interviews... do you think my chances would increase if i wore makeup? like, i don't know if i'm even going to get that far, but i'm getting pretty preoccupied about this. thanks!

That’s a good question, but I’m afraid I can’t tell you whether or not makeup would significantly, or at all, increase your chances. However, I encourage you to consider the following and I hope they will be somewhat helpful:

LET’s TALK ABOUT JET INTERVIEWS!

1) Your interviewers, as all interviewers that ever interviewed, are human. They will likely have their own preoccupations with what they think is ‘proper’ for an interview. For some, that might mean makeup. For some, it might mean less or no makeup. I think the best choice would be to go with whatever you feel reflects the best “you” for THIS job. Not necessarily as a job in America... but a job teaching children in a foreign country. 

2) More so than looking at your face, your interviewers will be looking at your experience and your DRIVE to get shit done. JET prioritizes some things

the ability to adapt to new, potentially uncomfortable situations

the ability to keep smiling, even if you’re not happy about something

the ability to take on tasks out of your own initiative and be proactive about progress

THOSE are the best qualities I think you could project during your interview. One of the things I found useful for ALL interviews (including JET) is putting yourself in the shoes of the interviewer. 

Objectively analyze what the task of the job is! In this case, it’s literally - moving ACROSS THE OCEAN to TEACH ENGLISH and CULTURE in a FOREIGN COUNTRY where maybe 80% of the people around you will NOT SPEAK ENGLISH and where you’ll be more or less ISOLATED before you settle into a completely new upside-down lovely life.

If you were to, well, pick someone out of a herd to hurl them west-side (or east), what kind of person would YOU want to have in order to maximize their chances of surviving and prospering? 

Imagine that person. Imagine the skills and character and determination they must have in certain aspects of their character in order to succeed. Feel that person’s raw energy. Become that person. Wear that person as a suit to your interview! 

And, to be honest, if you wanna be successful in a foreign country, I would recommend attempting to more or less strive for those attributes in your own lifestyle.

Sorry if I’m being dramatic here. Let’s be honest - I LOVE THIS JOB! I love it. I hope everyone has this type of experience at least once in their life. I hope you all have a chance to do something like this for yourself. 

But allow me a tangent...

In order to get to do this and be able to properly enjoy it, you need to adapt a certain type of attitude which will give you tools to build bridges - not walls - when you encounter obstacles. 

Many, many people I know or have heard about, unfortunately come to Japan without considering it as a job or a mission of sorts. They come expecting Japan as an experience or a joyride and don’t realize that they’re in for a 40-hour week of working with children, planning lessons, constantly stuttering over language gaps, gesturing wildly as a last resort to people who don’t really care or get paid enough to care about your problems as a foreigner in a small rural town. And let’s be honest - after that 40 hour week ends, you’re in for unpaid overtime of being your town’s local semi-celebrity and you’re expected to smile and wave at and interact with people long after you’ve left your desk - because you’re literally here as a cultural representative and you and your interaction will become, for many people, the image they will come to associate with foreign people and your foreign country. 

It can be very stressful, needless to say. Rewarding? Yes. Life-changing? Absolutely. A tough but wonderful job with many perks and opportunities? BY JOVE, YOU’VE GOT IT.

But it will stress you out. Sooner or later. More than once.

In the interview, you need to prove to them - and maybe to yourself, for some people who are worried (which is normal! Being worried is natural) - that you want to TRY more than you’re afraid of minor everyday blunders. That even if you fail at something, you have enough flexibility to keep going, to try new approaches, to continue communication and attempts at a mutual understanding and lifetime friendships. 

You’ll face questions like 

- “What will you do if a student asks you about -sensitive cultural topic-?”

- “How do you plan to bridge the language gap with your coworkers and develop natural office relations?”

- “What special thing can you bring to the routine English lessons at a tiny rural Elementary school to make them excited about learning a new language?”

- “How would you respond if someone tells you they hate America?”

Take a deep breath, think about the best outcome and plan your answers accordingly and optimistically like a giant, shining bulldozer with a spray-painted smiley face and a pack of games and activities - ready to take on ANYTHING.

If you can do that, if you can consider this a possibility, and if you can give that image of yourself to the interviewers, then you might have yourself a successful interview.

THat’s all I’ll say on the matter but for the road:

GOOD LUCK! I wish all of you my best. 

[tobasko]

JET Program Interview Tip

So I know peeps who have heard they are getting an interview for JET are probably preparing and trying to find anything tips they can right now so it occurred to me to jot this down even though it’s been 3 ( D: ) years since I interviewed. The people you run into at the consulate before your interview ARE evaluating you. They told us they weren’t but they were (tricky tricksters). There were 2-3 former JETs in the waiting room with us and one of the guys ended up being the group lead for our city. I asked him at an orientation if they were actually evaluating us before the interview and he gave me a nod like “Oh yeah def” I was super bubbly and talkative in the waiting room and I think that gave me an edge over the other people around. I engaged the former JETs and others waiting. I remember another girl there who was at her second year interviewing (waitlisted the year before) and she was obviously very nervous and quiet because of it. I didn’t see her at the orientations later. Talking was a way for me to lessen my nerves and making friends with the former JETs not only was fun and ultimately helpful, but it made me a lot less nervous about talking with panelists (because I was already in talking mode) Remember that they want people who will be able to engage people who don’t speak the same language and who will bravely put on a smile and forge forward in the face of supreme awkwardness.

[sayonarasurie]

January 15: Flashback Saturday

It’s crazy to think that a year ago, I started my journey to JET. I remember getting the email about interview results and copying and pasting my JET ID into the find-bar. And bam, my number was on the first page. I double and triple checked to make sure I typed in my ID correctly. I honestly couldn’t believe I passed the first stage of screening.

The first thing I did was research the JET interview. That was like typing in “coughing” as a symptom on WebMD and the results coming back with “lung cancer.” The blogs about the JET interview were intimidating. So intimidating that I thought all of it was real. I mean, how would you explain why America dropped bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki to a student? I sure as hell don’t know how I’d explain that. Some of the questions were so far fetched, I thought to myself “is this even real?” I wanted to be prepared so I came up with answers for those questions. But on the day of the actual interview, none of those crazy questions were asked; in fact the interview was easier than I thought it’d be. Easier but still pretty nerve wrecking (wracking?). I embarrassingly stumbled through the Japanese portion and smile my way through my awkwardly phrased answers. 

So to my future successor if you are reading this... or a future JET participant... the interview is the easiest part. Maybe it’s because I interviewed in Hawaii and everything is chill in Hawaii... but the interview panel just wants to see that you’re genki and adult enough to live and teach in Japan. They want to see how adaptable you are and how you would encourage cross cultural relations as an American living in Japan. If you’re a good person and really want to go to Japan, make it known. The interview is your chance to show that you’re capable of doing the job, and doing it well. Smile a lot and be friendly with the panelists. No one likes an uptight teacher. 

I should start an advice topic on my blog or something. Like those Elite Daily “5 tips blahblah” articles. Something to think about.

Until next time! (by that, I mean in a few months LOL)

Sayonara, Surie