The waiting game begins!

[Hanzo]

So guys, this is for everyone who's had their interview and has just started to play the waiting game...

haha how you play this game is completely up to you, i think i'm going to try and imagine that i havent got it so that i dont cry if i get rejected....i gave the interview my all guys, good luck to everyone else and i'm sure you'll all be fine

ohh how hard is it going to be to not to think about JET...arrgggghh harder than i thought!


Yours, oznaH

[Hannah]

If you feel confident I recommend you think like you are going so you give yourself a chance to get ready... It may seem like a long wait but it will fly by!

[ENAY]

I think psychologically everyone will probably tell their friends it went pretty bad even if everything went well, so as to make it seem a truly special occassion if you got in.
I'm already telling most people that I've barely got a chance.

And as Steve Davis once said (Regarding the deciding frame of Snooker in a final)

"Play the game as if it means nothing, when in fact it means everything."

[Pandilex]

I wish people would stop saying "You have an advantage because you're learning Japanese [note: I know only the basics after 2 hours a week for 1.5 years]. 99% of JET applicants last year didn't have any knowledge of Japanese!"

It makes me think, ARGHH ONLY 1% OF PEOPLE GOT ACCEPTED WHO WERE LEARNING JAPANESE!!!

[redfieldblair]

Had mine today, its strange, I know we can't give any specific details out, however its no secret once you get there that everyone is interviewed in a different manner.
Mine didn't seem like a tough one, all my revision seemed to be wasted effort. I almost wish it had been a little more taxing, since then I would have a better idea of how well I did, right now I don't know what they were looking for from me.

IF I actually had my eyes open during the interview (I was nervous and whilst I know I wasn't maintaining eye contact, thats fine, I just can't remember what I was looking at ops: ) then I think I'm in with a chance. If not... heres hoping they don't keep notes from year to year

Waiting until April... ouch. Does everyone hear back at about the same time?

[Hanzo]

yeah redfield i think everyone knows by april...there is one thing that is really bugging me though, and that is:

Is there anything after a successful interview that can stop you from getting a place on JET? They say that interview results and "data" are evaluated at the Tokyo office...does this mean that AFTER the interview there are other factors which can play against you?

[Cornelius]

yeah redfield i think everyone knows by april...there is one thing that is really bugging me though, and that is:

Is there anything after a successful interview that can stop you from getting a place on JET? They say that interview results and "data" are evaluated at the Tokyo office...does this mean that AFTER the interview there are other factors which can play against you?

Yeah, there is.

If you succeed in the interview, you are not told that you have the position, rather that you are through to the next stage. That subsequent stage is completed once the following have been confimed:

a) a physical examination
b) a confirmed placement (remember, they don't know who is leaving or staying from the current batch, so they put out a proviso saying that even though they think you candiate material, they can only take you if they can place you). Don't worry about this - I don't think they've ever been unable to place someone.
c) a contract signed.

You only become locked in at c), so anything that you do in this interim period can affect you, provided it gets back to the correct people. We represent our countries of origin, and they don't want to risk an incident over here, so if they see a problem they will deal with it.

For example, allegedly a couple of years back there was this guy from Hawaii who got in, and on BD promptly talked about smoking stuff of the less-than-legal variety. Due to his location, it was fairly easy to figure out who it was, and he was dropped from the program. (Yes, they check websites - at least one member here got slapped for something).

Working for JET in a public school means that we are civil servants. Given the position of teachers in this society, if we do something bad here, it brings shame on our school(s) and on the people who hired us. Of course, on a day to day basis, that matters little on the ground (we party like mad and we have a hell of a lot of fun), but it is still something that can affect you.

[Hanzo]

wow thanks cornelius! i really do understand how it goes now...but just a quick question...do you mean physical examination as in the certificate of health form that they send out to you when you've passed the interview stage?

so, judging from what you said..a successful interview generally means a place on JET with the exception of those who fail the health test and/or those who don't have anywhere to go (which you said was rare)....

all i need to do now is wait...

[Cornelius]

wow thanks cornelius! i really do understand how it goes now...but just a quick question...do you mean physical examination as in the certificate of health form that they send out to you when you've passed the interview stage?

so, judging from what you said..a successful interview generally means a place on JET with the exception of those who fail the health test and/or those who don't have anywhere to go (which you said was rare)....

all i need to do now is wait...

Yeah, the certificate of health thingy. It basically acts as proof that you won't cark it withing five minutes of arriving.

From what I've seen, the fact that you are told you are through to the next stage rather than being told you have the job is purely an administrative requirement (they have a rough idea of how many ALTs they need, and that is factored into the process). My advice if you reach this stage: go on holiday. Do anything other than read sites like this. Keep yourself occupied.

There may be a chance that you won't be placed (I have to fall in line with their terminology here), but in all honesty I wouldn't go into stress/panic mode - all you can do is wait for a couple or so months while they sort everything out.

[Shotokai]

just keep an eye out in feb/march for some "secret letters" that were rumoured to be circulated last year...

[yabighoor]

bloody "secret letters" they were pants...why they bothered to send them out....

Based on your results you`re in, but we might change our mind so don`t go telling anyone, especially someone who also applied, then we definitley won`t ley you in...bla bla bla bla bla

Pants! I say, it`s all a pile of pants!

Also about the med exams, if you live in an area where doctors waiting lists are high make an appointment ASAP for about March/April. Also try to get it done at uni, because you`ll probably get a discount or even get it free.

[nicklad]

My secret letter made me feel special, like someone out there thought I was good.

[weens]

secret letter? are you bullshitting?

I didn't get anything like that. Just a nice letter saying you have been accepted. Then it was the wait to find out where I was that killed me!
Then the wait to hear from my pred and my CO too...

Ohhhhhhh the waiting...

[Fyrey]

Only in the UK Weens, didn't happen anywhere else.

Heh, rumoured indeed....

[weens]

Only in the UK Weens, didn't happen anywhere else.

thanks dude

[Hanzo]

My secret letter made me feel special, like someone out there thought I was good.

haha nick i wouldn't mind receiving a secret letter!! all i want to know is if i'm in then i'll be fine....thats the waiting part that i hate the most, i'm probably only going to check these boards once a week now so that the wait doesn't annoy me any more than it already does

i need to find a new hobby...

[Faustus]

What do you mean, only in the UK? I interviewed in NYC, and I totally got a secret letter. It was written in code and came with a decoder pin, too. Of course, all it said was, "Be sure to drink your Ovaltine," so that was a load of crap. [/shitstirring lie/Christmas Story reference]

[Pandilex]

I had my interview and I think it went okay. It was a long day and there was sadly lots of waiting at the embassy, so be careful if you're booking a train because I expected to be out at 4:40pm (25 mins after my scheduled time) and actually ended up leaving at 6pm!!

Lucky I booked the train back so late since I was planning to have a meal in London.

I also visited the Japan Centre (just up the road) briefly before I went to the embassy, it was quite interesting since I've never seen so many Japanese people in one place before!

Anyone booking train tickets to london, do it in advance and book seats on the train because they're often quite busy. Except we got coach A, which it turns out doesn't even exist anymore, all trains start at coach B!!! :evil:

[Hannah]

I also visited the Japan Centre (just up the road) briefly before I went to the embassy, it was quite interesting since I've never seen so many Japanese people in one place before!

Ha ha Get used to seeing only Japanese people and find yourself staring when you see foreigners!

I find myself pointing and saying "gaijin" when I see someone who is not Japanese! I am worse than the starers on the train!

Well, that is if you are in inaka...

[Cornelius]

I also visited the Japan Centre (just up the road) briefly before I went to the embassy, it was quite interesting since I've never seen so many Japanese people in one place before!

Ha ha Get used to seeing only Japanese people and find yourself staring when you see foreigners!

I find myself pointing and saying "gaijin" when I see someone who is not Japanese! I am worse than the starers on the train!

Well, that is if you are in inaka...

Agreed. Seein a gaijin where I am provokes something of a double-take from myself. It usually starts with a feeling that something is not quite right, and then I realise it isn't a Japanese person walking towards me...