I know the decision to get an interview isn't even out yet, but given the short turn around time from notification to actual interview for USA applicants I figured it would be irresponsible not to start preparing now. I've read a lot about how to prepare for interviews but a lot of information out there just talks about what questions are asked as opposed to how people prepared. I think about JET from the moment I wake up to the minute I'm about to fall asleep and I don't want to leave any stone unturned. I'm also interviewing at a potentially competitive consulate in SF (not sure if that makes a difference) so I really need to be as on top of everything as possible to even have a fighting chance.
by pouyank
25 comments
I created a mock interview with common questions for JET interviews and filled out answers for each one and then rehearsed them so I wouldn’t be caught out thinking of answers for things. Worked very well!
Look up common questions that are asked and think about how to answer them. I also always try to think of a story to tell from my experience that relates to the question.
To anyone interested I do online interview prep specifically for JET for an small hourly fee.
I have interviewed people in previous work roles and I worked with several applicants last year and now every one of them is in Japan on the Programme.
If you are interested DM me.
I browsed [this list](https://jetprogramguide.com/over-100-jet-interview-questions/) of potential questions to get an idea of what would be asked. I read over the JET website about page to make sure anything I said would be in line with their goals for the program.
Most importantly, I read over my SOP just before the interview and made sure I knew it well. It helped bc most of my questions were based on things I wrote in my SOP and prior experiences in Japan.
Don’t sweat it. If you get an interview, you probably sound good on paper. Now they just need to make sure that translates to real life.
Honestly I just looked over my specific SOP over and over and thought about how I would respond to different details of it. Ultimately I prepared for the japanese portion and mock lesson the most, but otherwise I winged it because my particular interview had a lot of questions that would have been extremely difficult to prepare for like “why don’t you want to teach history instead?” And “what will you do if we put you in Hiroshima and not with your partner in Tokyo”. Ultimately the basis of smooth communication will help you more there than any stock answer prep. However, I’m not sure if my interview was all that typical so please take that with a grain of salt.
Know your SOP front to back. I’ve taught before so my hardball questions were about that and the rest was about my SOP. The advice about reading the list of potential questions is good; however, if you’re not good at thinking on your feet then I would practice that as well.
The interview will be prepared around your application and Personal Statement / SOP. You can find some questions online as a guide but if you want practice it’s better to find someone that you can talk to, so they can read your application beforehand.
If you can find someone to help, tell them to ask difficult questions that pick apart the things you’ve put on your application.
I asked one of my references to do a mock interview with me and they didn’t go easy on me 😅 I especially let my reference know areas and things I felt less confident about like one bad grade I got in university for example. They gave me the hard truth and very solid criticism which definitely helped me a lot.
Edit: as others have said, know your SOP and resume very well. I remember being asked about my major and how I would apply it to the JET Program or being an ALT.
I remember using and personally like the advice in Tofugu’s [JET Program Interview: The Definitive Guide To Passing](https://www.tofugu.com/japan/jet-program-interview/). In fact, I even refer back to it sometimes. I also just googled JET interview questions and practiced them. However works for you is fine, but I would just write a bunch down and go for a walk/hike and practice them.
As others have said, they will base their questions on the materials you’ve already given them, so your Personal Statement and maybe even some of the things you wrote on the application (I wrote that I was applying for an another program, and they asked me about it and how I would make my choice between the two). So I would focus and making sure you are familiar with what you wrote and why, which shouldn’t be too hard if you wrote everything honest and earnestly.
I plan on preparing by answering common questions in advance and rereading my application/SOP.
Only one responder mentioned a mock lesson question. Did you all have such a question? Also, how long (minutes) was your interview? TIA
My biggest issue has always been confidence.
2 weeks ahead of time I was finding empty and unlocked rooms, marching up and down them rehearsing anything I could think they’d ask at the UK interview based on the various lists you can find. Body language and everything. usually based around about the same 8 core points. I found I would give good answers that went on so long until i said something to undo it. Doing this boosted my confidence and told me when to shut up. I made sure I’d considered how Id teach a mock lesson (that was never asked).
I also made sure to set up mock interviews and reviews with my careers people at uni.
Its the most prepared I’ve ever been and also taught me how to do interviews in general.
One thing I would say is, if you’ve had any health conditions in the past that you had to provide additional information about, be prepared to potentially answer questions about it
Being very familiar with everything I put on my application, and especially my SOP. I also did a bunch of mock interviews on the discord. Also do your research by looking up the common interview questions and have some ideas for the mock lesson if they ask you to do one. There are some good YouTube videos out there too with some advice and example questions/answers. Lastly preparing is good and necessary but also don’t over rehearse answers, just be yourself, be confident, and show them how excited you are about possibly working in Japan. 😊
Review your SOP. Get ready to elaborate some of your statements. I got some tricky questions because of my background. I answered honestly and told them what I believe. I got in 🙂
Also from SF, I don’t think I prepared much maybe online for the Japanese portion (which was short since I didn’t know much). I did look up some common questions they may ask. There’s like some resources online for that.
For the interview, they didn’t ask me about my SOP, it was more about my experience being a full-time sub for highschool and teaching style.
I looked at a huge list of sample interview questions and wrote a response for each one. But you never want to memorize responses, they want to see your authentic answers. Having that little idea on where to start with your responses can really help. But to be honest, I probable prepped for about 100 possible questions, and they didn’t ask me a single one from my list. So just remember your main points in your SOP and answer with confidence and positivity. At the end of the day you will be enacting as an ambassador for your country, and they want to see that you will bring positive things to Japan.
If your japanese isn’t great, practice some japanese such as “i’m sorry i don’t understand” so you at least gain some points. otherwise, i just studied up on my SOP. made sure i had a nice business-y outfit and simple hair/makeup. good luck! have confidence! you’ll do great ☺️
I literally did nothing except get a hair cut and made sure my suit still fit me.
But there’s a website with common interview questions. I’d recommend that. Honestly though, it’s like any job interview
This is what I did:
**Before the interview:**
-Read about Japanese work culture and ethics. A big thing to remember is that the work culture in Japan dress on the conservative side of things most of the time.
-Get a clean haircut and style your hair in a slightly conservative manner, if you wear makeup, be conservative. if you have facial hair, clean it up. It is ok to have a beard as long as it is maintained.
-Buy a decent-fitting business suit that is either navy blue or charcoal. Black is ok but some people may find it a bit too formal. If you need to wear a necktie, keep it conservative with darker colors and simple but a little standout-ish such as solid strips or small patterns.
-Pep talk yourself before you go into the building. tell yourself every day that are awesome, you are smart, you are creative, and you achieve your goals. Listen to the music that makes you feel like the ultimate indestructible entity that you are.
**Inside the Consulate:**
-The best thing to do is stand out via confidence but remain humble. The interview starts as soon as you walk into the consulate. don’t slouch, stand up straight. Feel accomplished you made it that far in the pipeline of selection.
-Dress well, be respectful, talk to the other applicants, and if need be rally them. Tell them that if you can make it they can make it too. If you are an introvert (like me) find the energy beforehand to be an extrovert for one day of your life. You don’t have to befriend and talk to every single person, Just don’t be afraid to initiate a conversation.
-Don’t cut anyone off when they speak to you, especially the interviewers.
-Answer questions genuinely and have them reflect your statement.
-Make sure to ask the interviewers questions when they ask you have any questions. Ask anything about Japan besides pop culture-related things. For example, I asked if JETs work at special needs schools and my interviewers told me they do.
**After the Interview:**
-Walk out confidently.
-If there are other interviewees in the waiting room, give them words of confidence. “You guys got this!”
**Final Notes:**
-Don’t mistake arrogance for confidence, confidence is knowing your ability. Arrogance is thinking you know the outcome.
-Treat the entire process seriously but don’t devote yourself to it. JET isn’t an end-all-be-all-be program. In the event you don’t make it, reflect on how you could improve and try again next year or apply to a different program.
-Don’t be fake, be genuine, honest and push yourself if need be such as being a bit more extroverted.
These are all the things I did to get in. Hopefully, these help ease your concerns. I wish you the best of luck in the process and remember, if I could get in, so can you. Stay awesome!
Bought a nice suit!
dragon ball z
Didn’t sleep. Lol. Kidding…a little.
Actually, I had to make a lesson plan, so I focused on that. I went over my SOP. I started making a list of commonly asked questions with answers, but I found trying to memorize them to be stressful.
I waited to get my interview offer, then started seriously preparing about 3 weeks before. First I made a Google doc with a bunch of common questions I found around the internet (including for the Japanese section!). Not only from blogs and forums, but there’s a bunch on Youtube as well, as well as general advice for the interview. I thought about how I’d answer each, then had my brother do a mock interview with me where he went through every question in whatever order he wanted. This was to practice my ability to come up with things on the fly. Then I took some time to write a short paragraph to answer each question. My writing was longer than what I’d actually be able to say, so it would give me plenty of ideas to pull from if I were to be asked in the real interview. I just didn’t want to get caught off guard and have them ask me a question that I never even considered what my answer would be. I also thought about what songs I’d sing if they asked and how I’d approach the mock lessons as well. I also made sure to reference my SOP where appropriate. Afterwards, I had two friends check my written answers for some more feedback.
In the interview itself I made sure to be friendly and polite to not only the JET volunteers running it but also my fellow interviewees as we waited. And make sure to not discuss the results with anyone after you finish.
I will say there is no need to be so absorbed in the outcome especially at this point. It’s out of your hands, if your SOP and application was strong, I think it’s fine to not worry about the interview until it’s actually happening.
I interviewed in Chicago in 2019 and it was the easiest interview I’ve ever had. My biggest tip is to remember that the real purpose of JET is to strengthen soft power.
But interview questions, a nice suit, and good haircut and all great things to do
If you get an interview, it means your application and SOP were good and they believe, on paper, you have the right qualifications for the job.
The interview is more of a personality test. Can you express your ideas well on the spot? Do you implode under pressure? Are you a nice, pleasant, and well-adjusted person? These are things a paper/online application can’t tell them.
So, look good. Wear decent clothes, be clean and neat in appearance. If the interview is in person, shower to smell nice but I’d avoid perfume/cologne. Smile. Act confident but be humble and polite. Make eye contact and mind your posture. Be your own authentic self. This advice honestly goes for any other job interview.
For JET specifically, I looked up some common interview questions just to get a feel for the types of questions to expect. I never rehearsed or prepared answers, though, because you never know what questions they’ll ask, and prepared answers sound fake instead of authentic, anyway. Be prepared to do a mock lesson, as this is common.