Applying to JET - VLog #103 - The Interview - part 3

This is PART THREE - please watch part one and two first.

In this installment I discuss speaking Japanese at your interview, and being asked to do a demo lesson or self introduction.

I hope these first three vlogs about the JET Interview process have been helpful.

Please continue to leave comments and questions, and I'll film a few follow-up vlogs soon.
And if you've done your interview (UK applicants) please leave some advice or anecdotes from your experience.

Peace,
Jason

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• JET
• Programme
• Program
• interview
• Jason
• Shimane
• Japan

[brainsteww]

Hi, Jason! I have my interview at the end of this month. Are we allowed to use Japanese at all in the sample lesson?

[myargonauts]

@brainsteww I've heard that people are being asked to do a sample lesson less and less recently, but if you are asked to do one, I would stick with English, unless you're specifically asked to aim your lesson for elem school students and you're explaining words by using the Japanese counterpart.

[xshiny]

Have you heard if they've ever asked someone other types of demonstrations (like an actual grammar demo)?

[myargonauts]

I don't think they would ask that, altho the UK JETs have to take a grammar test. You mostly get asked to do mock lessons about holidays, your country, or other fun topics

[shandy744]

Was an ex jet on the London interviews. Your advice is really spot on! in London the senior people were very big on the person's clarity and talking speed and how someone deals with not knowing something - rambling on about Haruki Murakami changing their lives went down like a lead balloon. Biggest mistake brits make is treating it like a university interview, your videos really are brilliant at showing what JET is looking for. Am recommending all your stuff to any potentials!

[myargonauts]

excellent! thanks for the comment! It's good to know that I'm on the mark, at least some of the time.  :)

[Regalia31]

I wanted to drop you a line to say that these videos have been very informative. I had my interview in Boston. My interview was very relaxing and not even half as bad as I dreaded. They asked me some odd questions like how I would answer a student if they asked if I was married or not. No factual questions. The only flub I think I did was when I was called upon for the interview, the person that got me introduced herself to me in japanese and I responded in english.

[BreatheDeepSeekPeace]

Hi Jason! I made the first cut! My interview is on Valentine's Day (which will hopefully provide some entertaining conversation, and possible mini-lesson)! Again, just wanted to thank you for the videos. They really are a great resource for all of us trying to make this work and jam in practice time before the interview in between classes and jobs. Gambarimasu!

[kakaze]

i've read the self into thing though is meant to be 5 minutes...i'm just not 5 minutes worth of interesting! eek...

[myargonauts]

like any interview, it's the way you handle a question you don't have an answer for that is more important - showing an ability to adapt or admit you don't know but with an interesting segue into something you do know about is just as good. Most of the questions are going to be about YOU, so you should have an answer. :)

[myargonauts]

it varies from interview location to int location, so you don't know ahead of time. A big part of being an effective ALT is being able to think on the go, so it's a good test of your abilities