hale
Straight outta Narita
Posts: 10
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Post by hale on Feb 24, 2024 18:13:55 GMT 9
Hello everyone.
In the future, I want to work at a university with both domestic and international students regarding cultural exchange and studying abroad. Therefore, I am interested in going to Japan as a CIR.
What kind of experience do I need or you recommend I should start building?
I know I should get an N2 Certificate, but what else?
Thank you in advance.
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Post by Tis the Season-jay on Feb 26, 2024 9:01:40 GMT 9
What an awesome dream that is! I was also really interested in that career path when I started JET (although I was an ALT back then, not a CIR). It's hard to give lots of specific advice, because the duties of CIRs vary so much, but I can share some that have personally helped me: Advice 1: If you're still in university now, and your school has a study abroad office, is there any way you can get involved? I worked part-time for my college's International Student Support Center when I was in undergrad, and found that the experience was helpful. When people come to City Hall to ask for help, I'm able to use some of the same kinds of skills I learned while supporting students in the US Advice 2: n my particular position, since a major part of my job is running the foreign resident support desk, I also rely heavily on the skills I picked up in my social work minor. I had taken some classes in counseling, basically learned how to have good listening skills, and how to listen to people's problems without inserting my personal opinion. This is very helpful because working at city hall requires me to be a neutral third party, and to not give personal opinions when helping people who come in for consultations Advice 3: I didn't have a lot of translation or interpretation experience / training when I started my CIR work. It's a big learning curve, and I'm still learning a lot about how to do it better, even after 2 years on the job. I have tried to participate in online (usually free, sometimes not) seminars to learn these skills, both as part of work but also sometimes in my free time. I wish I had tried practicing those skills more in advanced, or else taken a class on the basics or something Advice 4: One other thing is, if you'll be doing interpretation work, you gotta get really good at taking notes. And not notes like you do in college classes; short hand, where you don't write out full words or you use symbols to keep track of the conversation before it's your turn to speak. There are lots of free resources online to learn more about the basics of that, but I'm still figuring out more effective ways to do it myself, and wish I had started that sooner too Advice 5: The last bit of advice I have is to keep up-to-date with current events, both in the world and Japan/your home country. If you can do it in EN and Japanese it'll help out later on with all kinds of meetings/translation requests, but I struggle sometimes when people suddenly ask me about US politics/history/whatever because I never really paid attention before and don't do a good job of reading the news each week |
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Post by usamaru on Feb 26, 2024 14:40:59 GMT 9
hi there! are you interested in such a role at an university in your home country or in japan?
having approximately N2 level japanese is recommended if you're applying to be a CIR however you can get in without it if you can demonstrate in the interview that you have equivalent language skills. you can never go wrong with knowing more japanese though so i recommend studying as much as you can before arriving!
you have to also be flexible and a good empathiser because japanese offices often work in teams so you have to get used to constantly working with lots of other people and putting others first. have you had any customer service related part-time jobs before?
honestly, you don't need a lot of previous experience to be a CIR because a lot of the other skills can be learnt on-the-job because no one will expect you to know everything when you start. having passion for japan. a clear goal and determination to achieve it no matter what are ideal traits to have though!
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hale
Straight outta Narita
Posts: 10
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Post by hale on Feb 26, 2024 21:55:01 GMT 9
What an awesome dream that is! I was also really interested in that career path when I started JET (although I was an ALT back then, not a CIR). It's hard to give lots of specific advice, because the duties of CIRs vary so much, but I can share some that have personally helped me: Advice 1: If you're still in university now, and your school has a study abroad office, is there any way you can get involved? I worked part-time for my college's International Student Support Center when I was in undergrad, and found that the experience was helpful. When people come to City Hall to ask for help, I'm able to use some of the same kinds of skills I learned while supporting students in the US Advice 2: n my particular position, since a major part of my job is running the foreign resident support desk, I also rely heavily on the skills I picked up in my social work minor. I had taken some classes in counseling, basically learned how to have good listening skills, and how to listen to people's problems without inserting my personal opinion. This is very helpful because working at city hall requires me to be a neutral third party, and to not give personal opinions when helping people who come in for consultations Advice 3: I didn't have a lot of translation or interpretation experience / training when I started my CIR work. It's a big learning curve, and I'm still learning a lot about how to do it better, even after 2 years on the job. I have tried to participate in online (usually free, sometimes not) seminars to learn these skills, both as part of work but also sometimes in my free time. I wish I had tried practicing those skills more in advanced, or else taken a class on the basics or something Advice 4: One other thing is, if you'll be doing interpretation work, you gotta get really good at taking notes. And not notes like you do in college classes; short hand, where you don't write out full words or you use symbols to keep track of the conversation before it's your turn to speak. There are lots of free resources online to learn more about the basics of that, but I'm still figuring out more effective ways to do it myself, and wish I had started that sooner too Advice 5: The last bit of advice I have is to keep up-to-date with current events, both in the world and Japan/your home country. If you can do it in EN and Japanese it'll help out later on with all kinds of meetings/translation requests, but I struggle sometimes when people suddenly ask me about US politics/history/whatever because I never really paid attention before and don't do a good job of reading the news each week Thank you very much. Yes, I have read many posts about it, and it seems that it is so varied. However, that is why I am so interested in it. Advice 1: Unfortunately, I am not a university student anymore. I graduated two years ago so that's why I am so lost. I will ask my university if I can volunteer or something but if I can't, I will ask them. Advice 2: Really? You had to solve conflicts between people during your time there? What other conflicts or consultations did you have to solve? Advice 3: How did the interpreting/translating part work? What do you recommend me to look at/study to prepare myself? Advice 4: You were already ready for my question! But, what did you find helpful? Advice 5: Ah yes, that is really important. I am also not really up-to-date with the politics but I try to by reading the news. I can't really read Japanese so that's a huge minus, but I will make an effort to do it. Thank you very much. |
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hale
Straight outta Narita
Posts: 10
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Post by hale on Feb 26, 2024 22:01:32 GMT 9
hi there! are you interested in such a role at an university in your home country or in japan? having approximately N2 level japanese is recommended if you're applying to be a CIR however you can get in without it if you can demonstrate in the interview that you have equivalent language skills. you can never go wrong with knowing more japanese though so i recommend studying as much as you can before arriving! you have to also be flexible and a good empathiser because japanese offices often work in teams so you have to get used to constantly working with lots of other people and putting others first. have you had any customer service related part-time jobs before? honestly, you don't need a lot of previous experience to be a CIR because a lot of the other skills can be learnt on-the-job because no one will expect you to know everything when you start. having passion for japan. a clear goal and determination to achieve it no matter what are ideal traits to have though! Hello Usamaru! Well, I am not sure. If I think long-term, my home country is best. However, I would love to work in Japan as well. That is true. I am confident in my speaking skills, but my reading and writing is not at the level I should be at so I am worried. Yes, that is the culture in Japan and many Asian countries. Well, I have some experiences in TESOL and Tour Guiding, but it was me or one other person helping. Is that helpful? Would other experiences be better? If so, which ones do you recommend? That is true. I am just worried about the interpreting and translating (reading and writing) aspect of the job. Were you a CIR before? |
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Post by usamaru on Feb 27, 2024 10:27:32 GMT 9
hi there! are you interested in such a role at an university in your home country or in japan? having approximately N2 level japanese is recommended if you're applying to be a CIR however you can get in without it if you can demonstrate in the interview that you have equivalent language skills. you can never go wrong with knowing more japanese though so i recommend studying as much as you can before arriving! you have to also be flexible and a good empathiser because japanese offices often work in teams so you have to get used to constantly working with lots of other people and putting others first. have you had any customer service related part-time jobs before? honestly, you don't need a lot of previous experience to be a CIR because a lot of the other skills can be learnt on-the-job because no one will expect you to know everything when you start. having passion for japan. a clear goal and determination to achieve it no matter what are ideal traits to have though! Hello Usamaru! Well, I am not sure. If I think long-term, my home country is best. However, I would love to work in Japan as well. That is true. I am confident in my speaking skills, but my reading and writing is not at the level I should be at so I am worried. Yes, that is the culture in Japan and many Asian countries. Well, I have some experiences in TESOL and Tour Guiding, but it was me or one other person helping. Is that helpful? Would other experiences be better? If so, which ones do you recommend? That is true. I am just worried about the interpreting and translating (reading and writing) aspect of the job. Were you a CIR before? TESOL and tour guiding might be helpful! it entirely depends on what responsibilities your placement gives you though. interpreting and translation is probably something all CIRs do, but even then, the amount varies greatly between CIRs. i was a CIR until 2023 and was in a more bureaucratic placement so i did more translation/interpreting within the city hall, and not so many tourism projects or multicultural events. i didn't know a thing about interpreting but learnt as i went! |
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Post by Tis the Season-jay on Feb 28, 2024 10:12:58 GMT 9
hale For the foreign resident support desk, we take on pretty much every kind of case you can imagine. Spoile for length: The vast majority relates to stuff that we can do here in City Hall; so I go to the window with them and help them speak to staff and fill out forms. That is anything from changing addresses to asking about taxes, to signing up for daycare or talking with the Board of Education to get kids enrolled in school. Sometimes I get really random requests just because there is nowhere else to go in English; older people will come in for help on how to send an email on their phones, or how to send a package through Japan Post, or how to look for an apartment/job.
We also take heavier cases, such as persons experiencing possible abuse, neglect, or are in otherwise dire situations. If there is a connected office here in City Hall, I go with them to that window too to get more resources, and help show them what all options they have. Beyond that, the only help I can give them is calling the relevant hospital/center/whatever and making that initial appointment, or confirming what documents they need to bring along. I can't leave City Hall to go with the person anywhere. When I was more actively searching on Google for one off seminars/practice sessions (for example, using keigo or translation), I started to get targeted ads on my Facebook and other social media. I used that to find other resources; I once joined a free Saturday half-day class online on how to use business keigo/Japanese that was technically for international students in Japan, but they let me join as a JET. I also found a translation/interpretation school that puts out free practice videos on their Youtube channel sometimes, plus once a year does a free seminar about what it's like being professional translators/interpreters. Last year I signed up and watched it in my spare time just because it was interesting to hear from a professional's POV. Obviously it's way easier for those already in Japan, but I would think you could find ones happening on the weekend or that aren't live, so that you can watch the video later at a more convenient time. My bestie here in Japan (was a freelance translator for a couple years) did a class with Temple University for their adult/non-enrolled-in-college-anymore students, where she formally learned the basics of translation & interpretation over a couple weeks (once a week class). For the note taking stuff, it's just a lot of practice and sort of creating your own short-hand code. There are lots of free resources if you check online, but tips I've heard is choosing symbols instead of writing out words, or if you do need to use words, cut out the vowels/use abbreviations. There isn't an established universal code or anything, so you can make up your own however makes sense to you
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Post by al(l)i(want for)c(hristm)a(s)t on Feb 28, 2024 14:21:34 GMT 9
What an awesome dream that is! I was also really interested in that career path when I started JET (although I was an ALT back then, not a CIR). It's hard to give lots of specific advice, because the duties of CIRs vary so much, but I can share some that have personally helped me: Advice 1: If you're still in university now, and your school has a study abroad office, is there any way you can get involved? I worked part-time for my college's International Student Support Center when I was in undergrad, and found that the experience was helpful. When people come to City Hall to ask for help, I'm able to use some of the same kinds of skills I learned while supporting students in the US Advice 2: n my particular position, since a major part of my job is running the foreign resident support desk, I also rely heavily on the skills I picked up in my social work minor. I had taken some classes in counseling, basically learned how to have good listening skills, and how to listen to people's problems without inserting my personal opinion. This is very helpful because working at city hall requires me to be a neutral third party, and to not give personal opinions when helping people who come in for consultations Advice 3: I didn't have a lot of translation or interpretation experience / training when I started my CIR work. It's a big learning curve, and I'm still learning a lot about how to do it better, even after 2 years on the job. I have tried to participate in online (usually free, sometimes not) seminars to learn these skills, both as part of work but also sometimes in my free time. I wish I had tried practicing those skills more in advanced, or else taken a class on the basics or something Advice 4: One other thing is, if you'll be doing interpretation work, you gotta get really good at taking notes. And not notes like you do in college classes; short hand, where you don't write out full words or you use symbols to keep track of the conversation before it's your turn to speak. There are lots of free resources online to learn more about the basics of that, but I'm still figuring out more effective ways to do it myself, and wish I had started that sooner too Advice 5: The last bit of advice I have is to keep up-to-date with current events, both in the world and Japan/your home country. If you can do it in EN and Japanese it'll help out later on with all kinds of meetings/translation requests, but I struggle sometimes when people suddenly ask me about US politics/history/whatever because I never really paid attention before and don't do a good job of reading the news each week Advice 2: Really? You had to solve conflicts between people during your time there? What other conflicts or consultations did you have to solve? Advice 5: Ah yes, that is really important. I am also not really up-to-date with the politics but I try to by reading the news. I can't really read Japanese so that's a huge minus, but I will make an effort to do it.
hi so i'm not sayjay but a current CIR who has to do a LOT of conflict-solving and consultations with ALTs--if you're an english-speaking CIR and especially if you're american like me, you will either officially or unofficially get asked to help out ALTs/other JETs quite a bit, so potentially a good bit of translating and interpreting will be JET or ALT-related
also, you NEED to be able to read japanese. if you get an interview for the CIR position, there will be a reading portion that you'll need at least N3 or even N2 reading skills for. so please focus on getting those reading skills up because your workplace won't 100% accommodate you with english the way they would if you were an ALT (and even ALTs are bombarded with japanese in their workplace that they can't understand which is unfortunate)
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hale
Straight outta Narita
Posts: 10
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Post by hale on Feb 29, 2024 17:51:24 GMT 9
Hello Usamaru! Well, I am not sure. If I think long-term, my home country is best. However, I would love to work in Japan as well. That is true. I am confident in my speaking skills, but my reading and writing is not at the level I should be at so I am worried. Yes, that is the culture in Japan and many Asian countries. Well, I have some experiences in TESOL and Tour Guiding, but it was me or one other person helping. Is that helpful? Would other experiences be better? If so, which ones do you recommend? That is true. I am just worried about the interpreting and translating (reading and writing) aspect of the job. Were you a CIR before? TESOL and tour guiding might be helpful! it entirely depends on what responsibilities your placement gives you though. interpreting and translation is probably something all CIRs do, but even then, the amount varies greatly between CIRs. i was a CIR until 2023 and was in a more bureaucratic placement so i did more translation/interpreting within the city hall, and not so many tourism projects or multicultural events. i didn't know a thing about interpreting but learnt as i went! |
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hale
Straight outta Narita
Posts: 10
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Post by hale on Feb 29, 2024 17:52:04 GMT 9
Indeed. For the TESOL job, I taught ESL students English using activities and games. As a tour guide, I led tours around the city and my university, showing historical and cultural sites, as well as popular local spots.
I did read that we may need to do a lot of teaching jobs, and I hope it's not me because I am already planning for a teaching program.
Yes, that seems to be the case. It is so different. So what kind of translations/interpretations did you do in the bureau part? Was it about local news or ... ?
I am assuming the city hall role was very repetitive?
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hale
Straight outta Narita
Posts: 10
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Post by hale on Feb 29, 2024 18:02:08 GMT 9
hale For the foreign resident support desk, we take on pretty much every kind of case you can imagine. Spoile for length: The vast majority relates to stuff that we can do here in City Hall; so I go to the window with them and help them speak to staff and fill out forms. That is anything from changing addresses to asking about taxes, to signing up for daycare or talking with the Board of Education to get kids enrolled in school. Sometimes I get really random requests just because there is nowhere else to go in English; older people will come in for help on how to send an email on their phones, or how to send a package through Japan Post, or how to look for an apartment/job.
We also take heavier cases, such as persons experiencing possible abuse, neglect, or are in otherwise dire situations. If there is a connected office here in City Hall, I go with them to that window too to get more resources, and help show them what all options they have. Beyond that, the only help I can give them is calling the relevant hospital/center/whatever and making that initial appointment, or confirming what documents they need to bring along. I can't leave City Hall to go with the person anywhere. When I was more actively searching on Google for one off seminars/practice sessions (for example, using keigo or translation), I started to get targeted ads on my Facebook and other social media. I used that to find other resources; I once joined a free Saturday half-day class online on how to use business keigo/Japanese that was technically for international students in Japan, but they let me join as a JET. I also found a translation/interpretation school that puts out free practice videos on their Youtube channel sometimes, plus once a year does a free seminar about what it's like being professional translators/interpreters. Last year I signed up and watched it in my spare time just because it was interesting to hear from a professional's POV. Obviously it's way easier for those already in Japan, but I would think you could find ones happening on the weekend or that aren't live, so that you can watch the video later at a more convenient time. My bestie here in Japan (was a freelance translator for a couple years) did a class with Temple University for their adult/non-enrolled-in-college-anymore students, where she formally learned the basics of translation & interpretation over a couple weeks (once a week class). For the note taking stuff, it's just a lot of practice and sort of creating your own short-hand code. There are lots of free resources if you check online, but tips I've heard is choosing symbols instead of writing out words, or if you do need to use words, cut out the vowels/use abbreviations. There isn't an established universal code or anything, so you can make up your own however makes sense to you Thank you for your response! That is an extremely diverse role! I guess you wouldn't be bored because there are so many different cases you would be handling. City Hall dealt with the heavy cases? I didn't know that! I did see some YouTube videos but I didn't know about the free seminars! That's reassuring and helpful to know! Oh yes, I heard about Temple University. I will look into that as well! Definitely, creating a code is the best option for getting a head start when it's impossible to write down everything. I would need to really think about it then! I mean, I don't really abbreviate English so it's going to be a struggle! Do you have a code? |
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hale
Straight outta Narita
Posts: 10
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Post by hale on Feb 29, 2024 18:21:00 GMT 9
Advice 2: Really? You had to solve conflicts between people during your time there? What other conflicts or consultations did you have to solve? Advice 5: Ah yes, that is really important. I am also not really up-to-date with the politics but I try to by reading the news. I can't really read Japanese so that's a huge minus, but I will make an effort to do it.
hi so i'm not sayjay but a current CIR who has to do a LOT of conflict-solving and consultations with ALTs--if you're an english-speaking CIR and especially if you're american like me, you will either officially or unofficially get asked to help out ALTs/other JETs quite a bit, so potentially a good bit of translating and interpreting will be JET or ALT-related
also, you NEED to be able to read japanese. if you get an interview for the CIR position, there will be a reading portion that you'll need at least N3 or even N2 reading skills for. so please focus on getting those reading skills up because your workplace won't 100% accommodate you with english the way they would if you were an ALT (and even ALTs are bombarded with japanese in their workplace that they can't understand which is unfortunate)
Thank you for commenting, superalicat. Really? So, what kinds of conflicts are common? (If you can answer, but don't worry if you can't.) Do you mean helping ALTs in general, such as interpreting/translating AND assisting in the classroom? Or is it just for helping each other understand what they want/need? So, what kind of topics or things should I know/be prepared for regarding translating and interpreting for JET and ALT-related activities? What do you mean by 'won't accommodate you the way they would for ALTs'? Do ALTs receive a lot of support? What kind of support can I expect as a CIR? For example, can I receive assistance with filling out forms or access websites for referencing, writing, and publishing in Japanese? Yes, that is unfortunate. Wouldn't the staff know that there are many people who don't understand Japanese? After all, the JET Programme has been going on for a long time so wouldn't they know what to expect in terms of language skills and barriers? If there is a lack of support, what should I be aware of or prepare for in general? |
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Post by Tis the Season-jay on Mar 1, 2024 8:34:24 GMT 9
Alicat will also answer I'm sure, but re: support from your Contracting Organization
JET's infamous motto "Every Situation Is Different" is there for a reason. Pretty much all aspects of the job boil down to what your specific placement offers/expects. The level of support you receive from your supervisor or coworkers is also really, really varied
Don't get me wrong; some places are great about it. My office is very supportive and helpful, although I have to be proactive and ask when I don't understand how to search for something or fill out a form, as they just assume I understand unless I speak up.
However I did JET as an ALT (and now work as a direct hire CIR), so I can share about having a less than helpful contracting organization too:
the Board of Education helped us set up our initial necessities like utilities, and arranged for some volunteers (usually just random elderly people living in the city who didn't really speak English) to take us shopping for our phone and internet stuff during our first week in the city.
But beyond that, my Board of Education provided very little support, even for things that were arguably their responsibility, like housing issues (all of us lived in BOE apartments) or medical emergencies. We all relied on the support of senior ALTs or teachers we behulemdoed at our individual schools rather than the supervisor.
Nobody really expected us to speak Japanese, but also wouldn't explain things such as how to fill out tax forms ("just sign here even though you can't read it and have no idea what you're agreeing to!"). Now I just send out yearly reminders to the current ALTs on social media reminding them that it's about that time of year to fill out form A, B, C, whatever, and content wise it means OOO, so that's what you're signing off on
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Post by al(l)i(want for)c(hristm)a(s)t on Mar 1, 2024 9:49:20 GMT 9
hi so i'm not sayjay but a current CIR who has to do a LOT of conflict-solving and consultations with ALTs--if you're an english-speaking CIR and especially if you're american like me, you will either officially or unofficially get asked to help out ALTs/other JETs quite a bit, so potentially a good bit of translating and interpreting will be JET or ALT-related
also, you NEED to be able to read japanese. if you get an interview for the CIR position, there will be a reading portion that you'll need at least N3 or even N2 reading skills for. so please focus on getting those reading skills up because your workplace won't 100% accommodate you with english the way they would if you were an ALT (and even ALTs are bombarded with japanese in their workplace that they can't understand which is unfortunate)
Thank you for commenting, superalicat. Really? So, what kinds of conflicts are common? (If you can answer, but don't worry if you can't.) Do you mean helping ALTs in general, such as interpreting/translating AND assisting in the classroom? Or is it just for helping each other understand what they want/need? So, what kind of topics or things should I know/be prepared for regarding translating and interpreting for JET and ALT-related activities? What do you mean by 'won't accommodate you the way they would for ALTs'? Do ALTs receive a lot of support? What kind of support can I expect as a CIR? For example, can I receive assistance with filling out forms or access websites for referencing, writing, and publishing in Japanese? Yes, that is unfortunate. Wouldn't the staff know that there are many people who don't understand Japanese? After all, the JET Programme has been going on for a long time so wouldn't they know what to expect in terms of language skills and barriers? If there is a lack of support, what should I be aware of or prepare for in general? there can be lots of really sensitive situations so i won't touch on them, but some of the more common ones are related to communication issues between ALTs and their schools/sometimes their landlords or apartment management, as well as ALTs needing assistance when getting their driver's licenses or needing paperwork from their cities or towns. there isn't really assisting in the classroom, it's more outside of that and yeah, while ALTs are handheld through a lot of their time here (sorry sayjay i know your place was a bit different but im sure you can attest to this even with the initial onboarding part of JET), CIRs are helped out in the beginning when setting up their initial paperwork/apartments if you're outside tokyo/bank accounts, once the initial settling in is over you're often on your own--depending on who supervises you, you can definitely get help with work-related stuff IF you proactively ask for it. being communicative and not keeping things to yourself when you need help is a vital CIR skill. i've seen lots of ALTs have issues with this particularly because of the language barrier, but CIRs having upper-level japanese means they're seen as being more knowledgeable about the way life here works and are often approached for advice, even casually, by ALTs. there is a lot of expectation on you as a CIR to be in the know and to be less dependent on your supervisor for daily life stuff (i've only had a few times when i consulted my supervisor for non-work issues like a plumbing problem and making a MyNumber card), when it comes to work-related things i find it never hurts to ask around also with JET--which is a program in name but really more of a recruiting thing that matches you with your workplace--90% of applicants are ALTs who aren't required to know much japanese from the outset which is the way it's always been, and the expectation is that they're matched with english teachers (whose english levels vary greatly, to put it mildly) as their supervisors. and they do accomodate them with a lot more resources and training--should you pass your interview and be accepted as a CIR, you'll see at orientation just how much more of JET is catered to english-speaking incoming ALTs with advice, alumni being invited back to help out, online resources etc. being a CIR can be pretty isolating, so having some 心の準備 for that is important as a JET you need to be aware of the support system for JETs in your prefecture: who the prefectural advisors (both japanese and JET) and regional advisors/representatives (if applicable, usually other JETs) are, who you can connect to in your office for assistance, etc. but being a CIR can be isolating as well, so having some 心の準備 for that. the support system is in place for all JETs, even if the CIRs may be fewer and far between. and if you reach out to other CIRs via these forums or our discord, etc, just be aware of the ESID that sayjay mentioned and that your specific workplace might not be the exact same as another CIR's, because all workplaces function differently despite being "under JET" |
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Post by usamaru on Mar 1, 2024 10:16:04 GMT 9
Indeed. For the TESOL job, I taught ESL students English using activities and games. As a tour guide, I led tours around the city and my university, showing historical and cultural sites, as well as popular local spots. I did read that we may need to do a lot of teaching jobs, and I hope it's not me because I am already planning for a teaching program. Yes, that seems to be the case. It is so different. So what kind of translations/interpretations did you do in the bureau part? Was it about local news or ... ? I am assuming the city hall role was very repetitive? some CIRs do teach as part of their role. again, it depends on your placement! i did a wide range of translations and checked anything that was translated to english by the city hall, so that could be posters, road signs, signposts, official letters, different sorts of notices by schools, health notices for parents of young children, tourism pamphlets, covid info, etc. for interpreting, it was mostly more official stuff like mayor meetings and delegation visits. there's a whole lot of stuff that the local government does and i found it really interesting! it does get repetitive sometimes but what job isn't? ^^ |
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Post by Dee on Mar 1, 2024 14:53:06 GMT 9
I guess I'll throw in my 2 cents here since my CIR experience is pretty unique in comparison.
I was technically contracted through the BOE in a very small town, but my main workplaces are the local kindergarten and the tourism (geopark) office.
For the BOE, I assist the ALTs with any and everything. That includes interpretation/translation and communication needs, helping prepare paperwork, daily living issues, etc. I've gone with ALTs to the hospital to interpret for medical issues, I've called mechanics to schedule oil changes and plumbers to fix frozen pipes, helped ALTs prepare to get their Japanese driver's licenses, shown them how to use household appliances, and everything else under the sun. The JET supervisor does not speak English, and we've gotten ALTs with 0 Japanese ability. I've even accompanied new ALTs to their schools for a couple of days to help them adjust. I also assist the ALTs teach a town eikaiwa and I used to head holiday events and cooking classes as well.
For the kindergarten, I am basically a part-time teacher's assistant for kids aged 3-6, and I teach basic English lessons once a day. I create my own curriculum and teaching supplies. I work there for 4 hours every morning.
For the tourism/geopark office, I do EN-JP/JP-EN translation and interpretation for a UNESCO Global Geopark and handle all of the required 国際交流. I attend meetings and conferences, give presentations, interpret for tours, assist with events, and run the geopark's SNS pages.
For advice, I would recommend seeing if there is a Japan-America society in your area and getting involved or volunteering. There was one of these in my hometown and I made a lot of great hulemdos and was able to help out Japanese people who had moved into the area. Just getting to know your local Japanese community is great too.
Getting the JLPT N2 certificate is great, but so long as your Japanese is around that level you don't necessarily need the certificate. You mentioned you're not as confident in your reading (I was the same way) so I recommend reading NHK news articles for practice. No need to worry about writing so much (at least handwriting). Previous translation experience is not required and you will pick up a lot of those skills on the job.
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