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Post by nikinee on Jan 30, 2017 8:58:28 GMT 9
As long as you wear business attire, you'll be fine!
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Post by Aya Raincoat on Jan 30, 2017 13:24:58 GMT 9
Thank you all for your questions and answers. My interview is Saturday and I'm starting to feel the stress... I really need to do that extra thing that will get me off the wait list this year!
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Post by no yark shark on Jan 30, 2017 14:01:00 GMT 9
Jewelry is fine. I wore a necklace and the bracelet that I wear every day (although obviously it isn't visible under a long sleeved shirt and suit jacket). I might have even worn earrings? If you want to look as professional as possible I would suggest putting your hair up if it's long enough to be put up. oh also good luck Aya Raincoat! I was a wait-lister my first year and short listed on my second try, as was my boyhulemdo (for ALT though). I did kind of strategize in terms of my interview location, though... |
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Post by momo black on Jan 30, 2017 17:02:45 GMT 9
So, I'm completely new here, but I've got my interview for a CIR position next week, and I'm currently doing all I can to prepare for my interview. I've been studying Japanese for six years, and I passed the N1 last July. Granted, since this is a position I really want, I'm a bit nervous about the interview, so I was hoping to ask about what it was like for some of you. For the English part of the interview, what sort of questions are the most common? I've heard a lot of talk about unnerving/unexpected questions, so what were some of the ones that you all heard? How did you answer them? For those of you who (like myself) are more prone to getting tense during things like these, what did you to do to prep yourself before/during the interview?And, while I could get totally blindsided, I feel mostly prepared for the Japanese section, but I'd be curious to know the length/topics of the articles you all were asked to read. How long were you given to read? Also, since I've heard the questions usually branch out from there, what sort of direction did the questions take? Sorry for the barrage of questions! Thanks in advance! Seconding what others have said about reading this whole thread to look for answers for most of your questions -- I just wanna address this specifically since this was 100% me. I wouldn't necessarily suggest this, but I at one point literally said (in Japanese, since we were in the Japanese portion of the interview), "Sorry, I'm a bit nervous." The truth is, everyone is gonna be nervous to various degrees unless they are OVERWHELMINGLY self-confident, to the point of maybe arrogance. Knowing that you will be nervous/tense, just focus as much energy as you can on physical things that you can do to communicate comfortableness/confidence, even if internally you don't feel it. Rather than worrying about the content of your answers (which you will probably do just fine on if you review this thread/think honestly about your reasons for applying, etc.), try to distract your nervousness by checking with yourself: Is my posture good? Am I speaking at an audible volume, and not too quickly? Am I making eye contact? Am I smiling? If you can do a good job on those when you first walk in/give your 挨拶, then that should leave a good first impression. Another thing that I received as advice which helped me a TON was: do not feel like you need to answer IMMEDIATELY after you get asked! If you feel nervous or your mind is blank, then it's ok to give yourself a second or two to think, or to take a deep breath, or even to repeat the question like, "Ah, what is my biggest goal at this job? Well..." Rather than fumbling, if you take a second to collect yourself and answer with a slow and thought out answer, you can probably leave a good and confident impression. Sorry for the essay -- hope some of this helps! |
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Post by no yark shark on Jan 30, 2017 17:06:30 GMT 9
if you can find something in common with one of the interviewers, I think that can help too. During my second interview (aka the successful one) it turned out that one of the interviewers studied abroad at the same University as me, and being able to talk about that helped me relax and I like to think maybe made me seem more personable/relateable.
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Post by Raulsen on Jan 31, 2017 13:21:55 GMT 9
So, I'm completely new here, but I've got my interview for a CIR position next week, and I'm currently doing all I can to prepare for my interview. I've been studying Japanese for six years, and I passed the N1 last July. Granted, since this is a position I really want, I'm a bit nervous about the interview, so I was hoping to ask about what it was like for some of you. For the English part of the interview, what sort of questions are the most common? I've heard a lot of talk about unnerving/unexpected questions, so what were some of the ones that you all heard? How did you answer them? For those of you who (like myself) are more prone to getting tense during things like these, what did you to do to prep yourself before/during the interview?And, while I could get totally blindsided, I feel mostly prepared for the Japanese section, but I'd be curious to know the length/topics of the articles you all were asked to read. How long were you given to read? Also, since I've heard the questions usually branch out from there, what sort of direction did the questions take? Sorry for the barrage of questions! Thanks in advance! Seconding what others have said about reading this whole thread to look for answers for most of your questions -- I just wanna address this specifically since this was 100% me. I wouldn't necessarily suggest this, but I at one point literally said (in Japanese, since we were in the Japanese portion of the interview), "Sorry, I'm a bit nervous." The truth is, everyone is gonna be nervous to various degrees unless they are OVERWHELMINGLY self-confident, to the point of maybe arrogance. Knowing that you will be nervous/tense, just focus as much energy as you can on physical things that you can do to communicate comfortableness/confidence, even if internally you don't feel it. Rather than worrying about the content of your answers (which you will probably do just fine on if you review this thread/think honestly about your reasons for applying, etc.), try to distract your nervousness by checking with yourself: Is my posture good? Am I speaking at an audible volume, and not too quickly? Am I making eye contact? Am I smiling? If you can do a good job on those when you first walk in/give your 挨拶, then that should leave a good first impression. Another thing that I received as advice which helped me a TON was: do not feel like you need to answer IMMEDIATELY after you get asked! If you feel nervous or your mind is blank, then it's ok to give yourself a second or two to think, or to take a deep breath, or even to repeat the question like, "Ah, what is my biggest goal at this job? Well..." Rather than fumbling, if you take a second to collect yourself and answer with a slow and thought out answer, you can probably leave a good and confident impression. Sorry for the essay -- hope some of this helps! Thanks for the response! All that seriously helps out a ton! And yeah, I read through everything before I posted and that was a big help in and of itself. So, out of curiosity, how did you sort of "sell yourself" for the position? Language skill, personality, flexibility and professionalism are all biggies I'd imagine, but how did you go about communicating those to your panel? |
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Post by momo black on Jan 31, 2017 13:26:29 GMT 9
Everything in my particular interview was pretty directly based on my experiences up until that point (school majors/certificate, study abroad, part time jobs and volunteering, other life background), so I don't know if I can really give any generalized advice on that... Not to sound cheesy but I honestly just tried to be myself, as I was, because I felt that I was well suited for the position. I did sort of emphasize that I liked challenges and helping people, though, I guess.
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Post by no yark shark on Jan 31, 2017 13:31:40 GMT 9
I think the thing about JET maybe more so than other jobs is that a lot of it is about your personality more than your skills or experience. So showing how your experiences have shaped you and make you suited for life in Japan/willing to share your culture/deal with the difficulties of living abroad etc. is important.
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Post by Hokuto on Jan 31, 2017 14:00:14 GMT 9
i agree with what was said above, however if you do have experience doing any sort of job related to what a CIR might do, 100% talk about that in your answers.
i am pretty sure that the only reason i was hired for this job was because i had an internship with a non-profit in Japan where i 交流ed these college students who lived in a dorm with the foreign interns (because i failed at the Japanese portion of the interview), and i know many other CIR's who think they were hired based on their prior experience
however, this is not to say you NEED experience to be hired, i'm just saying that if you have any, you should 1,000% talk about it
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Post by shanshan310 on Jan 31, 2017 15:44:20 GMT 9
Raulsen i would recommend reading through this whole thread, as people have talked a lot about what questions they got during that (talking about past experiences that could relate, asking about current events in Japan, mock English lessons, controversial topics, etc.) as for the Japanese section, i was given an article on a shoe-shining 講座 and was given one minute to read it to myself, and one minute to read it aloud. i completely failed to finish reading it both to myself and aloud (it was a pretty short article too, maybe 4 paragraphs iirc). i don't remember exactly, but my questions got very tangential and i was asked about how i feel about people being wasteful and how i feel about recycling. and then it kind of went off into stuff about me (not related to the article at all) and my experiences. Omg I got the same stupid article. I was so prepped to give great answers about the Olympics, territorial disputes, economic whatevers. Then I look down and see 靴磨き. It's really hard to think of any answer, let alone a good interview answer, on a topic you have never thought about. RE: How to sell yourself. It's a tough one. I'm really bad at anything that feels close to bragging, but I just focused on being enthusiastic and how interesting and useful my experiences had been (and how I hoped to apply them to CIRing), and how I wanted to do more (I was an ESL tutor during university, so I said I wanted to help share my language and culture with people who had even less opportunity to interact with foreigners). The trick is also being honest. Real answers from the heart work better than well rehearsed fake answers I think. Like responding to the question about your worst quality with 'I'm a perfectionist' or 'I work too hard'. It still needs to be not a real interview ruining negative, but take every opportunity to show yourself to the interviewers. |
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Gloriaria
Tried natto; not a fan
Posts: 67 
CIR Experience: 1st year
Location: Ibaraki
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Post by Gloriaria on Feb 2, 2017 4:45:31 GMT 9
I think I did a pretty good job selling myself in the essay that I wrote during the application, so I would say stick with what you wrote and reinforce with what you didn't include. I'm having my interview next week (oh noooooooo) and recently I started volunteering with the Japan foundation as a event helper so I guess I would definitely address that during the self-introduction part.
Also a very concerning point for me is that I'm Asian and applying from Canada requires very much an identity that is very "west" after all I'm gonna be representing this country. ヽ(￣▽￣)ﾉ so I've been getting advices from a Japanese teacher of mine (he was also Asian background but born in Canada and very "whitewashed"), he's told me that to appeal yourself in a close relationship with your country is important. Therefore, as an immigrant who's been in Canada for more than 10 years, Im going to appeal to them by saying that I have been through the process of cultural adaptation first-handedly, been there knowing what it's like helps me to understand exactly what it is that people who wish to learn about a difffernet culture needs, and what appeals to their interest in order to better deliver that culture. As a immigrant I also have a realistic view on the "multiculturalism" that Canada is so proud to call itself as. Therefore I would be able to deliver a realistic and optimistic understanding of Canadian society and culture to the Japanese public and being an Asian allows me to better understand their point of view.
This is how to turn my disadvantage into advantage hahaha fingers crossed.
this is just sort of what I plan to say and hopefully I don't go blank when I need to start talking XD
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Post by Hokuto on Feb 2, 2017 9:03:53 GMT 9
</div>don't assume that's a disadvantage! i know plenty of JET's who are ethnically Asian, so i don't think they have a lower chance of getting hired by JET (in fact, some places specifically request ethnically Asian JET's). I actually know quite a few Canadian JET's who are Asian, so don't immediately assume it's a bad thing. however, i think your wanting to focus on multiculturalism is in fact a really good, and will help you illustrate how you'll be good at this job. good luck! |
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Post by CaptainSeery on Feb 2, 2017 9:09:03 GMT 9
My grand pred was like you - Asian (Taiwanese, specifically) immigrant to Canada, became Canadian citizen, applied for JET, was accepted. I think my office liked having her because we do some exchange with Taiwan occasionally, so she could be consulted on stuff relating to Taiwan as well as English-language stuff. It's a good thing to be multicultural!
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Gloriaria
Tried natto; not a fan
Posts: 67
CIR Experience: 1st year
Location: Ibaraki
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Post by Gloriaria on Feb 2, 2017 12:22:01 GMT 9
</div>don't assume that's a disadvantage! i know plenty of JET's who are ethnically Asian, so i don't think they have a lower chance of getting hired by JET (in fact, some places specifically request ethnically Asian JET's). I actually know quite a few Canadian JET's who are Asian, so don't immediately assume it's a bad thing. however, i think your wanting to focus on multiculturalism is in fact a really good, and will help you illustrate how you'll be good at this job. good luck! Thank you for this information! It's such a relief. I only came up with this poin because I was thrown the question "why do you think as an Asian ethnic background you would be a better representation than others who are NA ethnicity" during a mock interview that I had with a former JET. I guess this is about the most harsh question to come up (less likely I assume) |
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Post by Hokuto on Feb 2, 2017 13:12:24 GMT 9
</div>wow tbh i think that's a super rude question to ask someone like it's trying to pit you against non-Asian JET applicants almost?? |
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Gloriaria
Tried natto; not a fan
Posts: 67
CIR Experience: 1st year
Location: Ibaraki
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Post by Gloriaria on Feb 2, 2017 13:55:50 GMT 9
</div>wow tbh i think that's a super rude question to ask someone like it's trying to pit you against non-Asian JET applicants almost?? Well, he was being very realistic about it because he's Filipino and when he was in Japan (in the late 1990s) he was often questioned of his nationality and he had to constantly tell new people that he's Canadian. Not so much a problem in the presence but I thanked him for being up front with such a "political incorrect" issue. XD but I do think now that I have this in mind would reinforce my own identity and does serve me better on the side of being able to adapt to new cultural environment. So, i really appreciate that! Also thanks to your reply and the many other replies on this thread I feel now much more comfortable to cope with the nervousness  So glad I found this forum! <3 |
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Post by dosanko on Feb 2, 2017 15:43:30 GMT 9
Gloriaria I'm ethnically Asian (more central and of a minority group), grew up in Japan speaking Japanese as my first language, immigrated to Canada when I was 14, then applied for JET. And I'm here. Don't worry, having the first-hand experience of going through cultural adaptation only does you good (if you sell it right). You should consider that a strength of yours! That being said, once you ARE here, people will definitely ask you where you're from and they may not understand when you tell them that you're Canadian. There are still tons of people in Japan who just don't get the idea of a multicultural country. But that's also your chance to educate them! 
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Post by japaralian on Feb 5, 2017 9:25:32 GMT 9
Hi everyone! I just had my interview on Friday, and though I didn't post anything I've been following the thread and got a lot of help from everyone's posts. Just wanted to say a huge thankyou to you all! I think it went pretty well Now to play the waiting game..  |
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Post by hohoEMIsen on Feb 6, 2017 0:21:27 GMT 9
Hello japaralian It's nice to see your first post in the forum! Glad to hear that your interview went well, now we'll all just have to wait till March  |
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Mumblesnore
Dead Stargod 
’Tis the season (for Eggnog)
Posts: 16,154 
CIR Experience: Former CIR
Location: Tokyo
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Post by Mumblesnore on Feb 6, 2017 15:29:23 GMT 9
...and then wait for your placement, and then wait for your placement to contact you, and then wait for your flight I don't think I've ever waited so much in my life. |
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Post by no yark shark on Feb 6, 2017 15:37:11 GMT 9
...and then wait for your placement, and then wait for your placement to contact you, and then wait for your flight I don't think I've ever waited so much in my life. waiting for the placement was worse and more stressful than any of the other waiting, I think. |
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Post by CaptainSeery on Feb 6, 2017 15:39:21 GMT 9
Me too, but thankfully I was kept busy during that time - I was in China on a study abroad thing for three weeks. I found out my placement something like the second to last day of the trip. I wasn't able to much research into it til I got back, but it was definitely nice to know!
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Mumblesnore
Dead Stargod
’Tis the season (for Eggnog)
Posts: 16,154
CIR Experience: Former CIR
Location: Tokyo
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Post by Mumblesnore on Feb 6, 2017 15:40:33 GMT 9
For me, it was waiting for 連絡 from my CO after I got my placement, because mine is a new position so I had no predecessor and I really just wanted to know what to expect out of living in a place still heavily recovering from the tsunami (not to mention get a sense of what kind of CIR duties I would be doing). And of course they took forever and didn't contact me until like two weeks before leaving.
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Gloriaria
Tried natto; not a fan
Posts: 67
CIR Experience: 1st year
Location: Ibaraki
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Post by Gloriaria on Feb 7, 2017 4:34:41 GMT 9
japaralianGood to hear that your interview went well! Best of luck to you. I think I live the last region to have the interview, I'm reading all these posts of people's post-interview comment and I'm just getting so excited!! Please do come back and update your results after the anxious waiting period! I really wish we get to be future colleague with every other wonderful person on this forum. dosankoThank you for the reply, 心強いです！my 先生 is a second generation Japanese Canadian and he was sent to very rural area where people really didn't understand the concept of a double nationality hue I'm really ready for that kind of situation!
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Post by Sheepy on Feb 9, 2017 8:57:46 GMT 9
I was a CIR-alternate who was fortunate enough to get upgraded. Talk about the longest feeling of waiting ever... hue
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Post by Miscreative on Feb 9, 2017 11:31:16 GMT 9
I was a CIR-alternate who was fortunate enough to get upgraded. Talk about the longest feeling of waiting ever... hue same the literal worst |
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Post by King Quailbee on Feb 9, 2017 11:55:05 GMT 9
Same here.
I went through about a month of trying to desperately find a job and while chatting with my mom on the phone about an interview, I got the e-mail and screamed. My mom thought I was being murdered.
Also I found out where my placement was on the day of my graduation ceremony (in mid-June), so it was nice to be able to tell all of my professors where I was going to be.
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Post by Miscreative on Feb 9, 2017 11:57:13 GMT 9
aha i didnt get told until mid june after i had been job hunting for a few weeks and was setting up next stage interviews orz poor Sparkles had to deal with me during most of that and helped me come to my decision |
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Post by no yark shark on Feb 9, 2017 12:48:52 GMT 9
hah at least you guys got upgraded though  |
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Gloriaria
Tried natto; not a fan
Posts: 67
CIR Experience: 1st year
Location: Ibaraki
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Post by Gloriaria on Feb 10, 2017 23:36:21 GMT 9
Having my interview in an hour. Came here to read through the post again to ease my nerve.  |
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