Conference for Returning JETs, 2011: Information you can use!

There really was a wealth of information disseminated at the Conference. Although it was geared towards soon-to-be JET alumns, there was a lot of information that is just generally useful to anyone seeking a job or applying for graduate school, especially for those who have lived or worked abroad. I may follow up this post in the future with more tips, but for now I'm just going to share some notes and takeaways.

Networking


It may be a dirty word in some circles, but it's the reality of things. If you're a former JET, you may already have used some connections to strengthen your application. I know I did. While JET has a great network of alumni, there are also many other sources to be tapped. If you went to a prominent high school, there's one source. If you're interest in a job at X Corp, call up your school's office of Alumni Affairs and inquire if there are any grads working at X Corp. You can also try asking your university for alumni-related connections if you're a college grad.

If you're interested in Japan, there are usually Japan-related societies and organizations in metropolitan areas. Live near D.C.? Check out the Japan-America Society of Washing D.C. If you're interested in a specific industry, consider joining a chamber of commerce. There are a lot of organizations out there that hold periodic professional or social events that can be used to meet people and network.

Cast a wide net

Don't just apply for one thing at a time. For one thing, having more than one offer puts you in a good position when it comes time to discuss salary and benefits. There are tons of Japanese firms out there that may be willing to hire you if you've got ambition and interest. Some places to look for opportunities: JETRO, government agencies like the State Department, and Japanese trading companies like Marubeni, Mitsubishi, Sojitz, and Mitsui. I learned that trading companies aren't what they sound like. They engage in a broad range of business and research, from importing and exporting to investment to technological development. I'm framing this in the context of Japan-related employment/study, but it can apply to just about any field of interest. And if you're unsure if you want to work or study some more, apply to companies and to grad schools. It's a lot off work, but you're unemployed, so you have the time. Plus you can honestly tell potential employers about your job search, which will show you're active and ambitious.

Do something

Whether it be volunteering, working part time, taking classes, or running a small business on Ebay, do something productive that you can talk about in a positive way. Improve yourself and build your personal brand equity, to borrow a  phrase.

Positivity and selling yourself


Don't confuse "selling yourself" with "selling your body." That doesn't play so well on resumes. One simple fact is that people with confidence can inspire others to have confidence in them. Now I'm not talking about arrogance or empty, meaningless cockiness. But know your own value and the value of your experiences. Many people don't realize that potential employers are often looking for traits that many people can demonstrate if they have the wit to realize what they possess. For example, some JETs may wonder "How do I justify to employers that I want to work as an engineer, but I spent the last 3 years in Japan teaching English?"

Well, you adapted to a foreign culture (adaptability). Perhaps you learned some Japanese (ability to learn). Probably being the only foreigner at your school, you worked in a challenging and potentially stressful work environment (perseverance). You taught (communication, ability to speak in front of groups)!

Working as an ALT is just one example. Really think about what you've done and try to pick out how you've developed your skills and what you've learned.

Patience


Beyond that, do your best to be positive and patient. If you're just returning from living in another country, you'll probably have to readapt to life at home and may deal with reverse culture shock (an actual thing). While you may want to take some time to process, also keep in mind that keeping busy can relieve stress to some degree and make you feel more productive.

Conference for Returning JETs, 2011: Impressions

I just returned this afternoon from a trip to Yokohama. For those of you who are familiar with the talented, titular Loco of Loco in Yokohama (of which I've become a big fan - go check out the site!), you'll recognize exactly where I was.

That fin-shaped building that marks a part of the famous Yokohama skyline is the Yokohama Pacifico, one of Japan's premier conference centers, and the venue of the Conference for Returning JETs. The aim of the conference is to provide support, guidance, and networking opportunities for members of the JET Programme who are not renewing their contracts. Tomorrow I'll write a post about some of the contents of the conference, but for now I'd just like to share a few thoughts about the experience, because it was rather interesting.

First off, I think it was a very well-planned, well-run, and useful event. Let me state that flat out. That said, I did have some negative, and perhaps peculiar thoughts. Just a warning - not all of these are directly related to the conference itself.

So I set off Monday morning to Yokohama. I had decided to stay one station away from the venue by subway, and wound up choosing to patron the アッパホテル (APA Hotel), because I've stayed at several of their hotels at other locations and have always been generally satisfied. On my way to the hotel, which was at 馬車道 off of the みなとみらい線, I noted that although the area was very nice - many shops and restaurants, something was out of place. It came to me later. Lawson's has won the turf war at 馬車道. There are at least 4 Lawson's convenience stores within two blocks in any direction of the hotel I stayed at. From one Lawson's store, you need not walk more than 2 or 3 minutes to reach another one. I only saw one non-Lawon's conbini near the station. A little freaky.

On my way in to Pacifico (Shin-Yokohama, Yokohama, Bashamichi), I saw hardly any foreigners, no less anyone identifiable as a JET. I started to get a little nervous, until I was right outside the Pacifico, and BAM - hundreds of us!

Two things that struck me during the conference:

After all of the presentations, there was Q&A time to ask the visiting professionals whatever we wanted. There were some intelligent questions, but there were many asked by young JETs that embarrassed me. They sounded like they came from people used to being guided and coddled through everything - like those stupid questions you might hear in a high school or university classroom from someone who wanted a good participation grade but couldn't think of anything useful to contribute. You know, like "Um, isn't the answer the same if you multiply by .1 instead of dividing by 10?" Yes. The end.

There were some JETs who have grown too used to the system by which they were taught. The girl sitting next to me in one of the lectures (and many others I saw) was fiercely scribbling notes that she would never, could never hope to need. I swear she copied the slide about the stages of reverse cultures shock and even drew the little "W-curve." I wanted to tell her this wouldn't be on the test.

Second, I noticed an amusing dietary stereotype go right out the window. At lunch time on Day 2, many JETs headed downstairs to the Queen's Court food court, which consisted of a McDonalds, Subway, KFC, and a sit-down place called American House, which had stuff like burgers and hot dogs. I am not kidding - 98% of the foreign crowd lined up at Subway. I saw one guy get KFC, and a group of 3 guys go into American House. The McDonald's queue was all Japanese people. And they imagine us as the burger-eaters.

As for the actual useful information...more on that tomorrow.