JET Interview Advice for Married/Partnered/Engaged Applicants

    I remember after I had found out about my interview for JET that I went on a hunt for any clues or secrets that would unlock the mystery behind a successful interview. I'm fairly sure I went overboard, but as any other JET applicant knows, the wait and the stress of the process is intense. I was also in the position where I had no back up plan. It was JET or doing a crappy job for a year while I applied to grad schools. One thing I realized in the many, many hours of research was that very few couples come over here together and it seems the advice for them is little. I went in almost clueless about how much my engagement would matter to the interviewers.

   Josh drove down to Houston with me on the 36 hour adventure that would be my interview. He actually came to the Consulate with me and hung out with the former JETs in the waiting lounge while I spoke with the interviewers. Those former JETs hanging around are rumored to be part of the interview and I actually think Josh helped with that. He was really engaging with them and by the end of it, they were asking why he didn't have an interview as well. It was also really calming to know he'd be down the hall and ready to rescue me if it was a disaster. My interview was really short, probably 15 minutes. You'll read lots of things that say if it's less than 'blank amount' of minutes you failed. Obviously this is not true, most of the interviews at the Houston consulate were brief. The majority of the questions they asked were about Josh. "Had he applied?" "What would we do if I got it?" "What were his plans in Japan?" "What if we were in a rural area and he couldn't find a job?" "Could we survive on one income?" "Could we really survive on one income?" I was honest as I could be with all of these questions. I told them that we already lived together and were already used to being tight with money, and that if the trend continued in Japan, it wasn't something new. That answer actually got me more laughs than any other. My main point is just be prepared. They will talk to you about your partner. This person is potentially a huge factor in your future decisions about Japan. I think they want to make sure you are going to be dedicated to your contract even if your partner decides this isn't the place for him or her.

   My interview will not be your interview. As much as I hate the "Every Situation is Different" phrase, it is very true. Just be calm and proud that you made it this far and take some time to prepare. Talk more about it with your partner. Then talk about it again. Josh was my biggest support throughout the entire process and just as responsible for us being here as I was. And if you're still unsure, here is my advice on the decision process.

   Feel free to ask me questions! I'm not an expert, but I'll help anyway I can!