Applying for the JET Progam: The Letters of Recommendation

Aside from the statement of purpose, the two required letters of recommendation are the most important part of the application. These letters act as vouchers for your motivations, personality, and suitability to the job.

The letters can be in English or Japanese. In Canada the letter can also be in French.

Letters may not be written by friends, family, colleagues, or classmates. If you are still an undergraduate student while applying, one of your letters MUST be from someone related to your studies and MUST reference your expected graduation date. If you have already graduated, there are no other restrictions about where the letters come from.

Some good sources for letters of recommendation:

• University professor
• Language school/class instructor
• Boss or manager from work
• Someone in charge of a volunteer program you participated in

If you've worked with children (ex. been a camp counsellor), done something cultural (ex. volunteered at a cultural fair), or have teaching experience (ex. been a TA or tutored), I would highly suggest you use someone involved in that as one of your references. You need to ensure that your references portray you as someone who can be a good English teacher for children in Japan and as someone who can adapt to and appreciate other cultures.

Make sure that whoever writes your letter will present you in a good light. You may want to have your Japanese 101 professor write your letter, but if you've never spoken to them and got a 70% in the class, don't bother. 

My recommendation is to think about who you want to write your letters early on. Make sure you either already have or take the time to create a good relationship with them. When you ask them to write the letters, give them plenty of time. Make sure you provide them with a copy of the requirements for the letter, printed from the JET application website. Especially if you're using a university reference, provide them with a CV/resume which shows your accomplishments and qualifications. Try and have them use official stationary.

Here are the topics The JET Programme Canada requires to be addressed in the letters of recommendation:

• teaching/communication style and ability; are you comfortable with public speaking?
• leadership skills; how you work in a group
• work performance; how you handle pressure and challenging situations
• career aspirations; motivations for participating in JET

Again, MAKE SURE your references follow the rules! For example, mine had to seal their letters in envelopes and sign the seal to ensure the letter was untampered. Not following these rules can negatively impact your application.

Lastly, good luck!