Memo to JET alums: Please mention JET in your bios and profiles!
Networking, Return on JET-vestment 
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I’ve come across a number of bios and profiles of established JET alums in recent months, usually on their company or organization’s website or on LinkedIn. And I’ve noticed many do not specifically mention JET.
They might say they worked or taught English in Aichi Prefecture or were an ALT in Osaka, but no mention of JET. I realize that specifically mentioning JET is not appropriate in every bio and profile. But if your work relates to Japan or to education (and in many cases even if it doesn’t), I want to suggest that it would be a beneficial to us as a community and to the JET Program as well to make a point of mentioning JET.
In addition to the fact that the JET Program enjoys an excellent reputation, it’s also important to let the world know that we’re out there. It’s kind of like that “Canadians: They walk among us” bit from the movie Canadian Bacon. There are JETs everywhere, but you may not always be aware of it.
The more we’re aware of how many of us are out there and where we are, the stronger the community and the network becomes, the greater the positive visibility for JET and the more likelihood that the JET Program and JET alumni community continue to play a unique and positive role for Japan in the future.
Just one more small thing you can do to help improve Return On JET-vestment (aka JET ROI).
Update 6/16/11: Jennifer Jakubowski of cross-cultural consulting firm Bridges To Japan got in touch to say that after seeing this post she updated her profile to mention the JET Program.
Update 6/15/11: Good example – JETwit and JETAANY Webmaster Lee-Sean Huang (Oita-ken, 2003-06) makes a point of mentioning the JET Program in his bio for Purpose.com.
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