Apr 20

Fundraising event: JETAA Music City to co-host Top Chef Tsunami Relief Sake Dinner – 4/21

Earthquake Tsunami, Events, Food & Drink, Fundraising, JETAA Chapters, Networking

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JETAA Music City and the Japan-America Society of Tennessee (JAST) will co-host the Top Chef Tsunami Relief Sake Dinner on Thursday, April 21st at Cha Chah in Nashville, TN. Top Chef DC’s Arnold Myint and Top Chef All Star’s Tiffany Derry will be preparing a 5-course meal with sake pairings with proceeds going to the JETAA USA Fund and the Tennessee Tomodachi Fund. The event will also include a Silent Auction.

We are so excited to share that no more reservations are being taken for the event! We are going to have a packed house on this evening for Japan. If you have additional questions, contact Terry Vo at president@mcjetaa.org.

Apr 6

NHK video of JETAA NY Fundraiser

Cultural Outreach, Earthquake Tsunami, Events, Fundraising, JETAA Chapters, JETs in the News, Networking, Roland Kelts, Video

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Thanks to Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99) for sharing the link to this NHK video on Tuesday night’s JETAANY Japan Fundraiser:

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/jishin0311/movie/chapter_66.html

Mar 9

3 new LinkedIn groups for JET Alums!

Career, Networking, Uncategorized

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Based on some recent and varied conversations, it seems there may be a need for and interest in three new LinkedIn groups for JETs and JET alumni:

1. JET Alum MBAs

For JETs and JET alumni with MBAs or other business degrees (or JETs who want to talk to alums with MBAs) – http://www.linkedin.com/e/ai06o5-gl30jygl-61/vgh/3820993/

2. JET Alum Creative Types

A catchall group for all the wonderful JETs doing (or trying to do) creative things or working in a creative field. – http://www.linkedin.com/e/ai06o5-gl30lfl9-31/vgh/3820994/

3. JET Alum Media Professionals

JET alums working or doing things in journalism, television, blogging, video or any other media field, plus JETs and JET alums interested in the field. – http://www.linkedin.com/e/ai06o5-gl30msei-2m/vgh/3820996/

Mar 7

Hyogo Prefecture launches its own “HYOGO JET Alumni Network”

Japan Local, Local Government, Networking, Uncategorized

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Thank you to Hotaka Kawasaki of CLAIR NY for passing on this information.

Hyogo Prefecture has launched its own HYOGO JET Alumni Network! The current number of JET participants registered on the network is 555. The total number of JET participants in Hyogo prefecture over the last twenty-four years exceeds 5,000.

If you know anyone who doesn’t know about the Hyogo JET Alumni Network, please let him/her know, or just contact Hyogo prefecture.

CONTACT:

Makiko Nagasawa, Hannah Starr and Jeremy Pichot
International Exchange Section, International Relations Division
TEL: 078-362-9017
E-mail: kokusaikoryu@pref.hyogo.lg.jp

*Please note that this is distinct from the Hyogo JET Alum LinkedIn group set up by JetWit. And while the JetWit version has its role, JetWit encourages all Hyogo JET alums to register for the official HYOGO JET Alumni Network via the above contact information. The easier it is for prefecture governments to stay in touch with their JET alumni, the more likely they are to continue to hire JETs.

Jan 26

JET Alum LinkedIn Groups: Shimane-ken demonstrates its superiority

Local Government, Networking, Return on JET-vestment

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Regarding the JET alum prefectural groups recently set up on LinkedIn, just a quick note to let everyone know that Shimane-ken is kicking major oshiri and is already up to 23 members. Well ahead of any of the other groups.

If you’re ok with this, you shouldn’t be. Now is the time to reach out to people in your prefecture and get them to sign up for the respective LinkedIn Group. The leading group by next week will receive significant accolades on JetWit. (That’s all I can really offer right now. JetWit t-shirts for everyone would be too expensive for me.)

Here’s the link again to all of the prefectural LinkedIn groups along with some explanation about why this is important to the future of JET and JETAA:

http://jetwit.com/wordpress/2011/01/21/saving-jet-jet-alumni-groups-by-prefecture/

*******

p.s. Also a reminder that there are also JET alum Linkedin groups for Translators, Lawyers, Education Professionals, China Connection, Restructuring Professionals and more. Here’s a partial list: http://jetwit.com/wordpress/jet-alum-groups/ (You can also just search on LinkedIn.)

And if you can’t find what you’re looking for, start your own group! Just e-mail the link to jetwit [at] jetwit.com and I’ll post about it on JetWit to encourage more people to join.

Jan 25

LinkedIn: Do Japanese people use it?

Japan Trends, Networking

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In the course of creating the JET alum prefectural groups on LinkedIn and encouraging Japanese local government staff to join as well to foster connections and communications, I’ve become aware of the fact that LinkedIn is not anywhere near as popular in Japan as it is in the English speaking world. As word gets around CLAIR of the project, I’ve noticed several Japanese government workers signing up (which is great) who have 0 connections. That means this is the first time they’re using LinkedIn.

Does anyone else out there have perspectives on awareness of LinkedIn in Japan, to what extent it’s used, whether there are alternative networks out there that are more popular?

Please share any insights or thoughts in the comments section of this post.

Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.

–Steven Horowitz (Aichi-ken, 1992-94)
LinkedIn profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenwaseda

Jan 24

New LinkedIn Group: Monbusho English Fellows (MEFs)

Career, Networking

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Thomas Schalow has set up a LinkedIn group for Monbusho English Fellows (MEFs). MEFs were the forerunners to JETs, and from JetWit’s perspective, are part of the JET alumni community.

Here’s the link: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=3757582

A little MEF background from Thomas: “The number of MEFs was small. In my year, 1980, for example, there were only 12 MEFs for all of Japan. The program did not run that many years before it morphed into the JET program, so there may be only 100 or so of these MEFs out there.”

Jan 21

Saving JET: JET Alumni Groups….by Prefecture

Local Government, Networking, Return on JET-vestment, Uncategorized

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What does “Saving JET” have to do with joining your JET prefecture’s LinkedIn group?

The biggest threat to JET (and JETAA) now is attrition at the local government level as prefectural governments increasingly choose to reduce costs by getting ALTs from dispatch companies rather than hiring JETs.
The most effective way to counter this trend is to demonstrate a positive ROJ (“Return on JET-vestment”) at the local government level.
Local governments have expressed a strong interest in being able to connect and communicate with JET alumni who worked in their prefectures.
JET Alumni have never been organized by prefecture….

……until now. So please do your part and sign up for your respective JET Alumni LinkedIn Group below. It’s one small act of giving back to your prefecture that can make a big difference over time.

Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.

–Steven Horowitz (Aichi-ken, Kariya-shi, 1992-94)
jetwit [at] jetwit.com

Prefectural JET Alumni LinkedIn Groups

FYI: All groups below were created in connection with JetWit and not by the prefectural governments. They’re just intended to help facilitate future communications.
Current JETs and Monbusho English Fellows (MEFs) welcome too, as always. Additionally, prefectural and other government employees as well as residents of each prefecture are welcome to join the groups.
If anyone would like to be a “Manager” for their respective LinkedIn group, that would be very helpful. Just get in touch. Primary role will be approving requests to join the group.
You may of course join other groups in addition to your own prefecture’s group if it’s helpful to you.

Note on Methodology: I took a relatively awkward approach to setting this all up. I created subgroups via my LinkedIn account. However, LinkedIn only lets a user create up to 10 groups and up to 20 subgroups, so I had to create a new LinkedIn account (“Jet Wit”) and use that account to set up the rest of the prefectural alumni groups. Not ideal, but it seemed to be the best solution under the circumstances and given limited resources. It’s always better to have something than nothing. I’m very open to any ideas and suggestions on better ways to set this up.

Dec 7

New LinkedIn group for JET Alum HR Professionals (and those interested)

Career, Networking

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I’ve set up a new LinkedIn group for JET Alum HR Professionals:

http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=3709611

The purpose is to enable those JET alums and Friends of JET in the field to connect. And also to provide a resource for JETs and JET alums interested in the field.

Dec 2

Any JET alums in Hong Kong?

Networking

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If you’re a JET alum who is living or has lived in Hong Kong, please get in touch via email at jetwit [at] jetwit.com.

A fellow alum who recently signed up for the JET Alum China/Chinese Connection group on LinkedIn had asked me about Hong Kong, and I thought it would be a good opportunity to find out if there are any JET alums out there with a Hong Kong connection.

Nov 22

New JET Alum China-Chinese Connection group on LinkedIn

Career, Cultural Outreach, Networking, Translating/Interpreting

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With the economic rise of China, there are an increasing number of JET alums who live in China, do work related to China, have an interest in China or speak or want to learn Chinese. On top of this, there are already a number of JET alums who have a connection to Chinese culture.

As a way to connect JET alums and friends of JET who share this connection, there’s now a new LinkedIn group you can join called:

“JET Alum China/Chinese Connection.”

http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=3691966

This admittedly awkwardly-named group is an attempt to encompass all of the above and create a way to help each other out in various ways. For example…

You’re planning a trip to China or want to work in China and want to find other JET alums there to talk to in advance.
You live in China and want to link up with other JET alums, or better yet, start a JETAA chapter there
You want to learn Chinese and learn about creative study approaches for people who aren’t intimidated by the whole “kanji” thing
You’re just curious about the intersection of JET alums and China

Nov 9

JET Alumni Translators and Interpreters Group on LinkedIn

Career, Networking, Translating/Interpreting

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I just set up a long overdue JET Alumni Translators & Interpreters Group on LinkedIn:

http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=3676490

A great way to connect with other JET alum translators and interpreters and share and collaborate on work opportunities as well.

(FYI, I’ve maxed out the number of groups I can create on LinkedIn. So if you have another idea for a JET alum affinity group, go ahead and set it up and I’ll publicize it. Because I can’t create any more of these.)

Nov 8

Looking for a job in Tokyo (or Japan)? JETAA Tokyo can help

Career, JETAA Chapters, Jobs, Networking

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If you’re looking for work in Tokyo (or even in Japan in general), a good place to start is the JETAA Tokyo website where you can sign up for their monthly digest, including job listings and career support activities.

Here’s the link: www.jetaa-tokyo.org

Have a job listing you want to get out to the JETAA Tokyo community, or a career-related inquiry? Email career@jetaa-tokyo.org.

Nov 8

JET Alumni Travel and Tourism group on LinkedIn

Career, Networking

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Do you work in the travel industry? Run a tour business? Write about travel? Own a business that caters to tourists in Japan or your home country?

Now you can join the “JET Alumni Travel & Tourism“ group on LinkedIn to connect with other JET alumni in the field. Additionally, this group will be a place where opportunities for business can be shared and disseminated.

Here’s the link to join: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=3675074

Oct 13

New: JETAA Education Professionals Group on LinkedIn

Academic, Career, Networking, Return on JET-vestment

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Update 10/15/10: It turns out a JETAA Education Professionals group had already been created by JET alum Joshua Flannery (who also serves as Secretary for JETAA Western Japan). Despite some minor initial confusion, this is a really good thing since he’s been doing a great job with an existing group and now we’ll have even more people.

I’ve just set up a “JET Alum Education Professionals Group“ on LinkedIn.

Here’s the updated link to join: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=2973279

The goal is to bring together as many JET alum teachers plus education policy/government/academic folks as possible, as well as any JET alums who are interested in getting into the field or just have an interest in the topic period.

A bigger purpose is that it would be nice if JETAA can start being a source of good ideas for improving the JET Programme. JET alum teachers and other education professionals are a good resource for helping to make that happen. And the first step is figuring out who is out there (since there are no official lists or databases of JET alumni and what they’re doing now).

Of course, another purpose of the group is networking and also a way for established JET alumni to help those getting started or figuring out their path.

So don’t be shy. Step right up and start getting to know your fellow JET alum education professionals around the world.

Note: “I” = Steven Horowitz (Aichi-ken, 1992-94)

1. JET Alum MBAs

2. JET Alum Creative Types

3. JET Alum Media Professionals

Prefectural JET Alumni LinkedIn Groups

Nara JET Program Alumni (set up by Savannah Maynard)

“JET Alum China/Chinese Connection.”

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