SUPPORTING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT EVENTS JETAA Regional Conference on

SUPPORTING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT EVENTS JETAA Regional Conference on Membership in Boston, MA January 12, 2014 9: 00 am – 9: 55 am Pamela Kavalam (Vice President, JETAANY)

SESSION GOALS § Discuss JETAANY’s professional development § § § programming - A Case Study Highlight events from other chapters Troubleshoot & brainstorm challenges and ideas for improvement Talk about next steps

CAREER FORUM/WELCOME BACK RECEPTION § § Saturday from 2: 30 pm - 6: 30 pm Topics: Keynote Speech, Resume Writing, Interviewing, Leveraging your Network, JET Alumni Panel Discussion, Meeting with Japanese Recruiters Welcome Back Reception with the Ambassador Nijikai (networking opportunity)

CAREER FIELD-SPECIFIC PANELS § § ESL and Language Education in Japan & U. S. Freelancers International and Higher Education February 2014: Interpreting, Translating and Working at a Japanese Organization/Company (feedback from the Career Forum evaluations)

MEISHI EXCHANGE/NETWORKING EVENTS § Meishi Exchange § § § One of our biggest events of the year; 150+ attendees JETs are encouraged to bring coworkers and friends Invite Friends of JET, specifically Japanese community organizations that we work with throughout the year Nametags, raffle, business cards Co-Sponsor Events with Japaneserelated organizations § § § Japan Society (Young Professionals Night) Kenjinkai, Japanese-American organizations University Japan Clubs (Baruch, Rutgers)

HIGHLIGHTS OF JETAA-USA CHAPTERS § § § JETAADC: Okaeri Career Workshop in November with information catering to tips on the networking environment in Washington; cosponsor networking events with Japan America Society of DC NEJETAA: event where JET alumni share their post-JET job searching anecdotes/best strategies for job searching; alumni database for specific fields; career panel on international organizations PNWJETAA: Transitions: Opportunities Forum and Networking Expo; use Linked. In to post jobs; members leverage their personal connections to help other JETs All chapters had monthly networking happy hours (yappari) Any other successful events?

STRATEGIES FOR REACHING RECENT RETURNEES § Catch them early- remind them to sign up for their home chapter listserv: § § Pre-Departure Conference (home consulate) Life After JET Conference (Yokohama) in spring AJET in summer Reach out to returnees in September/October § § Update information, Facebook, save-thedate for Welcome Back Reception/Career Forum Consulate & Recruitment Sessions

STRATEGIES FOR ENGAGING ESTABLISHED ALUMNI § § § § 10+ Year Reunion Alumni Survey Linked. In Sempai/Kohai happy hours Board of Directors Higher profile events (meetings with Japanese government officials, prefecture-specific events, etc. ) Future plans: event former officers and board members

OTHER RESOURCES FOR MEMBERS § § § § Job postings Writing for JQ Magazine and JETWit Informational interviews Having point-people with connections in various fields Having an officer dedicated to professional development (professional development chair, careers chair, mentorship chair) Nihongo Dake events Building skills: Toastmasters (Nichibei); Japanese language classes What else?

CHALLENGES § Budget/human resources/time § Buy-in from members (i. e. attendance) § Lack of information about members’ career fields § Security issues with alumni database/sharing § information about members’ careers What else?

NEXT STEPS § § § Google spreadsheet: Professional Development for New Returnees Let’s share our resources § connect officers who do professional development, share our materials, share speakers (particularly notable JET alums) Create a working group of officers planning professional development events Have a website space to collect materials in one place Collaborate to share connections and job postings across chapters; connect members in the same career fields What suggestions can we share with the national initiative?

Thank you! § § § Email: vicepresident@jetaany. org Facebook: www. facebook. com/jetaany Website: www. jetaany. org Please feel free to contact me if you’d like a copy of our Career Forum program or to share any professional development materials.