5 Rules to Open Your Statement of Purpose

These are all terrible openings to a paper that is NOT a cover letter or CV. The JET Program SoP is a statement of purpose or personal statement. It is an essay about yourself, your interests, and your motivations for the JET Programme. Your concern is catching your readers’ attention and motivating them to learn about you!

Your introduction is the most important part of your JET SoP. It is the first time the reviewer will learn about you. Imagine you are sitting in a room with them and need to introduce yourself! Better yet, think about the opener as a job interview. It’s the “tell me about yourself” question you need to answer within 1-2 minutes.

The opener is where you need to make a good impression! A bad opening could spell disaster for the rest of your paper. Think about some of the best books you’ve ever read. If the opening was bad, would you have finished or skipped the book?

2) Surprise your Reader with the First Sentence

State a fact about yourself that will grab the reader’s attention. A personal story to introduce yourself and show your character. It must be related to Japan or Japanese culture. Draw their attention to you and not someone else. Your SOP is about you! Think about what you want to convey in only 1 sentence. Attempt to brainstorm something great and unique. Don’t worry if it doesn’t sound right the first time, you can always work on it later and ask others for help.
One-liner samples:

Last September, as I strolled down the streets of Kyoto to see the iconic Kiyomizudera temple, I was still amazed that I was in Japan.
Passing off the baton to my vice principal in the 200-meter relay on Sport’s Day at Niwashirodai Junior High School was an unforgettable moment as an Assistant Language Teacher in Japan.
My interest in East Asian culture was ignited by my high school Japanese language class.
My interest in Japan stems from an experience in middle school where I had the pleasure of hosting Japanese exchange students.
The first time I experienced the Japanese language was at Asia Fest in my hometown of Orlando, Florida.
When I first traveled to Japan in 2019, I was mesmerized by all the rice patty fields and traditional houses near Narita International Airport.
My experience as a student at Osaka University moved me to attempt a teaching career in Japan.
I left after completing my master’s in tourism and hospitality at APU to work in Seattle, Washington; however, I later realized that my passion was only possible in Japan.
My JET experience from 2013-2017 in Kumamoto Prefecture cannot be replicated, and neither can my time as a graduate student in Oita; however, my goals are to promote local tourism in Japan through tours and social media.
As I sat in front of Yokohama Station, I was admittedly nervous because I needed to return to my hotel for dinner with my roommate.
I was just ten years old when I moved to the United States from the Philippines.
“Memoirs of a Geisha,” by Arthur Golden, ignited my interest in Japan during one summer day in college.
I first became interested in Japan in high school when I needed a language requirement, so I decided to take Japanese; however, I did not expect to fall in love with the language and culture.
I became interested in Japanese culture in the fourth grade when my teacher did a lesson on Japan.

3) Details after the Opening Line

After that attention-grabbing line, you must write some details about that experience. Discuss in 1-2 sentences about it and how it guided you to apply to the JET Program. Narrow down the details and be concise to your reader. Doing this will ensure they know why you are interested in the program.

From my 2012 SoP
(Passing off the baton to my vice principal in the 200-meter relay on Sport’s Day at Niwashirodai Junior High School was an unforgettable moment as an Assistant Language Teacher in Japan.) Now, I have the pleasure of working for Interac as an ALT until March 2013. For my next goal, I am determined to bring my skills to the JET Program as an ALT in elementary and special needs classes, based on my recent experiences as an ALT and former English grammar tutor.

The next 2 lines are about my past experience and what I want to do on JET with my skills. Every applicant is different so don’t compare yourself to me. Focus on what you have and can bring to the program. Your writing won’t be perfect, just remember to revise and be conscious of your space. Your introduction should be 5 sentences, max!

4) Transitioning to your first body paragraph

The final line in your SoP introduction should be a transition to help the reader understand what your plans are and hint about your future goals. You want the reader to know what to expect in the coming paragraphs.

From my 2012 SoP
(Passing off the baton to my vice principal in the 200-meter relay on Sport’s Day at Niwashirodai Junior High School was an unforgettable moment as an Assistant Language Teacher in Japan. I have the pleasure of working for Interac as an ALT until March 2013. For my next goal, I am determined to bring my skills to the JET Program as an ALT in elementary and special needs classes, based on my recent experiences as an ALT and former English grammar tutor.) In JET, I will continue to act as a global ambassador by sharing my passion for culture and teaching while moving forward with my professional career goals.

From my 2011 SoP
(My interest in East Asian culture was ignited by my high school Japanese language class. The class was challenging because I was unfamiliar with the Japanese language or culture. As a way to deal with the difficult writing, grammar, and speech structure, I sought out a Japanese pen pal to exchange emails and parcels with. This friendship led to my first visit to Japan. Traveling to Japan helped me in envisioning my long-term goal of becoming a global ambassador. Since then I have pursued a career path in East Asia studies. My current goal is to become an Assistant Language Teacher in the Jet Program based on my experiences from tutoring and studying abroad.) With this position, I can fuel my understanding of the Japanese culture and language while giving back to the community through English teaching and seeking my professional goals.

These are the last lines in my opening paragraph. They will give the reader of what is to come. Think of these as a thesis statement for your entire essay, a concise summary of everything you will go into detail about!

5) No Intro is perfect

My writing was NOT perfect. My application formula might not be ideal either. However, this style was the easiest for me to follow. I believe it guides the reader to understand my character (who I am); learn why I want to apply to the JET program; and learn about the skills I’ll bring to the program and my future aspirations.

Be an attention seeker! This is your first interview. Making a good impression will get you a second interview. Applicants don’t grasp the importance of the “personal statement” or “statement of purpose.” Pretend like this is your interview and you only have a limited time to explain yourself. What would say to entice the reader and have them wanting more?

Over 7 years of living in Japan, it was my second home. It's a fantastic and magical place with a unique culture that is different from anything else.