Maybe you hated taking
exams in school, but what about setting them? Matt Wilce talks to Bryan Sibley at STEP about opportunities for writers and editors
of English tests.
The STEP team (from left) Masahiro Fujimoto, Todd
Fouts, Phillip Musgrave and Bryan Sibley Photo by Maki Nibayashi
Please tell us a
little about your organization.
In 1963 a Ministry of Education mandate launched the non-profit Society for Testing
English Proficiency (STEP) to stir domestic interest in the world' most-spoken language.
From Shinjuku we control every aspect of the testing process from fine-tuning questions to
administrating worldwide test sites. The best part of STEP is its desire to stay
progressive. Testing procedures are under constant review. The office atmosphere is light
and cooperative. All these things combined with great pay and benefits make STEP a
fabulous place to work.
Who are the STEP tests aimed at?
Thirty-seven years ago STEP started with three tests at collegiate, high school, and
junior high levels. Four levels have since been added. In addition, STEP administers a
test to assess advanced business English, a travel-related English test for the tourist
industry, and "Junior STEP" for kids. With more than 3.5 million people ranging
from 2 to 94 years old signing up for our tests each year, I'm sure there's at least a
million different reasons to accept the challenge.
Why are English tests so popular in Japan?
The need of most test-takers to prove their English ability stems from the certification
culture that permeates society here. But, I don't see this as some sort of strange warp in
the fabric of society. Rather, successful test results work to bolster self-confidence. We
only give pass/fail evaluations to our examinees. They can start with the easiest test and
challenge higher levels as their English improves.
What positions are you looking to fill?
As our test production department expands, so does our team of full-time editors. We're
involved in every stage of the process but most of our time is spent fine-tuning items
that are already written; STEP test content has a reputation for perfection that each of
us works hard to preserve. Of course, we manage to have a few laughs in the process.
What skills and personal qualities are you looking for?
The ideal candidate would be a college graduate with advanced writing and editing skills
and/or experience, and who is fairly fluent in spoken Japanese. We don't spend a lot of
time nitpicking over resume details. If you're a good writer and we like you, you're
probably qualified. We work closely as a team, so a pleasant, cooperative attitude is very
important. We also prefer candidates who've lived in Japan for several years, and who both
respect and enjoy Japanese culture.
What kind of backgrounds do your current employees come from?
Most of the Japanese staff, which make up ninety percent of the production crew, come
right out of university. The foreign staff have more varied backgrounds. Some have
completed a master's in linguistics or have taught at major Japanese universities.
Professional journalists and copywriters have joined the staff, too. Geographically,
Americans outnumber Australians three to one.
Applicants
should mail resumes to: jobs@eiken.or.jp or
Nihon Eigo Kentei Kyokai/STEP, 1 Yarai-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8055 or fax to
03-3266-6590 by September 14. To learn more about the STEP tests dig into www.eiken.or.jp.
