What Keeps You Motivated To Stay Here In Japan?

[Beer Baron]

My advice is look to one of the big american or euorpean companies and banks that have offices in japan. Being a 23 year old CA is pretty good going so you must be fairly smart. Many of the big foreign companies need trained people in their japan offices and for most people who have no particular interest in Japan it's not a desirable post (remoteness from family in the US/EU, language barrier, strange culture etc) so you may find it quite easy to get posted to Tokyo with one of these firms. I know a few people who have done it.

Forget about a Japanese company as you have no chance there. but in a foreign firm you will be working mostly with other foreigners and some english speaking Japanese people.

Do some research on big banks, investment banks and accounting firms that operate in Japan, then apply directly to their base either in the US or EU or through their preferred recruiter. For your own benefit though I would seriously consider learning some japanese. as you wont be experiencing much "cars, culture and craziness" if you can only interact with Japanese people who can speak good english. Plus not being able to read signs/menus/anything will probably get a bit frustrating after a while.

[akeenan]

あんたも、 　ばか外人　だよ！！

silly horse deers !

also why anyone would want to come to Japan and bust their balls to get a job with a Japanese company in a field that they are already doing successfully in and not being raped of their free time and most probably pay/ overtime is beyond me.... unless you have a japanese g/f or wife. A few of my frends are totally fluent Japanese speakers, and hold degrees (with experience) in their field and they still can only teach english, translate and appear in advertisments....

if you want to come to Japan. work at an eikaiwa and after you finish rock gaspanic and happy hour tgi fridays

Edited March 21, 2008 by akeenan

[Laurence]

Oh did anyone mention the career suicide bit? The whole, rendering yourself useless to the rest of the world thing.

p.s. LOL at European background. It seems to me that only people whose origins lie east of Austria use that one

[ZOKU]

I think some of us came to an agreement earlier about their source of motivation in Japan. I think it's considered healthy and socially accepted over there...

I must agree with other guys, working for a Japanese company is much better scenario than going to Japan to work there. From experience, you'll have more to offer in Australia and better than working from scratch in Japan and sleeping in capsules. Rare level of fluency in Japanese is required too. This language is really demanding and require dedication. If I didn't grow up with it, I'll have trouble learning it.

Free overtime is expected, the staff does not want to get the 'undedicated label' by leaving first. This put them in a gridlock of politeness that wasted hours even today as we speak. Gotta get used to that if you wanna truly give it a go.

Konbini staff are so lifeless...

[m3gtr]

My advice is look to one of the big american or euorpean companies and banks that have offices in japan. Being a 23 year old CA is pretty good going so you must be fairly smart. Many of the big foreign companies need trained people in their japan offices and for most people who have no particular interest in Japan it's not a desirable post (remoteness from family in the US/EU, language barrier, strange culture etc) so you may find it quite easy to get posted to Tokyo with one of these firms. I know a few people who have done it.

Forget about a Japanese company as you have no chance there. but in a foreign firm you will be working mostly with other foreigners and some english speaking Japanese people.

Do some research on big banks, investment banks and accounting firms that operate in Japan, then apply directly to their base either in the US or EU or through their preferred recruiter. For your own benefit though I would seriously consider learning some japanese. as you wont be experiencing much "cars, culture and craziness" if you can only interact with Japanese people who can speak good english. Plus not being able to read signs/menus/anything will probably get a bit frustrating after a while.

*speaks to those that are here*

For a baka gaijin BB makes sense, no?

[m3gtr]

I think some of us came to an agreement earlier about their source of motivation in Japan. I think it's considered healthy and socially accepted over there...

I must agree with other guys, working for a Japanese company is much better scenario than going to Japan to work there. From experience, you'll have more to offer in Australia and better than working from scratch in Japan and sleeping in capsules. Rare level of fluency in Japanese is required too. This language is really demanding and require dedication. If I didn't grow up with it, I'll have trouble learning it.

Free overtime is expected, the staff does not want to get the 'undedicated label' by leaving first. This put them in a gridlock of politeness that wasted hours even today as we speak. Gotta get used to that if you wanna truly give it a go.

Konbini staff are so lifeless...

Shell staff in Oz are the same what with those dockets and all...

So! Whats a capsule hotel like? Ive never stayed in one but had the inclination all the same!

[ZOKU]

Shell staff in Oz are the same what with those dockets and all...

So! Whats a capsule hotel like? Ive never stayed in one but had the inclination all the same!

True that. Bitter type arn't you.

Hey Beer Barron, I've enjoyed your pictures very much. Cheers for sharing it with us!

Edited March 24, 2008 by ZOKU

[DrewII]

gees it sounds a lot tougher than i thought. you are right my skills here will be put to better use. its the experience im after but it seems like it will be far too difficult or too much of a hassle to make it work. language being the main issue. im used to working unpaid overtime here anyway. it is expected in a firm. as we work on salaries. but bonuses are based on our performance and if we keep things under budget we can earn a bonus. a lot of the work i do to keep jobs under budget i run into overtime to do so.

p.s. LOL at European background. It seems to me that only people whose origins lie east of Austria use that one

you're quite wrong. im not from the east im croatian/italian heritage. main culture in my house hold italian. i speak fluent italian. italy is in europe. but italy does not interest me at all. i might visit japan first go on a holiday there or speak to people at work see if others have done the same via a european or american company with a branch in japan. i am sure there are western branches in japan with a high level of western employees. subsidiary companies in japan would need western employees. it sounds a lot more difficult than i originally thought tho. interesting to hear all your views

[Laurence]

you're quite wrong. im not from the east im croatian/italian heritage.

South East of Austria then But no point arguing about geography.

Hopefully if you like Japan during your holiday. Probably best to keep in the finance industry, earn lots of money then come on nice holidays, rather than slum it as a teacher or slave it as a salaryman.

[DrewII]

South East of Austria then But no point arguing about geography.

Hopefully if you like Japan during your holiday. Probably best to keep in the finance industry, earn lots of money then come on nice holidays, rather than slum it as a teacher or slave it as a salaryman.

yeh fair enough ill take your advice. might look to other countries in the mean time and take some holidays there to japan seems like the smarter choice.

[Beer Baron]

True that. Bitter type arn't you.

Hey Beer Barron, I've enjoyed your pictures very much. Cheers for sharing it with us!

doitashimashite!

as for drewII I still say if you really want to live in japan you if you are as good as you say then you would have no problem getting a job with an american or europpean company with an office in tokyo. again, japan is not a very attractive posting for most people in american or euro companies so if you get in the door here in aus or elsewhere, put in some good time over 6months or a year and you would be a great prostpect for a transfer to the tokyo office. like the others mentioned you have near zero chance with a japanese company, and if by a miracle one did hire you, prospects for advancement would be limited to say the least.

*awaiting romaji correction.................

[akeenan]

douitashimashite

[m3gtr]

douitashimashite

OOOUUU! missed out by a U!

and No..you cant buy a vowel...

[Beer Baron]

domo

lol, I can spell that. but fark the romaji anyway. it's only for us dumb ass foreigners that are to lazy to type in kana. hehe.

[Laurence]

I think with those extendor things they are a little flexible.

南港 = なんこう = Nanko

[akeenan]

yes you are correct laurence. I was just trying to shit beer baron that time

[Laurence]

Oh noez... that whooshing noise you may have heard was that original bit of cheekiness going over my head My bad.

Edited March 25, 2008 by Laurence

[momo]

Some interesting comments, The middle bit was better, where MRGTR had a lot less input. I like how nuts out and pissed in a restaurant somehow manages to miss out on your idea poor form in a foreign country for the high and mighty , yes you carisma man.... ive got a tip for you, something to look forward to. As your japanese improves and the japanese get to know you, they can hate you for who you are, not just because youre a gaijin.

[m3gtr]

Some interesting comments, The middle bit was better, where MRGTR had a lot less input. I like how nuts out and pissed in a restaurant somehow manages to miss out on your idea poor form in a foreign country for the high and mighty , yes you carisma man.... ive got a tip for you, something to look forward to. As your japanese improves and the japanese get to know you, they can hate you for who you are, not just because youre a gaijin.

edited...this douche bag isnt worth it.

Edited March 28, 2008 by m3gtr

[dreamaaa]

ive lived in japan for 3 years. and i enjoyed it alot.

i never did english teaching or anythign like the other gaijins.

id love to go back over there and stay.....

dakara darega shoukaishitemoraeru? shigoto irukara....

imaaustraliadeorukedo....chotsumaranaikara......nihonnikaeritainaaaaaaa.

ONEGAIIIIIIIIIII. PMme please! ahgha