“Is it getting harder to find and hold on to jobs in Japan if you are a foreigner?”
Q: What’s with people getting fired? Is the job market shrinking or what? I knew that Mr X. used to work at one of my group companies and he does not work there any more…. Is it getting harder to find and hold on to jobs in Japan if you are a foreigner?
A: Yep.
Every year it’s harder to find work in Japan for English speakers. Japan Inc is focusing on China and not USA any longer. Japanese to English translation market is 50% smaller than it was in the pre-“Bubble” years (before 1992) In addition, for the past decade Japanese public policy has been to fire all fulltime university instructors who are foreign. However, Mr X may have been canned for his instability not economics.
Taro Tip #223: Always ‘act” insanely nondescript and boring in Japanese companies to keep your job or to get one.
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September 1st, 2005 at 1:58 pm
I am genuinly curious. How does always acting insanely nondescript and boring in Japanese companies helps to keep one’s job?
September 1st, 2005 at 1:59 pm
I am genuinly curious. How does always acting insanely nondescript and boring in Japanese companies helps one to keep a job?
September 1st, 2005 at 4:06 pm
I won’t make you groan at the ultimate trite Japanese phrase about “nails” getting hammered down.*
As a gaijin you have to apologize constantly ruffling of the perfect ‘WA’/harmony’ of Japan. Being insanely nondescript and boring is the best way to fit into Japanese companies.
Here’s my favorite joke:
Q: What do you called a salaryman with an opinion?
A: Unemployed.
*出る杭は打たれる. The nail that sticks out gets hammered down.
September 3rd, 2005 at 11:25 am
Is there something wrong with the FG site - or is my IP-adrs just banned?