Advice on Gaijin Engineer

[llkoole7]

Hello all,

It's been a long time since i last posted here. Since then I'm now 23, and one month away from graduating with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering. I recently just got offered a position at a company called ALPS Electronics stationed in Tokyo as a Sales Engineer. I've only been to their Santa Clara, CA office (for interview). They expect me to relocate (for training) to the main office in Tokyo upon hire for 2 years minimum then i can decide if i want to stay after that or come back to the US and work in California again.

Ok I'm pretty damn sure I'm goin to accept the offer as it's always been a long time dream of mine to spend an unknown amount of time in Tokyo(that's why i applied in the first place) and learn japanese and more about the culture.

I've been researching like crazy about work in japan and all I can seem to find is the usual stuff, like the crazy 13 hour engineering shifts, lifelong company commitment. But what i'm missing is some good input from people who might know a bit about what i'm getting my self into.

Are the myths i said above really true?
What kind of things will i come to expect being the even rarer "kokujin/gaijin".
Words of advice?

They haven't discussed salary with me yet but i know in my area $50-60k/year is what EE get , what can i expect in japan?

Thanks guys, sorry for the long winded post

[Mulboyne]

Why not ask Alps if you they can put you in touch with another foreign employee so you can get some direct feedback from the company? They probably have a number of Chinese staff so it might be better to specify someone from your own country.

[llkoole7]

to Mulboyne:
hmm that's a good idea i think i'll do that thx.

to Rob:
Don't ask questions? lol are you serious especially ones pertaining to the job, isn't that what training is for haha.

[Captain Japan]

The salary you quoted would be very high for an entry level Japanese engineer in Tokyo. Since they are giving you the option to return to the U.S., my guess is that your position will originate there (i.e. you'll be paid in dollars and be under their employment plan in the U.S.). If I were you I'd really push to be based under the U.S. system. I'd ask for the salary you quoted plus a plane ticket back to the U.S. once a year, plus assistance with housing (they likely have a company dorm), etc. I'd start off by asking what are the standard perks for relocation and take it from there. They should offer something in this regard.

As for the office environment, Mulboyne's suggestion is a good one, but might be tough to carry out. Sometimes a company will want you to fall in line with the other Japanese (i.e. work crazy hours, slurp your ramen slightly less loud than the boss at lunch, etc.). Or sometimes it won't. So as far as that goes it is a roll of the dice.

Would you be working in domestic or international sales? That might make all the difference in the world.

About the only thing I've come to realize in working as an engineer for Japanese construction companies is to get as much up front as possible. I've found that few things (raises, for example) will ever materialize down the line. The employer might wave his hand and say they will "try" to get such and such and such in six months, a year, whatever for you, but likely that will never happen. I think a lot of this is done simply because a Japanese employer knows a Japanese employee will very rarely quit.

[Taro Toporific]

The salary you quoted would be very high for an entry level Japanese engineer in Tokyo.... I'd really push to be based under the U.S. system. I'd ask for the salary you quoted plus a plane ticket back to the U.S. once a year, plus assistance with housing (they likely have a company dorm), etc. I'd start off by asking what are the standard perks for relocation and take it from there.

There is housing and there is housing---It's the make-or-break factor about living in Kanto/Tokyo. Basically, you want your own housing unit and you want it within a 20 minute commute since the trains are hell.
Some company dorms offer "ok" rooms like a good college dorm. Most are crap, with slave-level washing facilities and a group latrine. Friends and specifically girlfriends are banned from entry. Only a minority of company dorms are decent.

That "a plane ticket back to the U.S. once a year" is a standard perk and much needed one for you to decompress from Tokyo life (and buy needed items like shoes, deodorant, etc). You can tell your Japanese HR person that you need to see you family for Christmas/Saturnalia and they will be forced by their cultural blinders to think this a proper familial duty.

[llkoole7]

Sweet guys now i have amunition for negotiation. Yeah, I'm really hoping my housing is paid for and all.

[Buraku]

It's another culture and being an engineer is very different in Japan
not sure how it's going to help you back home

a proud example of J-engineering
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[llkoole7]

LMAO, where ya'll find that crazy shit. I know i can make some designs better than that, besides im electrical not....parade engineer hehe j/k

[FG Lurker]

besides im electrical not....parade engineer hehe j/k

In Japan, there is no difference.

I think the best thing you could do is run like hell from this job if you ever want to move back to the US.

Get a job in a US-based company and get some real experience. Once you have a solid background consider looking for a job that will drop you into Japan for a few years on an expat package.

[alphanumeric]

I concur. I'm a civil guy, not ee, so it's world apart. but i did met with some civil japanese guys and man, these guys were fucking depressing to be around. stories of 18 hour shifts, never seeing the kids, and designing nothing more challenging than concrete block footings for the first 10 years scared the shit out of me.