Advice so I don't get fucked?

[ScaredofBeingFucked]

Hello guys, long time lurker here. I was wondering if you guys would be so kind as to give me some friendly advice as to not become another fucked gaijin in Japan, which is quite literally my number one worry. To give a little insight of myself, I graduated college in 09 with a VERY broad degree (couldn't decide what I wanted to "be" so I did Communication Studies) and since the economy was going to shit, and I've always loved to Japan, thought I'd try my luck here. Got a job at one of the "reputable" (or only) eikaiwa chain, the one that actually gives benefits to employees and have worked here for abut a year. The job itself is pretty laid back, but as re-sign contract time as come about, I've got to thinking........'Where the hell am I headed?'

I now realize I made a big mistake picking an unskilled degree and running off to Japan, as it's really put a tamper on my career future. I make enough to get by (bout 29man) but because I want to save a lot of money each month (for what, I have no idea yet, just saving for when I figure out what it is) I've even gone and moved into a god damn Danchi apartment. So my question, as stated before, is this: Where the hell should I go from here? I don't have any concrete marketable skills except for some marketing internships, retail experience, cum laude, and 3kyu Japanese. I scared stiff of becoming one of those 50 year old gaijins here who are miserable beyond belief, and TRUST ME, theres quite a few at my company. I'd love to stay here for a while, but not at the expense of being a poor, desperate gaijin into my 30's. I'm a clean pallet and need to decide how to go about the picture. Any skills you guys recommend I learn to help me land a good job here down the line? I work very few hours a day so I have ample free time. Should I go back to school? Should I go back to the States and try my luck there? Anyway guys, thanks in advance.....please save me from becoming a loser

[McTojo]

What the hell's wrong with being 30 or 50 and working in Japan??

[ScaredofBeingFucked]

What the hell's wrong with being 30 or 50 and working in Japan??

No, thats not what I meant at all. In fact, I'd love to live here all my life if possible. What I meant was I'd hate to be stuck doing THIS particular job (which like I said, isn't that bad BUT has zero room for advancement) into my 30's because I won't be able to get anything else.

[TennoChinko]

You have a few hedges already:

Savings. Having enough gives you option of returning back to the US or consider grad school.

Just don't be stupid enough to "invest" it into any of the rip-off products heavily promoted by those Independent Financial Advisers (IFAs) that target gaijin. If you have not run into one or two of them, trust me you will.

Time. Both your relative age and also the hours you have each day. Do something productive. For example, get your 3-kyu level Japanese to 1-kyu. Fluent Japanese won't guarantee you anything but it will open more doors than if you were plateauing at 3-kyu.

Consider working full-time in a sector that somewhat appeals to you and you can develop expertise in ... for example, hospitality. Be a hotel man - it's one of the areas where starting out from an entry-level position is still considered a prerequisite in many cases. If you're teaching English, the pay is probably about the same as working full-time in jobs like hotels and the food service industry. Unlike the US, they pay a full living wage and do not expect you to live off your tips. Companies like the Westin have openings for clerk https://starwood.taleo.net/careersection/10020/jobdetail.ftl and sales executive https://starwood.taleo.net/careersection/10020/jobdetail.ftl?job=826800&src=JB-10680

[Coligny]

The first jobs I can see making money in any situation while not needing to be a rocket scientist:

plumber

kinesytherapist

Those can't be outsourced but still make good bucks.

The one diploma that might save you twice a day while not giving you any job opportunities: psycho sociologist. (got a friend who was quite a sharp girl already... she can now mindfuck anybody).

The jobs that were promising but are dead ends: any kind of engineering, when you don't suffocate because of middle manager it's the salespeople, otherwise either the chinese outsmart you or they just steal your ideas. The times of the great engineers like Sykorsky or Louis Renault are dead and gone forever.

FUBARS jobs: pilot for the space shuttle...

[ScaredofBeingFucked]

You have a few hedges already:

Savings. Having enough gives you option of returning back to the US or consider grad school.

Just don't be stupid enough to "invest" it into any of the rip-off products heavily promoted by those Independent Financial Advisers (IFAs) that target gaijin. If you have not run into one or two of them, trust me you will.

Time. Both your relative age and also the hours you have each day. Do something productive. For example, get your 3-kyu level Japanese to 1-kyu. Fluent Japanese won't guarantee you anything but it will open more doors than if you were plateauing at 3-kyu.

Consider working full-time in a sector that somewhat appeals to you and you can develop expertise in ... for example, hospitality. Be a hotel man - it's one of the areas where starting out from an entry-level position is still considered a prerequisite in many cases. If you're teaching English, the pay is probably about the same as working full-time in jobs like hotels and the food service industry. Unlike the US, they pay a full living wage and do not expect you to live off your tips. Companies like the Westin have openings for clerk https://starwood.taleo.net/careersection/10020/jobdetail.ftl and sales executive https://starwood.taleo.net/careersection/10020/jobdetail.ftl?job=826800&src=JB-10680

Thanks for your reply. You've kinda read my mind in terms of my current gamplan. I've been thinking of sticking around for another couple of years, trying to reach at least 2kyu and see if any job opportunities present themselves. If not, I'll probably be on my merry way back to the states to essentially start over. Oh and hospitality is definitely something I'd be interested in long term....however for the job links you put, I also need to be able to speak Chinese fluently! Something that's not gonna happen any time soon.

[Taka-Okami]

any kind of engineering, when you don't suffocate because of middle manager it's the salespeople, otherwise either the chinese outsmart you or they just steal your ideas. The times of the great engineers like Sykorsky or Louis Renault are dead and gone forever.

FUBARS jobs: pilot for the space shuttle...

Even if you were an engineer, why would a Jap company hire you over a local anyway?

Japan is going down the tubes. Best you head back to the US and get a proper career. You may not believe it now, but the US is being prepared as the focal point for next great civilisation of peace and enlightenment. Once it sorts itself out will be an even greater country than what it was.

Japan will end up a 3rd world backwater full of racists blaming foreigners for all their problems.

[TennoChinko]

Thanks for your reply. You've kinda read my mind in terms of my current gamplan. I've been thinking of sticking around for another couple of years, trying to reach at least 2kyu and see if any job opportunities present themselves. If not, I'll probably be on my merry way back to the states to essentially start over. Oh and hospitality is definitely something I'd be interested in long term....however for the job links you put, I also need to be able to speak Chinese fluently! Something that's not gonna happen any time soon.

Well, the point is to consider spending the next few years in an industry sector that you would not mind either pursuing as a career back in the US (or anywhere else) or... would give that 'chunk' of 'relevant operational experience' that you can better leverage for a graduate business school application or maybe even another job in a parallel sector. Eikaiwa is probably difficult to leverage unless your goal is to get fully certified and become a licensed teacher or ESL instructor.

Job sites like this one http://jobbind.com/japan links directly to corporate websites - not agents or recruiters. Also, it pays to visit the corporate websites of companies you are interested in -- most of them these days maintain realtime postings.

[Coligny]

You may not believe it now, but the US is being prepared as the focal point for next great civilisation of peace and enlightenment. Once it sorts itself out will be an even greater country than what it was.

!!??

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

ScaredofbeingFucked,
I am one of those fucked dudes in middle age and no prospects of a decent job for having devoted my entire adult life to living in Japan...go back to the U.S. and start building a real career as soon as you can.
Otherwise, TennoChinko has provided some tremendous sites.
I really hope you can find a way out. Good luck and I wish I could be of more help to you.

[ScaredofBeingFucked]

Well, the point is to consider spending the next few years in an industry sector that you would not mind either pursuing as a career back in the US (or anywhere else) or... would give that 'chunk' of 'relevant operational experience' that you can better leverage for a graduate business school application or maybe even another job in a parallel sector. Eikaiwa is probably difficult to leverage unless your goal is to get fully certified and become a licensed teacher or ESL instructor.

Job sites like this one http://jobbind.com/japan links directly to corporate websites - not agents or recruiters. Also, it pays to visit the corporate websites of companies you are interested in -- most of them these days maintain realtime postings.

Trust me, I look every day. There simply aren't job out there for my level of Japanese and with little career experience. It's either teach English or do a consulting/recruiting job thats all based on commission. I think I can put up doing the English thing for maybe one more year....and thats it. I'll be 25 then....

[nottu]

[Samurai_Jerk]

Trust me, I look every day. There simply aren't job out there for my level of Japanese and with little career experience. It's either teach English or do a consulting/recruiting job thats all based on commission. I think I can put up doing the English thing for maybe one more year....and thats it. I'll be 25 then....

Seriously dude, don't stay any longer if you can't get a job other than teaching English. Get out and get a job in the US ASAP.

[yarichin01]

The way I see it nowadays if you are dedicated to being here long term and not working in eikaiwa or ALT work you have two routes: you either need to combine strong Japanese skills with education in finance, IT, education etc. Or you need to start your own business.
But beyond that you're in Japan, single, 24 and making 29 man a month. You're doing good enough to have fun and save some money while improving your JPN and making contacts. Rock out with your cock out! Have a blast. This is the time of your life where you make the stories you end up telling for the rest of your life.

[prolly]

go back to the USA. (if you like japanese girls, and that's why you really want to stick around, there are plenty of them on either coast.)

the longer you stay in japan the more of a black hole your cv will become. be content with the year you lived here and settle for infrequent visits if you need a fix.

(i travel here to jpn twice a year for and am always glad to fly back to nyc despite loving my time in nippon )

[ScaredofBeingFucked]

The way I see it nowadays if you are dedicated to being here long term and not working in eikaiwa or ALT work you have two routes: you either need to combine strong Japanese skills with education in finance, IT, education etc. Or you need to start your own business.
But beyond that you're in Japan, single, 24 and making 29 man a month. You're doing good enough to have fun and save some money while improving your JPN and making contacts. Rock out with your cock out! Have a blast. This is the time of your life where you make the stories you end up telling for the rest of your life.

Thanks for your replies guys. Yeah Yarichin, thats what almost everyone tells me, live it up and party while I'm out here and young. It's just really hard for me to do so knowing that I'm doing nothing to advancement myself career wise while others are. It gets even harder when seeing titles of those close to me change from "Junior Associate" to "Junior Executive" or "Manager" to "Regional Manager" while I remain "Teacher-.......". Not quite sure if it's jealousy, self-loathing, or a little bit of both but it truly truly makes me feel like a failure.

Then again, will it even be better for me if I go back? I'd probably have to go straight to grad school.

[Bucky]

My theory has always been that it takes two years to really be able to see if you can succeed in Japan.

Year one: you are getting used to the place, improving your language skill and making contacts.

Year two: you are expanding your contact base and the world slows down some and you can see opportunities that you may have missed in year one.

Also take some initiative. For example, if your home state has an economic development office in Japan, go visit them. Introduce yourself and keep in regular contact. You may find that you can generate a contact through the state office with a company back home that may have a need for someone with Japan experience. You could also attend some international trade shows, god knows there are enough of them, and start nosing around for opportunities.

And by all means, work on your Japanese skills.

If you are just 25, I would say give it another year. I presume you are in Tokyo or Osaka, if not, the opportunities may be considerably less.

[ScaredofBeingFucked]

My theory has always been that it takes two years to really be able to see if you can succeed in Japan.

Year one: you are getting used to the place, improving your language skill and making contacts.

Year two: you are expanding your contact base and the world slows down some and you can see opportunities that you may have missed in year one.

Also take some initiative. For example, if your home state has an economic development office in Japan, go visit them. Introduce yourself and keep in regular contact. You may find that you can generate a contact through the state office with a company back home that may have a need for someone with Japan experience. You could also attend some international trade shows, god knows there are enough of them, and start nosing around for opportunities.

And by all means, work on your Japanese skills.

If you are just 25, I would say give it another year. I presume you are in Tokyo or Osaka, if not, the opportunities may be considerably less.

Thanks for the advice. That actually sounds like a great idea. However, I'm not sure if I'm a bad searcher or what, but all I could find was a Nebraska and Georgia Economic Development Office...

[Bucky]

Thanks for the advice. That actually sounds like a great idea. However, I'm not sure if I'm a bad searcher or what, but all I could find was a Nebraska and Georgia Economic Development Office...

Where are you from?

[IparryU]

Seriously dude, don't stay any longer if you can't get a job other than teaching English. Get out and get a job in the US ASAP.

Also for anyone else teaching Engrish, read the above.

[Neo-Rio]

I was in same shoes as you at 25.
You really need to start working on educating yourself for whatever job you decide to do next.

As for me, I joined a Japanese company and busted my bum for a few years learning as much about my trade as possible. After jumping jobs a few times I can now safely say that I can escape Japan and return home and get a job at any time of my choosing.

....but I'm still here!

[Marked Trail]

.... as re-sign contract time as come about, I've got to thinking.....

STOP HUMPING THE MIKU LOVE PILLOW AND LEAVE!

[Yokohammer]

... I can now safely say that I can escape Japan and return home and get a job at any time of my choosing ....but I'm still here!

I hear ya. I believe I'm in a similar situation (or was ... a decade or so ago).

I'm another one of those 50-something-year-olds who has been here for decades, but I don't feel that I've led a second-class life because of it. Different, yes, but not of lower quality or with fewer opportunities. Never been an English teacher though. I guess it depends on what you want out of life. There are folks back home who envy my life here. Of course there are others who think I'm nuts.

People focus on employment as a reason not to spend too much time here, but there are many other reasons that can make it difficult to "go home." The longer you're here the more persuasive those reasons become. That's fine if you don't have your heart set on going home at some point, but if you do it'd be wise to limit your stay and just sort of skim the surface without getting too deeply involved. Also nurture the network back home and keep it alive while you're here, so there's always somewhere to go back to.

[Greji]

STOP HUMPING THE MIKU LOVE PILLOW AND LEAVE!

MT, leave my career out of it.

If SBF is staying in Japan, or going back to the US, his degree is not of concern. Almost all jobs in both countries which are not specialized do not care an iota about what a degree is about. They will restrict hiring simply to having a "college degree" in most cases, so a major in Basket Weaving 101 will count just as much as Rocket Science 900. If the type of degree is going to be a hiring requirement, they will require a Master's Degree. Obviously, specialties like some types of IT, Engineering, Medical, etc., are in a different catagory.

If SBF wants to stay in Japan, it is a matter of continuing to beat the bushes, while, if necessary, teaching English, herding goats, or whatever, to survive. If the fear of the future is that great, than by all means, back to the US and beat the bushes there. There is no secret formula to success on either side of the pond.....

[Mulboyne]

You don't need to choose between having a good time and putting yourself in play for a decent career. Especially not at 25 when you should have a lot of energy and good powers of recovery. Certainly, if you go out on the lash every night and spend your weekends in a coma then you aren't going to get a lot else done but there are other options available.

You do have to be disciplined and keep to targets you set yourself. One popular image of the "loser gaijin" is a 50 year old eikaiwa teacher who has never got around to really learning Japanese despite promising himself he would do so twenty years previously. If there are such people, one of their problems would seem to be they set themselves a target but never continuously assessed how well they were getting along to achieving it. Anyone who has failed to stick to a diet is guilty of the same failing.

No one here can really tell you what you should do with your life because, to some extent, it has to be your choice and something you decide to commit to. You may think there are so many options out there that choosing what to do freezes you into inaction. I'd just repeat something the director Robert Evans said, which I mentioned to another poster: "Getting into action generates inspiration. Don't cop out waiting for inspiration to get you back into action".

If you don't know what it takes to do certain jobs, and internet searches don't make you any wiser, then go and talk to people. There are plenty of foreign business organizations around. Go to some events. Offer to buy a branch manager a lunch or a drink if he'll give spend half an hour telling you about his industry. If you meet someone casually who might have career advice, follow up with an email hoping to see them again. Think about ways to make your resume look better. Offer your services as a volunteer to groups which might plug you in to different networks. If some people think you're a pest, so what?

An earlier poster mentioned the hospitality business. If you are interested, you could contact your local tourist office or the Tourism Agency to see if anyone might appreciate a helping hand in your area.

If you are serious about improving your Japanese then set out a plan of action. It's not enough to say "This year, 2kyu, next year 1kyu". It's a nice qualification to have but decide what you want your Japanese for, and then consider whether that's the appropriate target. If it is, then figure out how you plan to approach it week by week. It won't happen by osmosis so think whether you can do it all through self-study or whether you need a course.

Whatever action plan you make, Japanese language or otherwise, put aside the time for it. That way you can go out carousing, content you've achieved what you set out for yourself, instead of having a feeling of self loathing that you ought to be doing something more constructive. Reassess your progress regularly and, if you keep falling short, consider getting out of Dodge.

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

All right, then, now you've had about 30 serious posts about how to avoid getting fucked, anybody out there got any good advice about how I can get fucked silly every day for the rest of my life (probably good for about another 20 years at best...)?

[Samurai_Jerk]

thats what almost everyone tells me, live it up and party while I'm out here and young.

People who tell you that are fucking wrong. They're either people who've already made it and forgotten how hard it is to get there or they're people who don't want to do anything with their lives. I'm not saying that you can't fuck around and have fun for a few years and then bounce back and have an excellent career but I am saying that doing that will make it a lot harder to do so.

You need to figure out what you want to do, forget about Japan and pursue that.

By the way, if you've already graduated from colleage and aren't already pretty fluent in Japanese you probably never will be.

[Greji]

anybody out there got any good advice about how I can get fucked silly every day

Ahhh, how do you feel about goats?

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

Ahhh, how do you feel about goats?

Not baaaaad.

[nottu]