College major..what jobs can I get?

[Logan]

I am currently on the track of majoring in Japanese w/ a minor in the buisness,culture,and ethics program here at the University Of Maryland. Any idea what type of jobs I can land w/ a degree in that? Thanks.

[NeoNecroNomiCron]

Perhaps you should consider becoming a business-cultural-ethical advisor in a company dealing with Japanese.

[Logan]

you must be a genious! haha..but seriously..is there a job market in japan for people w/ this degree?

[hanasims]

Have you ever been to Japan? Just out of curiosity, why did you choose to major in Japanese? How good is your language?

[GomiGirl]

Well my degrees have nothing to do with what I am doing now. Really a degree only gets you so far and you learn most of what you need on the job (naturally this is for professions other than law or medicine).

For example, I have a B.Sc. (Chemisty, Biotech, Mathematics, Physics, Cell Biology.) I also have a B.A. (Economics, Japanese, minor psychology/philosophy/logic)

What do I do now? I work in the cell phone software industry.. yes this is in Japan, but I have no college training in computers - I saw my first email after I had graduated from university. but I have been back to school and trained in IT project management..

So don't worry about the job you are going to have in 10 years.. just get your degree - any degree - and get working. The doors will open and the opportunities will arrive when you least expect them. Who knows where you will end up and that is part of the adventure.

I would suggest you having a strong second major in something other than language. Speaking a second language only opens up so many doors - unless you really want to be a translator, a tour guide operator or a flight attendant. Japan-o-philes are a dime a dozen these days and unless you have something other than language, you will end up in a dead end job. But there are lots of opportunities in hospitality industries as well.

[Logan]

My language isn't that great in japanese. But I have the desire to learn, and Maryland has a great japanese department w/ extremely small class sizes (capped at 10).

The major is Buisness Japanese (basically additional diplomatic translation classes and buisness language classes), and the minor information can be found here
http://www.languages.umd.edu/BusCultureLang/flbusop.html

When it comes to a second major..I really don't know what to pick. Time really isn't on my side, and cash is limited and I don't want to stay in school forever. So what else can I do to "open those doors"? I don't want to do Computer Science...programming is way to boring. Any suggestions on a second major that will open up more doors than my current major/minor?

Plan B right now is to drop out and join a police department.

[gomichild]

Logan don't sweat out the whole "I have to decide on a career now!" thing. Like GomiGirl I ended up in a career totally unrelated to my degree (a web designer living in Japan having got a BA majoring in German).

Choose something that interests you - that way you'll work at it. During this time investigate different careers that interest you - or wait until you have that piece of paper in your hot little hands and try for an internship or working experience at a company that interests you.

There is no shame in working at a crap job after school while you decide what you want to do.

BTW programming can be very interesting actually!

[Taro Toporific]

Any suggestions on a second major that will open up more doors than my current major/minor?

Plan B right now is to drop out and join a police department.

A much wiser choice is to join the State Patrol... coming to Japan to would be a step lower than becoming a jailer.

Find and take one of the US Foreign Service Exam pre-tests. If you score reasonably well, start following the suggestions for working for the US State Dept who are hiring big-time right now and for the near future in asian languages. Damn, I wish the State Dept was hiring like that when I was in my early 20s (I scored above the 90 percental and still it wasn't good enough). In the same vein, Chinese or Arabic would be be a good 2nd major if you are really into language study.

If you're un-techie but into writing, language and Japan, maybe you might like taking coursework in "corporate communications", technical journalism, and the like. If you pass the official "Level 2 Japanese" test and have a tech. writing degree many Japanese companies will hire you (hell, if you pass Level 1 Japanese" and got a techical writing degree I'll hire ya).

[GomiGirl]

US foreign service is a fantastic suggestion Taro.. go for it Logan.

[Caustic Saint]

(hell, if you pass Level 1 Japanese" and got a techical writing degree I'll hire ya).

What if I'm Level 0 Japanese but know lots of tech stuff and write well?

[Taro Toporific]

US foreign service is a fantastic suggestion Taro.. go for it Logan.

The US Foreign Service Exam is wild fun and very easy for "generalists". Some of the jobs in the State Department are a real "blast".

On Foreign Service Exam, for example, they asked me to:

--->Select the countries where palladium might be sourced.

--->Pick the definition for "kismet" (multiple choice).

....and my favorite

---->Distinguish between a rococo and baroque statue.
(Hint: rococo butts have dimples).

[kamome]

I am currently on the track of majoring in Japanese w/ a minor in the buisness,culture,and ethics program here at the University Of Maryland. Any idea what type of jobs I can land w/ a degree in that? Thanks.

This is a question to ask your career services office at the University of Maryland. A school that size probably has incredible resources. They can direct you to resources/internship possibilities that will reveal careers in Japan.

[Taro Toporific]

here at the University Of Maryland. Any idea what type of jobs I can land w/ a degree in that?

This is a question to ask your career services office at the University of Maryland. A school that size probably has incredible resources...

Actually...
As the FG military guys will tell you, the University of Maryland is the MAIN source of applicants for DoD jobs in Japan, US Foreign Service, CIA and NSA. Hmmm, come to think of it, you ought to study Korean or Chinese and get a mega-kool job as NSA analyst here in Japan/Asia.

[Logan]

Actually...
As the FG military guys will tell you, the University of Maryland is the MAIN source of applicants for DoD jobs in Japan, US Foreign Service, CIA and NSA. Hmmm, come to think of it, you ought to study Korean or Chinese and get a mega-kool job as NSA analyst here in Japan/Asia.

Are you guys being sarcastic about these "mega-kool" jobs with the CIA/NSA and foreign service? Forum sarcasm is a tad hard to get when I am not in the job market. I want to work overseas, and think that Japanese is a decent platform simply because I can make a quick jump to korean. Am I right in this notion? From what I gather there is little grammatical difference, only a vocabulary difference between korean and japanese. (or so all my korean friends in the japanese major tell me). What can give me the edge over a korean who can speak english and is a Japanese major when trying to get a corporate/government job? Apparently, the University of Maryland dosen't have any corporate communiciations classes/majors/minors available. Only journalism, and that will take years to complete on top of what I am already planning. Any ideas?

[mr. sparkle]

I minored in International Business Marketing. It was extremely interesting for me, as probably the only Theater Arts Major in Biz school. I studied with a Fullbright Scholar who had lived all over the world. One of the required texts was How to Be an Importer and Pay for Your World Travel. Just the title is intriguing, eh? Just think about the possibilities in the Import/Export game as an alternative to what has already been suggested.

One think I learned from Dr. Fadiman was to think outside the box if you want to combine travel - or living abroad with your career. I think the courses I took with him should've been called, "Bitter Ex-Pat 101"

P.S. I don't think these guys are messin' with ya. I think it'd be cool to be a spy or have a cushy foreign service job and get paid the big bucks! Not a bad life at all.

[Taro Toporific]

[devicenull]

export: cars
import: used jeans from thrift shops

[mr. sparkle]

export: cars
import: used jeans from thrift shops

Now that's the idea dn.
Fadiman would've given you an A as well.

[kamome]

[devicenull]

export: cars
import: used jeans from thrift shops

Now that's the idea dn.
Fadiman would've given you an A as well.

took a friend to a thrift shop here on a scouting mission. he grabbed up $5 pairs of jeans for himself and was practically orgasmic about them. they fetch around $200 in japan each. im gonna bring another suitcase full of jeans :P

[Ptyx]

Speaking of the NSA have you read that stuff ?

[Taro Toporific]