I did a 3-month business Japanese intensive at Yamasa a few years back, I wound up treating it almost like learning a new language.
There are a ton of set phrases to learn, and they're all beastly to remember at times, and sometimes they'll get you tongue-tied, but keep repeating them, keep practicing them, and you'll get better at it. After a while, those set phrases will become your friends. They'll let you know exactly what to say when you meet a client, etc. There's almost always a Socially Approved set phrase for most situations in business. (Not always, of course, but darn near close to it.)
There's a special routine you're expected to know for doing a job interview. Stuff like how many knocks on the door, waiting to open the door until you're called, which side of the chair to approach it from, not sitting all the way back in the chair, etc. etc. Lots of little details. A lot of it is considered 常識, but it's not necessarily 常識 to Westerners.
名刺交換 is an important ritual to nail, too. Who offers their card first, who receives it, how you receive it, etc. It's not quite as deep as the tea ceremony, but I remember spending a few days on it in class here and there, just to make sure we could do it right.
他社訪問 are also full of things you're "supposed to know," like how early to be (5 minutes is the appropriate amount of "earliness," 10 minutes is too early, 2 minutes isn't early enough to show what a great and punctual person you are.)
Answering the phone, taking messages, what to say when offering excuses... it's full of set phrases that, when memorized, will make your business life easier.
But yeah, it can feel a little overwhelming at first.
Reminds me, I haven't had to use much of that stuff in a while. I should go brush up on it and keep it fresh. >_>a
There are a ton of set phrases to learn, and they're all beastly to remember at times, and sometimes they'll get you tongue-tied, but keep repeating them, keep practicing them, and you'll get better at it. After a while, those set phrases will become your friends. They'll let you know exactly what to say when you meet a client, etc. There's almost always a Socially Approved set phrase for most situations in business. (Not always, of course, but darn near close to it.)
There's a special routine you're expected to know for doing a job interview. Stuff like how many knocks on the door, waiting to open the door until you're called, which side of the chair to approach it from, not sitting all the way back in the chair, etc. etc. Lots of little details. A lot of it is considered 常識, but it's not necessarily 常識 to Westerners.
名刺交換 is an important ritual to nail, too. Who offers their card first, who receives it, how you receive it, etc. It's not quite as deep as the tea ceremony, but I remember spending a few days on it in class here and there, just to make sure we could do it right.
他社訪問 are also full of things you're "supposed to know," like how early to be (5 minutes is the appropriate amount of "earliness," 10 minutes is too early, 2 minutes isn't early enough to show what a great and punctual person you are.)
Answering the phone, taking messages, what to say when offering excuses... it's full of set phrases that, when memorized, will make your business life easier.
But yeah, it can feel a little overwhelming at first.
Reminds me, I haven't had to use much of that stuff in a while. I should go brush up on it and keep it fresh. >_>a