I was half-joking in the other forum, but it'd make for an interesting topic anyway. I don't think I can offer that much job-hunting advice, but I'll tell you what I know. I'm from New Zealand and I was atcually there on a year long project for my company here - it's was a large scale php / mysql email system - I was doing php programming and linux / UNIX administration. At first I was there with four others from my company and that was cool, we all had a good time and worked really hard, but they left after four months and I was working by myself which I didn't really like. That was one reason for leaving, but I had always planned to come back after a year anyway and go back to University. I met quite a few IT guys over there though, and most of them got their jobs through agencies and job sites. Some of the companies I talked to through my work wanted to hire forigners aswell. Alot of the guys I met didn't speak Japanese, and almost all of them were C++ or Java programmers. My friend who has lived in Japan for a long time told me that if you can speak Japanese and program you will pretty much always be able to find work. If you have some other questions I'll try and answer them, but I'd try and find a recruitment agency that specialises in IT and I'm sure you'll be able to find something through them. What are you guys doing for work at the moment? I have two more years of University and then I'll hopefully have a BA in Japanese and I definatly intened to go back.

Thanks for starting this thread and answering our inquiries, krusher.
It's a long story as to how I got here, but I am in Japan... I really enjoy living
here and have been vigorously studying my Japanese. I have a BS in Computer
Science and program as a hobby to keep up my skills.
Funny you mentioned utilizing a recruiter, because that's what I've started doing.
I had a bad experience with a recruiter previously, which kept me from them for so
long but I agree, I think it's the way to go.
I'm teaching English now. I like meeting new people and talking with them. But it's
time to move on and get into something else.
Thanks for your help krusher.

Taken from the RTK get together? thread.

Serge Wrote:I know it's off-topic but there's no need to dwell on it for pages and pages: am I right in assuming that the overwhelming majority of Japan-based users of this site are in the English-teaching trade? The reason I'm curious is that I've been contemplating relocating to Tokyo and have even spoken to a few headhunters. It would be interesting to connect with someone who has experience going through this route.

I think you probably are right. I'm pretty sure Christoph, yorkii, MightyMatt, Dingomick, JimmySeal all teach English as well as myself.

That said, there are guys working in IT and there's an economist too.

aye, I'm teaching English in an elementary school here. which basically means I teach a minimum amount of English to keep my reputation up with the school ad then practice my Japanese for all the other time I'm not in class. which is a lot.

EDIT: Spelling

I wonder if anyone here works as an engineer in Japan.
I'm currently taking a Mechatronics Bachelor degree in Australia, I wonder if it's hard to get a related job in Japan after I graduate...

Mechatronics, eh? Don't worry, there are plenty of giant mechs in Japan. A couple giant ones were battling near my house just the other day. A stray rocket destroyed my favorite izakaya. You might want to minor in cybernetics though. The newest generation of mechs incorporate cranial implants for "mind-meld" control giving the operator instant anthropomorphized control.

I'm pretty sure Japan is the country with the most robots, both for manufacturing and entertainment. There's certainly a lot of work in mechatronics. The problem, though, is that reportedly japanese companies rarely recruit a foreigner to do an engineering job if a Japanese can do it...

Personally, I'm also an engineering student, but it's physical eng. so it's more research-oriented (nanotech, etc.). Universities are more open to foreigners and have a lot of exchange programs and grants, so you might want to consider working in that if research doesn't bother you, and see if you can get a related job while you're there.

Dingomick, I think if he's majoring in mechatronics he must already know it's different from mechs

are there many part-time jobs...I'd like to go to Japan but don't necessarily want to be teaching English 5 days a week....I met a guy who was a magician and worked in a magic shop in Tokyo and learned a hell of a lot more Japanese that way....

learning words like 手品師 and "Abra-kadabra" in Japanese aren't too high on my study list. whereas in my experience, working in the education system and going to meetings regarding such, you are forced to listen to Japanese at a higher level (for me anyway) and pick up many useful words each day.

interesting--what kinds of hours do you have?--I heard a long time ago that English-speaking sensei's can be used like human tape recorders--it's good to hear that you have a more active role within a school....

With the recent invasion of outerspace mechs, the JSDF has actually been accepting a lot more foreign pilots for their mech forces. They're also accepting anyone of ability, regardless of age. There this 14 year old Korean prodigy they have piloting one of their newest models. You should see what he can make his mech do with a plasma sword!

taijuando Wrote:interesting--what kinds of hours do you have?--I heard a long time ago that English-speaking sensei's can be used like human tape recorders--it's good to hear that you have a more active role within a school....

generally speaking, junior high school "ALT's" have been likened to a human-tape-recorder. and I have experience in doing such. it can be dull. it IS dull. but outside of the lessons is where the real gem of the job comes in. When I worked in a JHS i was very committed to building good relations with the students and so involved myself in the kendo and soccer club, staying after school to practice each day. It's here where I became the student and allowed myself to occasionally be made a fool of in the nae of learning new words.

i am now working at an elementary school which does not have a full-time English teacher other than me which thus gives me the opportunity to converse with staff about my lessons, school politics etc. in a normal everyday Japanese environment.

with this job we have the weekly staff meeting about the coming week and also various visits form the Board of Education 2 times a year where I make a lesson plan in English and Japansese (the Japanese one is obviously checked by the teachers). outside ofthe school we have a monthly meeting for all the other ALT's in the city which is held in Japanese with ALT's translating. there is thus opportunity here for translation practice...

having said all of the above though, my "active role" in the school is kept to a minimum, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm not gonna bust my balls like a good little Japanese school teacher and stay at school after my hours just to look good. Nor am i too keen on "looking busy" even if I'm not. no sir!

I worked as an ALT in a Junior High School last year, and while it's true that a couple of teachers basically used me as a human tape recorder, most of them wanted me to play a much more active role. Most of the time this involved planning and delivering the bulk of the lesson, although usually with some input/guidance from the JTE. I also had a couple of elective classes for which I was asked to take the lead teaching role, and the JTE became the assistant. Towards the end of my time in Japan I was asked on a few occasions to cover (on my own) for absent teachers and although I suspect I wasn't technically supposed to be asked to do this, it was a great opportunity for expanding my teaching experience!

I certainly was rarely bored in this role. The odd week where I didn't have much to do was actually very welcome. I think if you are prepared to show initiative and to take the time to create good working relationships with JTEs and to engage with your students then the JHS ALT role doesn't have to be tedious.

I'm not sure whether to be glad or sad, but my teaching job has a role reversal from the stereotypical gaijin tape recorder. The only guideline they gave me was to make interesting and useful lessons. It was my job to determine the lesson, make the materials, and lead the lesson. They wanted to give me total control (and no input or suggestions) so I truly make the lessons mine.

I make great efforts to incorporate the JTEs in running the lessons. But they're mostly just Japanese clarifiers for the info too hard or important to model, and partners with the students during the activities along with me. (This is for Oral Communication classes only).

I know many other ALTs in this position. I think the teachers prefer it because it means that many hours more a week they don't have to worry about at all.

suishoo Wrote:I wonder if anyone here works as an engineer in Japan.
I'm currently taking a Mechatronics Bachelor degree in Australia, I wonder if it's hard to get a related job in Japan after I graduate...

hey suishoo, I'll be working for Fujitsu in Japan in August. I graduated with an electrical engineering and computer science degree from UC Berkeley, California. The other two from my school graduated with chemical engineering and mechanical engineering degrees. Apparently this is the 3rd year of their international program. They actually recruited us through our career website, so I would say it was easy for us, but I definitely can't generalize. It seems like the bigger companies are more willing to globalize and open their doors to foreigners. I hope that gives you some hope...

2 questions for you haabaato:

1)Do you(or the other two people) look Japanese?
2)Are the 3 of you fluent in Japanese?

Thanks.

chamcham Wrote:2 questions for you haabaato:

1)Do you(or the other two people) look Japanese?
2)Are the 3 of you fluent in Japanese?

Thanks.

1. haha, no we do not "look" Japanese.
2. Knowledge of Japanese language was not a requirement, only interest in working in Japan.

However, I took Japanese for a year because I was planning on joining the JET program or some other eikaiwa thing. One other guy knew a little Japanese because of his Japanese ex-girlfriend. The other guy has no knowledge so whatever of the language. I should also mention someone from Stanford is also joining the team, and he doesn't know any Japanese either.

Do you mind giving us a link to the website for that Fujitsu program?
I might want to apply for next year's program.

chamcham Wrote:Do you mind giving us a link to the website for that Fujitsu program?
I might want to apply for next year's program.

Did you see my reply to your PM? There really is no link to the program details. There was merely a listing on our career site before. I think we may actually get to name the program ourselves, too. But yea sorry, nothing I can show you besides the electronics device developer website...which I'm having trouble finding right now. I'll have to get back to you if you're interested.

*bumps old thread*

What experience did you programmers have upon accepting work in Japan?

*hopes this is read*