Current Events > I'm going to Japan for an interview in two weeks, anything I should know?

(+) Yeah! (+)

_Marka_Ragnos_ posted...

Start learning at least some basic Japanese. Pick up Genki 1 and download lingo deer to your phone. Pretty much the learn Japanese starter pack. You dont need much to get around.

Know directions, north, south, east, west important for transportation outside of Tokyo. In Tokyo everything has English translations but outside of Tokyo you may run into problems if you cant read basic kanji.

Dont stress about bowing. No one will expect you to bow down like native. You get the pass. And yes, no matter how good you speak Japanese and fit in you will always be a foreigner.

Ive been learning the language as a hobby but Id never live there unless I was rich and didnt have to work.

I've already legally acquired Genki, so I'll probably be able to speak a bit by then. Memorising kanji sounds like a pain, but I guess I'll have to try. I might also attend a short Japanese beginner's course when I'm in Tokyo.
I'm relieved about the bowing, I don't think I'd be able to do it properly without proper practice!

ssjevot posted...

Well I only have experience interviewing in Japanese here, but the biggest thing is that they tend to act very positive and agree with what you are saying but may actually not be interested in hiring you. You really need to be on your guard because their friendly attitude can give you a false sense of security. It sounds like you will be doing something with programming? I am a research professor here, but I do more programming than anything else. One thing you should be aware of is that even if you work 50 hours a week you will probably have a lot of people in your office working much more. A lot of them won't actually be doing anything useful, but they will appear dedicated since they're there for 12 hours every day. If you bring in results you can get away with working less but there will be an attitude that you aren't as dedicated to the company. Also don't not go to drinking parties. Think of them as mandatory.

Japan is a lot of fun to vacation in, but working is quite hard to get used to and definitely can burn you out if you don't love your job (thankfully I love mine).

It's more physics related, but same difference. They actually approached me (was really surprised to get their mail), so I hope that means they're at least mildly interested.
Thank you for your advice, I'll be sure to keep it in mind! I'm not entirely sure if I would like the working culture, but I'll have plenty of time to think about that.

_____Cait posted...

Anyway, Japan is kind of easy to live in with no Japanese experience. Do yourself a favor and study your basics though, it is polite and respectful to know a little, and they appreciate trying.

Don't be a weeb.

Make sure your company offers insurance. If not, run for the hills.

Summer is brutal, dress appropriately.

Capsule hotels are cheap and convinient. Dont do air bnb or hostels.

Don't assume girls will be all over you.

Dont listen to any "weird facts about japan", most of them are veyr isolated incidents, or just plain overexaggerations. Everything outside of Tokyo and Okinawa, Osaka, or Kyoto are incredibly normal, and even those non-tokyo cities are pretty normal too.

Visit me in Hamamatsu.

Do they really hate it when foreigners bring up anime? I definitely won't do so in the interview, but when I mentioned how popular it is to one of my Japanese friends living in Germany, they were positively surprised.
Regarding the weather, would you reckon that normal summer clothing will be enough around this time of the year?
I booked some cheap hostels since capsule hotels don't sound too appealing to me, but am staying with a Japanese family most of the time. Thought about air bnb, but that was expensive as hell.
Does Hamamatsu have any nice sights? I'd be happy to visit you if you can show me around :)

Go to Ebisu and do some drifting!

....well, that's what I want to do in Japan >_>

ne14a6t9r posted...

Go to Ebisu and do some drifting!

do you like my car
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Ricemills posted...

sharpen your katana.

I don't have one yet, but I might decide to buy one if they're not too expensive! Not sure how I would get one through the airport though...

ModLogic posted...

make sure to use APA hotel and sympathize with ww2 japan. deny they committed any war crimes.

I mean, Japan was allied with Germany, so it shouldn't be too difficult for me to make up a believable stance regarding war crimes =P

Jazznium_Z posted...

dont film a dead body in aokigahara and post it on your youtube channel

My brother suggested visiting the suicide forest. I'm not sure if he's trying to tell me something or if it was just a joke

Foppe posted...

Beware the Kancho.

I looked it up and ... why is this a thing

Asking for the restaurant bill in Japanese is Kanjo kudasai.
Foreigners that cant really talk Japanese makes it sound like Kancho kudasai, which means can I get a kancho, please.
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TarElessar posted...

Do they really hate it when foreigners bring up anime? I definitely won't do so in the interview, but when I mentioned how popular it is to one of my Japanese friends living in Germany, they were positively surprised.

They love when you bring up anime and Japanese culture. This is some dumb meme people like to push where Japanese people don't actually like anime and think people who do are weird. I am easily the least Otaku person in my entire lab and I really like anime and games. Everyone I ever talk to about anime or games reacts positively and some get super excited and passionate. Japanese people for the most part want their culture to be appropriated (not that they know what cultural appropriation is, but if it is explained to them they will likely think it is a positive thing).

Seriously though I ride an anime train to a bus stop to take an anime bus to work. Almost every store sells manga. Oranges have anime girls on them at the grocery store. Anime (really manga culture) is everywhere and nothing like American culture and cartoons. If someone tells you anime isn't that big in Japan they don't live here and are lying (it literally dwarfs all other movie genres in sales).
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There is a portable translator out these days for Japanese Language, you can check into that if you need it.
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ssjevot posted...

TarElessar posted...

Do they really hate it when foreigners bring up anime? I definitely won't do so in the interview, but when I mentioned how popular it is to one of my Japanese friends living in Germany, they were positively surprised.

They love when you bring up anime and Japanese culture. This is some dumb meme people like to push where Japanese people don't actually like anime and think people who do are weird. I am easily the least Otaku person in my entire lab and I really like anime and games. Everyone I ever talk to about anime or games reacts positively and some get super excited and passionate. Japanese people for the most part want their culture to be appropriated (not that they know what cultural appropriation is, but if it is explained to them they will likely think it is a positive thing).

Seriously though I ride an anime train to a bus stop to take an anime bus to work. Almost every store sells manga. Oranges have anime girls on them at the grocery store. Anime (really manga culture) is everywhere and nothing like American culture and cartoons. If someone tells you anime isn't that big in Japan they don't live here and are lying (it literally dwarfs all other movie genres in sales).

Ive seen the opposite where they realize someone likes anime a lot, and it may be an indicator that they are trying to come to Japan based on some weird hobby or fetish. Just dont be weird about it. I honestly wouldnt even bring it up unless someone else does. I dont live in Tokyo though, everything in Tokyo is kind of different.

As for Hamamatsu, it has some cool stuff. Not like Tokyo, but i love it here.
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lol you're wasting your time. You'll go to the interview, fly all the way back home only to get the "after careful consideration" email lol

ne14a6t9r posted...

Go to Ebisu and do some drifting!

....well, that's what I want to do in Japan >_>

I'm really bad at driving, so I'll probably give that a pass ^^"

Foppe posted...

Asking for the restaurant bill in Japanese is Kanjo kudasai.
Foreigners that cant really talk Japanese makes it sound like Kancho kudasai, which means can I get a kancho, please.

Thanks, now I know what I should never even attempt to say!

Kaliesto posted...

There is a portable translator out these days for Japanese Language, you can check into that if you need it.

I'll get one of those then, I'm pretty much guaranteed to need a translator at some point. Unless I'm really lucky and everyone happens to understand English or German.

CharlesBronson posted...

lol you're wasting your time. You'll go to the interview, fly all the way back home only to get the "after careful consideration" email lol

Well, that's why I'm mainly doing it as a summer trip. I wouldn't book flights just for one single interview. Even if I am successful, I am unsure whether I would accept it or not.

Regarding the weeb/anime business, I probably won't bring it up to stay on the safe side, but I'll probably visit some anime themed cafes, bars, or alike just for the experience!