The tale of ”job hunting” shall be started next semester (second semester of Master course 1st year).
I should explain briefly for those who doesn’t know the process of job hunting in Japan. Here in Japan, people start to look for job before they graduate from their university. Usually in their 6th semester for undergraduate students, and 2nd semester for graduate students.
It is started just after the summer break by attending so called “company explanation” in which they will gather as much as possible information regarding a company. The next step is to write and send “entry sheets” to companies you are interested to. The number of companies may vary greatly between people, from ten to several dozens, depends on your luck and interests. For most companies, they will ask your motif of choosing their company and will make you write your achievements and your strong points.
If you’re lucky enough to pass the document screening, they will call you for written test(s) and/or interview(s). And if they found that you are good enough for them, usually by the following spring (the end of 6th or 2nd semester), you should already have found your future employer(got 内定) . So you can be relaxed and concentrate to you final year as a student, in which you are expected to work really hard for your thesis. And after graduating in March, from the 1st of April, congratulation! You are now a member of the working people!
Okay, i think that’s enough for the introduction. As you know, i’m now in my 1st semester as grad student. Means the fate i mentioned above is waiting for me around the corner. Those job hunting stuffs filled my head for the past few days. Not only i have to start looking for proper suits (for those who know me well, you know what i’m thinking of formal clothes don’t you?), i have to start thinking what to write in those “entry sheets”, what kind of stance should i take, etc.
For know i’m deeply thinking of 2 options concerning the stance i should take.
The first is to take “foreign student position”. In which i can use the fact that i’m a foreigner thus different from the homogenous japanese society as my strong point. But by choosing this option, may limit the companies that available to me to foreign companies and some japanese companies. Because some japanese companies still holds their japanese values highly, and would prefer those who are able to understand it perfectly. For some foreigners this is a very difficult task to accomplish.
The second is to try hard to be the same as my japanese fellows, and master the art of japanese work ethics and principles which are way too complicated (i won’t explain here, just do some googling and you’ll get to know it). It is not only that i’m afraid i cannot completely master it (okay, i might understand but i may not follow it perfectly), i know my japanese is still far from perfect.
pheww… feel better after writing this post. i was in bad mood all day, because these things was filling my head and “a full, self service curry” was filling my stomach.
*lesson of the day : don’t eat too much curry when you have problems to think. it will make you sick whole day
PS: Any opinion regarding the 2 options is welcome.
hohoho~~~
you know what, in Koan, it says that it’s possible for us, gakubusei to do some internship this natsu yasumi. And there are some companies that open “ryuugakusei-muki” internship, but… that ‘kind companies’ are kinda ‘sanryuu’ companies…
ok ok ok, anyway, you might have known more Japanese customs than me, but since it could be useful for anyone who’s staying here, so let me share this
>ossa
actually this also apply for writing entry sheet for internship.
and not only small companies provide internship for foreign students. major companies such as panasonic also have offers for internship for foreign students and japanese students
http://panasonic-denko.co.jp/corp/saiyo/internship/recruitment.html
でも三回生でしょｗ
Btw what I mentioned in previous comment refers to 2nd year students
ps. too much tamago-kake-gohan is also NG kkk
aaa.. you didn’t say anything about 2nd year student…
yeah, anything that too much is not good for you
Hey Martin!
You know you actually got me thinking about internships… although I prefer going on with astronomy:)
Anyway regarding your two options, do you remember what the professors told us the day we entered Handai? “Don’t get japanesed!” So for my part, I’m sticking to that!
Take care and Good Luck!
PS. Guess who got me into your blog:)
err…. any internship in astronomy field??
e? did the professors said that??didn’t remember at all,
or it might i didn’t pay any attention to what they said. hehe
no need to ask rite? who else…..
hehe
Interview is like going on a date with a girl. Just listen to your heart, if you don’t feel comfortable or cannot answer the questions properly, it doesn’t mean that you lack of preparation or something like that,
but it just simply means that the company doesn’t fit you.
Be yourself, no need to be the same as your japanese fellows. It is better than you pretend to be a japanese but inside you’re uncomfortable with it.
Yes, our Japanese is not perfect, but communication is more than just the language. I know you well, and I believe you have that skill and character, so show them to overcome your weakness.
That’s all from senpai Dodo.
thanks for the words of encouragement !!
but just like finding the right girls, if you are to picky, you will be ended with nothing. it’s not easy to boldly said that this is just not for me.
anyway really like this part, “Be yourself, no need to be the same as your japanese fellows. It is better than you pretend to be a japanese but inside you’re uncomfortable with it.”.
i’ll take this seriously to my consideration.
we both have the same thing to think abt. For me… I still haven’t make up my mind whether to stay in Japan or go back to Malaysia…….The answer is not easy but hope that we both can find what we are looking for in our future!! Ganbare! My friend!!
e? you were thinking about working in Japan didn’t u?
since when you changed ur mind?
yeah, hope we can find the answer soon enough. the time we have is limited.
ganbarou!
post updated, fixed some typos.
*sigh… cannot write anything without typos in it…
Being a ryugakusei is a part of you, and getting used to the Japanese society is also a part of you. There’s no need to choose only one of the two because both of them and lots of other elements make you who you are right now. The reason of why you can do something is because of YOU.
As for me, I hate expression such as “Because I’m ryugakusei I can bla bla bla”. The reason why I hate this expression because it is not sufficient enough to explain why you can do something. But, I also don’t want to disguise myself as Japanese, because I’m not and I won’t be comfortable with it. It’s just the same as senpai dodo said.
3rd option: Return home and open a bakery!
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Reblogged this on Lutphi's Weblog and commented:
i’m in this position now and remember this writing by our super senior 😛
so, let’s share..!