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Study/Work in Japan

NSUMike

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27 Jan 2014
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I"m currently working on getting an English Ed degree here in the US but I'm considering changing to a M.B.A. and trying to study 2-3 semesters in Japan. Is it very likely I would be able to find a job for after graduation while in country?
 
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Not many schools here will teach such courses in English. Can you read a Japanese textbook?

Japanese MBAs have a different focus on business than in the west. Does that matter to you?

I don't think you can just show up and take a few courses. The goal is to get a degree. I have not looked into it, but I would assume getting an MBA means you get a BA first.

Landing a job with an MBA (assuming you can actually get one) usually means having a high level of fluency in Japanese (speaking, reading, writing). How's your level now?
 
I'm learning kanji at the moment by May I should have a secondgrade level I know its a long shot but I can make it happen I have the means. As far as schooling the schools I'm looking at offwr classes in English.
 
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Positive thoughts won't get you anything. Second grade (elementary school?) is hardly enough Japanese, as I hope you realize.

Have you looked into universities that teach in English? Not many here, but a few.

So, learning the Japanese way of business management is ok with you?
 
I'm just looking into possibilities right now. I know I'll have a lot more studying to do to learn enough Japanese to work for a company. But that wasn't what I was asking in the first post. I was wondering if it companies in Japan would higher international students studying abroad in Japan for work after graduation. I do plan on continuing my language studies regardless of my major.
 
higher? You mean hire.

The simple and shortest answer is maybe. A lot depends on the work skills needed and how well you speak, read, and write Japanese. MBAs are a dime a dozen, and most J companies don't want to use business tactics from outside Japan, so what exactly did you figure you had to offer a J company after graduation?

Any particular type of company?
 
Honestly I havnt thought that far ahead I'm still not sure if I'm going to switch majors. I figured I would have to start at an eikaiwa then go from there.
 
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You should start thinking further ahead. The usual question: where do you see yourself in 10 years?

The chance of getting a job in the average Japanese company is going to be low. You're at a disadvantage against the average native uni graduate (your competition), just in terms of things like basic communication skills. No matter how hard you study between now and graduation, you won't be equivalent to 山田太郎 when it comes to business basics like presenting at meetings, dealing with HR and finance, writing emails to customers or reports on your work.

So you need to look into what companies/jobs need foreigners:
Those where English skill is important (language-related work, including teaching, companies that do a lot of dealing with overseas customers or suppliers, foreign companies with offices in Japan)
Those which need very specific skills/experience which are not easy to find locally (in which case the need to hand-hold a foreigner through the day-to-day stuff is offset by the need for that particular skill).

I suggest you look at bilingual job sites (daijob etc) to see what sort of jobs exist (also check which companies will hire you from outside the country - i.e. will sponsor a visa. Not all do.). Then, look at which sort of jobs appeal and what sort of requirements there are. This may be in terms of qualifications (degree + other certifications), experience (in or out of Japan), language level (do you need to pick up N2 or N1 JLPT just to get your foot in the door).

Based on that, establish a plan. It may be that it's best to get some experience in the US first (if it's the right sort of experience). It may be that you should try to get an eikaiwa position straight after graduation and use that as a base to search for other work while you're in Japan. Think long-term - including what will happen if you either can't find work in Japan or find that after a couple of years in Japan you decide you don't want to remain there. It's a bad idea to put all your eggs in one basket.
 
Thank you for the advice. I'll look into the things you mentioned and try to establish a plan.
 
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Hi there! I would like to ask a few things.

I just passed N4 of JLPT last December, how much time do you think is needed if I want to reach N2 or N1?

My current status as of now is I'm applying for the MEXT scholarship for a Master's degree and I'm waiting for the results. If I get the scholarship, I'll be able to stay and study in Japan for about two-three years. Would that be enough to prepare me and also get a job in Japan after graduation?

Thanks in advance!
 
Hi there! I would like to ask a few things.

I just passed N4 of JLPT last December, how much time do you think is needed if I want to reach N2 or N1?

My current status as of now is I'm applying for the MEXT scholarship for a Master's degree and I'm waiting for the results. If I get the scholarship, I'll be able to stay and study in Japan for about two-three years. Would that be enough to prepare me and also get a job in Japan after graduation?

Thanks in advance!
How much time per day or week do you intend to study?
 
Hi there! I would like to ask a few things.

I just passed N4 of JLPT last December, how much time do you think is needed if I want to reach N2 or N1?

My current status as of now is I'm applying for the MEXT scholarship for a Master's degree and I'm waiting for the results. If I get the scholarship, I'll be able to stay and study in Japan for about two-three years. Would that be enough to prepare me and also get a job in Japan after graduation?

Thanks in advance!

N1 is way more difficult than N2. I think if you were studying daily, you could manage N2 in a year, but it would take a lot of your time and focus. N1 is way beyond me, so I can't give you a real timeline.

Two to three years is lots of time to acquaint yourself to Japanese language and society, if you're into studying and not so much socialising. It really depends on the type of person you are, and the person you want to be ;)
 
@OP

Have a look for Azia Jinsai programs- the majority were in engineering and business. There used to be a centralised page form MEXT (but they only fundedit for 2 years and then dropped the page) but many universities (actually 23 have this program) which is a graduate degree in engineering, business related studies and only one in the science field).

If you have 3-kyu you would be a prime candidate.

good luck
 
Thanks guys for the information! I'm not so sure how much of my time would I allocate for Japanese studying when I get the scholarship, since I don't know yet what would be the schedule given to me for my classes/research. Also, the MEXT results haven't come out yet, so I guess I should worry about that first. Hehe.

But thanks very much. Your posts are very appreciated 🙏
 
If you can't even estimate how much time you think you would designate for studying Japanese, how can anyone tell you how long it will take overall? You can estimate how many classes.

Give it a shot.
 
If you can't even estimate how much time you think you would designate for studying Japanese, how can anyone tell you how long it will take overall? You can estimate how many classes.

Give it a shot.

Hmm... Though I don't know what's in store for me yet... what if I give myself about 2-3 hours a day for Japanese language? Too much? Too short? Actually 2-3 hours would probably be my max and 1-2 hours would be my minimum. This is still a very rough estimation, but this could be a combination of self-study and formal lessons.

Do you guys think I'll survive in Japan with this set of hours?
 
I think quality of study is more important that quantity and you are asking a question that you can answer better than us. You certainly know more about your language learning abilities than we do.

So I would suggest less time on internet speculation and more time studying and see how that works out.

Good luck.
 
quality of study is more important that quantity

A thousand times this.

Don't be too impressed by N1 (I can say that since have it ;) ). The JLPT tests a limited set of language knowledge in a relatively artificial way. It is perfectly possible to pass it with relatively limited speaking/writing ability if you a) test well and b) read a lot. There are certainly loads of people who "only" have N2 but who would be easily better than me when it came to a job interview or handling the day-to-day of office memos, meetings, and emails.

If you do get the scholarship, you will have the opportunity to get a lot of experience that many people who take the JLPT outside of Japan don't have - for example, the chance to practice with mock-interviews, presentations, etc, in Japanese which will be of a lot of use to you when it comes time to find a job.
 
Do you guys think I'll survive in Japan with this set of hours?
Survive? I do not understand. The point is, you have to set up and stick to a study routine. So many people come here and get trapped in the allure of sightseeing and making friends that they neglect to set aside serious (SERIOUS!) study time. This is the whole point of my questions.
 
Thanks guys!! All of your comments are very much appreciated. I guess I'm just feeling excited and nervous at the same time.

And by surviving, I just meant getting through the day-to-day life in Japan while studying their language with that timeframe.

Anyways, for now I just have to wait and see while making all the necessary preparations (like reviewing the grammar, vocabs and kanji. It's really difficult to retain the knowledge without practice.) Thanks again!
 
You can get through daily life with very little Japanese at all, so stop worrying about that bit.
 
Thanks guys!! All of your comments are very much appreciated. I guess I'm just feeling excited and nervous at the same time.

And by surviving, I just meant getting through the day-to-day life in Japan while studying their language with that timeframe.

Anyways, for now I just have to wait and see while making all the necessary preparations (like reviewing the grammar, vocabs and kanji. It's really difficult to retain the knowledge without practice.) Thanks again!

Feeling excited and nervous is normal, I'm sure most people feel the same when going to live in Japan for the first time.

You'll survive .... don't worry! : )

As others have advised, make sure you use your time wisely and the time you do allocate to Japanese study should be quality time ... switch off the TV. Log out of facebook, and bury your keitai under the futon in the oshiire.

Good luck.
👍
 
Sorry, I realize this thread is a bit old, but since it's only been a couple months, I hope this will still work:

A couple of questions in regards to job opportunities with certain degrees?

For those of you who are more involved with the job market in Japan, how much would you value an American degree in business administration as a means to helping live in Japan (even if only for a short period on a visa)?

Are there other degrees in related fields of economics, finance, and management that you would say are more advantageous for finding jobs there?


Sorry for the late entry, but any help in these regards would be greatly appreciated
 
May I ask how old you are? If you are still thinking about college for the first time in your life and are in late teens or early 20s, that probably means you have little to no work experience to go with that degree. Help us fill in the gaps. Also, what is your Japanese language ability like (speaking/reading/writing)?

Jobs that are non-language-teaching usually require more than just a degree related to the work itself (although such a degree is a must when it comes to applying for the appropriate visa). You would need work experience and language fluency to set yourself apart from local Japanese applying for the same job.
 
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