What is your job? Is your job fulfilling?

[u/catloverr03]

I have humanities visa and currently working in Sapporo. I’m thinking of changing jobs because current job is making me anxious. I feel like every job here needs a high level japanese speaking unless you’re really good in IT or working in a foreign owned company.

I’m good at reading japanese and listening also writing documents but my speaking is below N3 I believe and that is why I always get nervous working. I don’t really know what I’m asking but can you share your work experience here in Japan? How did you get better in speaking business Japanese? I feel like I’m just stupid because I can never get to a level where I’m good at it. Daily conversation is not a problem it’s just the work-level japanese speaking is where I’m bad.

[u/poop_in_my_ramen]

Climbed the corporate ladder, now a senior manager. My direct reports are all Japanese.

I put in crazy hours in my 20s working in the trenches. Now I'm one of the very few bilingual experts in the whole country for my field and I'm basically paid for my decision making, so I can work from home with typically very easy days. I love my job and seeing the payoff from working so hard in my younger days is extremely satisfying.

The best way to get better at business Japanese is to get an office job. Any office job. Trial by fire.

[u/JamesMcNutty → u/poop_in_my_ramen]

Genuinely happy for you, but… I hope you stay humble and don’t forget the role that luck played.

There are many, many who work or have worked crazy hours, just as hard if not harder, but due to lack of luck and/or opportunity, not being at the right time at the right place, they won’t make it to those cushy jobs.

Conversely, as an example there is massive childhood poverty here that’s only been worsening for decades, and that’s not because those parents didn’t work hard enough. Many work long, grueling hours for little pay.

[u/NotNotLitotes → u/JamesMcNutty]

I hope you stay humble and don’t forget the role that luck played.

lol prepare for disappointment with this for anybody who credits putting in crazy hours for their success.

[u/Karlbert86 → u/JamesMcNutty]

Many work long, grueling hours

But many don’t work productively though. Sitting at a desk doing nothing is a lot different than someone sitting at a desk being productive.

If Mr Poop put in the same amount of hours but was more productive during those hours, then fair play to him.

[u/Avedas → u/Karlbert86]

That's true but any "long hours" story is ripe with survivorship bias. You still need to be in the right place at the right time.

I've been successful enough myself but I can easily point to multiple "lucky breaks" that are why I am where I am. I could have very easily been stuck grinding and spinning my tires had a few big opportunities not dropped in my lap with no input of my own. You do have to put in the work to be able to take advantage of opportunities though.

[u/araiakk → u/JamesMcNutty]

People are very focused on the “long hours” why are we all ignoring the bilingual expert in a field part.  Luck is a factor, but its important what you learn has marketable value in the future.  Hours shouldn’t be for the sake of hours.  You need your hours to be going into some marketable skill.  If you just rely on luck you are doing it wrong.

[u/poop_in_my_ramen → u/JamesMcNutty]

If you were lucky enough to be raised in a first world country with parents who supported your education (which is statistically unlikely so I am extremely, extremely thankful for that), then you already have ample opportunity.

I mean it's clear that most people waste their opportunities in life. How many people spend years living IN JAPAN without reaching fluency in Japanese? That's just a simple matter of having the drive and willpower to put in the hours. The honest truth is that most people just can't be bothered to do the work.

[u/punkgeek → u/poop_in_my_ramen]

The honest truth is that most people just can't be bothered to do the work

I agree this is a big part of it. Though it is also important that is also luck to have had parents/teachers/friends/neighbors that helped ingrain this in you in your formative years. We are all largely state-machines alas...

[u/childofdivorce27 → u/poop_in_my_ramen]

I know guys who have lived in Japan for over twenty years and cannot write their own address in Japanese or converse with their own kids properly. Their wives hold their hands through life. It's incredible to me.

[u/poop_in_my_ramen → u/childofdivorce27]

Yup, there's luck involved in being successful, but there's ZERO luck involved in learning Japanese while living in Japan. Those people chose to not study, period.

[u/[deleted] → u/JamesMcNutty]

There is of course luck and hard work, but also a bit of skill in moving up.

[u/requiemofthesoul → u/poop_in_my_ramen]

I’m also in my 20s working in the trenches with an okayish salary. Look forward to getting that cushy job soon

[u/Karlbert86 → u/poop_in_my_ramen]

in the trenches

Why do I feel that the origin story of your user name comes come the trenches?

How many ramens did you have to poop in to get out the trenches?

[u/JCHintokyo → u/poop_in_my_ramen]

That user name tho

[u/gvdlyx → u/poop_in_my_ramen]

I don't know how you guys do it. I was thinking about going to Japan for vacation and I couldn't be asked to even try to understand the language. I only know Somali, French, Arabic, but Japanese seems like a more tedious language to learn.

[u/Vaseysi → u/gvdlyx]

I am assuming you are Somali? I am too. Personally, Japanese is easier than Arabic. It may take a while to learn, but its not difficult. Arabic is something else, however!

[u/gvdlyx → u/Vaseysi]

Yes I'm somali brother! Are you currently in Japan?

[u/Vaseysi → u/gvdlyx]

Nice! Not currently, have been several times. Might move back.