Update: a resurrection of a very old post
My friend Kana is currently in the midst of this jobhunting-phenomenon as described below. Today she posts a description of a day at a job market (説明会) (in Japanese only) (the article seems to have disappeared, this is now just the link to her blog).
I particularly like where she describes the jobhunting-uniform.
White shirt, black suit, black bag, black shoes: 自分の個性を消すために -- to delete your individuality ...
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Original (21/02)
One of the things that still quite amazes me here is the phenomenon 就職活動 [shushokukatsudo - Job Hunting]
To explain a bit (to any Japanese readers, this is just one of those things that I don't understand. If anything here is incorrect or if you don't agree at all, please let me know!):
In contrast to the Netherlands (which is, admittedly, a relatively unique situation), everyone at university in Japan graduates after four years in March. In April you start your new job. So far so good.
The confusing part starts with the fact that you need to find that job during the holiday between your third and fourth year/beginning of the fourth year. In those few months (say, from February to May~July) you have no time for friends, school, parttime jobs etc. Every day you go to seminars from companies who are recruiting for new staff, jobfairs, discussions and so on. This, with the goal to get to know what companies are out there, and what kind of companies you would like to apply for. But also to let the companies get to know you.
Probably sometime in March (I think...?) the actual application process begins. This usually includes tests (on anything, general knowledge) and interviews. If all goes well, you've landed a job in May or so. If not, this whole jobhunting circus continues.
When you've found a job, you can devote the rest of the year to your graduation thesis, parties, and everything else. Back to a normal life. Middle of March/Early April is when your working life starts, after graduating. Usually with intensive on-the-job training - as it often happens that your new job has nothing whatsoever to do with your academic training.
Now, all of this is in a way fine to do, I suppose. Okay, sure, I can't imagine it would be fun to go to those job seminars, together with hundreds of other jobhunters. Who are all competitors and are aiming for the same job at the same time. But well, I guess it's survivable.
The thing that I don't get, though, is that the selection process doesn't necessarily aim at finding people who have actually studied for that job. Of course, this is also something that the education system does not work towards effectively. I know that. It just seems a waste of valuable years of learning. And of extra necessary on-the-job training, because you need to start all over when people first start working.
Why do you have people study Hindi, if they will not ever use this again? Why do you only take on new 'recruits' once a year, even if this will mean that you have not enough staff at peak times?
Even more non-sensical to me is how the real talent doesn't seem to be appreciated. Why does it not look good on a cv if you have spent a year abroad studying English or something? Does 'taking a break'/休学する really have that bad a reputation? A friend told me how employers will only think that the potential 'recruit' was out partying and getting drunk during the whole year that they were abroad. So what if that is true.... Is it just my naitivity that thinks that even such an experience is good for someone? It doesn't mean that someone will be bad at work. Well, unless that person realizes what the Japanese working system actually entails (but let's not go off on a completely different track here...) I truly believe that going away for a year, or even working in Japan itself while figuring out what to study is good for someone as it will make you more aware of the opportunities out there, and what suits you best.
But maybe Japanese business wants their new employees young and fresh out of school, without any useful experience, so that there is still plenty of potential to shape them into the perfect member of the company? This all sounds a bit too cynical, but I wouldn't be surprised if it actually is one of the motives behind it...
Oh, I don't know... maybe I am just being naive. I mean, what do I know about what kind of person will make a good employee? Just starting off myself :) Well, maybe I should actually take that headhunting-job and find out! Hahaha, as if.... Hmm, maybe that will be a next entry: interviewing in Japan - how companies should NOT go about this... [to be continued]
My friend Kana is currently in the midst of this jobhunting-phenomenon as described below. Today she posts a description of a day at a job market (説明会) (in Japanese only) (the article seems to have disappeared, this is now just the link to her blog).
I particularly like where she describes the jobhunting-uniform.
White shirt, black suit, black bag, black shoes: 自分の個性を消すために -- to delete your individuality ...
-----
Original (21/02)
One of the things that still quite amazes me here is the phenomenon 就職活動 [shushokukatsudo - Job Hunting]
To explain a bit (to any Japanese readers, this is just one of those things that I don't understand. If anything here is incorrect or if you don't agree at all, please let me know!):
In contrast to the Netherlands (which is, admittedly, a relatively unique situation), everyone at university in Japan graduates after four years in March. In April you start your new job. So far so good.
The confusing part starts with the fact that you need to find that job during the holiday between your third and fourth year/beginning of the fourth year. In those few months (say, from February to May~July) you have no time for friends, school, parttime jobs etc. Every day you go to seminars from companies who are recruiting for new staff, jobfairs, discussions and so on. This, with the goal to get to know what companies are out there, and what kind of companies you would like to apply for. But also to let the companies get to know you.
Probably sometime in March (I think...?) the actual application process begins. This usually includes tests (on anything, general knowledge) and interviews. If all goes well, you've landed a job in May or so. If not, this whole jobhunting circus continues.
When you've found a job, you can devote the rest of the year to your graduation thesis, parties, and everything else. Back to a normal life. Middle of March/Early April is when your working life starts, after graduating. Usually with intensive on-the-job training - as it often happens that your new job has nothing whatsoever to do with your academic training.
Now, all of this is in a way fine to do, I suppose. Okay, sure, I can't imagine it would be fun to go to those job seminars, together with hundreds of other jobhunters. Who are all competitors and are aiming for the same job at the same time. But well, I guess it's survivable.
The thing that I don't get, though, is that the selection process doesn't necessarily aim at finding people who have actually studied for that job. Of course, this is also something that the education system does not work towards effectively. I know that. It just seems a waste of valuable years of learning. And of extra necessary on-the-job training, because you need to start all over when people first start working.
Why do you have people study Hindi, if they will not ever use this again? Why do you only take on new 'recruits' once a year, even if this will mean that you have not enough staff at peak times?
Even more non-sensical to me is how the real talent doesn't seem to be appreciated. Why does it not look good on a cv if you have spent a year abroad studying English or something? Does 'taking a break'/休学する really have that bad a reputation? A friend told me how employers will only think that the potential 'recruit' was out partying and getting drunk during the whole year that they were abroad. So what if that is true.... Is it just my naitivity that thinks that even such an experience is good for someone? It doesn't mean that someone will be bad at work. Well, unless that person realizes what the Japanese working system actually entails (but let's not go off on a completely different track here...) I truly believe that going away for a year, or even working in Japan itself while figuring out what to study is good for someone as it will make you more aware of the opportunities out there, and what suits you best.
But maybe Japanese business wants their new employees young and fresh out of school, without any useful experience, so that there is still plenty of potential to shape them into the perfect member of the company? This all sounds a bit too cynical, but I wouldn't be surprised if it actually is one of the motives behind it...
Oh, I don't know... maybe I am just being naive. I mean, what do I know about what kind of person will make a good employee? Just starting off myself :) Well, maybe I should actually take that headhunting-job and find out! Hahaha, as if.... Hmm, maybe that will be a next entry: interviewing in Japan - how companies should NOT go about this... [to be continued]
2 comments:
Hi Machan!
I might have told you this allready, but I know from my American friend Reema, that this is how it works in the States too. I don't know about the seminar-circus, but at least you're supposed to have found a job a year before graduation. And apparently if you start applying too late, the best jobs are gone. I completely fail to understand this, how can the best jobs be gone? Does this mean they only need staff once a year? Seems ridiculous to me, and Reema couldn't get me to understand this. Maybe the Dutch system is the odd one....
love Trees
Yep, I also don't see the logic in hiring new staff only once a year! To be successful in business you need to be flexible, don't you? So, deciding on your new staff that early (up to a year in advance) discards any flexibility that you could have, I think...
Maybe the Dutch system is odd, but it seems a lot more efficient. Even if it isn't helping us to get jobs ;)
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