Has anybody considered working as IT security in Japan? - Ars Technica OpenForum Skip to main content Welcome to the Ars OpenForum. Register Login Posting Guidelines Contact Moderators Ars Technica > Forums > Hardware & Tweaking > Networking Matrix Jump to: Select a forum ------------------ Hardware & Tweaking Audio/Visual Club Case and Cooling Fetish CPU & Motherboard Technologia Mobile Computing Outpost Networking Matrix Other Hardware Agora Classifieds Some Assembly Required Operating Systems & Software Battlefront Microsoft OS & Software Colloquium Linux Kung Fu Windows Technical Mojo Distributed Computing Arcana Macintoshian Achaia Programmer's Symposium The Server Room Ars Lykaion Gaming, Extra Strength Caplets The Lounge The Soap Box The Boardroom The Observatory Bizarro Lounge Ars Subscription Member Areas Image Galleries Has anybody considered working as IT security in Japan? 13 posts TheTrueHOOHA Ars Scholae Palatinae Registered: Dec 29, 2001 Posts: 773 Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2002 9:46 am I was just wondering if anybody has considered the IT jobmarket in Japan. There's the language barrier problem, but if you can demonstrate the appropriate language skills, I think a qualified American would actually have a better time in the Japanese job market! All things considered, American certificates, especially in internet security, should prove to be extremely attractive. There have also been a couple studies that show out of qualified applicants, blondes are hired more often in Japan. I'm typing this from a class, so this may sound incoherent, but I hope I've been able to adequately communicate my point. Does anyone have any experience in the Japanese workplace? Has anybody else considered this? Does anyone have anything to add? Will Gendou spill his tea on his bargain-basement katana? :P -HOOHA ostiguy Ars Praefectus Registered: Jun 22, 2000 Posts: 4358 Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2002 10:33 am quote: I think a qualified American would actually have a better time in the Japanese job market! Japan has been in a full blown recession for a *decade*, with no end in sight. And they are not as internet/computer oriented as North American or Europe - last time I saw stats re: % of white collar professionals with a pc on their desks, they had far far fewer deployed. Add in the cost of living, and that explains why I rarely have heard of technology professionals going to work in Japan as opposed to Europe/ Saudi/UAE, etc ostiguy TheTrueHOOHA Ars Scholae Palatinae Registered: Dec 29, 2001 Posts: 773 Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2002 11:15 am I'm not really worried so much about whether or not such positions exist en masse; what I'm talking about is more along the lines of an American competing with a Native Nihon-jin for one position. Market saturation etc doesn't really matter, the jobs will always exist in some supply. I'd like to know more about how people picture or have been affected by the American "novelty" factor that teachers enjoy. p dommi Ars Legatus Legionis Registered: Jan 21, 2001 Posts: 12467 Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2002 11:59 am quote: Originally posted by TheTrueHOOHA: Will Gendou spill his tea on his bargain-basement katana? :P -HOOHA HUH? TheTrueHOOHA Ars Scholae Palatinae Registered: Dec 29, 2001 Posts: 773 Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2002 12:05 pm I consider myself somewhat of a Gendou Groupie. Gendou is a well-educated, yet confused little man who makes me giggle. He types interesting things. His choice in Katanas, however, (it's a Kris Cutlery $175 piece of mass produced garbage) made me shed a little tiny tear. He makes baby jesus giggle! Anyway, I just think he has a unique writing style, so I was poking fun, that's all. TheTrueHOOHA Ars Scholae Palatinae Registered: Dec 29, 2001 Posts: 773 Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2002 12:49 pm 71 views and 2 replies? Oh come now, Arsians! I summon your soapbox-strength opinions! Surely you can't be too busy debating gun control and dug-up bodies! I'm but a wee slip of a man who desperately searches for a scrap of interesting reading material! I want to expatriate! I want to expatriate with flair and clandestine meetings! ...zenzen wakarimasen! Mordac Ars Tribunus Militum et Subscriptor Tribus: Where *aren't* I? Registered: Jan 21, 2000 Posts: 2770 Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2002 3:25 pm i've considered it, but not to the point of being able to give you any advice. my thoughts were this: pros: overseas different culture to learn about cute chicks cons: i dont speak the language and that ended the fantasy. mordac Crackhead Johny "All I wanted was a Pepsi" Ars Legatus Legionis Tribus: When given two super heroes, the one that requires less assumptions is Batman. Registered: Jun 20, 2001 Posts: 25197 Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2002 5:45 pm quote: blondes are hired more often in Japan I have a friend that planned to become fluent and do spokesperson work in Japan (due to being blond). His hair receded over a summer killing that plan (bald city) now he is a doctor. I've been trying to convince one of my girlfriends to get fluent and make her fortune in Japan (she looks and acts just like Sailor Moon, yes, I know that is scary) She is going to do a MS/PHD in pscyh instead. As for network work. My consultant friends mostly work in the US with a couple of them doing a European tour now and then. None have gone to Japan for anything other than vacation. Gendou Ars Legatus Legionis Registered: May 18, 2001 Posts: 13454 Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2002 7:20 pm [Gendou looks up from his cup of tea] Finding work in Japan, for a foreigner, is rather difficult. You have to have several things going for you. 1.) Fluency in Japanese, both speaking and writing. 2.) A bachelor's degree at a good university (or 10+ years work experience) 3.) A company willing to hire you sight-unseen. Most Japanese companies will not hire over the phone or internet. They are very big on face-to-face. Also, regardless of what you may have heard, foreigners do not have a better time of finding a job in Japan, especially in IT. They might be hired for some kind of front-job, more as a curiosity than anything, but for back-room, trusted positions, like IT work, a qualified native will definitely be preferred. Finding work in Japan is nearly impossible unless you are already living there, and it is nearly impossible to live there unless you already have a job. Top that with the 10 year recession and the incredibly high rate of unemployment, and the hopes of most Americans for finding good work in Japan is rapidly dashed. If you are living in Canada, the UK or Australia, though, there are certain types of work-permits you can get fairly easily. But because of immigration restrictions, Americans have to jump through several hoops to get the same thing. (and, to be fair, it's all reciprocal - a Japanese worker has similar problems entering the 'States, problems they would not have entering Canada, the UK or Australia) Oh, and as for my choice of blades, TheTrueHOOHA, it has more to do with practicality than anything. If I could afford a $5000 nihon-to, I would. But for under $1000, the KC is as good as it gets, for now) [Gendou shrugs and returns to his cup of tea] Dietz Ars Legatus Legionis Registered: Jul 28, 2000 Posts: 16897 Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2002 8:46 pm There is a different route you could take, that wouldn't require becoming fluent in Japanese (I hate using that word, but the proper word for it escapes me, at the moment), or getting a work permit. Be a federal emplyee, at a US military base. Civilians run the base infrastructure over there, mostly, and they pay is pretty good. Free housing, with on-base shopping privilages (gotta love the commisaries overseas). Just something to consider. TheTrueHOOHA Ars Scholae Palatinae Registered: Dec 29, 2001 Posts: 773 Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2002 9:00 pm teh m4n himself speaks! ...in the networking matrix, no less :P Right, anyway, it is pretty far-fetched, but I've always dreamed of being able to "make it" in Japan. I've taken Japanese for a year and a half (they only offered 3 semester-levels) so I can understand a little, but I'm not even close to thinking about dreaming about wishing I were fluent. Damn those Kanji! (I see the 'sui' character.. just can't remember the other! Damn ye faceless gods! Even 0hrmazd isn't this indifferent!) Many IT-companies will offer to fly people out for interviews, and will pay relocation expenses for qualified hires. I've heard of a few cases of this in Japan, but it definitely doesn't seem to be the rule. ...my head of vibrant, shimmering blond hair (with volume) will not be leaving me for a few decades. Youth has its benefits. I'd love a cushy .gov job over there, but I hear they'll quarantine your pets for 6 freaking months. I have kitties.. In any case, California seems like the first logical step. It's the only place that seems to have decent Japanese language educational resources. Here in MD it's all Koreans. CHON HAN CHOW GAO GYAO CHONG CHONG and so forth. No offense, of course. And on the issue of nice shinken, Gendy, why not just roll your own? It's sure to be a life experience, to say the least! Digital Ruse Ars Tribunus Militum Registered: Jan 23, 2001 Posts: 1874 Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2002 2:29 pm Tee Hee.... He said "Ohrmazd"....It's your funeral... -DR sratakeo Smack-Fu Master, in training Registered: Jan 14, 2001 Posts: 87 Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2002 6:50 pm Anoo, Nihon ni shigoto sagasu koto wa taihen no mono desu yo. America too chigatte, daigaku sotsugyoo shinai to dooshyoo mo nai koto desu yo! View image: /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif Good luck to all who take him up on his offer, Now... if I can only square my writing in Japanese away I'd be in good shape 13 posts Ars Technica > Forums > Hardware & Tweaking > Networking Matrix Jump to: Select a forum ------------------ Hardware & Tweaking Audio/Visual Club Case and Cooling Fetish CPU & Motherboard Technologia Mobile Computing Outpost Networking Matrix Other Hardware Agora Classifieds Some Assembly Required Operating Systems & Software Battlefront Microsoft OS & Software Colloquium Linux Kung Fu Windows Technical Mojo Distributed Computing Arcana Macintoshian Achaia Programmer's Symposium The Server Room Ars Lykaion Gaming, Extra Strength Caplets The Lounge The Soap Box The Boardroom The Observatory Bizarro Lounge Ars Subscription Member Areas Image Galleries Contact Us Ars Technica © Ars Technica 1998-2022 Powered by phpBB and... Ars OpenForum powered by Server Central © 2022 Condé Nast. 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