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Tips and Advice |
The job market in Thailand for Japanese native speakers and Japanese
speakers is highly competitive. It can also leave many candidates
feeling a little confused about what jobs and industries might be open
to them, what value will be placed on their skills and what their future
could hold as an employee with a Japanese orientated company.
At JAC a vital part of the role we play is to offer advice to our
candidates on matters like this. The situation of each candidate is
different therefore, it is difficult to give specific advice here, what
we have done is to list the important features of the UK job market.
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For Japanese speakers |
The job market in the Thailand for Japanese nationals and Japanese speakers is
certainly very rewarding, yet it is also highly competitive.
With the huge market presence of Japanese organisations in a vast number
of industries, and a large increase in the number of
European companies targeting the Japanese market there continues to be a
high demand for bright candidates who offer bilingual English and
Japanese skills.
Having made the choice to use those skills, many candidates are a little
uncertain about which industries might be open to them. Equally, the
number of industries in which Japanese companies are involved means that
candidates are also uncertain as to what value will be placed on their
skills and what their future could be as an employee with a Japanese
orientated company.
At JAC a vital part of the role we play is to offer advice to our
candidates on matters like this. As each candidates situation is
different it is difficult to give specific advice here, what we have
done is to list the important features of the UK job market.
If you would like us to answer any more specific questions please don't
hesitate to contact us.
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Language ability |
The level of Japanese required from a candidate will depend very much on
the nature of the role. Naturally, the higher the level of fluency, the
more opportunities become available.
However, if you are applying for a role that requires a high level of
Japanese ability you should be able to use the language at a high enough
level to "market" yourself during an interview.
In terms of being able to highlight your level of Japanese prior to
interview, there are a variety of Qualifications for which you can work
towards. The Japanese Language Proficiency Exam is one such
qualification and is recognised as a good yardstick of your ability.
Equally the JETRO Business Japanese Exams and the Kanji Aptitude Test
will give prospective employers a good idea of the level of your
Japanese ability.
All these qualifications are highly worthwhile, both academically and in
practical terms but they are only benchmarks and so you need to be able
to show that you are able to communicate in Japanese.
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Qualifications & Experience |
Bi-lingual candidates must not make the mistake of thinking that their
English/Japanese skills alone will be enough to gain them employment.
With increasing numbers of Japanese speaking Westerners and excellent
levels of English ability amongst Japanese nationals, competition is
fierce and candidates must be able to offer other skills, experience or
qualifications that compliment their linguistic ability.
For example, a vocational or technical first degree discipline such as
Business, IT or Engineering will be extremely valuable to an employer,
as will computer and keyboard literacy.
You should not forget the importance of the "soft skills" of
interpersonal communications, flexibility, a team player ethos and a
"can do" attitude.
Even if not Japan related, other work experience - particularly office
work, or jobs that require leadership or customer service skills will be
regarded highly by our clients.
A business level understanding of a European language is highly
advantageous, you should be aware that there is an increasing demand for
candidates with European language skills as Japanese manufacturers
choose the UK to base their European Headquarters.
Lastly, numeracy and analytical reasoning are also vital in the modern
job market.
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Salary & Benefits |
The final point to be raised is with regard to salaries in the UK. Many
Japanese speakers could well be disappointed in the difference between
the level of salary they were able to earn in Japan and that which will
be available to them in the UK.
Generally speaking salaries in the UK are two-thirds to a half of those
available in Japan, and very few companies will offer bonus schemes
similar to those in Japan. So those candidates recently returned from
Japan should not expect to be earning the equivalent of their previous
salary.
Although it is very difficult to forecast the level of salary you can
expect, the average salary for a Japanese speaking candidate without
previous work experience in the UK would be in the region of £17-18,000
per annum.
More experienced candidates, or those with relevant qualifications in
higher paying sectors such as IT or Finance can of course expect a
higher level of remuneration, and a better package of benefits, although
this is entirely dependent on the nature of the role and the skills and
experience level of the candidate.
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Resume |
One further area where we are able to provide assistance is with your
Resume. For Japanese speakers it is important that your Resume gives a clear
indication of your level of Japanese and your confidence in using the
language. Also of great relevance is the work experience (whether in the
UK, Japan or elsewhere) that you have gained.
As a rule, when sending your Resume to us you should provide as much detail
as possible as we will be able to advise you as to whether it is
relevant or not.
Equally, if you are undecided as to which type of work you wish to go
into, it is always an option to produce a series of Resume's which highlight
certain, more relevant details, in order to make you more suitable for a
particular job. This is often a more successful approach then creating a
somewhat eclectic Resume that doesn't "market" you very well.
Before sending your Resume to our Clients we will of course place the
details into our own format. During our registration process we will try
and add as much detail about you as possible, so you can rely on us to
provide the best advise we can.
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