Succeeding in Japan

Hi everyone,

I've read a lot about what it takes to get started in Japan (papers, language, etc.) but I am curious what it takes to succeed in Japan. I've lived & worked in Europe and the U.S. and I found that in America performance and work history means as much or more than a degree does when it comes to promotions and wage increases. This is especially true when hiring out at a different company in the same field. Europe, on the other hand, seems to look much more favorable towards education than it does work history.

I do not have a 4 year degree. My work history includes managing large projects, budgets and a workforce in excess of 125 people (both managers and hourly folks). My field is technical/transportation.

Is experience worth anything when looking for employment in Japan? And a second question, would not having a degree hamper advancement once started at a company.

First, let me assume that you are fluent in the Japanese language.

Generally speaking, I believe Japan is closer to Europe than the States in that sense.

By the way, if you don't have a degree, in order to get a work visa, you'll have to have plenty of work experience in a relevant field. This is an Immigration requirement, so even if an employer is interested in hiring you, they cannot even sponsor you for a visa if you have neither of this. When I say "plenty," we are talking about 3 years for English teachers (because "being a native speaker of English" is not readily available among the locals), or 5 or more years - close to 10 years - for other jobs.

Often for Japanese locals hired at Japanese companies, there tend to be separate career paths for high school graduates and college graduates, but I don't know if this would apply to non-Japanese who have been hired particularly for their skills/experiences.

Thanks AK. I was afraid it would be very similar to what you told me. Unfortunately I am also not a native English speaker but a European transplant.

On the bright side my current employer will pay for my degree, but I would have to postpone my Japan adventure until 2 years after completion to prevent from having to reimburse them. That would put me in my 40's

Decisions decisions ...

Thanks again for the information.