Job Hunting at 50 - Part One: The Age Issue

Next month I turn 49, one year away from the big “Five Oh” and most certainly at least half way through my life span. Although this is a time for reflection on achievements and how to build for a shorter future, I’m often reminded of the fact that I’m now also 4 years past the age where I’m...

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Email in the Office

With all the media hype going on about privacy of personal data and court actions against those companies that breach the law, it is easy to think that such rules extend to your own private communications at your place of work. However, in Japan at least, this is far from correct and as an employee you should know that your company is legally allowed to access...

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The Intern – AM's Story (Part Two)

While internships are not for everyone, for Mr. A.M. it helped open new doors and opportunities. He explains here that finding the right company is not an exact science, and since he was hoping to be hired on strength of personality and commitment, he had to find a firm that would hold these qualities as...

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The Intern – AM's Story (Part One)

I've spoken before about the value of doing an internship and using the “ties that bind us” to allow a happy and motivated job seeker's personality to shine through to compensate for an otherwise deficient resume, experience, or qualifications. I have come across many people who are looking to change careers and an internship is a great way to...

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Job Market for 2007 – Macro Outlook

2006 was an excellent year for most foreign firms and larger Japanese ones. The economy coasted along on export demand of both finished goods and tools, value-added materials, and corporate profits are at record highs. It was a good year to negotiate pay raises and to look for a new job - but will 2007 be more of the same? Well, financial pundits are saying that things...

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Role of PR in Recruiting

Most people think of Public Relations (PR) as being something you do to build a brand to increase sales. While this is true, it is also a very important tool for recruiting, for pretty much the same reason - to build a brand in the minds of job seekers. Brand building is a combination of building...

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Ph.D - May Mean "Posthaste Departure"

Over the last 10 years, I've met a lot of foreigners wanting to get more out of their jobs in Japan, but who are being frustrated either by some old fashioned hard-core company system OR because they lack the skills to take the next step up. Usually you would think that such people are at the...

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Staying Too Long

While most job candidates worry about being seen as not committed enough if they have moved jobs a number of times, today I will cover the opposite situation, which is people working in one place too long and how to overcome the negative image of doing so. As you get older and become more proficient...

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Trainee System Needs Overhaul - Part Two

The poor working conditions of foreign trainees in Japan came to the public's attention back in August 2006, when a Chinese trainee at a pig farm in Chiba complained about the harsh work conditions and was told that his traineeship would be terminated. This of course meant that he would be banished back to...

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Trainee System Needs Overhaul - Part One

The following article was first published in my Terrie's Take newsletter, and has been edited a little. I would like to point out that although I am critical of the Trainee system as it stands at the moment, the fact...

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