Native fluency and the interview

I’ve never been called a spinner before

I write. I enjoy writing. No, this is not me returning to teaching English. In fact, I am walking a fine line writing this blog… In fact, I am usually considered a bit too forward and an optimist. I am not an optimist, I am a pessimist, always prepare for the worst allowing me to find setbacks entertaining. Still, when the setback is that I am called something unexpected in an interview, I can't laugh.

So, I have never thought of myself as a "spinner." Is it a good quality? Is it a bad quality? I will tell you how I handled unexpected comments and questions while interviewing.

Let it pass without comment. I ignored it and let me tell you why. Communication is a complex beast of a process and expats really have the worst end of it. When a non-Native speaker says something, no matter how fluent, their assumptions concerning meaning have evolved from where, who, and how they learned the language. This is true for all speakers. However, non-Native speakers often consider these assumptions as learned, and hence, absolutely confirmed statements.

This means, non-Native speakers can be unaware of positive or negative implications these words or comments take in other situations. These are the underlying, sub-meanings, of which native speakers normally are aware and cautious.

As a response to these situations, I feel the best thing you can do in interviews and intercultural communication, is question your feelings. They arise from expectations, really prejudice, which are either met or unmet. When expectations are met, things are rosey. When not, emotional tides run red! Stop the flow by asking where a twinge came from. Don’t "hide" these under a best face, rather, internally question why a best face is being challenged by being called something like a "spinner," "code-monkey," or "hack."

The circle is between emotions and expectations, imagine emotions as a dam on a river (communication) and expectations as the lever that raises or lowers the dam. Use rational thought to prevent you from falling into the routine shutting down communication in response to your emotions.

Keep Answers Relavent

This one goes out to those of us who get nervous.

I recently had the incredibly awkward experience of sitting in on a friends interview. He won the battle for the job, so his answers overall, really did the job. However, one thing that I noticed was a tendency to travel into personal arenas when it was not necessary. So, my advice is to keep it relavent.

For instance: When asked for a reason why you have come to Tokyo to find work, it is best not to wander past your recent break up with a Japanese girl in Australia to your more recent relationship with an American outside of Tokyo landing at "but I always wanted to be here." Skip points XYZ and proceed directly to A, as in your answer.

My other suggestion is, think before you speak. Westerners in general have a habit of speaking quickly and without thinking. We tend to use the discussion as a place where are statements will be refined. We should have certain checkpoints for sexually explicit or work-inappropriate words and material, though some people who missed out on the 60's 70's 80's 90`s just need to catch up; however, in situations where you are communicating across cultures, thinking about what you are about to say is absolutely essential. It is essential to think both about what you want to say, the vocabulary you will use, and how it will be interpreted overall.

For instance (from a different interviewee): When asked if you are interested in learning about a new program, the reply "I could find myself doing something like that," would be wrong for several reasons. Firstly, "finding yourself" may be misinterpreted as traveling or just not understood at all. And "doing something like that" may be taken literally as something else but similar. Also, notice that "yes" was never said at all. A non-native speaker of English appreciates strong clues! Finally, if a native speaker is in the room, this reply seems both vague and uninspired especially if you answer before the full question has been asked and you follow it with five minutes of just as confusing speech defining how you meant your answer to be taken.

Recap: relavent and clear!

Personal Inventory

First of all, nice comment anonymous!

What are you doing for employment in Japan?

In a nut shell, I do all of my work for American clients and clients I can find on the internet. I freelance. In addition, I look for a job here in Tokyo. This answers a part of your question, but there is something left unsaid.

Perhaps it is time I took a look at my strategy and weighed the results. I think there are three important steps I have taken. First, I decided to choose what I wanted to do and go for it. Secondly, I decided to move to Tokyo for more opportunity. Thirdly, I decided to brand myself.

Well, actually choosing what you want to be is rather childish, isn't it. We also have to weigh the opportunities available. So, I have kept myself aimed at PR and Advertising making my specialty the web. Of these similar but sometimes opposed fields, PR and in particular event planning is open to foreingers. Advertising, is a bit harder to get into. Luckily, my IT skills have made me more marketable. Let's just say this step was personally significant but publicly trivial, shall we?

Then, there was moving to Tokyo! Great idea, necessary for one to actually get interviews. Even recruiters forgive you for freelancing if you can come in that day. Since moving to Tokyo, I have had over 100 hits on my resumes, whereas in Kansai, 3.

Finally, branding myself. There is a saying that even bad publicity is good publicity. My business card works with my website and my portfolio. There is collusion, showing cohesion. Let's face it. People only get so much of you in one go, but having a good disposition, which I do, and having a unifying theme makes you rememorable.

In tallies, Kansai interviews 1:: Tokyo interviews 10 (mostly recruiters) and going. I am off to one now! Wish me luck.

Branding Your Fine Self

So, you are like me and you don`t seem to scrreeam SALES PERSON! Sure, you may have a great ability of maintaining relationships, running your own business, and keeping a cash flow (ie sales); but, people who meet you don`t see the glimmer of money in your eyes. You are like me too, and you wouldn`t mind creative strategy, marketing, and advertising positions. Well, start by branding your fine self. (Consider this a continuation of the thoughts on networking.)

What is Branding?

Off the top of my head, from my BA, lets make a three lists of the things an individual will need to be attention-grabbbing, marketable and therefore branded. We can expect some overlap, so don`t think of these lists as exclusive; rather, lets take the same sets and think about their application within each category.

Grabbing Attention
• Personal Style: Do you present your self as energized and interested in your field, as knowledgable?
• Experience: How do you relate your work experience to your future goals over a drink? What motivates you?
• Networking: It is who you know. So, who do you know? What`s the connection and why will you meet again? Can you do the Me in 20 Words pitch.
• Demonstration: Make sure to lead people to where they can see what you do?

Marketable
• Personal Style: Hygeine and haircuts, can they introduce you to their boss?
• Experience: How do you relate your personal history? Everybody is fragmented, what unifies you into a sellable package?
• Networking: Can you bring your experience and style to the board room? Great drinking buddies are sometimes embarrasments at weddings, keep that in mind.
• Demonstration: if you look at your work and it doesn`t snap, re-think and re-develop. Clients never turn down improvements. Gather comments and make it snap. People LOVE perfectionists!

Branded
• Personal Style: Something needs to hold you to them like glue. Think personal logo, tag-line, and the 20 word sales pitch. Unify this with demonstrations; a webpage needs the logo.
• Experience: Short and sweet examples in a conversation do wonders to prove a workable knowledge-base. Make them relevant.
• Networking: What groups and places do the people you want to meet show up to. Are you an interesting person to talk to who is taking part in the organization? Ask questions of others. Who are they?
• Demonstration: Does your experience display itself on and off the resume, in and byond the 20 word pitch, on and off the business card? Think websites, published works, blogs (hello), and portfolios.

Why Brand Your Self?

So, branding is setting yourself apart from others in a proactive and passionate way. Companies do it to maintain loyalty and differentiate themselves from their competitors on an emotional level. The saying goes that people buy based on emotion more often that reason, feelings over facts. Let`s look back at the thoughts on networking.

"I only hire people I would drink with."

Well, that comment needed some thought. Branding ensures that you get past the drinking phase and into the workplace. You will be contacted because people want to hire you and just need your skills to be close enough to put you in the running.

Am I Branded?

Hey, you decide: http://jonuday.com

And please send some comments: jon@jonuday.com

Networking = Live where you want to work

Recently a problem seems to have been brought to my inner sight. Japan requires an intense amount of human interaction. In the US we say networking, but our version of weekly parties falls somewhat short of the Japanese version wherein a lunch engagement sometimes turns into dinner and socializing until the last train. The point is that connections matter here for the foreigner even more than for the Japanese. That creates a problem.

The problem is that one cannot expect to have as much opportunity if one is not living in the city in which they want to work. I am speaking of myself in Kobe, while the jobs I seek are centered in Tokyo. My skills and portfolio have been developing rapidly, but getting connected to the "unposted" jobs is impossible. Those also happen to be the best possible jobs for foreigners.

Perhaps it is because the Japanese do not intrinsically trust foreigners. For example, cities with large foreign born residents are seen as more dangerous in Japan and the fact that there are foreigners justifies the belief. Or, maybe it is that Japan still carries a very community focused mindset. No matter the reason, according to several people I've met who have found work with limited Japanese ability many jobs that are offered to foreigners are not posted. Rather, they were selected by the process of networking. One girl I recently met even found her job at a real estate office through her drinking habits. Her current boss shows up to the same bar as her and after getting to know her offered her a job at his company. Another person I know was speaking with the owner of a company who said, "I only hire people I would drink with."

Well, that is the tip of the month. Go out and meet people.

Do you need 1-kyuu?

The following scenario seems to be happening quite a bit lately. I get in touch with someone at a recruiter's office and they seem interested. "Strong programming skills," I feel IT Technician float about in their head . The words "creative, designer and strategy" seem to bounce off as if somehow of a different polarity. When I seem reluctanct or unskilled compared to other IT engineers (because I am not one), language is brought up. "We really have only been seeing 1-kyuu level Japanese positions."

Can this be? Japan now needs 1-kyuu!

Yes, working in Japan requires Japanese. I've noticed this even while interviewing candidates for an English teaching position. Candidates who have been happy to speak only in English and refused to speak Japanese just can't connect with the owner of my company to the extent that those who try do. The big schools (NOVA ECC etc.) have their own culture within which English speakers survive, which explains their "NO Japanese" attitude. Not the small schools.

Companies, like the small Eikaiwa, want the best of both languages. I once read an article on how participating in water-cooler discussions increases happiness in the workplace. Of course, not only on the social level, but business itself becomes seamless with proper communication. So, Japanese is necessary but do companies mandate 1-kyuu or someone with serious intention to interact, learn, and enjoy working in their company? I think it is likely the second case, and this may be why I have become skeptical of recruiters who may unwittingly use this phrase to truncate conversations. Let's be honest, 2-kyuu Japanese is sufficient (if not preferable) and anyone who would pursue Japanese to that length and then choose to work in Japan, is going to make it to 1-kyuu. So, why do recruiters seem so focused on high-level language abilities?

Recruiters

Recruiters have it bad. When I talk to one I get the sense that there is a hamster wheel they must keep spinning in order to use the computer and talk on the phone at the same time. Their life seems hectic and even worse, every placement needs to be top-notch. That is why companies pay these guys. Considering the competition for jobs in any market, this is bad news for those of us in training either concernign our language, skills, or both.

So that is the down side, here is the up. Recruiters need strong candidates willing to work hard. They also need to meet deadlines. If you define yourself, then they will keep you in mind when a position comes in that is in-line with your self-definition. Also, they have access to jobs that are not necessarily posted anywhere else. If you can establish a relationship with one, really connect, then you have many more options than finding leads on your own. My third point is that recruiters look at your skillset and personality with different eyes. They may see a position in which you may find enjoyment and success that you might miss.

So, cheers to the guys and girls who find jobs for others. If I get a group of readers going, maybe we should organize a "beers on us" night in Tokyo for a few of them and speak in Japanese only.

Does Declining Population Mean Work

Japan is full of foreigners looking to work in a different field than English teaching. It makes sense. If you have any older students (and are teaching), you have probably discussed the arising concern of women in the Japanese workplace. Or if your students are better read, the approaching decline in the workforce numbers. Sooner or later, many professionals have said, Japan will need foreign labor as REAL labor; though, there is some likelihood that Japan may never come around to this idea (Read article from japanfocus.com or this somewhat too pro-US article in The Kansas State Collegian) . "Japanese is difficult, so a head start may be well worth it or will it?" becomes the question.

Here is a less developed conversation on the topic of finding work other than being an English teacher on japan-guide.com. It has one note that I found interesting. A participant suggests creating your own company here in Japan. This, as someone who started a company in the US, may require more effort and Japanese skills than he may know. Still, the idea is worth exploring.

"There are not many opportunity for a person in "our situation". I dont want to be an English teacher but i will have to since i plan to stay here for a while. But i a m considering deloping my own business"
LINK

Let's consider history for a moment. Though the Japanese are not known for treating their foreign labor particularly well in the past, there is a long history of using foreign labor. They did, for instance, bring Koreans into Japan originally as scribes when beginning their written language. What we can gain from this historical fact is that Japan will bring in labor when they need to, they will not however, do so with the all-encompassing embrace of the United States. This may turn out to be a very big advantage.

Many countries that have naively brought in their foreign labor have in turn ended up with multi-cultural crises! The North-African-heritage population in France, the Turkish-heritage population in Germany, and the African-American population (yes, it is a different situation but still a population brought in as slave "labor") are all facing problems being truly recognized as members of their society and country. Even the Hispanic speaking population of the US that President Bush has reached to and garnered some major support from creates a dilemma for the previous US population. Bringing in foreign workers changes the values and heritage of your population, thus changing the same qualities in the system of government and culture. This can be extremely damaging and have its own negative reactions against the system that the country is trying to maintain. The actual ideas of liberty, pursuit of happiness, or even "wa" (the sense of peace that Japanese maintain in social interactions) can be violently shaken.

To bring this back to our topic, I expect that this caution on the part of the Japanese is healthy in maintaining Japan as an identity that a aging population will need to rely on. If there was a first world country that Japan could look to as successfully bringing in foreign labor and maintaining a strong national identity, they would be following that role model. Since there is not, we may find that Japans slow pace and caution with newcomers is the model. As foreigners looking to work in Japan, we come back to the simple tasks: (1) Learn the language and culture (2) Define yourself. Perhaps, starting a business in Japan is a radical attempt at self-definition for some, like myself, but it is an interesting and challenging way to make your own place in Japan. And this we must do, we must find our own place in Japan. We will never be considered Japanese in the pure sense. In that sense, the ideas of culture, race and nationality are tied up (into a confused bundle). Achieving the status of permanent resident, with friends and family who manage to untie the bundle is probably the best that can be hoped for, at least for a few generations.