Japan and Japanese (1 Viewer)

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When I was young:

1. Knock on door 2-4 times. If it did not seem loud enough the first time, wait about 15-30 sec and then pound harder. Repeat until they answer or it seems like they are not going to answer, even if they are sitting there in plain sight. If the door is closed, feel free to open it slowly unless locked, in which case walk away slowly in case they are slow to get to the door.

2. Always smile when they come to the door. This is to indicate you have no ill intent and are not an official of some sort - like the police coming to tell them they are under arrest, or that there has been an accident and someone is injured or dead, or that you were sent to tell them they are fired.

3. Wait a bit for the interviewer to direct you to a chair, but if they are too slow sit where it seems appropriate and look at them expectantly - or just look around aimlessly.

4. Don't look in the interviewer's eyes too aggressively, as there is a 50/50 chance they will take this to mean that you wish to control/have a tiny bit of control of the interview, and they may take this as a sign you are a trouble maker. Do not display too much confidence as this may make the interviewer feel inadequate.
This may be what I would like to know, Thomas, because the Japanese business adviser in video looks simply trying to immitate what the western people do with his unnatural smile. Thanks. Yes, anything goes case by case :thumbleft:
 
Interview manner that this guy says 90% Japanese don't know and thought favorable recently.

1. Don't knock the door twice but three times.

2. Enter with smile.

3. Don't sit without permission.

4. Speak watching interviewer's eyes.

When I was young,

1. Knocking the door twice is enough.

2. Don't smile meaninglessly.

3. Don't sit without permission.

4. Speak watching interviewer's eyes.


View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/msFukTTjsd0

These are very subtle behavior traits. Smiling can be overdone to the point of projecting an air of dis ingenuousness. People are quick to recognize insincerity.
 
Recruit Interview.

In the case of Korea.
Basic system and manner are same.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c6BKp3rAUg


In China.
Different system and manner from Japan/Korea but this group discussion looks interesting.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpNKvF_I2d0&t=50s

One of the problems of this type of recruiting interview- as I see it-is its rigidity. Focusing on a potential recruit's conformance to a standard of behavior rather than on their talent and skill that they can contribute to the company is short- sited. This is not something confined to Japanese companies. Too many interviews are conducted by "human resources" people who know little about the requirements of the job that the individual is being considered for.
 
One of the problems of this type of recruiting interview- as I see it-is its rigidity. Focusing on a potential recruit's conformance to a standard of behavior rather than on their talent and skill that they can contribute to the company is short- sited. This is not something confined to Japanese companies. Too many interviews are conducted by "human resources" people who know little about the requirements of the job that the individual is being considered for.
You are understanding Japan and Japanese very well, Neil. I am much impressed.

In the case of interview with a non-Japanese company in Japan. This is a different world as it would be impossible for the 90% Japanese companies to handle job seekers like this because this system is almost derailing from tradition.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLCMMyphPhY&t=62s
 
One of the problems of this type of recruiting interview- as I see it-is its rigidity. Focusing on a potential recruit's conformance to a standard of behavior rather than on their talent and skill that they can contribute to the company is short- sited. This is not something confined to Japanese companies. Too many interviews are conducted by "human resources" people who know little about the requirements of the job that the individual is being considered for.

And that especially applies when a company outsources the recruitment to companies where the persons making the decisions have absolutely no idea of what the job actually involves using a job description created by someone who likewise has never carried out the tasks that the job entails.
 
An interesting experience with a training session at Eastman Kodak, Rochester, New York, occurred winter 1986. We were to learn to service the Ektachem 700 blood analyser. Along with service reps from around the U.S., were two men from Japan where the E700 was to be introduced. The Japanese men were the head of Negase, the company that would market the Ektachem in Japan, and the Tokyo Negase district manager. Some of the U.S. students were surprised at their ages and high positions of the Japanese men. In my very limited understanding of the Japanese system, I commented although they may never make service calls themselves, they would be expected to know everything the employees who serviced the equipment would know. The very first day, heavy snow and wind, as we walked into the classroom, the two Japanese students were there early, standing as a receiving line, erect with a very slight head bow. Their "Good Morning"s were received by a line of us covered with snow, a cup of coffee, and a partially open overcoat, and a series of "Mornin". The rest of the six weeks, we always found them already at their instrument when we arrived.
Another interesting social custom I noticed during trouble shooting sessions, the younger man, if he found the "bug" first, would lead his senior to the problem to allow him to find it first.
Another interesting social thing was, as we (two men to a machine) would trouble shoot our individual problems separated by only a divider from the other teams, the discussions could get loud. On occasion when the Japanese language was loud, my lab partner would say "What?", and the two Japanese men in the next cubicle would then speak very quietly.
These two men were very impressive, especially as they told us they had learned English for only six months before coming to the U.S.
 
An interesting experience with a training session at Eastman Kodak, Rochester, New York, occurred winter 1986. We were to learn to service the Ektachem 700 blood analyser. Along with service reps from around the U.S., were two men from Japan where the E700 was to be introduced. The Japanese men were the head of Negase, the company that would market the Ektachem in Japan, and the Tokyo Negase district manager. Some of the U.S. students were surprised at their ages and high positions of the Japanese men. In my very limited understanding of the Japanese system, I commented although they may never make service calls themselves, they would be expected to know everything the employees who serviced the equipment would know. The very first day, heavy snow and wind, as we walked into the classroom, the two Japanese students were there early, standing as a receiving line, erect with a very slight head bow. Their "Good Morning"s were received by a line of us covered with snow, a cup of coffee, and a partially open overcoat, and a series of "Mornin". The rest of the six weeks, we always found them already at their instrument when we arrived.
Another interesting social custom I noticed during trouble shooting sessions, the younger man, if he found the "bug" first, would lead his senior to the problem to allow him to find it first.
Another interesting social thing was, as we (two men to a machine) would trouble shoot our individual problems separated by only a divider from the other teams, the discussions could get loud. On occasion when the Japanese language was loud, my lab partner would say "What?", and the two Japanese men in the next cubicle would then speak very quietly.
These two men were very impressive, especially as they told us they had learned English for only six months before coming to the U.S.
Interesting story, ed. Thanks.
I knew how to be promoted in Sumitomo but looked unfriendly to my boss unlike those two smart 'IJA' men.
I was too honest.
 
You are understanding Japan and Japanese very well, Neil. I am much impressed.

In the case of interview with a non-Japanese company in Japan. This is a different world as it would be impossible for the 90% Japanese companies to handle job seekers like this because this system is almost derailing from tradition.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLCMMyphPhY&t=62s

The Japanese impression of western- particularly American culture- is interesting. When I worked for the American electronics company Burr-Brown Corporation, we had a main sales office in Atsugi. It was managed and staffed by well-qualified Japanese who moved quite well in each culture and we were very successful.
 

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