How to Get Ahead in Bijinesu

2ch: Eight tips for new graduates (Japanese language)

Nuggets of wisdom for new hires at Japanese companies from the anonymous hordes of 2ch...

1. If someone above you (your senpai) tells you crows are white, they're white.

The word of your superiors is like the word of the Emperor. While there are idiots out there, most of the time they won't be asking you to believe things that are patently untrue. So give them the benefit of the doubt. If someone gives you flack about it later, you can just say that your boss told you to do what you're doing.

2. Nobody is depending on you.

That stuff about how "we're all depending on our newest employees?" Lip service. What they mean is that they hope two or three years down the road you'll turn into someone they can depend on.

3. The only proper response is "yes."

You don't have the right to refuse anything at this stage. If someone asks you if it's possible for you to do something, the only proper answer is "yes." Nobody cares about your opinion. But if you try your best and can't pull it off, tell someone before it gets out of control. 

4. Feel free to ask the same questions over and over.

Some people will tell you never to ask something twice. Ignore them. But don't be a nudge, either. Most of the time, using a simple memo notebook will help you avoid having to ask about the same thing repeatedly.

5. Abandon your pride.

Bowing your head costs nothing. In fact, it can reap rewards. Apologies are nothing but sound waves. If apologizing fixes something, apologize on the spot. Even if you were right, let it drop. Say you were wrong.

6. Forget about what the client wants. It's about what your BOSS wants.

Occasionally you will see superiors doing things that appear not to be in the client's best interest, or that seem technically flawed in some way. Ignore it. The people doing these things have far more experience than you. It is one hundred times better to learn to change your own way of thinking than it is to work on trying to change others.

7. Just get it done.

At times you will get overloaded with work requests from superiors. The important thing is just to get it done however you can. Don't be a perfectionist; that's the road to physical and mental stress. This isn't an excuse to slack off. But you are the new guy. If you mess up someone will fix it.

8. Give up.

If a job is impossible, it's okay to give up. Someone else will do it. Your superiors are there to fix the mistakes you make. The worst possible thing is to escalate a problem. If you are definitely in over your head tell your superiors right away.

Comments

[wildarmsheero]

Seems like good advice.

[MattAlt]

I think they forgot #9 -- "Don't write 'daki-makura' down on the form that asks for the name of your spouse."

[thomas]

I wonder if #6 can be blamed for the whole Toyota "stuck accelerator"-debacle...

[RMilner]

No, it's the US media behind that one.

[Bernie]

How this mindset is negatively impacting the anime industry...

GO.

Joke or not I can't imagine that any of these noteworthy nugs are in anyway different from what is expected from a new hire in the US. I also can't imagine working a job where I would need to operate like this on a daily basis.

What has always blown my mind is that people with no debt or children try incredibly hard to get jobs where they know that their potential employer will demand that their actions at work will always correspond with the list above. I can't understand why anyone would do that themselves. I guess if you had kids and/or a cocaine habit I could understand but...

[ArthurFrDent]

Wow, not sure how much of that is tolerated, but it wouldn't be nearly that certain in the US. I told my Boss "no" the first day on the job, when asked if a problem could be solved in an impossible timeframe. Then I gave hime three alternatives on what could be done, and executed them.

But... I know that things are entirely different in Japan. The one curiosity I have in the technical world, is that my bosses generally can't do my job. It's not like everyone could work their way up through the ranks, knowing each and every job that's come before. In the technical realms, there are many people who are great at their jobs, but are terrible at managing people or programs. Likewise there are management level people who are great at managing people but not getting the stuff done. That kind of specialization requires trust on all the parts. Telling the boss exactly what you think if you are correct, begins to let them know you are to be trusted. Their acceptance of your opinion shows that they are to be trusted back. Working in a group where the isn't any of that sucks the life out of you...

[AcroRay]

"Then I gave hime three alternatives on what could be done, and executed them."

I didn't think we were allowed to execute our bosses!