ビジネス日本語講座

Sometimes engineers make fun of salespeople. Sometimes the public thinks that sales is an easy job. In this episode I talk about the difficulties of the job of sales.

Many Japanese are goal-oriented in everything they do. No matter what we do, we must have a purpose. Travel is no exception. This goal-oriented nature of the Japanese people has narrowed down the Japanese way of life, so to speak, putting the Japanese people in a state of self-imposed bondage.

When working in a company, relationship problems arise. Every company has good people and bad people. You have to pay attention to your relationships with your co-workers and superiors when you work at a company. When I was in college, through my part-time work experience, I learned how difficult human relationships are at work, and I once stopped looking for a job in Japan and ventured overseas. In this episode, I discuss the meaning of working for a company.

The Japanese language has a large number of onomatopoeia. In the Japanese business world, the word giragira is often used by Japanese people. I hope that everyone will master the word garagira and use it in actual Japanese conversation.

Many salespeople are know-it-alls. Although it may seem foolish to be a know-it-all, there are times in the sales profession when we are compelled to be, or are tempted to be, a know-it-all.

In Japanese society, it is considered bad to complain, grumble, or whine. However, in order to continue working as a salaried employee for as long as possible, it is reassuring to have even one person in the company with whom you can complain about your work.

I noticed something at Narita Airport when I returned to Japan after traveling in Thailand this past June. That is, Japanese sign that said “Welcome home” was no longer displayed. “Welcome to Japan” was written on the sign in several languages. I discuss the implications of this change.

There is a Japanese proverb that say, “Three years on a stone” (石の上にも三年) This means that even a stone will get warm if a person sits on it for three years. This proverb is supported by many businessmen and managers in Japan. This episode discusses the merits and demerits of this proverb.

Today I took a walk in Kanda Jimbocho. Kanda Jimbocho is known as one of the best bookstreets in Japan. There is nothing better than buying an old book at a used bookstore and having a cup of coffee at a cafe.

Some may think that salespeople have an easy job because they can make money just by talking to customers. But salespeople can unknowingly become severely mentally exhausted. Salespeople need to slack off and take a breather.

For many salarymen in Japan, the important thing is the company they work for. When meeting a stranger at work, once business cards are exchanged, there is no need to explain yourself further. Company people don’t have to explain themselves. At first glance, this may seem like a very easy way out, but it can have many negative effects later on.

There are many cars in Japan with stickers saying “Baby on board”. For a long time I couldn’t understand the intention of this sticker. This sticker is very much in line with the mentality of many Japanese. This is because most Japanese people try to read the atmosphere.（空気を読む）

Skill supremacy creates a race for survival between the weak and the strong. In the old Japanese companies, employees were not evaluated solely on the basis of their work. Social interaction and popularity were also necessary for advancement. In the future, Japanese companies will also begin to evaluate their employees based on the supremacy of their skills. However, it is questionable whether the results of complicated office work can be fairly evaluated.

Looking back, my job search as a student was terrible. I didn’t take job hunting seriously, because I didn’t want to become a business person. In this episode, I talk about the discomfort and inconsistency I feel about job hunting in Japan.

In today’s Japan, the meaning of work is harder to find. As industries have become more sophisticated and work has become more segmented and sophisticated, it seems that office workers tend to lose their spirit through their work. In the past, people simply had to work to eat, but as society has matured, each individual must consider the meaning of work.

There is an old saying that goes “Out of sight, out of mind (去る者は日々に疎し)”. The term applies well to relationships among salaried people.

When I was a student, I worked part time as a cleaner at an office building in Kayabacho. I was forced to think about social issues or various problems that humanity faces. I talk about that.

I talk about what to watch out for after you change jobs. In particular, there are a few things to keep in mind about relationships. People around you may be kind and supportive during the initial period of your new job, but you must not let your guard down. You need to learn the names of the people around you as soon as possible and work hard to build relationships.

Work in the world can be divided into two types. One is work that requires speed, and the other is work that doesn’t require much speed. People with a laidback personality are not suited to jobs that require speed. In this article, I talk about a job that doesn’t require speed that I have experienced.

In Japan, there is a coming-of-age ceremony(成人式) . I did not attend that ceremony. I thought it was a silly ceremony. This ceremony is an important ceremony for many ordinary Japanese people, and Japanese people who can honestly participate in the coming of age ceremony without any discomfort would be contributing to Japanese society and economy.

The Japanese language has a word for working adults. There is no word in foreign languages that perfectly fits the Japanese word shakaijin. To be a member of society, one must be working in the real world, and this has become a breeding ground for discrimination in Japanese society.

It is important for salespeople to think about what they are in sales for, so that they can continue their work in sales. Making money is an obvious motive, but if that is the only motive, it will be difficult to remain a salesperson forever.

In Japan, artists who do not earn money are not recognized by society as artists. Whether art is a business or not is debatable, but this perception of art by the general public in Japan has trivialized people’s way of life and made it difficult to live in this society.

There is an expression in Japanese called “split one’s stomach”. This means to confide one’s true feelings, and doesn’t mean to commit suicide by harakiri. When working for a Japanese company, you should not hide your true feelings from the employees around you.

If a salaried worker is looking for a job, it is better not to leave the company. This is because if you quit your company, you will not receive the monthly salary you used to receive and at the same time, your talent value in the job market will decrease. There is an old saying that goes “Many kiss the hand they wish to cut off (面従腹背)”. Your boss must not know about your job search until you have received a job offer.

Different people have different views of work. In Japan, there's also freedom of thought. However, it is best to avoid expressing your views on work to those around you after you change jobs. This is because your boss may have a different view of work than you do. As with politics, differences in values can easily lead to conflicts, and you should be cautious about topics such as your views on work because you will not have your own supporters in the company immediately after you change jobs.

For many Japanese company employees, resignation can be a troublesome event. This is because those who leave a company are often viewed as traitors by the remaining employees.

It is not surprising that simply storing knowledge doesn’t produce anything of value. However, I believe that people today, who have received higher education, have a tendency to value books. Being all theory and no action will just make you big-headed. I have focused on Japanese chimpira and find a certain value in their empiricism. In order to prevent intellectuals from becoming over-read, it is good to appreciate the illiteracy of chimpira from time to time.

In the Japanese corporate world, the word “growth” is rather favorably perceived and used by people. This simple affirmation of growth has led to a variety of problems for both individuals and companies in Japan. In order to realize a sustainable society in the future, I believe it is necessary to question the concept of growth at least once.

In today’s Japan, the way of working of furious company employees has come to be criticized. The Japanese government has revised law and also the Japanese people are becoming more and more aware of it. Unfortunately, however, there is still a lot of discourse in the media that praises the old, furious way of working of Japanese salarymen.

In Japanese, the name of a product is sometimes followed by the suffix “ya” to indicate its occupation. In the manufacturing industry, people customarily use the occupation name with this ya suffix in addition to the official classification of the occupation.

Why do company employees go to work? It is to receive money from the company. If the company has a monthly payroll, money is deposited into the employee’s bank account on the monthly payday. They did not go to work to earn money.

I am not interested in the general news that is disseminated by the mass media. I can see them as relevant to me. I am more interested in solving problems related to someone’s personal life and realizing someone’s dreams.

In the Japanese manufacturing industry, there are many technical terms. There are some words that you would not understand unless you work in that world. I take a look at the term “mother factory”and explain the term.

In the past, Japanese salarymen worked hard. They worked even if they were not paid overtime, and some were even willing to work on holidays. Why were they able to work so hard? I explore the mystery from the viewpoint of Japanese style employment.

The high level of Japanese craftsmanship is well known throughout the world. It takes a long time to become a full-fledged craftsman. It is sometimes pointed out that in today’s fast-paced world of change, it is impossible to keep up with the times by slowly nurturing traditional Japanese style craftspeople. In this episode, I take a look at tacit knowledge and mention the difficulties of passing on the tacit knowledge of craftsmen.

There are several types of Japanese entertainment. Japanese businessman sometimes dine with their customers and sometimes play golf. In this episode, I talk about etiquette in karaoke entertainment.

All companies usually have a corporate or management philosophy. Many corporate philosophies state lofty ideals for society, but why does the company need such a corporate philosophy? It is to hide the egoism of the president’s personal pursuit of self-interest.

Communication skills are extremely important in today’s Japan. In particular, there are a number of Japanese businessmen and women who praise communication skills. However, communication skills are a vague concept, and what it means varies from society to society. In this episode, I discuss the communication skills required by Japanese companies.

When interviewing for a corporate job, you should prepare in advance answers to several questions that the interviewer may expect to ask. In this episode, I discuss how to create a decent reason for application.

The concept of “give and take” is generally widely accepted in Japanese society. I believe it is hypocritical to ask for something in return for doing something kind to another person. However, if you fail to reciprocate a kindness, you may be considered ungrateful, and in some cases, you may be sanctioned. This is something to keep in mind when working for a Japanese company.

The view of labor differs from person to person. But the president does not get jokes that make a mockery of labor.

Salaried workers are forced to compete with others. Some people may not want to compete with others. However, if a fellow employee rises to the top faster than you, you may feel jealousy or envy. You will also be happy if your work is highly valued by your boss or clients. If you can’t abandon such ambitions, not to seek recognition from others, and reach a state of enlightenment, life at the company becomes much easier.

In Japan, there’s a term called 社畜 “corporate slave”. This term is very important in examining the problems of Japan’s corporate society. I will begin with a dictionary definition of the word “corporative slave” and then point out some of the problems associated with it.

For many years, the practice early morning work has existed in many Japanese companies. No matter how early in the morning a worker comes to work, that does not count as overtime pay. Nevertheless, there are workers in Japan who willingly come to work early in the morning. I hypothesize that there may be a relationship between early morning work and career advancement. I tested this hypothesis that the company I worked for in the past.

The salary of a salaryman does not change whether he works diligently or socks off. The idea of slacking off without working is not acceptable in a Japanese company. This is because at Japanese companies, your attitude toward work is strictly monitored by your supervisors and coworkers.

These days, Japanese university students seem to start job hunting much earlier after entering university. Compared to university students in the past, today’s university students do not have the luxury of time, and they probably have to be overly conscious of adapting to cooperate society from an early stage. This is the tragedy of today’s students and leads to their studies being dwarfed by the logic of corporate society.

When you join a Japanese company, your boss may invite you to play golf on your days off. If you like golf, it may be fine, but some people may not be interested in golf. Is this episode, I explain how to turn down a golf invitation from your boss.

You need to get along with the people around you in a Japanese company. This is because if you are not well liked, you will not be able to rise in a company. It is not enough if you work diligently and sincerely without asserting yourself to avoid being disliked by others. It is a very difficult technique to master, you will be able to further refine your ability to get along in a Japanese company.

It is not so difficult to work with Japanese who have experience studying or working abroad. These Japanese know through experience that there are differences in culture and values between Japan and other countries. There are some Japanese who have no interest in foreign countries at all. The theme of this episode is about how such Japanese and foreigners should work together.

In many Japanese companies, detailed work related manuals exist. This may reflect the Japanese love of imitation. For truly autonomous and motivated employees, manuals does nothing but harm.

City life can’t be fun, but it can also be stressful. Some people are tired of city life and dream of living in a country side. In this episode, I tell you the ideals and beauties of country life.

In the past, Japan had many salarymen who were called “corporate warriors” or “economic animals”. They are willing to work long hours and sacrifice their lives. As a result of the various problems caused by long working hours, there has been a movement to correct this way of working in Japanese society as a whole. Nevertheless, they are still companies in Japan where long working hours and unpaid overtime are still the norm. In this episode, I consider the causes of this problem.

The first company you join will have a great impact on your values and way of thinking. Because you will be working for a company about which you know nothing, the common practices of that company will become your own norm. That is why you must choose your company carefully .

There’s a stereotype of selling sales person in the world. There are qualities such as cheerful personality, diplomacy, and glibness. However, each person has a unique personality and it is natural that everyone is different. Therefore, company presidents should respect the unique personalities of their sales people.

Studying Japanese with a goal of using correct Japanese, including Keigo, is a wonderful thing. However, in the business world, simply being able to use Kegel correctly will not be enough to impress customers.

People have different values. We all have different views of work. After changing jobs, it is best not to reveal your views on work to those around you easily. This is because differences in values may lead to pointless conflicts.

Many Japanese people separate their true intentions from their tatemae statements. （本音と建前）if you work for Japanese company, no matter how much you like your job, it is safe not to tell the Japanese employees around you about it.

Some Japanese companies have terrible corporate cultures. There are companies in Japan where employees are so closely and thoroughly managed that they cannot work independently. In such companies, the president abuses his absolute power and his ideals are imposed on the employees. You may want to change jobs immediately. However, you may be faced with the drama of having to make a living and not being able to change jobs. At such times, a usual approach is to pretend that you have been brainwashed by the company.

At first glance, the work of the general affairs department appears to be easy. This is because, unlike sales people, the employees at general affairs department do not have to be nagged by the bosses about sales quotas. However, the job of general affairs can be a tough one, and some people have the right personality for it.

It is better to join a company that is below your level and have a sense of superiority than to work for a company full of elites and feel an inferiority complex. In the company, employees are evacuated based on relative evaluation. If the employees around you are not good enough, you will be highly valued by your boss, even if your own abilities are not that great. Conversely, if the employees around you are better than you, it is difficult to be highly valued within that organization.

Company drinking parties are fun for the first 30 minutes after they start. This is because I can eat some unusual food, drink a little alcohol, and enjoy the extraordinary experience. But if I stay at the drinking party for longer than that, I will get bored. This is because I have nothing in common with anyone else.

Having a part-time job while you are a student will help you when you work in a company. Part-time work experience is also important to deepen your thinking about work. However, it is best to separate the part time work experience from the work you will do after you enter the workforce.

When changing jobs, work experience is more important than qualifications. Studying for certification exam is great in itself, but that certification is not a good way to appeal to a company.

Japanese salarymen Prefer experience to three meals a day. Empiricism is considered more important than anything else in the company, and things like serious study of something tend to be disregarded. I will talk about the harm that empiricism creates.

I have had an experience of live in part time resort work in yunishikawa onsen. It was harder work than I expected.

Many Japanese businessmen and managers like the field. This is because if you do not know the field, you will not be able to persuade your subordinates when you become their boss. If you want to become a manager in a Japanese company in the future you should understand this concept.

I have worked part time as a mover. It was a very physically demanding job. Physical labor has its good sides, such as the sense of accomplishment and exhilaration after the job is done. I recommend part-time physical labor as a place to think about the meaning of work.

Affection has nothing to do with the outcome of the work itself. Therefore, some people who are good at their jobs can be very arrogant and pompous. On the other hand, in today’s Japanese society, people are expected by society to have high communication skills. It has become such an excessive demand that it is detrimental to human diversity. I believe that people who can do their jobs and are not unfriendly can be the ones who preserve diversity.

Employees are more motivated to work under an attractive president. Human attractiveness is hard to explain in words, but employees sense the present humanity. Employees who work for an attractive president tend to feel happier and are more willing to take an Active role in their work.

The definition of an idea boss with vary from person to person. I’ll believe that trust in people is important. If you don’t trust people, you can’t manage others and they can’t trust you.

When working in the Japanese factory, you need to consider the characteristics of the working environment and behave appropriately for the place.

A long time ago, I had a part-time job at a late night cleaner at a certain first food chain. That part-time job did not require me to communicate with others, so it was an easy job for me. All I had to do was just clean the restaurant.

Have you ever wondered about wearing the uniforms provided by Factory? I felt uncomfortable every time I wore the uniform. I felt as if I had become a uniform person when I wore the uniform.

Japanese companies have Business etiquette for email. If you learn this business etiquette, you will be highly evaluated by Japanese businessmen.

Skills alone are not enough to survive in a company. Because there is no perfectly equal and fair personnel evaluation system in the world. You need to learn how to get along with others besides your skills.

Regarding chatting with Japanese salarymen at work, some may not know what to talk about with them. In such a case, it would be safest to talk about pachinko.

One of the inevitable aspects of working in a company is the stress of human relationships. If you view stress as salt in cooking, it may ease your stress a little.

In the company, supervisors have more power than subordinates. No matter how badly Subordinate is Treated by his or her boss, and even if the subordinate complains directly to the company about it, the boss is usually not justly judged by the company. This may seem obvious, but one must be careful because hierarchical relationships are especially strict in Japanese companies.

When I was a student, I had a part-time job at the rice cake manufacturing factory. It was rather hard and boring work, but Japanese businessman like to talk about their hard ships, so I think you should try various part-time jobs if you have a chance.

Japanese companies often want to manage and monitor their employees. If you want to work freely, a Japanese company may not be the right choice for you.

If you don’t work, you don’t eat. This phrase applies well to the Japanese workplace. The Japanese are very hard on people who are lazy. I thought about this while comparing it with the Thai workplace as well.

Optimal solution is the preferred term of many Japanese businessmen. Personally, I dislike this term, but it seems to be essential for analyzing Japanese companies and Japanese society.

Seniority is one of the hallmarks of employment practices in Japanese companies. If you move from job to job, you will be regarded as a person without guts in Japanese society. When considering a career, it is better to consider the characteristics of Japanese companies as well.

Leaving a company is an important event for a businessman. There is an old saying that ‘‘it’s an ill bird that fouls its own nest’’. In this episode I discuss an amicable resignation in a Japanese company.

Unfortunately there are companies in Japan that do not respect the human rights and dignity of their employees. Some companies require new employees to perform tricks in front of other employees at banquets. Please be careful when looking for a job in Japan.

The typical Japanese middle-aged salaryman is often eager to show off his knowledge on the job. Is this phenomenon seen anywhere in the world?

When you join a Japanese company, you may be asked to clean the office during working hours. Cleaning office is not your job, so you may be confused when you receive such an order. In this episode, I explain why Japanese managers are so eager to give unreasonable work orders to their employees.

Standard business etiquette exists in Japanese cooperate society. However, this is only a standard, and in reality, each company has its own unique business etiquette. When you change jobs, you need to learn the business etiquette of a new company.

Who do you think is more capable, busy people or people with free time? In this episode, I discuss the benefits of pretending to be busy.

The Japanese language has a word for 忖度する(to consider someone’s feelings or wishes). If you master the word ‘忖度する’, it will be useful when you work for a Japanese company.

When choosing a job, you should probably consider what you want to do and your career plan. If you choose a job without thinking about it, you are wasting your life time.

I once worked part-time as a waiter in a coffee shop when I was a student. That was a great Place to learn honorifics.

Japanese companies have positions called regular positions (総合職). They have hired most new graduates for regular positions. In this episode, I will talk about the benefits of developing a career as regular positions.

Japanese companies often provide extensive training, but basically, supervisors rarely teach their subordinates how to do their jobs in hands-on, detailed manner. Verbal communication seems to be neglected. I would like to talk about how to survive in such Japanese companies.

Students-athletes are welcomed by big corporations in Japan because of their characteristics. But there are several problems.

An expert killer at middle-aged men is called “ジジ殺し” in Japanese. Jijigoroshi is good at being liked by middle-aged men at Japanese companies.

Some Japanese businessmen preach to their subordinates that the company is not like a school. In this episode, I examine the veracity of this phrase. For me, the company is a school itself.

If you continue to play the role of the person the company wants you to be, you may not be able to remove the mask before long. In this episode I talk about the problems that arise from that.