Japan faces shortage of information-technology workers

Erik · May 9, 2003, 16:46

http://www.canada.com/technology/sto...0-B82562035B57

Companies not hiring?

thomas · May 9, 2003, 16:54

I know a guy from Singapore living in Tokyo. He's an IT expert, married to a Japanese, speaks fine nihongo and hasn't been able to procure a job in months. So I'm not sure if they just don't hire foreigners or if the entire sector suffers from stagnation.

Erik · May 9, 2003, 17:02

Originally posted by thomas
My wife just told me that she met a guy from Singapore living in Tokyo. He's an IT expert, married to a Japanese, speaks fine nihongo and hasn't been able to procure a job in months. So I'm not sure if they just don't hire foreigners or if the entire sector suffers from stagnation.

Based on that article, I'm guessing companies are just deciding to not bother hiring the people they need, to save money.

Sekabin · May 9, 2003, 18:58

Originally posted by Erik
Based on that article, I'm guessing companies are just deciding to not bother hiring the people they need, to save money.

I agree. My brother-in-law (my god, I've got a Japanese brother-in-law.... that's weird), works in IT - it seems a lot of companies are trying to save money by cutting their staff (rather than other more long-term means).

Short-termism could be a problem.

mdchachi · May 10, 2003, 13:05

"IT expert" can mean a lot of things. If you are an expert in a technology that someone needs that's the trick. Also it's possible to be too senior. Many times people want cheap, competent I.T. people not experts.

circuitjp · Dec 4, 2003, 04:44

I work in IT so to speak, that is I work with computers, as a Sr. UNIX Systems Engineer/Admin with some Oracle DBA work and the market for UNIX/Linux/Oracle is quite strong in Japan.

One thing is to have your name around the industry and you can get work based on your reputation. If you are going to Japan cold, than it might be more difficult.

If you do Windows then you might have a problem there is currently a glut of MS/Windows people so....

Timsan · Jan 5, 2004, 00:36

The days of lifetime employment with the same company are numbered for the Japanese.

May 9, 2003, 16:46	#1
Erik Regular Member Join Date: Feb 5, 2003 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 309	Japan faces shortage of information-technology workers http://www.canada.com/technology/sto...0-B82562035B57 Companies not hiring?

May 9, 2003, 16:54	#2
thomas Decommissioned ex-admin Join Date: Mar 14, 2002 Posts: 4,209	I know a guy from Singapore living in Tokyo. He's an IT expert, married to a Japanese, speaks fine nihongo and hasn't been able to procure a job in months. So I'm not sure if they just don't hire foreigners or if the entire sector suffers from stagnation. __________________ Remember what the dormouse said, feed your head, feed your head! Last edited by thomas; May 5, 2004 at 14:38.

May 9, 2003, 17:02	#3
Erik Regular Member Join Date: Feb 5, 2003 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 309	Originally posted by thomas My wife just told me that she met a guy from Singapore living in Tokyo. He's an IT expert, married to a Japanese, speaks fine nihongo and hasn't been able to procure a job in months. So I'm not sure if they just don't hire foreigners or if the entire sector suffers from stagnation. Based on that article, I'm guessing companies are just deciding to not bother hiring the people they need, to save money.

May 9, 2003, 18:58	#4
Sekabin Regular Member Join Date: Apr 28, 2003 Posts: 57	Originally posted by Erik Based on that article, I'm guessing companies are just deciding to not bother hiring the people they need, to save money. I agree. My brother-in-law (my god, I've got a Japanese brother-in-law.... that's weird), works in IT - it seems a lot of companies are trying to save money by cutting their staff (rather than other more long-term means). Short-termism could be a problem. __________________ --------<a href="http://www.sheepchase.com" target="_blank">sheepchase.com</a>--------

Jan 5, 2004, 00:36	#7
Timsan Regular Member Join Date: Dec 4, 2003 Location: Alaska/Alaskan Native (Inupiat) Age: 22 Posts: 241	The days of lifetime employment with the same company are numbered for the Japanese. __________________ "A single death is a tradgedy, a million deaths is a statistic." - Stalin

May 10, 2003, 13:05	#5
mdchachi Taicho Join Date: Mar 6, 2003 Location: USA (Detroit area) Posts: 687	"IT expert" can mean a lot of things. If you are an expert in a technology that someone needs that's the trick. Also it's possible to be too senior. Many times people want cheap, competent I.T. people not experts.

Dec 4, 2003, 04:44	#6
circuitjp Junior Member Join Date: Dec 4, 2003 Location: American, Midwest/Wisconsin Age: 41 Posts: 1	I work in IT so to speak, that is I work with computers, as a Sr. UNIX Systems Engineer/Admin with some Oracle DBA work and the market for UNIX/Linux/Oracle is quite strong in Japan. One thing is to have your name around the industry and you can get work based on your reputation. If you are going to Japan cold, than it might be more difficult. If you do Windows then you might have a problem there is currently a glut of MS/Windows people so....

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