Re: [tlug] [OT] A Question About Degrees

["Stephen J. Turnbull" <stephen@example.com>]

Attila Kinali writes:

 > Japanese companies have often, to the eyes of foreigners, strange
 > customs and rules. Not to talk about their selection process.

Not just to foreigners.  It's often the case that Japanese, while
more tolerant of the idiosyncrasies of companies (especially those
with long histories, or autocratic technical genius-type founders),
are just as surprised at the details as we are.  Nanda kore?!
(Japanese for WTF?!) is a common reaction to hearing about somebody's
training or work rules.

 > It might also be easier to get into a foreign company than it is
 > into a Japanese company, if you don't have a degree from a "known"
 > university, where "known" is for Japanese values of "known" (which
 > are quite different from European or USian "known").

This depends a lot on the company and the job.  But if a Japanese
company is willing to hire a non-native speaker, I would bet on (a)
personal connections and (b) technical skills (in that order) as being
the key to landing the job.

 > As for the degree, i'd plan from the beginning on a masters degree.
 > A bachelor is a nice start, but, at least here in Europe, nobody
 > will hire someone with just a US bachelor degree.

Nonsense, at least in Germany.  I know at least two ex-servicemen with
good locally offered (but non-computer-related) jobs there.  One of
them doesn't even have a bachelor's degree.  Both do, of course, have
a German wife and excellent language skills.  Both are working for
companies that supply U.S. bases, but do lots of other things too.  I
don't know if their connections with supply sergeants is crucial. :-)

 > than having the right degree. Beside that you get to know the right
 > people as well ;-)

Indeed.