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Japan work hours!

Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 5:34 am
by The549
My California buddy is planning on moving to Japan with his girlfriend (Japanese), and was talking to me about his doubts (he doesn't speak Japanese). She just graduated last year with a construction management degree, and has started off in a good sized company in her field, with low pay and 12 hour work days! That's salaried. He's worried that he won't have time with her...

I remember working for a company here, and the people were complaining about overtime....and when I heard that she is trying to get another position at the company with higher working hours, I was pretty stunned. 17 hours a day, 5 days a week, salaried. Low pay (in the $2-3K/mo range). These are standard hours that many/most people in the company work.

Who's up for 17hrs a day, for about 8 bucks an hour? :?

Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 7:07 am
by DivideOverflow
...not I. If you work me more than 9 hours a day, you better be paying me time and a half. Right now, I work 44 hours one week, and then 36 the next (with Friday off). So 9 hours a day mon-thurs, then 8 hours the first friday. Then 9 hours mon - thurs, and that friday off!

It is like a mini vacation every other week, and I just have to start work an hour earlier (no big deal).

And $8/hr is unacceptable for me. I made more than double that as an intern with engineering companies. I know construction management is different, but that is still a very low number. Kids around here are making $8/hr working at Target!! He should tell his girlfriend to find a company that values employees.

Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 9:33 am
by blues2cruise
He is crazy to go.....at this point in time. Will he be able to work? Will her salary support them both? He is probably right to have doubts.

Has he thought about staying behind until they know that #1 the job will work out. #2 that the relationship is actually what they both want?
He can follow later.

Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 12:03 pm
by flw
blues2cruise wrote:He is crazy to go.....at this point in time. Will he be able to work? Will her salary support them both? He is probably right to have doubts.

Has he thought about staying behind until they know that #1 the job will work out. #2 that the relationship is actually what they both want?
He can follow later.
+1

Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 1:24 pm
by Erg0n
Japan is one of the most expensive places to live in Asia. I hope to god he's not staying in Tokyo or Osaka

If your friend has a University degree he can easily get a job as an English teacher without any experience. Hell, he most likely can get a job as an English teacher without a degree. Since there's a demand for it

From what I hear starting off, the pay isn't as good but some companies offer free room and extra money for food as well as health care benefits. I have a friend whose daughter managed to get a teaching job for a private school there and is making pretty good money, something like 60-65k CDN a year

Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 4:24 pm
by The549
Actually, if a mod wants to move this to the soabox, that'd be fine. Yeah, you know how it is when you have a good friend whose girl you don't really like a whole lot.... (and then he moves to Japan :roll: ). I guess I was really pointing out this huge cultural difference that we have here. No wonder it's middle aged men committing suicide over there, as opposed to depressed teens here.

He will be living with her mom for a month looking for jobs. I think I'll send him off with a big bottle of whiskey (if he can bring it in). 8)

Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 5:44 pm
by intotherain
Erg0n wrote:Japan is one of the most expensive places to live in Asia. I hope to god he's not staying in Tokyo or Osaka

If your friend has a University degree he can easily get a job as an English teacher without any experience. Hell, he most likely can get a job as an English teacher without a degree. Since there's a demand for it

From what I hear starting off, the pay isn't as good but some companies offer free room and extra money for food as well as health care benefits. I have a friend whose daughter managed to get a teaching job for a private school there and is making pretty good money, something like 60-65k CDN a year
+5. Whenever I go to Korea, I teach English for $50/hour in Korea. There's a HUGE demand for it, not just a regular old "demand". There are requirements though. My high verbal and critical reading scores on my SAT helped me get the job.

I made close to $1,500 just in one month.

Re: Japan work hours!

Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 3:00 am
by Bubba
The549 wrote:My California buddy is planning on moving to Japan with his girlfriend (Japanese), and was talking to me about his doubts (he doesn't speak Japanese). She just graduated last year with a construction management degree, and has started off in a good sized company in her field, with low pay and 12 hour work days! That's salaried. He's worried that he won't have time with her...

I remember working for a company here, and the people were complaining about overtime....and when I heard that she is trying to get another position at the company with higher working hours, I was pretty stunned. 17 hours a day, 5 days a week, salaried. Low pay (in the $2-3K/mo range). These are standard hours that many/most people in the company work.

Who's up for 17hrs a day, for about 8 bucks an hour? :?

I think I'd be finding a new girlfreind. A piece of a**, isn't worth the problems he's up against.

Re: Japan work hours!

Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 10:20 am
by NightNurse
Bubba wrote:
The549 wrote:My California buddy is planning on moving to Japan with his girlfriend (Japanese), and was talking to me about his doubts (he doesn't speak Japanese). She just graduated last year with a construction management degree, and has started off in a good sized company in her field, with low pay and 12 hour work days! That's salaried. He's worried that he won't have time with her...

I remember working for a company here, and the people were complaining about overtime....and when I heard that she is trying to get another position at the company with higher working hours, I was pretty stunned. 17 hours a day, 5 days a week, salaried. Low pay (in the $2-3K/mo range). These are standard hours that many/most people in the company work.

Who's up for 17hrs a day, for about 8 bucks an hour? :?

I think I'd be finding a new girlfreind. A piece of a**, isn't worth the problems he's up against.
ROFL!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Japan work hours!

Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 10:46 am
by Bubba
NightNurse wrote:
Bubba wrote:
The549 wrote:My California buddy is planning on moving to Japan with his girlfriend (Japanese), and was talking to me about his doubts (he doesn't speak Japanese). She just graduated last year with a construction management degree, and has started off in a good sized company in her field, with low pay and 12 hour work days! That's salaried. He's worried that he won't have time with her...

I remember working for a company here, and the people were complaining about overtime....and when I heard that she is trying to get another position at the company with higher working hours, I was pretty stunned. 17 hours a day, 5 days a week, salaried. Low pay (in the $2-3K/mo range). These are standard hours that many/most people in the company work.

Who's up for 17hrs a day, for about 8 bucks an hour? :?

I think I'd be finding a new girlfreind. A piece of a**, isn't worth the problems he's up against.
ROFL!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry I don't speek K9. :laughing: