Tag: internship

Expat Musings, Opinion

Tokyo 2020 Employees: Where Do We Go Now?

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There is little reprieve for the many contract workers, freelancers, and interns of Tokyo 2020.

One of the reasons why I chose to study in Japan was to be able to live in the same city as the Olympics; to feel the vigor and unity as hundreds of thousands of people join underneath the five interlaced rings. I, along with thousands of others, joined the volunteer program. I, along with thousands of other college students, raced to apply to the olympic broadcasting program, which would consequently make us employees of the olympics broadcasting systems. And I, along with thousands of others, were let go last week, when the International Olympic Committee and the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee announced that the Olympics would be postponed. 

I knew that the Olympics would have to be postponed. Months leading up to the announcement, I had doubts about Japan’s capacity in holding the Olympics in the midst of a global pandemic. While Western media praised Japan for its efforts and often alluded to the mystery why Japan had avoided the fate of many of its neighbors inundated by the novel coronavirus– Japan had deliberately avoided widespread testing and relied on contact tracing in order to keep the cases at a minimum. For months, discontent over the current incumbent government has been stirring over a multitude of problems: tax policies, corruption scandals, inability to enact social change, and the response to the coronavirus pandemic. The mismanagement of the Princess Diamond, resulting in 712 infections and 10 deaths was just the brim of what to come. 

I briefly wondered whether I should rescind my position. The virus had no sign of stopping as it ravaged through Europe and America. If the Olympics were to be held in the summer, what sort of precautions should I take? Would I be endangering myself, exposing myself to thousands of people everyday in enclosed spaces like stadiums, broadcasting trailers, or commentary rooms? Would I be endangering others, interacting with my teammates, my colleagues, and thousands of other Olympic employees? 

I expected that the announcement would come soon, as countries were quickly dismantling in the midst of the pandemic. Health care workers in America were pleading for people to stay home; city upon city were issuing quarantine orders. Borders were closing down as thousands of people rushed against the virus to return home. I watched as headlines blared new jumps in cases and new jumps in death tolls. A week prior to the announcement, the government continued to press on, refusing to consider any derailment to their dreams of Olympic grandeur. And yet the world screeched to an abrupt halt as everything shuttered down around us.

The announcement was brief: the Olympics was to be postponed to 2021. I felt relief for a moment before the sinking emptiness and realization hit me. Yes, I would be safe this summer. Yes, I would not be exposing myself to others. And with a brief statement that was released the next day by the broadcasting systems, me, along with thousands of students, and thousands of freelancers, contractors, and volunteers at the Olympics, were let go. 

I realized that I would have to do over the series of tests, applications, training sessions, group discussions next year. My place would not be guaranteed. Hundreds of other students around me gave up coveted positions at other firms for a chance at the Olympics. Many of us are scrambling to apply to other positions, only to find out that many firms, facing an economic crisis, have shuttered their internship programs and turned back new recruits. Our plight cannot compare to the thousands of contract workers and freelancers who work during the Olympics, serving as ticketing organizers, broadcasting professionals, and transportation service providers. With rescinded contracts, many may be without work for several months. Most Olympic employees are on a contract basis without the safety net that other full-time employees have. There is no unemployment insurance to collect; there is no compensation for lost time.  At the end, all of us are faced with the same question: where do we go now? 

With the world in disarray, there is little hope for the many who have become unemployed. There is little solace in the misfortune of many who have the same plight. However, we will continue on, as we always have. 

 

Publications

[Schoolynk] Building a Resume for Your English Internship in Japan

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With an influx of international students attending Japanese universities, competition for English-based internships has increased. While it may be challenging to differentiate between strong candidates, an outstanding resume will lead to a better application. A resume is the first step in career building. Career-related skills such as resume writing is outside of academia, so many students find it hard to approach. However, there are many online resources that offer tips and tricks to crafting the perfect resume.

Resources for Resumes

One of the approaches covered in this article is the Harvard University template. A resume should be only one page, because a resume’s purpose should be to present information in a clear and concise way, with enough details to demonstrate the candidate’s experience and skills. From a recruiter or hiring manager’s point of view, a resume should be easy to skim and orderly because they go through tens or even hundreds of resumes per day. The main difference between a resume and a CV is length; a CV includes a comprehensive list of all of the candidate’s skills and experience. A resume only details the key achievements; it is often tailored for different positions if the person has a variety of skills and experience.

Formatting a Resume

A resume should have consistent and clear text, such as Times New Roman or other professional fonts. It should not be too colorful or artistically abstract which may detract from the important information that is listed. The text size should also be uniform and easy to read (nothing less than 11 pt font). Finally, the information should be accurate. It is morally corrupt to lie about your experiences as well as embarrassing if others find out that the information doesn’t accurately represent you.

Basic Information

The top should include your legal name, along with contact information such as school email and phone number. The first header should be education, starting in reverse chronological order. On the right-hand side should be the location as well as duration. If the position is still ongoing, then it should be listed from its start date to “Current.” It is also helpful to include major, GPA, test scores, certifications, clubs/academic organizations, and relevant courses if needed. The coursework or certifications provided should be relevant to the job position you are applying for.

Education Background

Following education is a list of experiences. This may include job experiences, such as previous internship positions. If you do not have any previous internship experience, it is also helpful to include other part-time jobs or any other job-related experience. Beneath each title should be a short description of what the job entailed. The sentence should begin with an action verb, such as “achieved,” “analyzed,” or “conducted.” It is helpful to use specific keywords that pertain to the job such as “analyzed consumer surveys,” for a marketing analysis internship. Furthermore, it is important to use quantitative information, such as detailing a number of hours worked using certain software or proficiency in a certain field. This also includes amounts of money (in terms of fundraising), number of hours, team size, or number of participants.

Leadership Experiences

The third section is a list of leadership experiences. This may also be altered to include volunteer experience or any other experiences related to the job position. This section is for relevant clubs, organizations, or positions that showcase your leadership or other skills. Similarly, a description should be included to explain what the position was. To reiterate again, it is crucial to provide concise information by using action verbs and relevant figures to help the recruiter or hiring manager visualize your position.

Skills and Interests

The last section is for skills and additional interests. For technical positions, this may be an entire section devoted to technical skills, such as programming languages or software used. This section may also include language proficiency and hobbies. Depending on the job position, this section may be altered to provide different information that may appeal to the person reviewing your application.

Crafting a resume may be challenging but it is a step in the right direction to finding an internship. Many academic institutions offer resume workshops or resume reviews for students. Take advantage of these opportunities to create a stronger resume that may lead to an internship. Good luck!

Publications

[Schoolynk] Internships as a Pathway into Japan’s Job Market

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Internships in Japan

As a university student in Japan, internships are a great way to understand the job market in Japan as well as to gain work experience. The internship process and information explained below refer to internships that range in duration from one month to six months and above. Some company visits may be referred to as “internships,” however, they are not considered internships because they last less than a week. There is a myriad of internships that provide students with a variety of opportunities to learn different skills and leverage their skills outside of university academia. Internships are offered to international students regardless of nationality. Although a large portion of the internships requires business level Japanese, there are many which are held in English. Multiple portals offer a variety of internships with different qualifications at firms that range from startup to conglomerate.

man in a suit at work

How to apply for Internships

Many universities offer internship programs that are provided by partnerships between the university and the firm. These internships can be accessed through the online system, or through the school’s career center. Some of the internships may require Japanese fluency, and may have screening processes such as document screening and interviews. They may also last from at least two weeks to several months, depending on the firm. Many of them have certain recruiting periods and offer the internship program during spring or summer breaks. Many universities offer a wide variety of internships so please consult your advisor or the school career center for additional opportunities. In addition, many university facebook groups or student business groups may have internship listings or connections to firms that are looking for interns.

However, many firms have internship programs for students that can be accessed through multiple online portals or the company’s website. Often times, companies that are not actively recruiting online may offer opportunities through referrals from previous interns or through word-of-mouth connections. Some firms offer summer programs that may result in an offer at the end of the program. Others may recruit throughout the year and pay their interns accordingly. Some websites such as Linkedin, Glassdoor, or Wantedly may have listings that include internships. Additionally, several websites such as Internship in Japan or EU-Japan provide listings of websites that include internship programs. Some firms may even scout their interns through Linkedin, Wantedly, or other job-searching websites.

office with desks and computers

Internships in multiple fields

There is a wide variety of work available for students from different fields. Depending on the firm, there are internships based on marketing, consulting, recruiting, programming, content creation, research, design, translation, sales, and others. Typically, large firms with an established intern program may have a certain fixed role and time for interns, while smaller firms may offer a wide range of opportunities for interns to try. An internship should not constitute work that doesn’t provide learning opportunities for students; students should be able to receive benefits from internships such as meaningful work experience or opportunity to pursue personal interests.

Paid Internships?

Most firms pay their interns around 1000 yen per hour. Depending on the work and firm, interns may be paid higher or lower than the average. Some firms, such as NPOs or NGOs, do not pay their interns at all. For example, the United Nations does not pay their interns in exchange for both the UN name and connections that can be leveraged throughout the internship. However, it should not be common that a firm does not pay their interns. While interns are not as fully experienced as full-time employees, the work that interns do is still vital to the company and therefore should rightfully earn a wage.

computer and notebook