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Read the community guidelinesA study-abroad miscellaneous-affairs consultant receiving the administrative salary paid by Japanese schools
The company is small, and the boss places greater importance on employees’ opinions
Busy during the peak season, but very relaxed during the off-season (an average of 4–5 months per year)
School budgets never change, so salaries do not increase either; this is something Japan and Taiwan have in common
The boss likes hiring newcomers, who will completely learn the Japanese penchant for fussiness after training (though this could also be an advantage
The interviewer is Japanese, but his Chinese is very good. He starts the interview in Japanese, but if his Japanese isn’t good enough, he conducts the interview in Chinese.
Even if your Japanese conversation skills aren’t very good, you may still be hired. My Japanese was quite poor when I was hired, too. It mainly depends on your ability to handle tasks and whether you fit the company’s image.
There aren’t any particular disadvantages.
A Japanese school’s office in Taiwan, somewhat like an overseas academic affairs or student affairs office. Its main responsibility is handling student recruitment for the Greater China regions and other areas that use traditional Chinese characters, such as Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. On a daily basis, the work mainly involves handling student applications to schools, issuing school application certificates, and other tasks typically performed by administrative staff at schools and cram schools.
The busy season is comparatively hectic, but the off-season is very relaxed (there are probably about four or five months of off-season each year).
Once working hours are over, as long as you are not in the middle of speaking with a customer, you can shut down your computer and leave immediately. Even emails can be answered the next day.
The supervisor is Japanese and places great importance on employees’ opinions. They are somewhat impatient but a good person who communicates well.
You may feel frustrated when dealing with students or students’ parents who are inconsiderate or difficult to handle.
If you come hoping to “improve your Japanese,” you may be disappointed. You will still make some progress, but because the supervisor’s Chinese is too good, there are fewer opportunities to practice than you might expect. You will, however, have some exposure to written Japanese in emails.
Having Japanese-related qualifications should allow you to earn a somewhat higher salary, but the pay is still relatively low. It is only suitable for recent graduates entering the workforce as a beginner-level starting point.