Japanese work culture often has a reputation for long hours and a strict hierarchy. However, in recent times, there have been changes to relieve this pressure. I also suspect a new wave of startups in Japan have started to embrace the need for more work-life balance and diversity to attract talent. I interviewed Wei Chen about how foreigners can find a startup job in Japan with limited Japanese proficiency.
Born in Taiwan and having studied abroad in the US & UK, Wei found herself in Japan seven years ago and has managed to embed herself into the Tokyo startup ecosystem despite being a foreigner. She currently works as a freelance talent sourcer, helping match startup companies to great talent.
Listen to this episode to hear Wei’s story about:
- Moving from Taiwan to the US to Japan
- How she found her 1st job in Tokyo
- How she got permanent residency (PR)
- Advice for other foreigners in finding a start-up gig
- Barriers as a female foreigner in Japan
- Potential pathways for people who aren’t fluent in Japanese
If you want to find out more, feel free to reach out to Wei on Linkedin!
I’ve also done a podcast (no video) a while back on a similar topic – a guest who secured a job in Japan despite being a foreigner. Give it a listen!