2024/01/21

My name is Hiromi Inoue and I support women who are struggling with their careers and lifestyles.

There are probably many people who are interested in working abroad.

I have actually been asked this question by many people, but I think that most of them have a misunderstanding of the "hurdles to working overseas."

"If you can't speak English, you can't work, right?"
"There's no suitable career."
Is the local language a must?

This leads to a variety of questions.

The answer is,

"Of course, it would be better if you could speak the local language or English, which is the world's common language, but language isn't that big of a problem. Rather, it might be more of a problem if you hesitate and can't move forward. So just give it a try," I tell them.

In fact, when I first went abroad for a long period of time, I couldn't speak English, and when I first came to Hong Kong, Cantonese was a completely unknown language to me. What's more, when I started working, I wasn't very good at English or Cantonese, and I'm not being humble about it. I think I was only at the level of daily conversation. A few years after I started working at the company, I was put in charge of a big project and was working in both English and Cantonese, which surprised people who knew me before.

This time, I would like to encourage those who want to work abroad or take their career to the next level.

① Even if you work overseas, English is not an absolute requirement

To put it bluntly, if you are working with Japanese people overseas or in a field where there is a demand for Japanese culture, you can honestly do the job using only Japanese.JobThere are many active people in this field, and some have established an absolute position in their field.

Of course, some companies require native-level speakers for certain positions, but if you can read and write to a certain extent, you may be able to find employment in some industries. You may also be hired based on your personality or some other strength. While working there, you can improve your language skills, skills, and knowledge, and if the opportunity arises, you may want to change jobs to move up overseas.

② When abroad, develop your own strengths and expertise that are not inferior to the language

There are many people in Hong Kong and China who have a high level of Japanese. In addition, there are many multilingual people who are fluent in not only Cantonese, Chinese, and English, but also other languages. There are many people in the world who are fluent in multiple languages, so language is often not the deciding factor. The important thing is to think carefully about what you can do and what you can offer more than people living in that country. When thinking about your own career development, find your own strengths, skills, and expertise that go beyond language!

3) Take action, both overseas and in Japan!

If you are already living abroad or have no problems with your visa and can work, don't think "I can't do it..." and try to work hard. No one knows what the future holds.

I know a young man who was quite rebellious. He was not interested in going to school, so he started buying and selling his personal belongings, which he loved at the time, more than studying at school. This led to him starting a company, which became successful. However, despite being successful at a young age (as a student), he was deceived by adults due to his lack of experience, and the large assets he had worked so hard to build were stolen from him. He had very little money left.

Even so, he thought there were chances abroad, so he went to a certain Asian country, even though he couldn't speak the language and had very little money. He never lost his drive. The business he started in that country went well at first, but after three years it failed again. He says he experienced many setbacks due to money, relationships, and time.

However, this time he changed his attitude towards business and towards people and decided to start a new business. That small business later became a huge success, and now the man is doing incredible things in a certain country. This man always says, "I was a person with no background. But I always tried. I failed, but I turned it into a lesson. I can't lose in terms of the number of challenges. You never know until you try."

Some people may say that men and women are different, but I think there is a lot to learn from the true stories of people who never gave up and took on challenges overseas, no matter what the circumstances.

Have you ever said "I can't do it" or "It's impossible" without even trying? There is a view that only those who take on a challenge can see.

Summary

It's not like "strike while the iron is hot!", but I've seen from experience that it's often better to take action when your thoughts are hot. While you're saying "later," there's a good chance that your mind will change or your circumstances will change and you won't be able to go or work.

That is why, if you want to work overseas or move up the ranks, I urge you to take on the challenge without hesitation.

On a personal note, working abroad has broadened my horizons, and I still believe it has been a valuable experience. I was able to acquire flexibility towards cultures and people, as well as intercultural communication skills. I believe I was able to broaden my possibilities by having experiences that I would not have had if I had only worked in Japan, and being entrusted with important work that I would never have been entrusted with.

The hurdles to going abroad are not too high. You can find work overseas. Language comes later. It is no exaggeration to say that language is secondary. So, I recommend you to go abroad and work abroad.

We support you in your efforts.

Hiromi Inoue

Moved to Hong Kong in 1997. Blessed with two children, she devoted the first 10 years to raising them. After spending her time as a housewife, immersed in Hong Kong society, she returned to society after a 12-year hiatus. During those 14 years, she gained experience and management experience in global work, mainly in Asia, at three major Japanese companies.

Having experienced the struggles of finding a job or career after a break abroad, and the uncertainty of balancing work and private life, she founded Cannan Life & Work Design Lab in 2021 in order to support people with similar struggles. She has now moved to Japan to look after her elderly father.

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