As the title says, I’m planning, or at least thinking about how I could get a job in Japan’s financial sector after finishing my master’s degree, and what that process might look like. I saw a similar post a while back, but I wanted to get a more updated view of the current situation. Let me explain a bit about myself: my background, experience, etc.
I’m a 21-year-old male from Spain, fluent in both English and Spanish. I recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree in International Business Administration at the Netherlands, and I’ll soon begin a master’s in Finance and Investments. I’ve been to Japan, though only as a tourist. However, I’ve lived in China for almost a year through an exchange program and a business development internship at a foreign company. My Japanese is currently very basic, but I believe that studying for the next three years in Europe, plus an intensive six-month period in Japan could allow me to reach N1 level with enough dedication.
I’ve done some research on this topic, and here are the main takeaways I’ve gathered so far:
- Reaching N1 is essentially a MUST if I want to find a decent job and function comfortably in daily life.
- Getting transferred to a Japan office through an MNC is probably the most realistic and optimal path, both in terms of compensation and avoiding the challenges of local job applications and interviews.
- Starting unprepared is unrealistic, I should be fluent in Japanese and have a few years of work experience under my belt before trying to enter the Japanese job market. Otherwise, companies will likely prefer local candidates who already have the edge over me in multiple areas.
As for the specific area of finance, I’m not completely sure what I want to specialize in yet. I don’t have a strong preference at the moment. So far I’ve considered consulting and investment banking, but I’m generally open to anything as long as it’s a solid job.
Given all of this, what do you think? Any advice? Nothing is set in stone yet, far from it actually, but I want to make sure my expectations are realistic and that I have a somewhat structured plan if I decide to follow this path.
Thank you!
by Zarakydragneel