Full Careers
Should we change careers to live in Japan?
We have lived in Japan twice 10 years ago both doing the JET program in turn. We now have 2 young children (Asian, adopted) and would love for them to have the opportunity to live abroad, go to an international school and live & travel in Asia. My husband has worked in product management/development for the past 10 years in Japanese companies and is in a career track to become a director at his current company. We loved living in Japan, as hard as it is, and have always dreamed of trying the ex-pat life there. The current position is a switch from Japanese manufacturing companies to working as a director for a US state office in Japan to bring Japanese companies to that state (& jobs for US workers). Idealistically we really like it and hope that long term, it will help my husband break into working for American companies in Japan. We wonder, though, if this kind of change in his resume (we plan to live there at least 3-5 years) would really set him back. Thanks!
Public Comments
- i dont think so, in response to your last question.
- Yes! What an advantage they would have! I wish I could do that? Wish I had been brought up at least partly there, too. Do it!
- It is a corporate expat opprtunity, it will be good for your husband"s career. I had a similar situation, it was good for my career. Now for the downside, which was an unexpected experience.outcome. I was offered an expat package and a career move that was something not to be passed up. We made the decision as a family and we moved to Tokyo and lived there for almost 4 years. It was great and an experience for all in our family. Upon our return to the US, my kids had some difficulty adjusting to life in the USA. All little things, but home was Tokyo for alomst 4 years, they really did not know life in the USA. After 6 months things were OK, after 1 year they are really happy and adjusted. After that, though, I pretty much decided to try and stay in my current position for as long as possible. Of course working for my kids is why I work so I keep my eyes open for another career opportunity. The kids were 1 and 4 when we moved from California to Tokyo and they were 5 and 8 when we left. They really loved Tokyo and had to adjust to life in the US when we moved back. There is a common statistic that less than 10% of a company's employee population will accept an overseas assignment, but that 10% will repeat the overseas assignment multiple times. That may also be applicable to you and your family. You may be like much of the expat families I met, some just job hop around Japan and Asia and never really return to what was home.
- It varies from man to man.
