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Per my previous thread that no one probably remembers, I plan on moving when my current lease runs out in the end of April. While I've been looking at jobs and applying, I'm well aware that it's a slim chance I'll get a call back until I'm actually on the islands with a Hawaii address. But I've seen some job postings where it says the ability to speak Japanese is a plus. I know there's a large Japanese contingent in Hawaii, and I can learn the basics of reading, writing and speaking through Rosetta Stone for about 250 dollars right now. I don't consider it a ton of money, so it's not about that, but would it be worth my time and make me more marketable as a job candidate if I can list on my resume that I have at least a basic understanding and comprehension of the Japanese language?
If your job touches tourists I'd say ABSOLUTELY! I love the Japanese people. They'd get a kick out of that and would be honored by your efforts, I believe. I remember being over there and having people coming up to me asking if they could practice their English by talking to me. They can help you practice Japanese!
but would it be worth my time and make me more marketable as a job candidate if I can list on my resume that I have at least a basic understanding and comprehension of the Japanese language?
If you are doing it for personal growth - go for it - but a "basic" understanding is not going to cut it and isn't going to make a material difference in your job hunt.
^What he said. There are about a quarter-million people on Oahu who already speak Japanese and the jobs it would qualify you for in retail , car rentals etc do not pay well.
Location: SF Bay Area /on the banks of Waikaea Canal
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Me thinks learning Japanese for potential job opportunities is of marginal value. On some of the outer islands, where much of the labor force are from the Phillipines, learning to speak Tagalog might be of greater value.
Its my understanding tourism from Japan is dropping off significantly from the last decade. I assume your interest in learning Japanese is to cater to the tourist market from there? Yonsei from Hawaii are largely speaking english or pidgin. Again...its the language of trade and commerce!
My son took three years of HS Japanese and when we moved, he moved with us. He has not used it here. I have to chuckle because if he does not understand someone (whether they speak Japanese or any other language other than English), he just kind of gives a bow of the head (not really a nod, but more of a bow out of respect). He makes me smile when I see him do that. At least he is acknowledging them.
He and my husband work at the same place and says he has seen him do that to customers as well.
Japanese is an extremely difficult language for English speakers to learn - it's one of only four Class IV languages (others are Mandarin, Korean, and Arabic), which are at the top of the hierarchy of language difficulty for English speakers. It's difficult not only because of the writing system, but because it requires knowing how and what to say in relation to whom one is speaking. It's not a language you just "pick up."
Learning enough Japanese for work in the retail or hospitality industry would require months of intensive study (learning lots of honorifics and humbling forms), and what you would learn probably wouldn't be all that useful for other situations. Talking with men? With women? With your boss? With a customer? With a client? To a child? An elderly person? How you use the language will be different every time.
As someone who speaks French and German, and has studied Italian and Tahitian, I love languages although none of those do anything for me here. lol.
I agree with Hunterseat, do it for yourself, do it to grow personally especially if there are any plans on working in the tourst industry. The Japanese would get a kick out of hearing something from you. It would not hurt. I agree that to be an expert in Japanese, you would have to study, maybe go abroad and it's doubtful you would be able to conversate in the language through a Rosetta Stone course.
But I disagree with the poopooers who say it would do no good. Even on an interview and breaking the ice, it is highly possible if you are chatting with a hiring manager at some store or restaurant, and you casually say "oh I bought some Rosetta Stone tapes because I love dealing with people and I wanted to be able to say a few words to put them at ease" or something to that effect, you very welll may endear yourself to the interviewer. You may be the one they pick. Who knows.
If you can afford it, why not? If you have the extra money laying around. If it interests you because you enjoy learning something new, then great! I always find it a kick when I go into a store or food place and I hear these white faces say a few words to the Japanese clientele and the Japanese faces light up. Anything you can do in this world to give you an edge is never a bad thing.
As someone who speaks French and German, and has studied Italian and Tahitian, I love languages although none of those do anything for me here. lol.
I agree with Hunterseat, do it for yourself, do it to grow personally especially if there are any plans on working in the tourst industry. The Japanese would get a kick out of hearing something from you. It would not hurt. I agree that to be an expert in Japanese, you would have to study, maybe go abroad and it's doubtful you would be able to conversate in the language through a Rosetta Stone course.
But I disagree with the poopooers who say it would do no good. Even on an interview and breaking the ice, it is highly possible if you are chatting with a hiring manager at some store or restaurant, and you casually say "oh I bought some Rosetta Stone tapes because I love dealing with people and I wanted to be able to say a few words to put them at ease" or something to that effect, you very welll may endear yourself to the interviewer. You may be the one they pick. Who knows.
If you can afford it, why not? If you have the extra money laying around. If it interests you because you enjoy learning something new, then great! I always find it a kick when I go into a store or food place and I hear these white faces say a few words to the Japanese clientele and the Japanese faces light up. Anything you can do in this world to give you an edge is never a bad thing.
I totally agree with learning Japanese (or any language, for that matter) for personal growth, and/or because you're interested in learning it. And, I also think that Rosetta Stone can be a great learning tool as well. So for those reasons, I also say "go for it." But just to add to a resume . . . not so much.
The OP asked if it would help his/her employment prospects if he/she could add basic Japanese to his/her resume. The level of instruction from Rosetta Stone, even a year's worth, would barely get one to a beginning level of Japanese (although that could be stated on the resume). If nothing else it will show initiative and a willingness to improve and grow.
Japanese people really do appreciate it when non-native speakers use their language, and will praise them endlessly for even a few words. But . . . they will often answer back to basic Japanese with a rapid-fire response, and not with the phrases learned in class or from Rosetta Stone. And then what do you do other than to nod and look sheepish and admit you don't really understand, or pretend you do understand when you don't? I'm not saying it's not OK to use basic Japanese, but it may not be appropriate or enough for work purposes or in a professional setting, even the tourist industry. Your job is not the place to "try out" your Japanese.
If the OP is applying for a job where Japanese is required, needed or wanted, his/her level will most likely be assessed before hiring anyway. But the fact that he/she is trying to learn might be seen as a good thing.
Me thinks learning Japanese for potential job opportunities is of marginal value. On some of the outer islands, where much of the labor force are from the Phillipines, learning to speak Tagalog might be of greater value.
Its my understanding tourism from Japan is dropping off significantly from the last decade. I assume your interest in learning Japanese is to cater to the tourist market from there? Yonsei from Hawaii are largely speaking english or pidgin. Again...its the language of trade and commerce!
I really doubt learning Tagalog anywhere in Hawaii will have much economic benefit. There's just no need to have to speak Tagalog for business. Japanese is obviously of much greater value, but only if you're targeting a job in the tourist industry, but it's not like it's the tickets to riches.
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