February News /2月の ニュース

Hey everyone!

February is coming to an end but it looks like we'll have a few more days of brutal cold weather before spring.

Spring in Japan brings promises of warm, leisurely days along riversides under canopies of blossoming cherries, red-faced from sake and laughing with friends and co-workers. It also means graduation theses, job hunting, moving season, and a new fiscal year.

Although the pressure of trying to finish your graduation thesis while preparing for interviews and the SPI can feel like too much to bear, try to make time to enjoy the abundance of natural beauty around you during one of Japan's most magical seasonal transitions. Your physical and mental health will thank you later.

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Congratulations to those of you whom will graduate in 2012 and have already received "naite" notifications from companies. Only one more month before your new life and career in Japan begins. Remember that if your company isn't providing you with a dormitory-type option, that rooms can fill up quickly this time of year so start your apartment search early.

For those 2012 graduates who have yet to receive "naite" from a company, not all hope is lost: you can still extend your visa for 6-12 months in order to continue job hunting in Japan.(See: "Tokuteikatsudo") You'll need a letter of recommendation from your university, and you'll need to prove that you've been job hunting if you wish to re-extend your visa after the initial six months, but the chance is still there. Some small-medium sized companies continue hiring throughout the year or offer additional hiring opportunities in the fall.

On that note, I'd like to take this opportunity to mention a few things our project has been up to lately.

●Last week, Feb. 23 & 24, our project held back-to-back days of company seminars at L-Osaka near Temmabashi station. 8 companies over the two day period presented before groups of 40-60 international students in a small, intimate setting, giving students the opportunity to ask questions directly in order to gain a strong grasp of the company. Japan's top "revolving-sushi" share holder, Akindo Sushiro Co., made a strong appeal to international students as it plans to aggressively target the global sushi market, opening it's first store in Korea later this year.

I'd like to thank all of the students who participated in the seminars. I hope that it was a valuable experience.
For those of you whom were unable to attend, it appears that we unfortunately do not have any more company seminars planned for the immediate future.

● Career Counseling at Osaka University (Suita Campus)

Our project will offer free career counseling at Osaka University (Suita Campus) on Tuesday, March 6 from 12pm - 5pm. This is a great opportunity to get advice on job hunting. Even if you are almost finished with your search, you can still come in to practice your interview skills.