Falken Newton comments

Working at the moment (not for much longer) in a house of horrors! You may have heard of these places that will screw with your contract, who will make sure you are working ten or eleven hours a day, who will give you one day off a week, and maybe a two day holiday once a month... IF YOU ARE LUCKY! Yeah, I hate the time... but I love the work! I have no real problem with working hard... its the politics of the working environment.

First, I found it is best to be friendly with people, but not to really make friends with them. This may be different where you work, but at least in this hardcore office it is a BAD IDEA! Gossip and digging for secrets is a pass-time in the Japanese Office environment. If you ever make a bad move, don`t be shocked if people start bringing up some strange things you thought no one ever would.

Second, be prepared to throw on a fake smile all day, even when you are feeling like that little slice of gum on the street that is run over hundreds of times a day. Never show you are sad, upset, down, or anything but feeling good.

Third, and this is the most important! Research where you want to work BEFORE you sign a contract!!! Not all work is as... (Im going to use the word bad, because really even for Japanese my work environment is BAD) ...bad as mine, but you will see a lot of stressful things ~ Try to set yourself up with a slow, easygoing office if you can. The shock of being thrown in to Vaders boot-camp can be a a life changer,. I have seen it throw three people in under six months back home and depressed.

Finally, read! Not just this post and its comments... but read a bunch of sites! Is this something you are ready for? Is this something you want? I am not trying to scare you off... far from it! I love working here, but I see so much people that can not hack it, and break-down.

So, smile, be friendly (not a friend), research so you don`t get a crazy office, and read read read!

ThanxXx for reading my odd, long, and maybe negative comment... cheers, and best of luck to you! Falken