Pros
• Frequent opportunities to travel. • Fair benefits package: higher-than-average overtime and per diem, annual medical check-up, generous medical coverage, transportation allowance, free parking. • Good work/life balance due to early work schedule of 8.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. with one-and-a-half hour lunchtime. • Broad range of interesting projects that expose a variety of arts and culture in the Asian region.
Cons
• Virtually no career advancement for local staff. No matter the duration or quality of your work, you will remain in the same position for the entire duration of your employment. Fine for fresh graduates looking for experience, not so much for those seeking fulfilling long-term careers. • Local staff do not receive equal compensation or respect as compared to our Japanese counterparts. There is a wide chasm of pay and privilege by virtue of nationality, even if two officers ostensibly belong to the same level in the organisation hierarchy. Management is quick to blame local employees and dismiss their ideas, but would try their darndest to be politely diplomatic if the fault lies with the Japanese staff and absolutely fawn over their input. • On that note, don't expect management to leap to your defense when it comes to third parties. Project partners, collaborators, participants, whoever are placed on a pedestal and you better bend over backwards serving their demands. • "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" seems to be the driving mantra here. Senior officers and management would rather stay within their comfort zone of doing things they way they've always been, resisting numerous suggestions to improve or modernise operations. • Work gets old very fast. Every day is a list of menial tasks to tick off: replying emails, data entry, filing documents, packing printed material. It is extremely easy to fall into the trap of complacency.