Time to start a new life? Japan is a great career move for a data

Get in touch

Time to start a new life? Japan is a great career move for a data centre professional...

Mission Critical Recruitment • December 6, 2020

As the World increasingly relies on data like never before, data centre businesses are continuing to expand their operations in terms of both scale and geography. The Asia Pacific territory is now the fastest growing region in the World in this sector, where, for years, the traditional hubs for international businesses have always been Singapore and Hong Kong. However, the biggest trend of the last 1-2 years is that data centre operators and cloud providers are seeking out new markets, and they're seeking them out in a big way.

There are several new hot spots, and none seemingly more hot than Japan. With 1.5% of the World's population, and 6% of global GDP, there is an obvious attraction for some of the World's largest companies to set up and grow their operations. However, the market is not without it's challenges. We're going to focus on the challenge of finding the right skillsets with a particular focus on the language barrier.

Language, Language, Language

Recent studies suggest that only 8% of Japanese natives speak fluent English, which causes an obvious disconnect for English speaking companies entering the market. Combine that with the general skillset shortage of data centre professionals, and there becomes a very obvious and serious risk of things going wrong due to miscommunications. Interpreters are often engaged to fill the gaps but too often this is not the best solution as technical language does not always translate well.

Career Prospects

A career in the data centre industry in Japan could prove a smart move for a number of reasons. Some of which include:

1. Becoming internationally exposed to one of the most culturally stimulating environments on the planet

2. In a low skilled environment, as a subject matter expert in data centres, then it may be likely that you will have a chance to move in to leadership roles in a quicker timeframe than you may elsewhere

3. Japan is home to some of the largest planned data centre projects in the World. With the exclusion of China and America, you will struggle to find countries with as much new capacity planned over the next 5 years. Projects up to the size of an eyewatering 350MW are getting underway and 2021 will see more announcements of new projects and new entrants to the market.

OK, sign me up, I want to move!

As with any "permanent" cross border relocation, there is a process to go through in addition to the usual interview process. Fortunately, the Japanese government are actively taking steps to loosen immigration requirements and, as long as you have a willing sponsor (ie an employer who want to hire you) then it's not too difficult to get yourself the relevant working Visa. However, it must be recognised that your ability to effectively do business / deliver projects / run operations in Japan will be seriously enhanced if you are keen to integrate in to the wonderfully unique Japanese culture, which of course includes speaking the language. If I could give you one piece of advice, it would be take, or sign up to, a Japanese language course prior to even making a job application. The more you can learn, the better - but any basic level of ability to speak the language and base upon which to build, will not only better your career prospects, but will make integrating in to local society that little bit easier.

< Older Post Newer Post >

How to Cultivate the Next Generation of Data Centre Specialists

By Mission Critical • October 31, 2023

This is a subtitle for your new post

Know an Electrical Trade? Why a Data Centre Job Could Be Your Perfect Match

By Mission Critical • October 27, 2023

If you’re an electrician by trade, working in a data centre has fantastic benefits for you. Find out how to use your skills in this exciting industry.

Construction Salaries: Are You Paying Enough?

By Mission Critical • August 29, 2023

Are you paying your team enough? Money talks regardless of market conditions, and with the cost of living increasing, you can bet that salary is now the primary consideration for candidates and employees. As data centre recruitment in Australia is a niche and highly competitive market at the best of times, this is a question every employer must pay attention to. Several factors are placing upward pressure on construction salaries: the economic environment, record employment growth in the sector, and a strong pipeline for data centre projects that require specialist skill sets. Approximately 183,000 square kilometres of data centre construction is currently underway in Australia, according to CBRE data , with future growth linked to the rise of AI applications and gaming clouds. General inflation is also starting to bite. In 2023, the Avdiev Report forecasts salary increases between 1-5% slated for 70% of roles in the property sectors (including construction and project management), with pay rises of 6% and above for 30% of jobs. We’ll highlight the significant signs you’re not paying your team enough and what steps to take to avoid underpaying your employees. The Company Is Frequently Out Bid on Job Offers Does your organisation often find itself about to bring a candidate over the line with a shiny new job offer, only to find out at the eleventh hour that the candidate has chosen another role? Whether or not the candidate cites salary as the reason for turning down the offer, chances are that salary was the deciding factor. This proper preparation can help you avoid stumbling into this trap. Before recruitment starts, run a benchmarking exercise to compare the company’s salaries to the market average (or median), and what competitors are likely paying. If you need to argue for increasing salary budgets for critical roles, being armed with this data will help you make it. To access more in-depth salary trends that aren’t online, engaging an agency specialising in data centre recruitment in Australia will help. Recruiters are regularly privy to a range of relevant job descriptions, along with job offers and counteroffers, all of which are rich sources of market intelligence. Low Interest In Advertised Positions One of the common signs that you’re not paying your team enough appears at the front end of the recruitment process. While not all talent attraction challenges are linked to salary, pay does become critical wherever demand for specific skills or positions is high, and supply is limited. If your company would like more applicants for roles but isn’t finding them, consider whether your job ads have enough detail. Including the salary range in job ads can encourage more qualified people to apply while acting as an effective screening tool. Emphasising other perks, such as bonuses and non-salary benefits, is also essential for attracting good talent. Overall, it’s sensible to highlight the company’s generous remuneration and other great reasons to work there. Candidates will always compare positions based on competitive compensation and opportunities for growth. Staff Retention Is Poor Has the front door started to swing so much that it’s revolving? Poor retention can have more than one cause, but any uptick in resignations is a warning light that usually calls for evaluating current salaries. If employees are exiting the business within months of starting a new role or are being headhunted, these could be signs you’re not paying your team enough. Have your employees' roles and responsibilities evolved since their initial hiring? If their duties have expanded significantly without a corresponding salary increase, they are likelier to embrace a new role and score an instant pay rise. Word Is Getting Around If gossip about the company’s apparent stinginess is reaching the ears of management, that’s a vital clue that remuneration may be misaligned with the market. Rather than allowing negative talk to start driving away employees, getting in front of these concerns as quickly as possible is better. Listening to employee concerns and taking notes is a wise place to start addressing this issue. Employee satisfaction surveys and one-on-one conversations will help you gauge sentiment about salaries. These conversations can support pay reviews and help you take necessary steps to avoid losing valuable employees. Summary So, are you paying your team enough? While the answer can make managers uncomfortable, it’s always worth asking! Regularly reviewing pay and understanding trends influencing construction salaries will help you build loyal teams and spend less time on recruitment. For expert help with finding the right talent, salary advice and retention strategies, you may contact the friendly team at Mission Critical. As leading specialists in data centre recruitment in Australia, we can help you solve your talent problems and devise a pay strategy that ticks all the boxes. Check out our latest report here for in-depth salary trends relevant to data centre hiring.