Why Career Goals Don’t Matter In Japan: Understanding the Japanese Salaryman’s Mindset


Understanding the Japanese Salaryman’s MindsetI started my career at a large commercial bank in Japan. Shortly after I received the offer, the HR manager asked me which department I wished to work in. Naturally, I told him my preference: the venture capital division.

WRONG ANSWER!

I was sent to a different department, without receiving an explanation for that decision. I later discovered that the correct answer should have been a similar response to this: