Throwaway account. Currently I’m working as a stress/mechanical engineer for an aerospace company. I’ve been making plans moving to japan to work since I’ve always liked to migrate to Japan in the long term anyways. I’ve already studied Japanese and have passed JLPT N3, hopefully getting N2 eoy. It’s not anytime soon that I’ll be looking for one anyways but I’m preparing myself now for the better.
However I have some plans getting surgery in my in both my lower legs due to a minor complication I had when I was younger, it’s not anything serious but it will definitely improve my quality of life. From what doctors have told me the recovery can take from a year to two years on average, but only 6 months or so for bone to start fully consolidating and with physical therapy around a year to start walking with a walker. I’ll most likely just be using a walker after the first year and will be well on the road to full recovery by two years.
So my question is, **do JP companies view it negatively to have a gap year of a minimum of a year in your resume/CV due to medical reasons?** What about you applying when you have some temporary limited physical capacity like needing to a walker while recovering how would they view it? Since my plan is to get my surgery after I resign and start applying for work in Japan as soon as I can atleast be able to use a walker. I’m worried that if I take 2 years off for a full recovery that’s more of a negative. Any thoughts?
I can consolidate and do PT on my own after the first 6 months to max 1 year anyways, I’ll only need to come back during check ups and won’t take more than a day so I can atleast plan that.
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This is a copy of your post for archive/search purposes.
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**Taking a gap year for medical reasons before trying to go find work in Japan?**
Throwaway account. Currently I’m working as a stress/mechanical engineer for an aerospace company. I’ve been making plans moving to japan to work since I’ve always liked to migrate to Japan in the long term anyways. I’ve already studied Japanese and have passed JLPT N3, hopefully getting N2 eoy. It’s not anytime soon anyways that I’ll be looking for one anyways but I’m preparing myself now for the better.
However I have some plans getting surgery in my in both my lower legs due to a minor complication I had when I was younger, it’s not anything serious but it will definitely improve my quality of life. From what doctors have told me the recovery can take from a year to two years on average, but only 6 months or so for bone to start consolidating and with physical therapy around a year to start walking with a walker. I’ll most likely just be using a walker after the first year and will be well on the road to full recovery by two years.
So my question is, **do JP companies view it negatively to have a gap year of a minimum of a year in your resume/CV due to medical reasons?** What about you applying when you have some temporary limited physical capacity like needing to a walker while recovering how would they view it? Since my plan is to get my surgery after I resign and start applying for work in Japan as soon as I can atleast be able to use a walker. I’m worried that if I take 2 years off for a full recovery that’s more of a negative. Any thoughts?
I can consolidate and do PT on my own after the first 6 months to max 1 year anyways, I’ll only need to come back during check ups and won’t take more than a day so I can atleast plan that.
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One idea that might help: stay at your current company while you get the surgery. Then if that requires that you take (paid? unpaid?) leave from that company for medical reasons do so (while an employee).
Then you wouldn’t have the gap year problem?
I think the bigger problem is what kind of job you are applying for. I think you’re much more likely to get rejected because of the lack of job opportunities and language ability rather than the medical situation
Feels like people take gap years all the time here and have no problems getting back into the workforce. Dunno how much of a difference it makes if they’re taking a gap year after graduating or between jobs though. I know people who’ve done both. I quit my last job in the states and searched for work while essentially unemployed with some sporadic consulting gigs with my old co (read: same job but not as an employee for very short stints) for about 2 months, total of 8 months “unemployed” by the end of which I had two offers in Japan. Nobody was really concerned about the gap on my resume, though I did put “private consultant” as my latest experience with no end date on my resume. Also an engineer, if that helps.