Passed on to us by JET Alumnus Amir Bahrami.

Okaya (USA), Inc. (https://www.okaya-usa.com/), the US subsidiary of Okaya Kouki (http://www.okaya.co.jp/en/index.html), one of Japan’s oldest trading companies, is currently looking for a promising candidate to join us in as an outside Sales Representative at our Lexington (KY) branch. As you will be working daily with a large number of Japanese customers and coworkers, Candidates with medium to high Japanese proficiency are preferred (JLPT N1/2/3 or equivalent). While experience working for or with Japanese companies is a plus, Okaya has previously hired JETs upon immediate return to the US and currently employs 3 former JETs (including myself). Any familiarity to with the Japanese automotive industry, logistics, or International Trade is a huge plus. Working for a Japanese trading company is a job quite unlike any other, as you will be responsible for maintaining customer relationships and selling products to and for a wide array of companies across many industries. Outside sales representatives will be expected to travel significantly in their local area, visiting current and potential customers regularly to build relationships and introduce our wide array of products. Strong self-motivation, flexibility, and a desire to learn new skills to adapt to everchanging market and economic conditions are traits that are highly prized in this field of work. Trading companies provide value to their customers not only through product sales, but also through project management and other value-added activities, so a strong “all-around” candidate will be highly prized. Feel free to let us know about any special skills or experience you may have as they can always prove to be an asset.

After resume submission and initial contact, interviews will be available via Skype or at our Lexington, KY location. Relocation support will be provided for successful candidates if needed.

Compensation will be based on experience and competitive within the industry. Full benefits (health, 401k, gym, commuting assistance, etc) are included as part of the standard compensation package for all full-time employees after the initial trial period. Okaya offers many other benefits as well, including tuition reimbursement and memberships for online training courses in fields related to your work. This is not a commission-based sales job, though performance is always evaluated and rewarded through bonuses and promotions.

Please feel free to direct any questions or resume submissions to my work email account: (abahrami@okaya-usa.com) After review, you can be expect to be contacted by HR staff from our Chicago headquarters or managers at the local branch. Before submission I will be glad to answer any questions you may have about our company and my experiences here as a fellow JET. During your HR interview you can expect to field some basic questions about Incoterms and trade related topics, so as a personal tip I recommend reading up on them a little bit beforehand.

I joined Okaya USA in late 2016 after my return from 3 years of teaching in Fukushima-ken and have enjoyed my coworkers and working life. I think that trading companies like Okaya offer returning JETs an excellent opportunity to quickly become involved in Japanese business, make use of their Japanese skills on a daily basis, and grow as a professional. As Okaya USA is also making it a priority to grow their local US talent base, we look forward to having more US-based JETs joining our team.