Apparently some Tokyo IT Headhunters have a sense of humour – judging by the “Pre Great Depression 2 Party” email I got from one I know quite well.

It’s been a challenging 2008 for him and others here as many “Gaishikei” (foreign companies) have frozen both temp and permanent IT hiring plans. Ouch!

Seems like 2009 is already shaping up to be a backdrop for something like that Monty Python’s “Always look on the bright side of life” sketch.

Still, I considered it my professional duty to at least support and encourage him and a group of mostly gaijin IT workers in a Tokyo watering hole on Saturday evening.

Of course, in the spirit of our future barter economy (joke?!) I was willing to trade career coaching wisdom for quality liquid refreshments. (These days, 2 pints and I’m just about done for the night!)

As a warmup to that “session” (and I was home before 11pm, honest!) I also caught up with some former IT colleagues at a Tokyo fish restaurant, Friday evening.

Can you name the yellow-ish ‘fish’? (see ‘pps’ below)
(the hot wasabi is the green paste bottom right and just above that’s fresh ginger)

I remembered to take my camera along and got a couple of snaps – on my social media to-do list is creating a Flickr account so I can share more of them.

- Mark McClure

PS – The $29.40 Laser Focus career consulting session special offer for blog email subscribers has finished.

I‘m now running a 48 hour special for all blog visitors until midnight Thursday 18 December, Japan time.
Get 1 of 5 Laser Focus sessions available for just $89.50 – that’s 50% off the standard price of $179. (not $147 as I mentioned in a previous post).

Updated 19 December 01:17 hrs – this special offer is now finished.
The Laser Focus session is available for $179 – please see techcareerzigzag.com for details.

PPS – The ‘yellow-ish’ fish is Japanese sea urchin – ‘uni’ which I cannot eat. I liked everything else on that dish.
Here’re some photos from the Uoshin Fish Restaurant.

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