Backhand compliments

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Backhand compliments Saturday July 29

At a team meeting on Friday, we were discussing a candidate we met Wednesday evening. My coworker and I conducted the interview, and not only are his qualifications good, but he is a nice guy.

While speaking good Japanese is not a prerequisite for working and living in Japan (and not teaching English), it certainly makes a big difference that makes a lot of things a lot easier. We always mention in our meetings what level of Japanese the foreign candidates speak; I brought up that we tested this candidate in the interview, and I thought he was quite capable. At the very least, I would say "business" Japanese, if not advanced.

My coworker (who is non-native Japanese, but fluent) added: "He's advanced-level. He's better than Mark,"

She said this totally deadpan, because she was absolutely serious, and then the conversation moved on.

Now, I know that I am by no means fluent in Japanese. There are still plenty of words I don't know, there are still plenty of times that I screw things up. However, to be reminded of that was a little bit rough. But at the same time -- to say that this guy is better than me, and at an advanced level -- that in and of itself is one kind of compliment.

I wrote on my resume when I applied for this job "Advanced spoken Japanese". Since starting this position, though, I have realized that I had been judging myself relative a "smaller pond", and when I compare myself to ex-pats who have been living in Japan for five years, I am by no means "advanced". I am about business-level, I think.

This is what it's all about: just when you think you've gotten good at something, it doesn't mean that. It just means you've outgrown the pond you were swimming in.