If you search on YouTube, there are a lot of videos made by foreigners living in Japan about how to get a job here. For some of you the contents of these videos might be rather funny than useful but we thought it might be interesting to see what job seekers actually think since they experience the process of finding a job in Japan first-hand. This one below looks funny at first but it's actually quite useful. A must-see video before you take an interview!
Recently in Phase 1 - Job Search Category
Now that summer holidays are over and it's time to get serious about finding a job (many people start to look for a new job in spring and autumn), we will introduce upcoming job fairs for foreigners or bilingual Japanese. Even if there isn't a particular job or position listed in which you are interested, it can be beneficial to join such job fairs in order to get some ideas about the current Japanese job market or about what skills you need to apply for a job.Here is a list of upcoming job fairs that will take place in Tokyo or Osaka.
7th Daijob Go Global Career Fair 2010Date: 2010/10/22Place: Shinjuku Center BuildingURL: https://www.daijob.com/en/cfair/eventmainThis job fair is hosted by Daijob, one of most well-known online job resources in Japan. This fair is open for all nationalities regardless of age or experience. Attendance is free of charge. See detail in the URL above.
Global LeaderInternational Job Fair for foreign students＜Tokyo Venue＞Date: 2010/12/11Place: Akiharaba UDXURL: http://www.jobfair.jp/jp/fair2010_tokyo.php＜Osaka Venue＞Date: 2010/12/18Place: Umeda Center BuildingURL: http://www.jobfair.jp/jp/fair2010_ohsaka.phpThese job fairs will be held in Tokyo and Osaka and are hosted by Global Leader, an online job resource for foreign students, powered by Vein Carry Japan Inc. They provide useful information for foreign students who want to work in Japan.
第１０回アジア人材 就職・転職説明会Date: 2011/2/26Place: Tokyo International ForumURL: http://asiajobfair.net/This one is for Japanese and foreigners who want to work in Japan or other Asian countries, scheduled to be held in the beginning of 2011. See details in the URL above (in Japanese).
As we mentioned in another article "What are the visa requirements for foreigners in Japan?", getting an appropriate visa is required for any foreigner who wants to work in Japan. We have collected some more resources below.
・Japan Work Learn Live Work visa process
・Hiragana Times Visa Information
・All about Teaching English in Japan Japan Visa Information & more
・japan-guide.com Immigration
This one is not about how to obtain an appropriate visa, but about who can work in Japan. The site also explains the Labor standards law ・外国人労働に関する知識 (Knowledge concerning foreign workers)
This site is for the students who want to change their visa status. ・在留資格の変更とは
Guide to Japanese visas by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.
As you may already know by now, the immigration process takes a long time, but it is an essential step to start working in Japan.
For those of you who need professional help, here is a list of Immigration lawyers' websites: ・Nito Immigration Lawyer's Office ,
Recently we have found (through Twitter) a very intresting website called ODesk. It is a website for freelancers looking for a job and companies looking for contract workers.
Companies can find qualified workers online and vice versa. Companies and freelance workers can work as a team online. They have an automated billing and payment system on the site and workers get paid for the time they worked. It seems like everything is done online and there are no cumbersome procedures. See this youtube video to explain how it works
If you're interested, click below for further details.
ODeskWe had previously mentioned that most Japanese companies still regard internships as a burden on their normal business operation and thus there are few companies around that offer internships on a regular basis. However, as we continued our research on the matter we have been able to identify some companies and organizations in Japan that accept interns or have done so at least once in the past. The information listed below is according to the German Academic Exchange Service website.
Here are a list of companies providing internships programs.
・Deutsche Bank AG ・Ebara Corp. ・Fair Trade Commission ・Fanuc Ltd. ・Fuji Research Institute Corp. ・Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. ・Gekkeikan Sake Co., Ltd. ・Haarmann, Hemmelrath & Partner ・Hazama Corp. ・Hitachi Ltd. ・Infineon Technologies Japan K.K. ・Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. ・Ito-Yokado Co., Ltd. ・The Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry ・Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. ・Kioicho Sohgo Law Office ・Kisho Kurokawa Architect & Associates ・Maki and Associates ・Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. ・Matsuzakaya Co., Ltd. ・Merck Ltd. ・Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) ・Mitsubishi Chemical Corp. ・Mitsubishi Corp. ・Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. ・Mitsui & Co., Ltd. ・Mizuho Bank, Ltd. ・Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd. ・Nagashima Ono Tsunematsu Anwaltskanzlei ・NASDA ・NASDAQ Japan, Inc. ・Patentanwaltskanzlei Yuasa ・Roland Berger & Partner Japan Ltd. ・Sanford Japan Ltd. ・The Sankei Shimbun ・Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. ・SAP Japan Co., Ltd. ・Shigeru Ban Architects ・Shiseido Co., Ltd. ・Siemens K.K. ・SKW East Asia Ltd. ・Sony Corp. ・Takenaka Corp. ・Tokyo Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS) ・The Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry ・Toshiba Corp. ・Toyota Motor Corp. ・Wella Japan Co., Ltd. ・Yanase & Co., Ltd. ・Yokogawa Electric Corp.
Source: German Academic Exchange ServiceIf you're German speaking and looking for a internship programs, click above for further details. Unfortunately there is no English page but it might also be good to apply directly to the companies.
We have introduced websites, books, and schools for studying Japanese before (see also: How to study Japanese, JLPT-The Japanse Proficiency Test). This time we're going to take a look at those useful websites for Japanese proficiency test study. There are plenty of Japanese-language learning sites specialized in JLPT created by foreigners who have already experienced JLPT.
Here is the list of the websites created for JLPT study.
Japanese Language Proficiency Test Vocabulary lists
MLC Japanese Language School in Meguro, Tokyo Japanese Lesson for English Speakers.Lots of Japanese Language Free Study Material, Download Work Sheets, Word Lists, Japanese Language Proficiency Test Aid, AV Learning Aid
Using a professional career support consulting service can be a good way to get to know your strong / weak points.
ei2 Career Support provides everything you need on your job search from resume consultation to interview coaching. They also hold group workshops that cover basic, hands-on techniques on one of the job search skills. Chief Consultant, Connie Sim, started her recruitment-related career with an employment counseling program in Canada. Later, she worked as a Recruitment Consultant at an agency specialized in seeking bilingual talents for foreign firms in Tokyo. Before joining ei2, she was the Recruitment Assistant Manager managing all recruitment needs of a global foreign IT consulting company in Tokyo. The interesting advices for job-seekers on the website originate from her wide experience in recruiting field. See Advice for job-seeker.
For further details, please check out their web site (The service is available for both Japanese and foreigners) .
We have said that it would be very difficult to find internships in Japan. Most of the very few Japanese companies who do accept interns still consider it as a burden on their normal business operation. Having said that, there are still some websites providing internship programs in Japan. As we get many inquiries about internships in Japan, we will introduce some of the websites.
KOPRA is the abbreviation of the German term "KOordinationsstelle fuer PRAktika" (International Internship Platform). It strives for improving mutual understanding between Europe and the region of East Asia through international internship exchange.This European organization provides free informational assistance about visa, housing, living costs etc. for companies and interns. This supporting system reduces the administrative load of internships from companies. The assistance also eases candidates' anxiety from moving abroad.Due to the financial crisis which has been spreading worldwide, it is now more difficult to find an intern job in Japan. Nevertheless, this organization seems to be still able to provide many internships. Check the website.
For students in the US, the American organization Intrax is a leader in work-based cultural exchange programs. Since 1980, Intrax has consistently delivered innovative quality programs through their dedication to operational excellence and outstanding participant experiences. For over 25 years, Intrax has been an official sponsor designated by the U.S. Department of State to administer the J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa program. They provide internship programs in Europe and Asia. There are still some jobs in Japan available for this summer. Hurry up and check the website!
The Pasona Internship Program is a non-profit organization which allows outstanding undergraduate and graduate students to participate in a two month internship at a Japanese company. The internship provides the student with valuable opportunities to learn Japanese business practices and to receive on-the-job-training. Since the start of the program in 1987, over 300 students have had the unique experience of working for a Japanese company.
The Labo Intern program offers young adults the opportunity to live and work in Japan for ONE YEAR. Labo is a family-based Japanese youth organization. Children in Japan between the ages of 3 and 18 join Labo in order to improve their English-language ability as well as to learn about other cultures and expand their personal horizons. Using international bilingual songs, stories and games from around the world, members learn about the world and about working with one another. Applicants must be at least 18 years old at the time of application, and may not be over 25. Applicants also must be citizens of the USA, Canada, New Zealand or Australia. Ten months are spent working in Labo offices throughout Japan. Responsibilities vary from district to district, and from person to person. Interns spend two months studying Japanese at Labo's NIHONGO Institute in Tokyo.
What is BJT?
The Business Japanese Proficiency Test (BJT, ビジネス日本語能力テスト) is a test administered by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) designed to objectively measure a person's proficiency at communication using Japanese in a business environment. From April 2009, the administrator of the BJT has changed from JETRO to the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation （日本漢字能力検定協会）.
The test is held twice a year. About 2 months later the results will be sent to the applicants.
The first part is the Japanese Listening & Reading Comprehension Test. All questions are multiple choice, a candidate must choose from four possible answers. It consists of three sections.
The second part is the Japanese Oral Communication Test. Only those candidates who score 530 or above in the first part of the test qualify to take the Oral Communication Test. This consists of two sections. The first is a 15 minute one-on-one interview between the candidate and the examiner, where the candidate's job is discussed along with topical business subjects. The second is a 15 minute role-play of various business situations.
The BJT score is from 0 to 800, and evaluated on a scale of six levels from J5 to J1+.
How to apply for the test
You can apply for the test online, or at convenience stores and bookstores. The examination voucher will be sent about 2 weeks before the test date. (See official website below)
Even the Immigration authorities refer to BJT scores to determine foreigners' eligibility for international student visas
The Immigration authorities use BJT (as well as JLPT) scores to determine foreigners' eligibility when they evaluate applications by foreigners entering Japan. (For example, BJT scores of 400 points or higher, you can enter a college or university in Japan) It is also utilized by many businesses and schools.
See official website of Business Japanese Proficiency Test:
Business Japanese Proficiency Test
This year's (2010) first application period ends May 14th, so those of you want to try out, be hurry!!
Internet jobsites for foreigners (in Japanese)
If you can read Japanese, try these Japanese websites for foreigners (please also see our articles "Internet job sites" and "Internet job sites 2, 3").
More English websites related to job search in Japan
Recently, there are plenty of internet job sites for foreigners in Japan. Some websites also include general information about everyday life issues in Japan. Here is a selection of job search-related websites. (please also see our articles "Internet job sites" and "Internet job sites 2")
Many of you might have known this website already. b-cause is a company specialized in introducing jobs to foreigners living in Japan. Foreigners from 82 countries that are registered at b-cause also offer multilingual services for Japanese companies.
Managed by: b-cause,Inc.
The company was founded by 7 students from abroad and became a profit organization in 2001. They provide not only job information but also information about everyday life in Japan such as how to call police, etc.
Managed by: b-cause,Inc.There is another jobsite called HIWORK to provide job information for foreigners living in Japan. I think the b-cause website is more focused on part-time jobs and temp staff jobs whereas HIWORK concentrates more on regular employment. They also run website for international exchange events.
Participating in meetings of chambers of commerce of your home country can be a good way to meet people. Although the membership fee is rather expensive, you might meet some important people from the companies you want to work for.
The list of foreign chambers of commerce in Japan
在日外国商工会議所リスト
This list is provided by The Tokyo Chambers of Commerce website
Foreign chambers of commerce and industry
Provided by FPCJ (Foreign Press Center in Japan)
There was a request by several job seekers who participated in the survey we conducted last summer. They asked for a list of foreign affiliated companies in Japan. We thought it would be useful information for many foreign job seekers in Japan. In fact, rather than just focusing on recruiting companies and publicly displayed job ads, direct contact i.e. an unsolicited application sometimes can be a successful way to approach a company. Even if it's not very common in Japan, this approach helps to avoid that the CV ends up in a pile of hunderts of other applications. Just make sure that you send it to the right person.
The list of foreign affiliated companies in Japan
There are probably too many foreign affiliated companies throughout Japan to list all of them, but the following lists should provide quite enough to begin with.
外資系企業一覧 Asahi-net
This is we consider the ultimate list of foreign affiliated companies in Japan provided by Asahi-net. Although it is written in Japanese, it has URLs of all companies listed.
Others
外資系企業一覧 Foreign-affiliated companies in Japan This website lists more than 1500 foreign affiliated companies and their country of origin.
Wikipedia 外資系企業一覧 Well-known Wikipedia's list (in Japanese) is rather limited, but you can get here some more objective information about the bigger international companies in Japan.
It could be. It takes time to come across job vacancies and postings that match your qualifications well. It takes time to spread the word that you are looking for a job.
But if you have already found several job postings for which you think you were qualified, for example 7 of them, and for each you carefully prepared an application and you have not received one single invitation to an interview then it might be time to reflect upon your application strategy and method.
Attend luncheons and seminars where there is free time to mingle with various people. Chances are that there are some headhunters around who are on the lookout for candidates.
Try to seek interaction with various kinds of people through your job (customers, suppliers, other organizations). If you are always behind a desk at the office, your exposure will also be limited.
Many of the job seekers say that there is no chance to work in Japanese companies if you don't speak Japanese fluently. In fact, most of the companies (even foreign companies) require native level or JLPT 2 or even 1 of Japanese ability unless you're an executive.
Continue reading JLPT-The Japanese-Language Proficiency Test.
Study by yourself
・Japanese text books
There are numerous Japanese text books for foreigners. Here's a list of popular Japanese text books.
1. JAPANESE FOR BUSY PEOPLE 1-3
The most popular Japanese text book for foreigners, Kana-version and Romanized version, CD-ROM included. Published by Kodansha International.
2. Minna no Nihongo みんなの日本語初級 (for elementary)
Japanese text book for elementary level. Published by スリーエーネットワーク, Japanese, English, Chinese version, and CD-ROM version are also available.
3. The hand book of Japanese verbs
A reference book for usage of verbs that you can use continually throughout your studying. Published by Kodansha International.
4. GENKI: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese 1-2
A text book for first-time students of Japanese, written in Japanese and English. Exercises with illustrations, very easy to understand. Published by Japan Times.
Continue reading How to study Japanese.
The importance of Japanese language skills varies significantly according to the position.
For example:
Foreign language teacher: minor importance
IT-related job: good to have but not always compulsory
Regular employee at Japanese company: very important
Executives with foreign companies: good to have but not always necessary
Continue reading How important are Japanese language skills?.
Apprenticeships and traineeships are common practice in the US and Europe but they are not in Japan. Therefore be forewarned: It will be very difficult to find something. Most of the very few Japanese companies who do accept interns still consider it as a burden on their normal business operation.
Any foreigner wanting to work in Japan requires an appropriate visa, full stop. That is the official line.
For further information please consult:
Create your own network by Networking websites
LinkedIn
URL: http://www.linkedin.com/
Managed by: LinkedIn Corporation
A website for interconnected network of over 39 million experienced professionals from around the world, representing 170 industries and 200 countries. You can join for free. Your network might give you an opportunities to find a new job!
Xing
URL: https://www.xing.com/
Managed by: Xing AG
A European version of LinkeIn? Over 7 million professionals use Xing. More popular in European countries than US.
Continue reading Others.
Your connections - Don't underestimate them
Many jobs vacancies are filled, many job seekers get successful through their own connections. Why? Because the people you know, already know you, meaning that there already exists some degree of trust in you and your abilities.
On the contrary, when you apply to a classified ad, you apply as a complete stranger to the company. In general, Japanese dislike dealing with strangers. They prefer to deal with people they already know or to be introduced to someone through a trusted acquaintance. Concretely, you might have difficulties for example when you place a "cold call" to an HR department of a company. They don't take time to answer your questions or worse don't take your application seriously. The situation changes completely, if the initial contact is established through a mutual acquaintance of the HR department and you.
Robert Walters
URL: http://www.robertwalters.com/en-jp/default.do
One of the largest international recruiting companies for professional bilinguals in Japan with offices in 18 countries. Note: they offer jobs overseas; the site also provides a salary survey for 18 countries.
Continue reading Job Agencies, recruiting companies.
Our experience has been that most job fairs catering to foreigners, try to target foreigners that are already studying in Japan and therefore have acquired advanced language skills.
Global Leader 2010
URL: http://www.jobfair.jp/jp/
Managed by: Vein Carry Japan Inc.
Vein Carry Japan constantly holds job fairs for foreign students who want to work in Japan. Their December and March job fairs held in Akihabara was featured in several newspapers and magazines. For further information and future schedule please see the website.
Continue reading Job Fairs.
Not surprisingly advertising has been shifting steadily from print to electronic media. The same holds true in terms of job openings. Companies prefer having a classified ad "published" for several days on the net, instead of just one day in a newspaper. Despite this overall trend, listing job openings online is rather costly for employers, particularly when using job sites as mentioned in the previous section. Therefore employers might still prefer print media when seeking candidates for certain types of jobs just to keep their recruiting expenses down.
Newspapers
The Japan Times - Monday print edition + online
The Japan Times Monday edition used to be the print media of choice for many companies and job seekers alike. In 2008, the Japan Times upgraded their online site "jobfinder" reflecting the overall trend of posting job openings online.
Keep in mind that for a normal sized job posting companies receive between 10 to 100 applications. That means your chances of securing a job have to be seen in this context. For more information, on how the job process looks like from the employers' point of view see... the "other side".
Continue reading Newspapers & free publications.
Based on our research and experience we have tried to put together the most important online resources available for foreign job seekers in Japan. A word of caution: In our opinion many job openings are not listed online making the other resources indispensable.
Daijob, Inc. (work in Japan.com)
URL: http://www.daijob.com/en/
Managed by: Human Resocia Co., Ltd.
Daijob describes itself as Japan's largest bilingual jobs web site. Daijob has job postings submitted by companies seeking candidates as well as recruiting agencies. Over the years their site and the number of hits it attracts has grown substantially so make sure to check it out. It gives you a feeling of what kinds of positions are currently available and the approximate salary levels.They also have 2 recruiting services: Daijob Consulting, Daijobu Haken, 2 other job information sites: Daijob New graduates, Daijob 中国 which provide job information for students, newly graduates, and job seekers in China or Japanese people who want to work in China. Over 2000 people come to the bilingual Job fairs the company constantly holds.
Continue reading Internet Job sites.
At the beginning of each job search it makes sense to spend some time thinking about what kind of resources are available to facilitate it. Not surprisingly resources available differ according to country. For example even though Japan is very much Internet driven, the non-Internet based resources are sometimes as or even more important. We want to make sure that you get a good grasp of what kind of resources are available for foreigners in Japan so that you can start your job hunting on the right tracks!
Resources (info, links & even more)
・Newspapers & free publications
It is important to gain a thorough understanding of the above options in the local context i.e. the Japanese job market. For example, what are "the" newspapers to consult when searching for jobs in Japan? Which online sites are helpful in Japan?
What is more, it helps to know that although the basic search options might be the same as in your home country, the weight of these options can be different. For example, print media continues to be an important job search route in Japan. That means you would be limiting your own options if you only consult online resources.
Another difference to many countries is the proliferation of temp agencies in Japan. Most big corporations use temp agencies to cover some of their personnel needs because they want to keep the number of full-time employees low. Therefore, when looking for jobs in Japan, even foreigners should not completely write off this option.
Japan has many jobs to offer foreigners, in various sectors and at different levels. It is estimated that foreigners make up roughly 1% of the total Japanese workforce with the number and percentage increasing steadily.
They work as language teachers, entertainers, convenience shop attendants, market researchers, IT professionals, expatriates in senior positions and last but not least in top management with Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Nissan Corporation, being one of the most visible and celebrated example. The list of jobs carried out by foreigners is almost endless but let's look at some of the job opportunities in more detail.
・Foreign Salaried Employees
・IT professionals
・R&D positions
・Language teachers
・Convenience shop attendants and waiters/waitresses
・Others: Expatriates
Continue reading What kinds of jobs are available to foreigners in Japan?.
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