***Question:***
What is advice or experience you guys have on finding jobs in Japan while in another country?
***Context:***
I’m currently an exchange student in Japan living in Japan under a 1 Year 3 Months Student Visa and I came here on the programme to figure out if I wanted to live in Japan long term. Long story short, **I do**. Big reason is I suffer from a **chronic certain health condition** that makes it quite difficult to live in Australia, where I’m born from. In Japan, I simply **do not experience said health condition**, or rather it’s so minor, it’s as though it doesn’t exist at all.
On top of that, the life style matches me, I’m mentally healthy guy, I have a lot of friends in Japan (and a big support network), and I simply love Japan for what it is. Yea, the bureaucracy is ridiculous, salaries are low, the economy ain’t so hot, work culture is a hit and miss and there are many imperections I acknowledge.
In Australia, I study IT and specialize in Cybersecurity, go to a good university, and have a decent support network. I acknowledge that in Australia, my opportunities are plentiful, salaries are high, and support from the government in plentiful. But if my health is going to be at jeporady year round in Australia and I struggle to even live life normally, I’ve come to the conclusion that Japan is where I can live a better life! Basically, Australia is great, Japan would be better!
Since I’ll be here, I thought about searching for a job here while I’m studying. The only issue with this, is I must return to Australia to complete a semester (3 months) of university to wrap up my degree. It’s also under my scholarships’ contract to return to Australia. I understand having a university FIRST and foremost is an incredibly important certification when being looking for a job in Japan, so, gotta do that. My Japanese level isn’t the best, I’d say I hover around N4 closer to N3 currently (I need to do the test though).
That leaves me in Australia next year, trying to figure out how I could plan about moving to Japan long-term, in Australia. I understand this is not easy, but I’m willing to take up this challenge.
Of course in that time that I’m figuring out how to move in 2025, I do plan on continually building my IT experience.
***My current thoughts/ideas:***
1. My thoughts are that I need to get my foot in the door, so immediately, I thought about the English Teaching as a stepping stone to help first get in Japan then start searching for jobs under my actual degree. I actually love teaching and I was always passionate about english! (no matter the level), so I don’t mind going the JET Programme route.
2. There is the other option of joining an international/japanese comapany in Australia, and try to transfer to Japan that way. This to me, relies a little to heavily on chance and there is a chance that I won’t even get a transfer even if I do join.
3. Another idea I have is, finding a job directly by applying from Australia, can’t say I know how well this would work.
4. Last idea I have is make as many connections as I possibly can, find out more about people in the IT industry here, and bank on those connections to help me get my foot in.
5. Get married to Japanese woman!!! (this is a joke)
Are there any other opportunities I haven’t thought about? If any of what I seems to hopeful/overly naive, I’m open to any feedback and thoughts! 🙂 Apologies if I made any mistakes writting this, it’s pretty late at night 😛
by yoshihi-ko
3 comments
Hi!
I dont have any advice on the job front, but your health issue got me interested. I experienced something similar but far less debilitating – allergies! I had the worst allergies before my year long stay in Japan. That was back in 2012 and they have never gotten that bad since.
Anyway. If you can, take some time to figure out possible tiggers for your health. Did you cut out something from your diet, perhaps its humidity related, or something else entirely.
It probably won’t be as perfect as being in Japan, but hopefully it makes your mandatory return to Australia a bit easier.
I wish you luck on your journey!!
1. is statistically unlikely. You would be spending time doing things unrelated to your career further pushing you away from your goal. If you want to teach English, go for it but keep in mind, the longer you do it, the more entrenched you get into it. While I think English teaching is a noble career, Japan won’t share your exuberance in that field as indicated by typical English teaching salaries.
2. by far a better option than 1. You will just have to see how likely it is you can transfer internally based on each companies policy.
3. Should be no different than finding a job here. Usually by now people can do online interviews. Although this works more for mid career hires so you might have to work 3 to 5 years before this becomes a viable route.
4. It never hurts to do so.
It is actually not necessary to have finished your degree to do job hunting for new graduate positions in Japan.
IIRC, most Japanese students do their job hunting before graduation.
My foreigner friend was in a similar situation, attended one of the overseas career forums before graduation and was able to get an offer (of course under the condition that he finish university by a specific date).
Mu advice is to do job hunting in Japan before graduation.
If an employer is interested in you, they will accommodate for you graduation in your home country.