Hello.
I currently live in Japan as an ALT (starting my 4th year here) and I am posting this in hopes to see if there is any possible information that I can research in seeing what other jobs are available out there with some specificities.
I have some ideas on what I want to potentially do but I am curious if there is anyone who knows about video editing or article writing? Those especially have been my passion, but I was curious if there are any possible positions that don’t require Japanese? My Japanese isn’t quite there yet but I am still studying as much as I can. I would say I am more or less on the conversational level, as hard as it still is but I’m still working on it. I know that there are marketing positions like at Iwakuni Base for MCCS careers. I keep looking but no position has been open. I know there are other bases around Japan including Tokyo and Okinawa, but it has been hard to navigate where I could find certain positions in relation to editing and writing. If there is anyone who by chance knows how to navigate these kinds of jobs that would be much appreciated.
I have been debating about moving to another dispatch company, as questionable as they are, like Altia Central. It is not perfect but at least I have heard they are slightly better than most companies, even though I work for one of what is considered to be the better ones, which is Interac. This is mostly because my current location which is quite small. Hoping to one day move closer to a city type area so that I can potentially start networking with others that are close to my passions and goals.
There is of course moving back to the US which I have been considering, but I thought it wouldn’t to at least ask here if there is any possible information on opportunities. Regardless I will still keep looking. If anyone here needs any advice on the ALT life let me know. I would be more than willing to help out.
4 comments
> if there is anyone who knows about video editing or article writing
I dunno the job market but for article writing, how do you beat out generative AI?
If you’re okav with not pursuing your passion but rather money, wouldn’t investing in coding be better than Interac?
Got a truck license? Plenty of long haul truck work out there.
Maybe look into that.
Also, plenty of factory work out there.
Combined with some restaurant/combini/freelance English teaching and you could be living the dream.
/50%s
What sort of article writing did you have in mind?
You can always pitch international English language publications – freelance articles pay anywhere from $200-1500USD (or higher).
The only issue I see is that, I don’t know which SOR video editing and article writing falls under if there are companies that exclusively hire for that.
There may be marketing/technical writing jobs where those video editing/article writing skills come in handy, but of course you will probably have other responsibilities too, effective Japanese communication being one of them.