Advice on getting a manager level job in Japan outside the conventional sectors (Education & IT)

8 comments

1. This is a copy of your post for archive/search purposes.

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   **Advice on getting a manager level job in Japan outside the conventional sectors (Education & IT)**

   Hi All,

   I’m looking at moving to Japan with my partner in late 2024, I currently work as an EHS Manager at a dairy company in Europe. My Japanese is poor so I know it would be difficult to get a job in my current role. The plan would be to work full time or part time as an English teacher to practice my Japanese until I’m confident with business level Japanese (I understand this will take a few years).

   Does anyone have experience with moving to Japan with a little Japanese to eventually get a job in their field? What did you do to get your Japanese level?

   Any advice is appreciated!

   *Background*
   Fluent English
   5 years experience in field
   28 years old with university degree

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2. English “teaching” is not going to help you at all. Truthfully, it will work against you. Who goes from a career oriented job to minimum wage customer service? People that have no other options.

   You probably won’t learn Japanese working at those places because they usually ban their employees from using Japanese.

   ​

   Honestly, you are going to have to be a bit more open. The field you are in is domestic and really doesn’t need foreigners aside from maybe farm hands. The best option you have is go to language school first and then be willing to work your way back up. Another option would be to search in your native language, English isn’t special here.

3. The best way to do this is by working your way up a company overseas that has offices in Japan and then transferring down the line when you are in a higher role.

   Just moving to Japan with no experience or knowledge of Japanese and landing a job is basically impossible outside of the areas you mentioned

4. > My Japanese is poor so I know it would be difficult to get a job in my current role.

   Even if you had business-level Japanese, why would a JP employer hire you over domestic talent?

5. You have nothing to offer in the way of specialty skills… Even with Japanese you won’t be selected over a Japanese person. English teaching won’t teach you Japanese.

   If you want to work in Japan outside of English teaching then you need to skill up in a specialist skill set such as programming.

6. If you’re not a native English speaker, the “teaching” in Japan plan is out of the question for you. It’s rare to get hired as immigration and locals have a fixation on native speakers only.

   As mentioned you’re very unlikely to get a manager level job just like that, most people get to those positions either through working with a company for ages or transferring within a multinational company.

   Either way 100% business Japanese is needed, and for a complete beginner who is not a genius language learner, I’d say a minimum of 3 years will be required. Longer if only part time.

7. >moving to Japan with a little Japanese to eventually get a job in their field?

   Go the Japanese employment websites and see the **exact** Japanese job requirements ^{which ^look ^fairly ^hopeless ^for ^you} .

   * https://www.glassdoor.com/Job/japan-ehs-manager-jobs-SRCH_IL.0,5_IN123_KO6,17.htm

   >The plan would be to work full time or part time as an English teacher

   English teaching will be a résumé black hole for you. Yes, you will *eventually* learn Japanese but your EHS managerial skills will be out of date and Japanese environmental health and safety knowledge will be close to zero.

   Additionally, Japan’s dairy industry is truly cursed, so it does not attract the best and brightest—It will no fun working with the deeply [declining industry](https://www.thebullvine.com/news/japanese-dairy-farm-numbers-fall-60-in-20-years/)’s dinosaurs.

8. I would recommend an intensive language program over English teaching, only because it can be really hard to learn and transition into speaking Japanese while in the English teaching bubble.

   If you went to language school as your main activity (student visa), you could still work up to 28 hours a week in the evenings if you wanted extra cash. It’s a LOT harder to get into English teaching/tutoring if you’re not a native speaker since that’s how a lot of places screen applicants.