Hi!
I moved back to my home country from the UK as the housing and cost of living crises were taking a toll on me, but being home is proving to be a different challenge.
I was looking at opportunities for artists abroad and came across Japan. I hold a master’s degree in Art History and have written for magazines and online publications, so I carry a diverse skill set. I just wanted to ask for any advice in getting a career within the field.
I came to the UK thinking that there were lots of opportunities for creatives there and was let down, very terribly. I want to prevent making the same mistake here.
Additionally, would you recommend learning the language completely before applying to jobs? Or would beginner’s level suffice, if I am intending to hone it further once I get there?
Thank you so much for any advice 🙂
1 comment
>Additionally, would you recommend learning the language completely before applying to jobs?
99.2% of citizens in Japan speak Japanese as their first language. It is estimated that less than 10% of Japanese citizens speak another language (and I’d be surprised if English was in the top 3 of those foreign languages).
So you’d really have to ask yourself what sorts of jobs would you be able to do if you’re unable to communicate with 90% of your potential customers/coworkers/managers. There are some jobs (such as mine) where no Japanese is required. But they are extremely rare and usually focused more in the IT realm with global firms.