Job Discussion Forums

markle · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Posts: 1316 Location: Out of Japan

Anybody doing, or know somone doing, something other than teaching to generate some extra income on the side? Perhaps not adhereing exactly to the letter of the law but not downright criminal.

making extra money would be nice but more than anything it will just be the satisfaction of doing something for/by myself

Most suggestions considered.

Celeste · Posted: Sat Nov 27, 2004 12:40 pm Post subject:

THere are foreign teachers who moonlight as bartenders, cocktail waitresses, hostesses, models, voice over artists, hairdressers, musicians, and probably a lot of other things as well. Most of the people that I know who have non-teaching part time work (under the table), work in bars. I also know a couple of guys who officiate at weddings. (the whole reverend get up with the robes and the collar)

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

Nismo · Joined: 27 Jul 2004 Posts: 520

Modelling, working in a club (no thank you!), working for an actual company (Bloomberg), translating, writing newspaper articles (Mainichi), scrapping JDM car parts from junkyards and selling them to an American audience on ebay.

There are a lot of things you can do besides teaching English, it's just much harder to break into those other lines of work than it is to land a teaching position.

TokyoLiz · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1548 Location: Tokyo, Japan

I've seen folks giving bilingual cooking lessons, doing handmade products, selling specialty import stuff here, exporting stuff via Ebay. All kinds of little sidelines to get into, depending on what you want to do.

azarashi sushi · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Posts: 562 Location: Shinjuku

It depends what other skills you have.

I've seen foreigners give English yoga classes.

But then that's still teaching, isn't it?

Nismo · Joined: 27 Jul 2004 Posts: 520

There are all of those Canadian people selling jewelery around Tokyo and Osaka. I don't really know how they ended up there, but all of them have the same story when I ask them about it: "I am saving up money to go back to Canada." Question

They must be either lying or have a great story to tell.

azarashi sushi · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Posts: 562 Location: Shinjuku

Nismo · Joined: 27 Jul 2004 Posts: 520

azarashi sushi · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Posts: 562 Location: Shinjuku

Big John Stud · Joined: 07 Oct 2004 Posts: 513

I know an Australian bartender here in Japan. He is actually the manager too. I can't believe how little regular bartenders and waitresses make. And yet most provide outstanding customer service!

bearcat · Joined: 08 May 2004 Posts: 367

It's also possible in addition to the wedding preacher deals to get gigs doing singing gigs as well for em.

There's some folks that run some web auctions/websites selling stuff from their home country to Japan and vice versa too.

wandering_al · Joined: 29 Nov 2004 Posts: 2 Location: Toronto

I was also curious about this. How about English language newspapers? Is it possible to get freelance work? I'm wondering about both writing and photography. Does anyone know if this is a possibility?

Nismo · Joined: 27 Jul 2004 Posts: 520

I have a friend who started work in Japan as a photographer for newspapers. It wasn't steady, though. He earned paychecks based on photos used.

R you serious · Joined: 19 Oct 2004 Posts: 6