Job Discussion Forums

housenuts · Joined: 17 Feb 2009 Posts: 8

I want to head to Japan in the next month or two. I'm 27 with a bachelor of arts, history major. I did a few linguistics/esl electives, but no formal training.

I have about $5,000 saved up so I have some money to get on my feet.

What's the job situation like in Japan. If I were to just fly there, get a place in a hostel for a bit, while scoping out the job scene, would I be able to get some work easily enough?

Would somewhere like Korea be better? I'm not overly concerned about saving money while I'm there, but I'd like to at least break even. I wouldn't say I live an extremely frugal lifestyle and could see myself often going out and eating out.

I assume most apartments/living quarters would have internet. This is pretty important as I do some side-work on the internet.

Thanks!

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

March is the peak hiring time here, because most jobs start in April, whether they be in public schools (for ALTs from dispatch companies) or eikaiwas. You have enough money to support yourself, and you are thinking of roughly the right length of time it will take to get a job, but your timing is a bit off. There will be jobs in a couple of months, but far reduced to what there are at this moment.

If you haven't heard, Japan is not only in a serious recession, but the job market is flooded with teachers and wannabes, so competition is high. Plan ahead seriously before touching ground here.

housenuts · Joined: 17 Feb 2009 Posts: 8

I read about the recession. Does that mean if I were to arrive in a couple weeks, I'd be unlikely to get a job?

housenuts · Joined: 17 Feb 2009 Posts: 8

I just took a look at flight's from Vancouver to Tokyo and one-way is even cheaper than I thought. Without even looking around at all I found one that is under $600.

I'm really thinking of just flying there. Would I be better off getting a working holiday visa or would a tourist visa be ok and if I find a job I could take a flight over to Korea and get a proper working visa?

I'm just scared of flying there and being unable to find any sort of work. I'm a 6'5" white man. Does this make me more desirable in Japan?

thanks all

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Pelham · Joined: 05 Mar 2009 Posts: 9

Isn't it possible to secure a job before coming to Japan?

ripslyme · Joined: 29 Jan 2005 Posts: 481 Location: Japan

basilbrush · Joined: 23 Feb 2009 Posts: 61

Go for it, what's the worst that could happen?
I got here 3 weeks ago on a Wednesday, and had found a job and signed a contract by the following Monday.
Stay in a guest house, it'll be way cheaper than a hostel.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

I don't know if it's easier or better to try getting a job if you are outside Japan. Depends.

If you are not a native English speaker, it will be hard no matter where you are.

Assuming you have the minimum requirements for a work visa, it may also depend on what your timeframe is. JET takes applications only once a year and interviews in Feb for Aug start dates. If you can't wait, there you go.

If you go with the handful of places that interview in your home country (native speakers, that is, but not all of those countries have such interviews), then you would not have to pay support to live here and hunt. You'd be in the security of your own country. But, yes, there would be fewer opportunities that way.

Come, and pay for it financially.
Stay home and pay for it in other ways.
Already live abroad, and circumstances will vary, but either of the 2 options above are probably better odds than hoping for a phone interviewer.

Pelham · Joined: 05 Mar 2009 Posts: 9

Ok this question may sound dumb, but I have to ask... after you get off the plane, how do you go about looking for a job?

Most newcomers probably don't speak Japanese yet. I don't. After you find your hotel/hostel, do you use internet job boards to find positions in your locality and then go interview in person?

If so, any recommendations on websites to find these jobs that only hire in person?

ripslyme · Joined: 29 Jan 2005 Posts: 481 Location: Japan

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

robertokun · Joined: 27 May 2008 Posts: 199

The one thing that confuses me the most about this topic, is the work visa.

Basilbrush goes to Japan and lands a job and signs the papers in a week (congats), but I thought work visas take like months to get. Are you allowed to work while your visa is being processed? Can you get a gaijin card before your work visa is completed? I know you don't get paid usually for about 6-8 weeks after starting anyway, but the timing of all this seems a little complicated. On top of all that, I thought that until recently, getting work visas in country wasn't even an option.

Pretty curious about all this since I was about to hop on a plane and just go for it, but started getting cold feet when thinking about the logistical nightmare it could be, especially if you don't find something. Having experience and qualifications, I thought I might be safer (and perhaps better) going through recruiters.

It would help to be better informed about the visa timetable/process, so I don't wait nine months for an eikaiwa chain to drag their feet to bring me over like I did the first time I went to Japan years ago.

edit:

just saw the thread "Clarification on Visas (sorry for repeat)" which is related, but would still like to hear more, and maybe hear from basilbrush again about how it works for him/her.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

robertokun,
Until about 3 years ago, people usually had to leave the country to finalize the processing of their visa if they applied for it while in Japan. Since then, however, most people (the vast majority) have been able to complete everything without having to leave.

Some people will tell you that as long as you have a "pending" stamp in your passport for the visa application, you can work on it. Immigration will probably not give you a straight answer, and that's understandable considering one does not have the visa in hand at that time. You take a risk -- a risk of working with an employer who may pay you lower than usual wages (because you aren't completely legit yet, they will say, or just because you are on probation).

Normally, visa applications take 4-8 weeks to process. It can take a shorter time. Depends on a zillion undefined factors that are out of everyone's control.

Apparently, there may be a difference in converting one's status to work visa depending on nationality, as we've seen on some recent threads. Seems silly to me, but not surprising. If you are not British, I wouldn't worry about it. If you are British, I'd complain to the British consulate and hope / ask for change.

Want to avoid all the hassles? Get hired before you arrive, and stay home until you get the COE and work visa.