hey guys, i just had some questions about jobs in Japan... I'll be moving there in several years once i finish my Bachelor's degree in Japanese Language and Literature and I was wondering if you guys could give me some good job advice for when I plan to move over there. I am trying to explore all the routes that I could go... I've considered the Navy, US Embassy, English teacher, or straight up working for a Japanese company... There seems to be several options but I wonder which one is really best for me... Does anyone know anything about working at the US Embassy in Japan and how hard it is to get a job there etc.? Well, any advice would be great...thanks!!

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Rather than decide where you want to work and then try to figure out what you want to do, why not figure out what you want to do first, then try to figure out what your options are for doing it in Japan?

If you want to work at the US Embassy, that requires entry into the US Foreign Service, and placement is up to them, not you. Postings are 3 years, IIRC, and can be pretty much anywhere in the world they feel like sending you. Getting in is hyper-competitive, and if you want more info, check out the US Dept of State website.

I'm sure Nukemarine could tell you how he wound up in Japan, and maybe he could give you more info about the Navy.

If you want to do the English language teaching thing, the best way to do it is probably through the JET Program, offered through the Japanese Government, and get a job as an ALT (assistant language teacher.)

Or if your Japanese is excellent, you can apply for a job as a CIR (which is like a cultural liason), and not get treated as a human tape recorder.

I think the best way to approach it, however, is to have a good long think about what it is you *want* to do for a living for the next 5-7 years, and then figure out a way to do it in Japan, rather than get pigeonholed in one of the generic "foreigner" jobs over there, because your aim is pretty wide there.

well if you consider the JET programme, only 25% of applicants get accepted (I think). plus you can only do it for 5 years. but it does have a lot of benefits compared to other teaching jobs.

anyway I found this site very informative about teaching and living in japan
http://www.all-about-teaching-english-in-japan.com/

Who would even want to live as a human tape recorder in a city not of their choosing (read: 田舎) for mediocre pay for more than 5 years? People enter JET to avoid having to deal with building a career, it is not a career itself.

A lot of Japanese would like to know how to find a job in Japan these days.

One now sees a completely different group of people apparently reduced to チラシ stuffing. I see women of middle child-bearing age doing it now. That would have been unthinkable not so long ago.

Jarvik7 Wrote:Who would even want to live as a human tape recorder in a city not of their choosing (read: 田舎) for mediocre pay for more than 5 years? People enter JET to avoid having to deal with building a career, it is not a career itself.

And who said having a "career" has to be the primary goal of one's life?

I work for the FBI, make excellent pay with excellent benefits, and will be applying for JET at the end of this year. Life isn't all about money and career status.

activeaero Wrote:And who said having a "career" has to be the primary goal of one's life?
I work for the FBI, make excellent pay with excellent benefits, and will be applying for JET at the end of this year. Life isn't all about money and career status.

If you want to do it, it's fine. It's a way to get in the country and live care free for a few years. There is a reason so many long term ESL teachers are bitter though. They get no respect, their job involves no skill, it's incredibly dull, the pay is bad, you don't get to choose where you live (which usually ends up being the middle of nowhere), the students don't progress since the curriculum is fundamentally flawed, and you don't leave with any marketable skills after you are done your term.

There is a few year maximum limit on it, but my point was that very few would want to do it for more than that anyways. If you are quitting the FBI because you have a genuine interest in teaching, then you are better off doing ESL in your home country, or doing it independently in Japan.

I got a job going through recruitment agencies. They're much better at communicating with the employer and arranging interviews. If you try and do that yourself with a resume and a letter, I think you'll find it difficult.

If you've got a Bachelor's degree in Japanese language and literature, then presumably you can speak and write in Japanese. You should get help from Japanese friends and write two resumes. One should be in a traditional Japanese style (rirekisho) and one should be in a western style, explaining what your qualifications and experiences mean in Japanese. Then you should prepare answers for questions you'll get in interviews. "Why do you want to work in Japan?", "Why are you interested in our company?" etc. You should know these answers by heart.

That's what I did and it worked.

Jarvik7 Wrote:

activeaero Wrote:And who said having a "career" has to be the primary goal of one's life?
I work for the FBI, make excellent pay with excellent benefits, and will be applying for JET at the end of this year. Life isn't all about money and career status.

If you want to do it, it's fine. It's a way to get in the country and live care free for a few years. There is a reason so many long term ESL teachers are bitter though. They get no respect, their job involves no skill, it's incredibly dull, the pay is bad, you don't get to choose where you live (which usually ends up being the middle of nowhere), the students don't progress since the curriculum is fundamentally flawed, and you don't leave with any marketable skills after you are done your term.

There is a few year maximum limit on it, but my point was that very few would want to do it for more than that anyways. If you are quitting the FBI because you have a genuine interest in teaching, then you are better off doing ESL in your home country, or doing it independently in Japan.

So what you're saying is that it is just like 95% of the jobs most people have lol? For every bitter JET there is one that has enjoyed the experience immensely, same goes with most jobs I've found.

But don't worry I'm extremely well read up on JET and what it entails. I have no delusions as to what the job will be like, which I think is 99% of the problem for most who have issues in the program. I won't be doing it for useful work experience or for career gratification. My FBI experience will take care of that when it comes resume time for other work.

I simply want to experience a different culture in a relatively stress free manner (at least compared to my current job or working for a Japanese corporation) while maybe helping to inspire a few children along the way.

But yes I'll agree that for *most* people the JET program probably isn't going to do for them what they think it will. If you're going into it as some sort of career builder or under delusions that you'll become the god of ESL instruction then yeah you probably need to stop and think about it a little harder lol.

Jarvik7 Wrote:

activeaero Wrote:And who said having a "career" has to be the primary goal of one's life?
I work for the FBI, make excellent pay with excellent benefits, and will be applying for JET at the end of this year. Life isn't all about money and career status.

If you want to do it, it's fine. It's a way to get in the country and live care free for a few years. There is a reason so many long term ESL teachers are bitter though. They get no respect, their job involves no skill, it's incredibly dull, the pay is bad, you don't get to choose where you live (which usually ends up being the middle of nowhere), the students don't progress since the curriculum is fundamentally flawed, and you don't leave with any marketable skills after you are done your term.

This is beautifully succinct truth. I wonder if you had to go through the ALT grinder to find that out, or if second hand experience can really paint that picture so clearly.

I guess I should have added that my wife is Japanese (no visa problems) and I intend on staying long-term in Japan... My real life interests lie in otaku culture (gaming in particular) but I wonder how hard it would be to find a job in that... I've heard jobs in gaming don't pay that much and are pretty demanding... I was trying to be a little more realistic with myself about what real decent job opportunities lie out there... I have a real love for the Japanese language as well (as do most people on this website) and I just thought to myself is there any kind of jobs teaching Japanese to foreigners who visit Japan? it would make a nice change from teaching English i'm sure... maybe I could get a job as some type of college professor over there? I don't know...

If you want a non-language related job, you have a challenge ahead of you. You not only have to be (a lot) better than the Japanese applicants for the job (to give them an excuse to deal with any imagined cultural problems), you need to have excellent language skills. All that for bad pay.

The manga and anime industries are in a real crunch right now too according to an article I read a few weeks ago.

As for teaching Japanese in Japan.. If I was a foreigner who came all the way to Japan, I'd damned well want a native teaching me

Jarvik7 Wrote:If you want a non-language related job, you have a challenge ahead of you.

This is very true from everyone I've talked to regarding the matter. If you want something outside of ESL/bar tending/grunt level type work you really need to be on your "A" game as they say. If you don't already have a good resume built up before you come to Japan I would think long and hard about what you plan on doing when you get here to make sure you aren't mixing fantasy with reality.

That being said, as is true anywhere, it is all about about how you position yourself in the market via connections you establish. If you're a person that isn't scared of making moves and thinking outside of the box then there is almost always work to be found. You just have to get out there and meet people, people, and then even more people....and when you're tired of doing that go and talk to a few more just to be sure. And then you do the most important thing of all, FOLLOW UP ON IT, regardless of how "slim" you perceive your chances to be.

If that isn't your thing and you're only comfortable dealing with the standard "system" of finding employment (classifieds, agencies, etc) then you are letting the "system" call the shots.

This is also why, IMO strong opinion at least, one should not move over there until they have established a relatively large amount of savings. If you are going there by choice there is no reason you can't save up at least several months worth of living expenses before leaving. This is important as it will allow you time to build up some connections so you don't get stuck in the "OMG I just need to get ANY job so I can pay bills!". I plan on taking enough savings to last me at least a year without having to have any job. Yes I know it is impossible to stay there a year without a job as the government will simply not allow it, but it will provide the piece of mind that I won't have to run out and find a job immediately if/when the situation arises.

First thing is to always watch "The Last Lecture" on Google. Apply that mindset to going to Japan. I wanted to go to Japan and I did. That happened in the Marine Corp, it happened in the Navy, it will happen again in the Navy and it'll happen after I retire.

A lot of things that are there saying "This is hard, this is not likely" are there to stop those that don't really want it enough. If you want to work in Japan, you will work in Japan. It will likely be doing something you like, or it will morph into that.

In addition, when things change and you don't get exactly what you want, life has a way presenting options that work for you. Like in my case, I'll be working in Africa for a year. However, I'll have Internet, study materials, study time and a small local Japanese group to talk to. I will learn more Japanese this year than year making twice as much money and doing less work. Gotta love karma.

Personally I'm doing the same route as Khazu. Bachelors degree in software engineering (not really, but a Swedish special form of it) then going for a real Japanese job. I'm expecting to need experience and better language skills but he and tons of others has proven that getting a job in the IT business in Japan is relatively simple for westerners. Just like they expect us to act odd in a cultural sense, they expect us to have special expertise. Is either of those true? Probably not.

While wanting to move to Japan is an awesome goal, you might want to set your sights on something a bit more specific. A degree in Japanese literature and language will be difficult to apply directly to a job or career.

If you are going to do any work outside of the English education sphere, being able to speak Japanese and operate in a Japanese working environment will be a necessity rather than a "skill" that you have compared to others. You will also need some sort of technical skill or profession if you want to work in an office. You mentioned working at the Embassy, but what does someone with a literature degree have that would appeal to those interviewing? A degree in political science or international relations might go a lot further with that route.

I don't mean to discourage you at all. I hope you get out here and have a great time. But you might want to think more about what kind of work you want to do and begin preparing for that. At the same time, keep up your Japanese study, and have a fun time!

thanks for all of the replies guys, I'll definitely keep them in mind... i plan to initially go to Japan with a large savings if I don't go the military route. I'm sure selling my car and motorcycle would help me plenty with that... it's not too late to do a double major too so i will keep that in mind... I'll keep researching