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6 things I wish someone had told me about job hunting in Japan

5 Comments
By Chiara Terzuolo

Looking for a job in Japan, especially if you don’t have native English teaching skills, can be a frustrating endeavor. Besides the obvious issues of the language gap and physical distance (if applying from abroad), our own assumptions and the tendency to look at things through rose-colored glasses may make the entire process far more complicated. So, in order not to make the same mistakes as I did, here are a few key points to keep in mind when looking for a job in Japan — which I came to learn the hard way.

1. Being Multilingual Is Not A Carte Blanche For Getting Hired

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Back when I was attending grad school in London and searching for jobs in Japan, I was sure that my Japanese language skills, coupled with English, would make me a shoo-in for an entry-level position. But I was absolutely wrong. I applied for every possible job. I looked for contacts in the Japanese community in London, went to bilingual job fairs and ran after every lead. It took almost two years (and big support from all the gods of luck you can name!) to finally find a job at a small company that would take me to Tokyo.

So, unless you have a true calling to teach or really unique skills that are high in demand, it is, in general, very tough to find companies that would be willing to hire and send a new graduate across the ocean based on language skills alone. Instead, try to:

  • Come to Japan first as a tourist
  • Build connections on LinkedIn or other business groups
  • Talk to people who’ve been through the process already

2. “Business-Level Japanese” Means Way More Than "Konnichiwa"

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Image: iStock: maroke

Once you’ve settled down in Japan, have gained experience and are looking to change companies, one of the most important things to keep in mind is to beware of the moniker “business-level Japanese.” In most cases, this means “a perfectly bilingual person who can speak/write Japanese and English at a native level.” Most companies will ask for JLPT results, with JLPT2 often being considered the minimum and JLPT 1 preferable.

I personally don’t believe that a JLPT1 necessarily indicates any particular ability to fend for oneself in business. What it comes down to, really, is being absolutely honest with yourself about your level of language ability. I have interviewed many job seekers who labeled themselves as “business level” or “near-native” speakers when they could barely carry on a coherent conversation. If the position you’re applying for needs the language, you better be prepared for it.

3. Don’t Try To Blend In—It’s Pointless

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Image: iStock: electravk

When I was younger and even more foolish, I tried to play by the rules. I went through the rigmarole of applications and interviews for shinsotsu (new graduates), assuming this was the correct way to proceed. However, after much effort and trying to fit into the traditional mold, it finally dawned on me.

No matter if you write all your applications by hand in perfect calligraphy or wear one of the typical penguin suits, there’s no way you will be treated like a regular applicant (unless you have spent your whole life here, in which case you will be hired instantly to provide “diversity”).

New arrivals or those looking to transition from an English teaching job will have to look for more unusual companies. These might be start-ups, creative industries and travel-related businesses. Look for companies that have more flexible job descriptions and already have somewhat diverse teams through more niche job portals (like GaijinPot Jobs).

4. Choose Your Recruiters Wisely

Click here to read more.

© Savvy Tokyo

©2025 GPlusMedia Inc.

5 Comments
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The requirements for a position in Japan, as a foreigner, are ridiculously overly exaggerated.

All companies want bilingual speaker, have 10+ years experience, posses unlimited skills and qualifications and all for the super-duper salary of 4 to 5 million Yen/year :))

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

I wish I knew people spoke Japanese in Japan
2 ( +3 / -1 )

From my experience working in a large, well known Japanese company, for such situations the ability to send and receive Japanese-language emails is perhaps the most important "first base" criterion.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

JT please delete the abover pre-edit.

I have allot to say about this. But even if I sit here and type it all, out 30 years of work experience in Fukuoka Japan and the tears and challenges and success I earned.

With a company that when I started was an old-style Japanese type until the younger son took over. After Kaicho passed, may in Rest in Peace. I am talking about morning exercises and chimes. True Hataraki!

A massive company, a car company with over 128 locations and different brands of vehicles all over Japan and Okinawa. From used high end Japanese vehicles to new Italian sports cars and Rolls Royce, Bentley, Maserati and Ferrari, Lotus and on and on.

And thriving global export division of used Japanese cars all over the world as well and to this day. 

I was a student studying Japanese and washing cars through Japanese study and attending Fukuoka Uni. 

The company even gave a Takei (rail pass) and paid for it religiously every month. Jomu had ready for me and in my hand for years while I studied. Call it an investment.

After graduation. I became a (shine) At the lowest level. But I was in. No more car washing for me. A long 8 years in said company. I washed allot of cars and that came with it.

I worked all the way to V.P of marketing doing almost every job from the bottom to the top over a 25-year span till 2019. A sat in an office right next to that (CEO the son) that hired me and believed in me in 1999. Hired me as part time car washer because I did not want to jump around and sing songs in English and told him that. Got paid 220.000 yen par time. 20 hours a week. Honestly, I fell in love with car business. In 2019 I left to work on a military installation because of these reasons. 

I missed English and interacting in English. And missed my own people. Working for the American military seemed like a good idea it was. A writing for another time.

No matter how long I would have worked in that Japanese company. And through all that growth.

I was never treated as an equal amongst the Japanese board members and bosses. Even with a title Si-schaco of Marketing. No where else to go up. Broke me down little by little every day and I had to deal with. I had to hear thing in Japanese like. The only reason you made it this far in our company is because of your friendship and relationship with Schacho.

But I made it on my own merit of success and failures. With a supporting CEO.  

No matter how long you work in these Japanese companies with boards and these old Japanese crows caulking and gawking. I think it very hard to ever feel a sense of belonging. Like one of the boys.

This is my experience, doesn’t have to be yours. I can always go back to said car company. I know they miss me and regret how they treated me or the work I did for the company. I know for a fact my office is as I left it. As they hope I will come back defeated. Never going to happen. Ganbatte kudasai if you want to go the distance. As far as speaking, writing, and being able to function flawlessly in a Japanese corporate environment. You had better know your Japanese as a Japanese if not better. Because you will get hazed. I speak it. Read it. Write it. Hiragana Katakana and 2000 something odd Kangi printer perfection. I have the N-1 level certificate. I am not bragging either. None of it mattered when feeling like I am at home in that company. A sense of. I belong here. I only felt that way in my CEO's office sitting with him. He was educated in Utah. He understood Americans. The others in the company at my level 60 something managers. Forget it. The black sheep.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Reading the above article leaves me with the question, why do foreigners want to come to Japan to live and work? What is it that makes a foreigner think he or she would enjoy living in Japan and fit into the Japanese business culture? What unique skills does a foreigner bring that would be a plus to a Japanese firm? The answers to these questions would be helpful in determining whether the foreign worker would be successful working in a Japanese environment. I have lived in Japan for 19 years out of the past 50, but have only worked in a Japanese office (the city hall where I live now) for the past two years. All the other times I was working for non-Japanese entities where the work environment is not like a Japanese business or government office. I bring a breadth of international experience to my current job, but it and my age still do not make me fit into the Japanese work environment. With my experience, though, I know better than to expect that it would.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

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