Hey everyone!! Any questions? Any other great resources? Leave them in the comments below! I TOTALLY forgot to link the podcast!! Here it is! itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/tokyo-lens/id1312633501 or... Get the Anchor.FM app and find my podcasts on there!
Thanks for the video! Im trying to find a job in Japan. I speak portuguese (Native) and english, but I dont know about getting a Visa. How can I get a job in Japan without a Visa? The company, or the school, or the office, will get a work visa for me? Thank you !
This was super comprehensive helpful and friendly, thank you so much for providing all this info. I was aware teaching was a common first choice but didnt know recruiting was too! My question is, what is better: trying to get a job before moving to japan in order to help with the work visa process OR go to japan first, then find a job, and then go through the work visa process?
I'm moving to Sapporo soon and I'm so worried about finding a job! When I check online it looks like there are no jobs haha oh well, I guess I'll find out when I get there
I'm so glad that I found your channel through Sharla. You're passion about making videos to show us Japan from the inside really helped me to be confident in my decision to move to Japan after I finished school. I love your videos. The quality is always on a high standard and never lacks and of course your personality and drive to let the world be a part of living in Japan plays a big part in it. Thank you for your work!
This was the best video I've found about how to find work in Japan! I'm from Brazil, and for while I'm focused in improve my english, but my main goal is get out my country and work in explore jobs opportunities in others countries. And how Japan is one of my mainly options, this videos was very important and enlighter to me
So happy I finally clicked on your channel. Your videos are informative and you always show unique parts of japan that i think a lot of other jvloggers skip over.
I find it interesting that you filmed this outdoors. A lot of RU-vidrs would have filmed at a desk, with a green screen, or even just as a voice-over. This way feels casual, even though you did put so much time and effort into the research. Nice.
It honestly astounds me how you don't have hundreds of thousands of subscribers yet, your videos are always amazing and you can really tell how much effort goes into them! Keep doing what you're doing :)
If anyone hasn't checked out the podcast(s), you _are_missing_OUT. Do it. Just do it. You won't be sorry. I listen to them while I am in the gym. It's a great way to distract while you are performing a repetitive task. Plus, I've learned a lot.
Thanks! Yea.. the podcast is kind of taking off a little more quickly than I expected! I have some great sneak-peeks coming up on there just like I did for this one!
Some great resources. A good thing for people to keep in mind is that just because something isn't your dream job, it could help lead you there! You don't need to stay at one place forever, use it as a stepping stone, change as your interests change, expand, and always continue learning. Also Happy New Year from the East Coast US! It's been a crazy last year as well as a very productive one. Here's to many more adventures and great things to come in the next one.
Hi Norm! Good information on regards to finding a Job in Japan. I remember watching this video years ago to at least bookmark and prep for when/if I wanted to try get a Job one day. Since then, I have looked more at South Korea for Jobs to fit my skill set but the same methods apply from this video to basically any country.
I feel like getting a job is not diffucult at all when you are in Japan but finding a job where they will help you get an actual working visa is another thing. And of course it's a lot harder to do job hunting from another country. Great videos :)
Expectation vs reality working in Japan Expectation: 50+ hours/month overtime is normal Reality: I only did it once in last 5 years Expectation: maximum salary increase will be 500,000 Yen per year Reality: got 1,000,000 Yen per year salary increase for 5 straight years Expectation: rush hour is bad Reality: rush hour is hell Expectation: coming late to the office will create bad reputation Reality: coming late at least once a month, still got salary increase
@@DRAGONBLOODX Get a degree first. No one will hire you without out one. But more importantly, you cannot apply for a work visa without a 3 year degree.
19 here, trying to figure out what to major in that'll benefit me best in Japan. I already am gonna minor in Japanese, I just need to figure out what will be best for a major. 😭
Thank you so much for this! This is probably the only usable video I’ve found about working in Japan that works for people who aren’t native English speakers! I subscribed ♥︎
What's even better than one Norm?... Three Norms! 😁 (1:55) Ok now that I've got that out of my system lol, thanks for sharing such helpful and interesting information with us, as always. It's obvious that you honestly care about your viewers, and the amount of time and effort that you put into researching all this really shows. I bet your suggestions will help a lot of people! Hope you have a blessed day 😊
This is a very inspirational video for me, Im struggling with a couple part time jobs in America, while at the same time My doctor switched up my medicine so I feel Like I'm lagging behind. I went to Japan in 2013 looking for an internship but was unsuccessful, and haven't been back since, This video boost my confidence and makes me want to try working in Japan again
Please do more videos like this I found it so helpful as I am looking to move to Japan in a few years. Thankyou for this I absolutely love your videos... And also #notificationsquad ♥
Thank you so much for putting this together!!!!! It's nice to know there are other options out there as well. I'm currently studying to be an ELL teacher and I have 2 more years of UVA. I'm passionate about teaching and generally helping others, however, I also want to dabble in other jobs too.
Thank you very much for this video. I enjoyed it very much, i really want to go to Japan so this opens up my eyes even more. I will check out your podcast!
Thank you for this video! This is really helpfull. I have returned from Japan yesterday after 4 weeks of having an amazing trip in the country and I wanna return soon for a language course. I'm currently browsing my options as I have a bachelor in Communication & Media and work as a freelance photographer/graphic designer at the moment as well. This is really helpful! I've been using LinkedIn for years now so that is also a great tool.
Thank you for the comment~ Glad Japan was good enough that you want to come back! LinkdIn is great for that, but as a visual creator, I would really recommend going heavy into your instagram content! Keep me updated on how things go!
Always the best advice and options ... you are very well networked! I will keep my LinkedIn account and see if I want to do any consulting in my retirement when I move to Japan. Awesome Tuesday Norm!
Thanks for this positive video! I'll be finishing up Design school in the spring, and going to Japanese language school in Tokyo after. This reassures my assumption that there were many resources to find jobs in Japan. I haven't researched it yet because that's pretty far off. It's good to know that my vision is realistic.
Thank you so much for this video! It was really helpful. I will definitely be using these resources for when I move to Japan in the next couple of months. ☺👍
thank you for this video! i'm (hopefully) starting my working holiday in japan later this year, and while i potentially have a 4 month contract job lined up, i was a little worried about what i'd do after that. this has definitely given me some ideas!
Amazing video! I would love if you could make one about universities. I want to apply for a master degree in fashion or business but last time i checked universities websites was so confusing. Thanks!
This is gonna be so helpful... though I might go the teaching method if I can? Just go get here. Cause I freelance voice over and graphic design. Though I'd love to see what I could land off of one of these sites!
After my visit I plan to see if Japan is the place for me, and check those options. I work for a major US insurance comapny, but it is only fun with a large dose of sarcasm.
lol love the "only fun with a large dose of sarcasm" Can't wait to see how it goes for you man Definitely keep me updated. You know I will have my eyes peeled waiting for your update!
I just got accepted to a university in Tokyo. I would definitely need a job to be able to afford attending. Any advice for foreign college students coming to Japan, especially job-wise?
That is AMAZING! Contgrats for getting in! my best friend went through this for years, and I was right by his side the entire time! There are sooooooo many options and advice I could give might even do a video. for now I will say this You may need to wait 6 months or more to get your 'work permit' once you do, your work hours will be restricted. But, you can definitely make the money you need to survive. And you will have an amazing time. Something tells me that if you have come this far, your future here in Tokyo is very bright!
Tokyo Lens Thank you for saying that, I really needed to hear it! I would love if you did a video. I am sure a lot of your followers would love to hear all of the advice that you have, especially me!
Very informative, and well made. :) I didn't consider going for the big brands, though it seems a viable option for when I finish university. I'm studying graphic design, so pursuing that in Japan seems like a good idea. I'm excited to explore Japan in general, and I'm going to Japan on Thursday for a study tour with my university. First time overseas. If I stumble across you, I'll say hi! :)
Haha I know buddy, and you live on the other side of the world and yet we have still managed to keep in touch despite our separate busy lives! I WILL def make it down to Japan one of these days hopefully sooner than later!
I'd love to come to Japan and get a job. Currently I am a nurse and would like to keep doing something in healthcare. Unfortunately I don't speak or read any Japanese which makes it really hard to get a job in healthcare anywhere that does not speak English as a first language.
Hey there Ray There ARE some options out there in Japan however. I am not super knowledgeable about the healthcare industry in Japan and what licenses are needed, but I know of people working in parallel fields. Especially in Tokyo, there is a definite need for English speakers. I have 2 friends trying to get their doctorates here in Japan as well and are studying in English. I would say hit up google pretty hard and see what you can find! Also, keep us updated on your findings!
You have to take the licensing test, which is in all Japanese, and not just in Japanese but also medical terminology in Japanese. Also, the paycut is huge. Japanese nurses usually only make around $24,000-30,000. The nurses at the hospital in my (Okinawan) city work 8 hour shifts and then paperwork for up to 4 hours afterwards. That time in paperwork is technically unpaid. They also switch your schedule around so you could work nights one week, afternoon the next, morning the next... That can be difficult for your sleep schedule. There may be other options such as a private nurse, but I'm not sure. However, you can care for the elderly in their home (which does not require a nurse license, it's CNA-type work). Obviously, you should at least be able to speak Japanese for that. There are definitely hurdles in doing healthcare in Japan but do research, network, and don't give up.
Yeah I can probably achieve business level Japanese if I try really hard but learning a whole another language's medical language would be extremely difficult. But I was also wondering about the possibility of English speaking Doctors and becoming a medical office assistant there (if charting is done in English) or research in English or hospital improvement groups or boards, which may just require business level Japanese. But all of which are jobs I may not be qualified for. Maybe I'll just become a vlogger 😁 it might be easier.
I know this post was a year ago. I'm also a nurse, aiming for public health nurse position in Japan. I'm so tired of doing bedside lol. Any guidance to be a public health nurse in Japan is appreciated :)
I could tell this was a very well researched video! Definitely some excellent advice here! I've always been curious about healthcare jobs in Japan...I'm assuming you'd probably have to speak fluent Japanese, or are there English only clinics out there?
Such a fantastic, helpful and easy to swallow video. I'm actually applying for a few art director jobs in Tokyo just to see what happens. I've been freelance for so many years, I'm not sure I would take a full time gig, but if I want to make the jump to Japan for a year or 2, or 3, it might be worth it! Any leads on recruiting agencies for creatives in Tokyo? I work mostly for the studios in Los Angeles.
Also, what if I went to these networking events with a T-shirt that read "I'M AN ART DIRECTOR."? Like people don't have to sniff around to find out what I do, and the ones who want to network with a creative, will know to approach me from the jump. What do you think?
100% networking all the way! I know a lot of artists in Tokyo, and they all live by the networking method of survival and growth. I dont know about any agencies that specifically focus on art, but there are so many events out there. I recently met some amazing people at an event hosted by Asics for the 2020 olympics, who were mentioning that they were at the event for the networking opportunities~
Very helpful video Norm! :) I'm living in Yamaguchi prefecture where my husband works in Hitachi, I want to avoid working in the same company as him and so I've been using a few of the sites that you mentioned. I personally want to work as a freelnce photographer/videographer but for now I'm just looking for something with a little more structure. I definitely upvote on the whole avoid craigslist - some of the ads on there just make it untrustworthy (plus kinda scary)anyway. Thanks again for another inspirational video! :)
So excited to hear that you live in Yamaguchi! I spent a sweet little chunk of time in Shimonoseki I REALLY miss KawaraSoba Anyway... enough about that! Many of my close friends and some of the people I look up to the most are working as freelance photographers and videographers. With the internet being what it is these days, my advice to you, would be the following a) check out Taylor Jackson Photography and some of his courses - amazing b) Post daily to your instagram c) Use instagram to find whats going on around you, and jump on that DM to get to know people and set up potential jobs for you d) offer your services to 1 or 2 big players in your area For FREE to get your name out there and build a local portfolio and buzz that was way more than I expected to go into in this comment but I hope it helps!
Sorry ~ late reply Yes! Haven't been there too long, and its definitely very different from Tokyo (its like a whole different world) I agree Kawara Soba is tasty! If you ever come back to Yamaguchi, head over to Iwakuni, they have a restaurant selling a mountain of Kawara Soba! Thank you so much for your advice Norm, its a huge help to me and I am sure to others with an interest in photography too :)
Please consider doing an episode on Tokyo nightlife, with a particular slant on local independent music makers. Maybe my friend Fujiko Mika might be worth talking to? She does a lot of shows around Tokyo and works with a lot of other artists.
I have a friend who just moved to Shibuya who is looking into it. I think she currently works for a hong kong distrubution line because she speaks fluent English and Cantonese.
Welcome to the channel!! Excited to have you here The podcast is available everywhere that podcasts are available! It’s called The Tokyo Lens Podcast Anchor.fm/TokyoLens should have all the links And amazingly I just recorded an episode today about working in Japan!! That will come out tomorrow(ish) Cheers!
I feel like I'm already too old and since I started working pretty late, it would be too hard to have an opportunity of finding a job in Japan. Still very good video!
thx for all the work you put into researching, hopefully it will encourage people to keep trying to find work. I'm curious about the Japanese work practices though, having read an article a while back that stated that they may tend to overwork their staff. would be nice if you could do a follow up video, if you have time, on that. I mean sure you might get overworked landing a corporate job but is that true for most of the jobs that you can find in Japan? and if that's true is that a cultural thing, overworking, sacrificing yourself for the company's sake? p.s. going to listen to the podcast next, hope I didn't get any of my questions answered there.
Rando! Always a pleasure~ I might go into that in more detail in a podcast soon and then do a video moving forward!! It really differs from company to company
hi Norm i wished i have seen this video 2 years before... i was in Tokyo form 2014 till 2017.. i did the language school and passed the jlpt n1 i attended a university however when the fee rises i had to go back to Germany... in Germany i got just a vocational school in economics certificate... back in Tokyo i was so afraid that no one would take me in a descend university (the most required high-school degree which i failed) ... now back in Germany i spent like a year to find at least my a internship (which i also failed as i behave to Japanese rather than German) ... i did n get one now i am for 2 months in Scotland doing my internship (which i need for my vocational degree, the practical part) ... when i go back to Germany they want me to to an apprenticeship in (retail and wholesaling) which im not realy sure that i am suitable for (as my mayor subjects "administrations and management" has the second worst remark on my certificate) and even in job interviews i try hard to make the fact "that i suck at business management theory" so hard makes me just fail every job interview all time every time ... nevertheless the only thing i thing everyday form waking up till going to bed is "how can i get back to Tokyo asap" and not fail this time... the thing is "i turned 29 yesterday" and even here in Germany "i am a old fart" for going to university and other stuff ... i don't give a fuch about it i just wanna go back and pursue what i wanna do... however, the visa system in japan is very strict and as far i know i have to reach out to the company directly ... we in Germany have a town with over 500 Japaneses companies there but "my qualification sucks" and i just had "working experience in Tokyo in a Bookoff store in Shinjuku" and that's not enough for my age... but its totally my fault of my laziness when it comes to school , instead i learned Japanese 24/7 having the confidence "that i am more worth-full than other pupils around me" i have pathetically have seen them as "looser" as they were convinced with "German life" ... and i have sworn to myself to "never work in Germany" , sounds pretty childish ... the thing is also when i do a apprenticeship here it takes at least 3 years... 3 god damn years i have to rape myself in an environment without any Japanese... doing work you hate and fulfilled with "stress and vain"... and of course with such an attitude no one would have me as an apprentice at office, i know it for sure and i rather die than "start to love" that "slavery" environment ... and that's not asap enough for me.. may be try to create a pokemon go yt channel to try to fasten the time to going back to Tokyo... nevertheless, i need something i can work on to find an another "scene of life" for me... back in tokyo it was studying and i was fully exhausted but happier than now... because i pushed forward everyday and now its just "chill" and the mentality of lack of self improvement of my surrounding is just tremendously for me and hard to resist without putting oneself into "solitude" ... wanna do eventually my kanken 1 kyu 漢検一級 for having the motivation at least in something worth full for me and a descend challenge... Are there actually some options via recruit programs to fasten the process? thank you if you read it Norm. i m looking forward to your reply
WOAH!! that's so amazing. I'm really trying to go to Japan (someday) but the fact is that my english is not my first language and I'm studying japanese. So do you think that I been able to find a job (also need to practice my english ;--;)
When you say you know people who came to Japan and found jobs such as working in a shop, hotel, etc....Wouldn't they need a Work Visa? I thought to get a job in Japan and get a Work Visa you need to be skilled at a specific thing like a Doctor/Nurse, Artist, Entertainer, Engineer, etc. So basically, unless you mean they found jobs on the Working Holiday Visa (or Student Visa), how were they able to get such simple jobs on a Work Visa?? 🤔
Really helpful and informative!! Great video norm!!:D how's the medical field out there I'm a pharmacy technician if I would want to work in Japan in that field is it harder? Or is it about networking also??0.0
Annie Great to hear from you! I will give a wildly over-simplified answer to this based on things I have been seeing here in Japan and Tokyo lately. It wont be easy. (sorry) But with the shift in cultures going on, it is NOT impossible. You may need to move sideways a little, but I am confident you will find something. I have 1 friend with a pharmaceutical degree, who supplemented their studies here in Japan to get licensed, and now works as a consultant at a pharmaceutical company in Tokyo (international company)
Visas are a tottttallllly separate struggle! I will definitely cover them in more spectacular detail If i am going to do that video... I want to do it right! Hold tight for now~
Hi Sir,thanks alot for this very informative vlog,.i wont mind working on a low skill type of jobs but may i know if how many percent my possibilities to get s company that would be willing to sponsor me?
Do you have any information about going to Japan on a tourist visa and finding a job? Web sites like gaijinpot list requirements such as much having a proper visa or currently residing in Japan before even applying. FInding a job on gaijinpot overseas is really difficult. Do you know people who have done this specific thing? Did they apply even with those requirments posted? How long the visa took to process?
100% I would say aim to get your university degree You might have some luck if you have several years of full-time (tax backed) experience in the field, but otherwise, without one of those two, it might be a monumental challenge. Not impossible. But in the end, were going to do something in this life, why not go 100% in No rush!
Hey, how hard is it to find a job in Japan without a degree? I’ve been working full time for about 4 years, but I don’t have a degree, my credentials are decent. What do you think?
..hey Norm how are you? i'm currently in the US and i'm seriously planning moving to Japan,problem is i'm still a citizen of my native country which requires me a visa to enter Japan even as a tourist,is it advisable to wait first for my US citizenship (which could take long) before moving to Japan? plus work (you've got a good topic here in this video) i don't have a degree,my work experience are Customer Service/Telemarketing a bit of Tech Support..could that land a job in Japan?. English teaching is a good option,do they require an educational teaching background? (like taking up Education in college ) and You mentioned recruitment agencies,do you know any specific agencies for that matter? also is it advisable to look for a job while already in Japan or beforehand (even as a tourist?? is that legal?)..sorry,lot of questions here's hoping you could help..thank you.
is teaching really that bad? :P haha i used to teach early childhood here, but i'm not qualified. i don't have a university degree, since nothing interested me enough to spend loads of money studying it. i'm more of a "give it a try and see if you like it" type job person, lol. i feel like that wouldn't be seen as a good thing in japan though. i've looked at coming to japan to study japanese, since i've heard it's the "easiest" way to spend an extended period of time there. do you/any of your friends have experience with language schools at all?? PS i'm a new viewer, and i'm 100% so happy i subscribed! i love everything i've seen you do so far!!~
