Table of contents

Where to look for work

Networking

The job market for foreigners and for Japanese people is relatively separate. There’s little chance your Japanese friends will be able to help you find a job, especially in big cities. This is somewhat less true in the countryside.

The rules and norms that Japanese people follow for job hunting don’t really apply to foreigners, and inversely foreigners’ main employment sectors (teaching, commerce, or tourism) are often unfamiliar to them.

It’s better to rely on the international community: other WHVers, international students, expats, etc. They are your best source of information and tips for finding a job in Japan. Meetup events, support groups on Facebook, and language exchanges are all great for making new connections and building your network. It may be through the people you meet in social settings that you learn about your next job offer.

Online searches

Alongside in-person networking, online searching is another ally. But remember: unlike in-person networking where you might have access to off-market job offers with little competition, on the internet a given job post might receive hundreds of applications.

Prioritize English-language job sites, as employers on Japanese sites expect you to be able to speak Japanese.

Popular sites in English:

Popular sites if you speak Japanese:

In addition to these sites, many job offers are posted in Facebook groups (especially true in Osaka). This is because posting on a site like Gaijinpot is very expensive, and some small businesses just can’t afford it. There are different Facebook groups depending on the city. You’ll need to identify the legitimate posts from the spam.

Some examples of Facebook groups:

If you’re looking to make a little extra money as a private teacher, here are dedicated sites:

Many companies nowadays don’t accept door-to-door applications and will ask you to apply via the “careers” section of their website. Applications submitted this way are usually processed by HR at the company headquarters.

It can take several weeks to get a response, so you can even start applying shortly before arriving in Japan. Recruiters will almost always ask for the same things, so have a PDF resumé and a tailored cover letter ready.

Shopfronts

Also keep an eye on the walls of restaurants and cafés you visit—you can often find ads (sometimes in English) saying they’re hiring staff.

HelloWork

HelloWork (pronounced “halo wokku” in Japanese) is Japan’s public employment service. Despite its English name, HelloWork is designed for Japanese people.

They have offices all over Japan. The website is full of listings in Japanese only and the interface isn’t very user-friendly. They also offer workshops on writing a Japanese CV.

Most staff only speak Japanese, but all HelloWork offices have interpreters in English, Chinese, and Korean.

Town Work (less effective)

You often hear people recommend looking for a job in free papers like Town Work, Job Aidem, or Hot Pepper.

Sure, there are hundreds of listings for part-time jobs, and they’re easy to find in any subway station. The problem? Everything is written in Japanese!

Since these ads are written in Japanese in a Japanese-only magazine, they’re aimed at people who are fluent in Japanese. You might waste a lot of time deciphering them only to apply for jobs that aren’t really suited to you.

Unless you have the necessary Japanese fluency, we don’t recommend this method of job search.

Door-to-Door

The old-fashioned door-to-door method works here too, if a bit less well than elsewhere. Some independent small businesses may happily accept your CV handed in this way (restaurants, small language schools, etc.), but anything that’s part of a corporate franchise (including hotels and restaurants) will inevitably send you to apply through their corporate website.

In any case, be careful not to approach a business during its rush hours, as the on-site manager won’t have time to speak to you.

When you show up, dress appropriately; white shirt and black trousers are the bare minimum.

Recruiters and job fairs

If you have strong professional experience, speak some Japanese, and are looking for a job in your field, you can try recruitment agencies and job fairs.

Most international recruitment agencies are based in Tokyo and Osaka. Be aware that they often look for highly qualified candidates. The main ones include:

Job fairs are a bit harder to find, and few are open to foreign candidates (though this is slowly changing). Here are the ones where you’ll have the best chances:

Job Haku
Career Forum
Global MyNavi

Even if these two routes don’t lead to anything concrete, they’ll give you a good sense of the Japanese recruitment process: suit or business attire, business cards in hand, a detailed CV and cover letter, and multiple interviews to pass.

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