From Mount Fuji to Itsukushima Shrine, Japan is majestic, enchanting, and alluring in its own ways. Be it the simplicity of the people living on the outskirts of Tomari village or the hustle and bustle of the modern gadgets ringing in the busy capital of the nation, Tokyo, the Japanese archipelago is a dream job destination for several people across the world, which entices and attracts them perfectly. There are several reasons for a foreigner to do a job in Japan, which are not limited to high standards of living or enhanced compensation.
Five Reasons To Do A Job In Japan
The first thing that comes into our mind, when we think of Japan, is the existence of some majestic landscapes and a profoundly sophisticated community. Doing a job in Japan is a dream for many, due to the following reasons:
1) Technology Hub
Japan is one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world, which time and again have proved its metal in designing and innovating some unique technologies beyond human comprehension. Not only robotics but also rocket science, japan has made a significant contribution in almost all the spheres of technology.
2) Job Security
Japanese have taught the world, the concept of kaizen, which simply means continuous improvement. It is a Japanese phenomenon or ideology in which an organization strives to improves all its processes by involving its employees to a great extent. Hence, the Japanese companies do not fire their employees that and any such instance is mostly on the part of the employee itself.
3) Lucrative Benefits
The Japanese lay great emphasis on goal congruence, in which an organization’s goals coincide with the individual goals of an employee. This is for this reason, Japanese companies offer lucrative salaries and perquisites that include pensions, medical insurances, health benefits, etc.
4) Easy Immigration
The government of Japan constantly thrives to maintain a conducive environment for foreign workers. For this, they have relaxed immigration policies and formalities. One can apply for a Visa almost instantaneously and can be sponsored by the company he or she ought to work with.
5) Clean and Safe
It is said about Japanese people, that they are obsessed with cleanliness and it is true to a great extent. You will hardly find any Japanese littering around or spitting. They simply love their surroundings as well as hygiene. Further, Japan is one of the safest countries in the world, with the lowest crime rates persisting for more than a century.
Is Finding A Job In Japan Easy?
Well, this truly depends upon the nature of the job you are looking for and the level of skills involved. In the recent past, low-level and mid-level jobs such as a plumber, construction worker or electrician, etc, were virtually unattainable for foreign workers. But, due to their birth rates setting record lows year after year and an increasingly aging population, getting such jobs too are now feasible.
If we talk about the technology industry or the high-level jobs, then there is strict competition and you would be competing against a large pool of local talent because most of the population is educated and sophisticated. Still, you can increase your chances of selection, if you speak, read, and write Japanese fluently along with the English language and more than 3 years of valuable work experience in a job involving high levels of skills.
Easiest Job To Find In Japan
Like many other Asian countries, Japan too is obsessed with the English language. A large proportion of the Japanese population wants to learn the English language there, and if you have relevant skills and knowledge, the easiest job to find there would most probably be an English Language Teacher. In addition to this, French, German and Russian are fairly popular too, and one who has expertise in any of these languages can try his or her luck. Also, you will be required to teach in the Japanese language, hence maintain a working knowledge of the local language.
Step By Step Guide To Find A Job In Japan
Step I: Prepare Your Resume
The first and foremost thing is the preparation of a resume in Japanese style. The differences must be carefully analyzed and you are requested to update and redesign your resume based on these findings.
Step II: Improve Your Japanese
Since you are interested in doing a job in Japan, it could be fairly expected from you that you have at least a working knowledge of the language. Before applying for a job on any Japanese search engine you must brush up on your Japanese language skills.
Step III: Search Jobs On A Japanese Search Engine
There are various job search engines that are dedicated to displaying jobs that are generated in Japan. Select the city you want to work in and enter the field, in which you are looking for a job. Post this, apply with your Japanese configured resume.
Step IV: Get Certificate Of Eligibility
In order to obtain your work visa, you first need to acquire a certificate of eligibility. This in most probable conditions is done by the organization which is sponsoring you.
Step V: Get Work Visa
Post obtaining a certificate of eligibility, apply for a work-related visa, which is an essential requirement to be fulfilled, before entering the country. There are several types of work-related visas issued by Japan, hence it is pivotal that you select and choose the Work visa that suits your requirements.
Challenges Faced By A Foreign Worker In Japan
Japan is a highly developed country and working in such a paradise is a dream for many employees across the world. Still, there are a few shortcomings faced by a foreign worker while working in Japan, such as:
- It would be difficult for a foreigner to find rented accommodation in Japan, because the landlords are skeptical and doubtful, renting their piece of land to a foreigner.
- Japanese companies might be dubious and cynical in hiring a foreign worker, due to their mindset of frequently changing their organization in search of better pay prospects, career advancement opportunities, and better work culture. It is a common habit and perception of the Japanese workers to remain loyal towards their organizations and they work for a single company for their entire lifetime.
- Limited or slow career growth, due to limited chances of migration from one company to another.
- The decision-making process is quite slow in Japanese companies and they conduct several meetings to finally arrive at a decision.
- Most of the meetings happen in the Japanese language and if you are weak in Japanese, then you might suffer from the language barrier.
References
- https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11205-014-0631-9.pdf
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889158313000373
Sandeep Bhandari is the founder of PrepMyCareer.com website.
I am a full-time professional blogger, a digital marketer, and a trainer. I love anything related to the Web, and I try to learn new technologies every day.
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