Knowledge is indeed power. Japan is employing English speakers to teach, interpret or translate with favourable working conditions. This opportunity is not limited to those residing in Japan but is also available online with ease of use. Whether simply a sideline as freelance, or full time -the choice is yours.
- Job application in Japan for English speakers
- What are the legal requirements needed for such jobs?
- Top Jobs English Speakers in Japan Do
- Minimum Qualifications and Skills You Might Want to Have
- Words Into Money
Are you having any issues with job-hunting in Japan?
Job application in Japan for English speakers
What types of jobs are available for English speakers in Japan?
Being able to speak English is a valuable skill, but mastery over the language is treasured. Those that can speak English at a certain level both oral and written can apply for teaching jobs. There are also a lot of assistant jobs hiring people to help them in dealing with international transactions. Translating articles and being a live translator in meetings are also common jobs for people who can speak English well. Overall, knowing international languages increases your chances of landing a job and might even get increased rates.
Full time jobs for English speakers in Japan include university teaching. The range of students may include college students in universities, high school students and even as people who facilitate English speaking courses not outside of school programs. Another famous line of work is translation of documents and assistant or clerical work for international companies.
A famous sideline part-time job is English language tutoring. Private tutors can be more effective than programs intended for mass audiences. One to one ratio of teacher-student can hone students to truly master English as a language. International students who speak English as a native language sometimes take this job to line their pockets but note that doing has a few requirements. They include a Working Permit to go along with the Student Visa and are limited to 28 hours per week.
Writer's Pick
What are the legal requirements needed for such jobs?
Application forms, Working Visa, Working Permit and others specified by the company are required. Students in Japan with the intention to study normally cannot work and establishments won’t accept them either, not without a Working Permit. Working Permits allow students with Student Visas to work up to 28 hours per week only cumulatively, regardless of the number of jobs they might apply for. Some of the reasons are so that it will not become an impediment to their studies nor be against the true intention of their stay in Japan, which is to study.
Top Jobs English Speakers in Japan Do
Translators
Translating in Japan can be broken down into two major types. The first is to be a translator and proofreading of articles, records, contracts and other types of documents. This requires the English and Japanese language to be at business level.
Another line of work is being an assistant that may be tasked in translating during meetings and conferences, perfecting contracts in other languages and the like. This may require some background in business courses.
Teaching the English language to students and others
This is probably the most popular job for English speakers in Japan because of its flexibility and good pay. It can be taken as a fulltime job with set pay plus additional compensations or as a part time job. Most, if not all private tutors are paid by hour or meeting and are usually set at a time convenient to both parties, meaning the teacher can keep a full time job at the same time. Even students after securing a working permit can tutor others for extra income. This only shows how prominent this job is in Japan.
Establishments catering to international target markets
International companies and high end corporations not only cater to local but also international markets like tourists and foreigners. Being able to speak English allows one to be employed by these type of establishments.
Minimum Qualifications and Skills You Might Want to Have
Years of work experience and College Degrees
The typical requirements of University jobs is 1 to 2 years of work experience teaching English or those fresh graduates of English related courses. The combination of both, having more experience and other being graduates of related courses easily nets a good entrance salary for young professors.
Document translator jobs are more lenient. Freelancers who bid for work online usually do not pay too much attention to other requirements but a few; the result of the work must be satisfactory, and that the freelancer is backed by at least 1 to 2 years of work experience. This type of work is also more flexible but depending on the market, corporations may also set up higher standards. Depending on the company, the required years of work experience may be 2 years or none at all.
Other types of work like being a tour guide for international companies catering English speaking tourists may not need college degrees but instead mastery of the place and experience in similar kind of work. The requirement varies on the job but intersects at the level of English language skills required; in other words the better your English is, the higher chances of getting hired.
English and Japanese languages proficiency at business level in both oral and written aspect
It is important that applicants must have their English and Japanese language skills to be at business level, be able to read and write and depending on the type of job, be able to understand the jargon. If you are entering as an assistant in a big business corporation, you will need to understand the words they use in order to interpret better. The same stands true for translating documents of any type.
Requires social skills for teaching professions of the English language
If you are planning to enter the teaching profession, you will need social skills and a lot of patience. In most cases, teaching experience is not required, but having so allows more job opportunities, and you can also get better entry rates. People might not necessarily be fast learners, you need to adapt to their speed and slow down too. There are times when the subject of the lessons are not college students but children. Patience is a virtue as well as a skill.
Words Into Money
Turn literal words into profit, your foundation is not in any machine or tangible object but your hands, words and mind. There are a lot of jobs in Japan for English speakers, whether the purpose be to line your pockets with extra yen or a firm foundation for the future, even a little bit of both. As long as you have the skill, there will certainly be a job that requires it.
