For people seeking employment in Japan, the longer their preparation period, the more opportunity there is to gather information and to receive much-needed advice from many people.

Even if you are a new student, if you are already thinking about finding future employment in Japan, it is important to steadfastly start your career search preparation process. You should settle on your career path by the first semester of your Junior year, at the latest.

Among international students, there seem to be many students who want to wait to start their career search after they graduate. However, in Japan, it is the norm to start the process more than a year in advance from the time of graduation, and looking for employment in a hurry during the final year will not easily bear any results. On the other hand, there are some students who will get a job offer from their chosen employer in a flash. What are some of the differences between them, and those students who are not able to land a job so easily?

‘Preparation’ and ‘Action’ are the keywords. Students who proactively seek advice from the Career Center on matters relating to the period of preparation, and know how to prepare, and who can sensibly take action by gaining knowledge of the company, usually get a job offer very quickly.

Self-analysis is the act of looking inwardly, to honestly determine your strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes, expertise and skill sets, interests, future aspirations, dreams, values, and outlook on life. By analyzing and taking stock of yourself, and drawing up an ideal future, you are able to be in touch with your true self.
If you are thinking in simplistic terms and saying that, “If I don’t like the company, I will just switch jobs,” then you will end up wasting a lot of labor, time, and money. In fact, in Japan, about 30% of/ college graduates resign from their jobs within three years.

What kind of jobs are there in Japan? Knowing that is the first step in your career search. For that reason, you need to examine the type of industries that make up the business society as a whole. You need to determine which industry, and in which field the work you feel passionate about belongs.

It is important to acquaint yourself, at least once, with all the various jobs that exist in the world. There may be interesting jobs that you never thought about before. Due to the restrictions owing to your Residence Status, there are jobs that foreigners are unable to perform. However, knowing about the existence of many jobs will expand your knowledge base, as well as your list of options to choose from.

*Students interested in finding employment in Japan must read The Job Hunting Guide for International Students (Japan Student Services Organization). The Guide is available at the International Center (second floor of Building 8 ⟨International Plaza⟩).