6 Popular Job Websites in Japan for Foreigners(Studying & Working Holiday)

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How to go to Japan for a working holiday and find a job

When living in Japan, whether it is a working holiday or studying abroad, work is an indispensable part of life in Japan. After all, the cost of living is not low.
For those of you who are going to live in Japan, or are just starting to look for a job after arriving, you often hear many people say that finding a job is not difficult.
Although it is not difficult to find a job, how should I find a job?

Ways to Find a Job in Major Japanese Cities

Taking Japan's largest city – Tokyo as an example
It is not too difficult to find a job in Tokyo. There are several ways to find a job

1. Look for jobs on online job sites
2. Look in job hunting magazines
3.  Go to the government's Hello Work employment agency
4. Go outside the store to see if there are any poster materials for recruiting employees

The advantages and disadvantages of each method are briefly described below.

How to Find a Job on Online Job Sites

Living in Japan, it is very easy to find a job online. Now there are two main methods

1. Japanese local job hunting sites
2. Japanese working holiday club on Facebook

There are many job hunting websites and job hunting websites in Tokyo, and there are many large-scale companies.

Common Job Site Examples

• マイナビ My navi
• LINE Baito LINE Baito
• バイトルBaitoru
• タウンワークTownwork
• Mahabait
• ハローワークHello Work and other major job hunting sites.

Each website has different themes and features, and some websites even have mobile phone applications, which is very convenient.

Advantages of Job Search Sites

• Find jobs by region and occupation
• Choose the desired job along the railway line (such as the nearest school/tourist area, which is convenient for the itinerary before and after get off work)
• Search for jobs based on how many day shifts you can work per week (such as one day a week/more than four days a week/weekdays only/Saturdays and Sundays only, etc.)
• Ability to search for jobs by working hours to suit your own schedule (e.g. morning only/afternoon only/evening only/late night only)
• You can choose some do not fill inJob resume (applicable to job search agencies)
• According to your interests, you can search for vacancies in branches of large chain companies (such as UNIQLO/FamilyMart/Matsuya, etc.)

Benefits of using the Internet to search for jobs

Can apply for different types of jobs in a short period of time

Since there are so many job advertisements published on the website, it is basically easy to apply for more than ten job vacancies in one night.
And the steps to apply are very simple, you only need to fill in your personal name, email address, and phone number.
If the store thinks it is suitable, it will make an appointment with the applicant for an interview time according to the phone number provided

The job application process is free

Both viewing job advertisements and filling out job application forms are free.
If using a local mobile phone service in Japan, some phone plans offer free incoming calls (only outgoing calls are billed).
Therefore, even if the store calls to make an appointment for an interview with you, you don’t need to pay extra phone charges.

Avoid the hassle of making phone calls

After filling out the application form online, you can wait for the store's interview appointment.
The chance of being able to successfully make an appointment for an interview is about half, and the other half is not responding directly.

The advantage of registering for work online is that you can be sure to find the person in charge/store manager to make an appointment for an interview, because the store manager will call you when he is free.
It is better than directly calling the store to ask about the interview, because the store manager is likely to be busy and cannot make an instant phone call.
As a result, it took time and phone bills, but I didn't get an interview opportunity.

In addition, the busy hours of different companies and different branches are different.
In addition to the low success rate, it may also be regarded as a lack of basic knowledge of the store, and a bad impression will affect the chance of being recruited.

Points to note when using job search websites

• Possess basic Japanese reading ability, because the interface of the job search website is all in Japanese, and the jobs listed in it also need to have basic Japanese oral ability
• The minimum is to be able to understand the instructions of the boss, and to express and ask questions in Japanese when encountering problems.
• Japanese language proficiency is ideal with JLPT N4 or above
• If you only know fifty syllables or basic greetings, it is recommended to use other methods to find a job

Common Job Search Sites

1. マイナビ My navi

My navi Corporation (株式会社マイナビ) is a large media company in Japan, one of its departments is job placement, job advertisements and other businesses.

Whether it is popular areas such as Tokyo, Kansai (Osaka, Kyoto), Hokkaido, or places such as Shikoku, Kyushu, and Nagoya, there are related job advertisements.
Most of them are part-time jobs, and sometimes there are recruitment materials for full-time employees.
The method of applying for a position is very simple, just click "応招する" and fill in the information of name, email address, and phone number.

2. LINE バイト

Line is the communication program used by the most people in Japan, and Line Baito is also a job search website used by more people.

Job ads for smaller companies, short-term or one-day jobs tend to be a little more numerous than other job sites.

3. バイトルBaitoru

バイトルBaitoru is similar in nature to My navi, and there will be related job advertisements in different regions of Japan.
In terms of job selection, you can search for jobs by job type, region, railway station, etc.
However, there are relatively few jobs classified by enterprises/companies, and it takes more time to search.

4. Townwork

TownWork is a relatively large job search website in Japan, and TownWork's job advertisements can be seen all over Japan.

The difference between TownWork and My navi バイト is that TownWork can find the information of regular members (long-term work) on the same website.

Townwork's job classification is the same based on railway stations, types of work, and job vacancies in large companies.

In addition, you can also choose different jobs based on hourly/daily/monthly salary to match your daily life.

5. Hello Work

Hello Work is a job hunting website run by the Occupational Security Bureau of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of the Japanese government.

Compared to other job search sites, job ads are mostly based on hiring locals.
For example, they are usually full-time employees, and there are relatively few part-time jobs.

The website generally only lists the company, location, phone number, job content and other information.There is no online application formsupply.

If you plan to apply for a position on the Hello Work website, you must print the relevant page, and then go to the nearest Hello Work employment agency to ask the staff for help.

The Process of Finding a Job Using a Job Search Site

1. Search for the job you want on an online job search site
2. Fill in personal information in the online application form
3. Wait for the "notification of job application received" sent back from the job search websiteInside)
4. Waiting for the interview email notification/telephone appointment from the test-taking company/store
5. go to interview
6. Waiting for results

If you work part-time, usually you will be notified of the test result by phone/email within one week.
If the company is relatively short of people, it is possible to be hired on the spot (adopted on the spot) during the interview.

Things to keep in mind when applying for a job

1. General jobs in Japan will include transportation expenses. Some companies will directly provide a regular pass (that is, a monthly pass), and some will require you to fill in your address and transportation route when you join the job to calculate the transportation fee.
2. Some companies/jobs do not necessarily have a full fare subsidy, for example, only a daily quota (eg ¥500) / monthly quota (eg ¥10000), etc.
3. If the transportation expenses exceed the company's regulations, you need to pay by yourself.
4. Pay attention to visa restrictions on workplaces and working hours
   1. There is a maximum number of working hours per week (the working holiday visa has no hours limit)
   2. Workplace restrictions (such as not being able to work in a custom place, regardless of whether the work itself is a custom industry. For example, cleaning work in a custom place is also a violation. It should be avoided for safety reasons)

What to bring to the interview

1. bank book
2. seal
3. Personal resume (with photo)
4. Personal identification documents (passport, alien registration card, residence card, student ID, etc.)
5. black pen
6. notebook

Some companies will specifically request to check the resident certificate, and the resident certificate can be applied for at the ward office near the place of residence.
The fee is generally ¥200 to ¥500, depending on the local ward office.

Alternatives to Job Sites

In addition to the above-mentioned job search websites, you can now also find jobs in Facebook groups and Japanese job boards of backpackers.

The work is mainly divided into two categories

1. International students in Japan / people on working holidays help stores find staff
2. A job advertisement for an intermediary company in Taiwan/Japan entrusted by a Japanese local company for recruitment

Benefits of Applying for Jobs via Facebook Groups/Backpackers

1.  The job advertisements are all in Chinese, so I’m not afraid that there may be things I don’t understand
2.  The job does not generally require high Japanese proficiency
3. Those who are responsible for finding employees can generally read and write Chinese, and can easily ask questions when they have questions.
4. You can find some jobs that include accommodation (such as resorts/hot spring hotels/homestays, etc.)
5.  Can easily find factory work experience

However, if you plan to find a clerical job, a job that can use Japanese is not necessarily suitable, because most of the jobs in Facebook clubs/backpackers are jobs that require manual labor, or positions that are responsible for entertaining foreigners (such as hotels). If you plan to go to Japan to experience the office culture, it may be more suitable to find a job on the job search website by yourself.

How to Find a Job in Job Search Magazines

TownWork job magazines and Jobaidem job magazines are distributed free of charge at fixed times every week.

Distribution location: railway station, convenience store.

job hunting magazineSometimes a blank resume is attachedfor job hunting purposes.

Where Job aidem is distributed

Compared with job hunting websites, job hunting magazines are updated faster and easier to search.
Probably in the current Internet-developed society, the main targets of job hunting magazines are probably people who don’t have internet at home, or those who want to save money and buy resumes~

Go to the government's Hello Work employment agency

Features of Hello Work Employment Agency

Hello Work ハローワーク It is an employment agency established by the Japanese government. Like the job search website, it has an online version to provide job vacancy information.

However, the Hello Work website does not provide online job application, and some job advertisements on Hello Work do not include the contact number of the store. If you are interested in applying for a position, you must print out the information and go toThe nearest Hello Work officeGet help from staff.
It is recommended to check the business hours and address of the Hello Work office before departure.

Reasons to choose Hello Work Employment Agency

For those who do not have the confidence to deal with telephone interviews, Hello Work is a good choice, because the staff can call the store on their behalf to check whether an interview can be arranged.

If the store is willing to hire foreigners and thinks the conditions are suitable, they can get an interview opportunity, which is easier than dealing with telephone inquiries.

It is easier to find office clerical jobs at Hello Work, but if you are looking for a chain store job, Hello Work may not be suitable.

Go outside the store to see if there are any poster materials for recruiting employees

Many times when I go shopping, I will come across shops of different industries posting posters for recruiting employees outside the doors, among which restaurants, supermarkets, convenience stores and other shops are the most common.

Should you see the poster and immediately enter the store to make an appointment for an interview?

Not recommended.

You should take photos after seeing the poster, go home and search online for the store’s information, background, and business hours, and then it’s not too late to call to make an appointment for an interview.

Reasons why it is not recommended to enter the store to make an appointment for an interview

• Because it is not sure whether the store manager/acquisition manager was in the store at the time
• Because it is not possible to determine whether it is a busy time
• Because general interviews (regardless of any industry) require a complete resume and so on.

The process of making an appointment for an interview

1. Go home and collect the store’s information first, then call the store to make an appointment for an interview
2. Don't forget to prepare paper and pen to write down important information before calling
3. Learn about your Japanese level simply by talking on the phone
4. The store accepts interviews with foreigners
5. Agreed interview date and time
6. Bring the required documents
7. Arrive at the interview site 10 minutes early
8. Be sure to use Ding Ning to speak in the interview and keep a polite attitude
9. After the interview, thank the person for their time and the opportunity to interview
10. waiting to be hired