Working Holiday - Job hunting

[sleepyhead]

So I'm nearing the end of my tenure at work and I am still planning on a year out in Japan. I've applied already for some jobs out there but they are more...permanent jobs than for someone like me wanting to tour Japan and work to get some cash to stay there for a year.

Has anyone done anything similar? Advice on how to job hunt for temp jobs? Any other words of advice?

At the moment, I've got my eye on some places provided by Sakura House to stay in for 2 to 3 months (in the Tokyo region) so accomodation, utility bills and internet is more or less sorted.

I'll be travelling fairly light...rucksack + laptop bag.

I'm not too sure whether to convert all my money or somehow draw it out in Japan...

Mobile Phone (or cell phone I should call them) again should be sorted once I am there; hoping there is such a thing as SIM-only (so-so doubt it but don't ask, don't get) so I can whack it in my phone. If not, I'll get a cheap one.

Think I got the basics covered other than...when I get there what's the best approach for finding a job...The only jobs I can seem to qualify for are English teaching jobs...and I'm no teacher...just an Engineer. lol.

[oolon]

Do not take all your money in cash! Its all to easy to be robbed aboard. Using a cash machine isn't so bad to draw cash but draw larger amounts as there is normally a few + a cut on the exchange rate. Consider getting a bank account with HSBC they have branches everywhere! Get a credit card, set up a direct debit to pay it all off every month and use that then your just pay the exchange rate on the day. Much better than money changers.

[TooNice]

Can't help on the job part, most people I know who've spent a year there end up teaching English/learning Japanese and which of course restricts the movement somewhat. I'd say the majority of them aren't teachers either though. If you are white (yeah it counts) and have a British passport, you'll most likely get the job.

PAYG Cell phone, do ask, but don't count on it. You could rent one, though there is probably more economical options. Don't know anyone with a PAYG phone there.

Japan is safe and cash oriented, but I wouldn't want to carry a year worth of it on me. Opening a bank account is not a completely straightforward affair though. Before anything, make getting an 'Alien registration card' a priority (no bank or cell phone purchase without one).

[sleepyhead]

Alien Registration Card? EEP! Where do I get one of them?

Woo hoo! I have one place interested Just need to give them a call when I land in Japan for any part time jobs going...they are located in Osaka though...and I've not looked at Osaka yet...I was planning on Tokyo first, climatise and move on...

[oolon]

Don't forget you are going there for a holiday! Better to stop there a shorter time and see the place than to work hard and see little. Only work if you increases the time you have to enjoy the place.

[TooNice]

Alien Registration Card? EEP! Where do I get one of them?

It'll be the local municipal office (city hall), so it'll depend on where you stay. Some details here: http://www.studyjapan.go.jp/en/faq/faq03e.html

[chrestomanci]

Cellphone compatibility with Japan used to be a problem, as they don't use GSM, but these days it should be OK, as at least two networks use WCDMA, which is found on most modern 3G phones, so so long as you don't take a really old or basic model you should be fine.

[sleepyhead]

Just to reiterate as it sort of derailed:
Eseentially i'm after job hunting advice and any other essential bits of info (such as TooNice ARC) that I may not have realised.

Phone is sorted to be honest, if I can get something to work with mine, great. If not, easy enough to get another while I'm there.

My biggest concern of this trip is basically running out of cash before I've had a chance to indulge myself in Japan. Of course, the other concern is ending up working full time and seeing nothing...

[TooNice]

Cellphone compatibility with Japan used to be a problem, as they don't use GSM, but these days it should be OK, as at least two networks use WCDMA, which is found on most modern 3G phones, so so long as you don't take a really old or basic model you should be fine.

Problem is getting a pre-pay SIM (rare, and not sure if they still exist - Softbank used to have them but I heard it's cancelled). Roaming is not a long term option, I did that last time for a few weeks of *very* light use, and came back to the UK with a shocking. Pre-pay phone might still be around though.

[muddyfox470]

Let us know how it goes, as I know there are a couple of us that are also interested in going! Good luck, sorry I can't help.

[Kumagoro]

Job wise you could try these

https://jobs.gaijinpot.com/index/index/lang/en
https://jobs.ecentral.jp/japantoday/

More than likely you are not going to get any job other than as an eikaiwa monkey, and jobs
teaching English are not as common as they once were. Without basic functional Japanese
I would think its pretty hard to get other kinds of short term jobs.

However there are tech ones which don't need any ability.

https://jobs.gaijinpot.com/index/vie...5/job_id/33950

What kind of visa do you have as they are quite strict and they restrict you to certain
types of job, not that it cant be changed.

The gaijin card's proper name is gaikokujin touroku shoumeisho.

PAYG phones don't exist in the same way as here, I expect something to do with laws about
tracking phones for criminal use. You basically have to register one with your bank account
and where you live, then you buy a 1000円 card which lasts 30 days. I am not 100% sure if
there are other ways around it maybe the lesser ones like willcom have something different but
thats what I have to do every time I go.

Money wise travellers checks are pretty good you even get better rates on them. Dollar ones will
be easiest to cash trust me. Also open a citybank account my wife has one the other way around
and she can draw money from her account in Japan from nearly any ATM in the UK.

[TooNice]

In the short term, a post office does the job when it comes to withdrawing money, and I am quite sure that I was able to withdraw money from Citybank ATM on non Citybank card. Do tell your bank that you are travelling though if you are going to pay by card, I got both my CC blocked

[sleepyhead]

Job wise you could try these

https://jobs.gaijinpot.com/index/index/lang/en
https://jobs.ecentral.jp/japantoday/

More than likely you are not going to get any job other than as an eikaiwa monkey, and jobs
teaching English are not as common as they once were. Without basic functional Japanese
I would think its pretty hard to get other kinds of short term jobs.

However there are tech ones which don't need any ability.

https://jobs.gaijinpot.com/index/vie...5/job_id/33950

What kind of visa do you have as they are quite strict and they restrict you to certain
types of job, not that it cant be changed.

The gaijin card's proper name is gaikokujin touroku shoumeisho.

PAYG phones don't exist in the same way as here, I expect something to do with laws about
tracking phones for criminal use. You basically have to register one with your bank account
and where you live, then you buy a 1000円 card which lasts 30 days. I am not 100% sure if
there are other ways around it maybe the lesser ones like willcom have something different but
thats what I have to do every time I go.

Money wise travellers checks are pretty good you even get better rates on them. Dollar ones will
be easiest to cash trust me. Also open a citybank account my wife has one the other way around
and she can draw money from her account in Japan from nearly any ATM in the UK.

I have a working holiday visa.

Yep I been spamming that gaijinpot site for days now.

Hmm..open a bank account, transfer money from UK bank to Citybank...sounds like a plan!

The IT job is great other than...I'm no IT person...I'm an aviation Engineer...and I KNOW they aren't hiring.

Guess I'll suck it up, teach abit of english to prolong my stay and based on how much I can get then it'll dictate how long I'll pimp around Japan.

Thanks for the tip-top advice kumagoro.