Author: Hang
Editor: Tin D.
Being a foreign student in a foreign country, many struggle to settle their financial problems. To be independent from financial supporters or to share their burden, to accumulate life experience or to learn new things, regardless of the reasons, foreign students do part-time jobs and it is not rare to catch them working alongside with Japanese staff. They contribute to the economy of the host country as well as helping share their own family’s financial burden. It’s a two-way benefit, win-win situation for both the student and the host country.
Foreign students might have various motivations to come to Japan, and to come to TIU specifically. Do you know that you are in a country that part-time job is a common experience, because it is actually very easy to obtain one?
Here is why (personally)
1. There is a bazillion job opportunities out there.
Japan is the country of service. A great proportion of its GDP is generated by the third economic sector – service. Tourism generates huge GDP and creates many job opportunities for a country that the first and second sector has been gradually taken over by technology and machines. Hotel service, restaurant service, educational service to name a few of the areas that human labor is still valued more than machines. With a dwindling available domestic work force (too many seniors against too few young workers), it is important that employers take in foreign labor to make up for the shortage of man-power.
Foreign students are contributing greatly to Japanese economy by doing part-time jobs, and business runners love them.
Unlike many countries where part-time jobs are hard to find, scarily competitive as well as poorly paid, part-time jobs in Japan are always available and decently paid. You can easily cover your living expenses with your salary from baito even if you do not work full 28-hour per week (assuming you are not a crazy spender of course). The job is there, as long as you are willing to find and work for it.
2. Available jobs are newbie friendly
Japanese can take on part-time jobs after entering high school. Do you think they have any work experience just graduating middle school? Hardly, right. Because part-time jobs in Japan are very newbie friendly, anyone can do it. They would teach you how to complete your job in the most caring and forgiving manners, because that’s what they have been doing for centuries.
From young high schoolers to elderly, if you have any experience, great, good to know. If you don’t, it’s fine, it can be taught. Don’t worry that your work resume is a complete zero, you can still find a job. That’s how easy baito are.
3. Language barrier is NOT that scary
Yes, coming to Japan, many foreigners struggle with this language. How can people remember all these moon runes called Kanji? Well, practice and immersion make any language easier. But does that mean you can not look for any job until you can actually speak Japanese? Not really, there are places that you can work with basic Japanese skills of N5.
With N3, you can basically apply for any restaurant job. With N2, you can apply for basically any job (just don’t do any illegal jobs please).
HOW TO GET A BAITO – the easy way
(In case you are not confident with your language skills)
- Use part-time job finding apps to look up for information
Keywords: Foreigners/Foreign students welcomed; Newbie friendly; Language level according to your confidence.
- Ask for recommendation from your senpais)
Connections make things faster, easier and more credible. Make sure that your senpai is also trustworthy and credible.
- Prepare for your interview
Learn some common phrases. Prepare your Rirekisho (Resume) nicely. Dress smartly (not too formal nor too casual, it will not be a good first impression)
- Relax, smile and be bright
Be honest about what you can do. Ask questions if you need to. Don’t raise the bars to high, it’d only be tough for you in the future.
Times Of TIU 