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You, your age and job hunting

musicisgood

Sempai
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4 Sep 2015
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I'm not young anymore, and recently I found myself entering the job market here in Japan. Although I've had 2 professional careers including the State license for both of them, I knew they would be useless to me to even bring them up at Hello Works, but it did sound good to them. I also, in Calif. went through the store management program for one of the largest Japanese fast food restaurants both here and Japan, but chose not to mention it due to I'm not interested in working for the company again here in Japan. I probably would get turn down due to my age anyway. Great company to work for and I left the company on very good terms, to even where when I moved here, it was recommended that I contact the headquarters in Tokyo and was pre-given a recommendation to be hired in Japan.
Anyway, at Hello Kitty employment today, luck was not on my side. Old age worked against me here. I'll look at it as it, it just wasn't meant to be, although the company was interested in me until they realize that I'm over a certain age. Time to start door knock'n again.
 
What kind of work did you interview for?

There are jobs available for people your age, but let's be frank here... your total lack of Japanese language ability just immediately takes them off the table.

This is going to sound like the standard smart-aleck remark, but you might try McDonalds. They do hire people past retirement age...hell, they've even run commercials centered on that...and they would probably have something you could do in the kitchen that wouldn't require a whole lot of language skills.

I don't think you've ever said, but I'm under the impression you've never had a job in Japan outside of working for your wife's juku. Is that correct? If so, that's another factor that certainly doesn't help things now.

If you don't mind doing manual labor and having it be irregular, register with one or more temp agencies (人材派遣 "jinzai haken"). I've seen everything from university students to guys in their sixties on work crews from them before.

What you really ought to do is cold call every eikaiwa or English school you can find within commuting distance and pitch yourself to them. That and/or get to work hunting up some private students.
 
What kind of work did you interview for?

There are jobs available for people your age, but let's be frank here... your total lack of Japanese language ability just immediately takes them off the table.

This is going to sound like the standard smart-aleck remark, but you might try McDonalds. They do hire people past retirement age...hell, they've even run commercials centered on that...and they would probably have something you could do in the kitchen that wouldn't require a whole lot of language skills.

I don't think you've ever said, but I'm under the impression you've never had a job in Japan outside of working for your wife's juku. Is that correct? If so, that's another factor that certainly doesn't help things now.

If you don't mind doing manual labor and having it be irregular, register with one or more temp agencies (人材派遣 "jinzai haken"). I've seen everything from university students to guys in their sixties on work crews from them before.

What you really ought to do is cold call every eikaiwa or English school you can find within commuting distance and pitch yourself to them. That and/or get to work hunting up some private students.

Mike, it was basically kitchen work, from washing dishing to whatever was needed. Big hotel here in town and the hours were flexible also. It appeared that my language skills are not good enough at the moment to continue to work with Hello Works. I do have 2 leads to follow up on after Tuesday of next week. Probably somewhere in the line of daily manual labor, not sure yet, maybe nothing may come of it, but these are the people that helped me resettle here so they know me and I paid my rent on time so all is well with them.

Yes, I've only worked for her all these years. I haven't checked out the Eikaiwa schools here since I didn't have a bicycle to get around, but now I do. So that will be on my list. I got a few dental appt. that need to be made and then I'm totally freed up to hit the job market. And yes, Mcd's would be fine with me also.
The temp thing, I'll have this International community make a call for me and see what's available next week also.
 
There are some online teaching gigs that don't pay much, but I'd rather do that than backroom stuff at McD's. They pay a little more, too. (depends on various factors)

Don't ask me to google them for you, that's what google's for.
 
Have you taken a look at Hire Freelancers & Find Freelance Jobs Online - Freelancer You can register as a worker and do any number of things from data entry and upwards. The hourly rate sucks for unskilled work such as data entry but at least it's something and you may have a skill that pays more. The great thing is you can work from the comfort of your living room and work as many or as few hours as you want.
 
There are some online teaching gigs that don't pay much, but I'd rather do that than backroom stuff at McD's. They pay a little more, too. (depends on various factors)

Don't ask me to google them for you, that's what google's for.


thanks, johnny
I'll keep that on the backburner for now. I met a few people since here and I'm going to try to ask them for a little help and see what happens. Again thanks.
 
Have you taken a look at Hire Freelancers & Find Freelance Jobs Online - Freelancer You can register as a worker and do any number of things from data entry and upwards. The hourly rate sucks for unskilled work such as data entry but at least it's something and you may have a skill that pays more. The great thing is you can work from the comfort of your living room and work as many or as few hours as you want.

Hey Kyushu
I guess you live in Kyushu. If so I'm right above you in Yamaguchi. Many thanks for the lead there. Haven't checked it out yet, but I hope they don't have an upfront charge that cost an arm and a leg.
 
There are a score of "find-a-teacher/student" sites out there. I'm on
Teach in Japan. Teaching English, French, Chinese (etc) Private Lessons to Nearby Students - GetStudents.net and Find students in Japan | hello-sensei.com and maybe another one, I forget.
Post your profile, rates, availability and wait and see if anyone bites. I've gotten a few part-time jobs and a couple of private students through using them. A place to start and build a network anyhow.
And don't despair about your age. Yeah, undeniable ageism in the business, no argument there, but occasionally students or companies want someone older. I recently landed a little evening gig because I'm in my 40's, been in Japan for quite a while now and the company hiring is, "just sick to death of being ripped off by backpackers" to quote the manager.
 
Hey Kyushu
I guess you live in Kyushu. If so I'm right above you in Yamaguchi. Many thanks for the lead there. Haven't checked it out yet, but I hope they don't have an upfront charge that cost an arm and a leg.

I'm in Kyushu now for a couple of weeks, and then will go back to Indonesia to wind up my affairs there before relocating full-time to Kyushu sometime next year.

I've just turned 50 and will try to start a new business when I get to Kyushu so let's not despair about our age. We can't make ourselves younger, we can just do the best we can with what we've got.

There are no up-front charges on that website I gave you but of course the website will take a cut. Suggest you join (it cost nothing) and just spend some time browsing around the kind of jobs that are available and see what you think. If you are comfortable using a computer you'll probably be able to find something.

Good luck to us both.
 
Being a state of Maine person, the idea of checking out L.L. Bean's outlet store comes to mind. No clue if it's plausible.
 
There are a score of "find-a-teacher/student" sites out there. I'm on
Teach in Japan. Teaching English, French, Chinese (etc) Private Lessons to Nearby Students - GetStudents.net and Find students in Japan | hello-sensei.com and maybe another one, I forget.
Post your profile, rates, availability and wait and see if anyone bites. I've gotten a few part-time jobs and a couple of private students through using them. A place to start and build a network anyhow.
And don't despair about your age. Yeah, undeniable ageism in the business, no argument there, but occasionally students or companies want someone older. I recently landed a little evening gig because I'm in my 40's, been in Japan for quite a while now and the company hiring is, "just sick to death of being ripped off by backpackers" to quote the manager.

Thanks, marley for the tip on the above leads.
 
Being a state of Maine person, the idea of checking out L.L. Bean's outlet store comes to mind. No clue if it's plausible.

Thanks, Frank.
This is a university and tourist (onsen) town. Not much in big retail, at least not that I've seen so far. It will be a challenge for me as I'm finding out 2 things, age and language are at the moment a setback for me, but that's not going to close me in though. I'm hoping now to work on a few leads from the people I met and see what happens next work. I get SS so I'm not starving, but an additional income (small is fine) would be very helpful to me.
 
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