How hard will it be to get a part time-job?

[Jibzoiderz]

~Sooo guys my first post here. I am going to a language school this year in Sapporo and I plan to sustain myself by doing part-time work. My reading and writing is equal to N5/4. I can speak Normal Japanese and have great listening skills (thank you anime). So with these specs, can I get any jobs with this? Any advice or experiences you want to share?

 

[Glenski]

I don't know what you mean by "speak normal Japanese". If your reading/writing is N4/5, I wouldn't imagine you can speak to any significantly high level. Is there any sort of work you actually want to do? Most non-teaching jobs will require level 2 or 3 because of the reading/writing requirements. How long do you plan to have this student visa? You'll be able to do only PT work, you know.

 

[Jibzoiderz]

I don't know what you mean by "speak normal Japanese". If your reading/writing is N4/5, I wouldn't imagine you can speak to any significantly high level. Is there any sort of work you actually want to do? Most non-teaching jobs will require level 2 or 3 because of the reading/writing requirements. How long do you plan to have this student visa? You'll be able to do only PT work, you know.

I know its but believe me I speak almost-fluent japanese but can hardly write any Japanese (i know i know).So i have fluent Japanese but is writing expertise required?

 

[Mike Cash]

I know its but believe me I speak almost-fluent japanese but can hardly write any Japanese (i know i know).So i have fluent Japanese but is writing expertise required?

It depends on the job, naturally.

 

[Jibzoiderz]

Well ill just see when I get there lol. Its all or nothing

 

[Mike Cash]

Well ill just see when I get there lol. Its all or nothing

Are you relying on working in order to provide your living expenses?

Do you already have your student visa paperwork taken care of?

 

[Jibzoiderz]

Are you relying on working in order to provide your living expenses?

Do you already have your student visa paperwork taken care of?

I submited the documents to my school and it will take a month or so for them to process. Also my age is 15 years old (suprise) but ill be 16 when I get there. Im not looking for a full type work or anything but just a part-time job to ease the tuition for my parents.

 

[Mike Cash]

I submited the documents to my school and it will take a month or so for them to process. Also my age is 15 years old (suprise) but ill be 16 when I get there. Im not looking for a full type work or anything but just a part-time job to ease the tuition for my parents.

Your profile says you are 43.

How long will you be here?

 

[Jibzoiderz]

Your profile says you are 43.

How long will you be here?

Well most forums have an age limit so I changed my birth year to 1972.

ill be in here for 1 year and 9 months

 

[Glenski]

i have fluent Japanese but is writing expertise required?

Work at a convenience store, and yes. How else will you deal with the accounting, vendors, or the duties behind the counter like when people want to pay their bills?
Work in a restaurant, and you'll probably have to deal with menus that are not in English.
Drive a truck (like Mike), and, well, Mike can fill you in.
Drive a taxi, and you'll have to handle your chit sheet, gas pumps, and navi in Japanese.
Any office job will require written Japanese for memos and email.
What sort of job were you contemplating?

 

[Mike Cash]

Recently it isn't unusual to see foreign students manning the registers in convenience stores in some areas. The chain nature of the stores means there is no dealing with vendors and in most cases there will be at least one or two other people working at the same time, typically one of whom will be Japanese.

 

[Jibzoiderz]

Work at a convenience store, and yes. How else will you deal with the accounting, vendors, or the duties behind the counter like when people want to pay their bills?
Work in a restaurant, and you'll probably have to deal with menus that are not in English.
Drive a truck (like Mike), and, well, Mike can fill you in.
Drive a taxi, and you'll have to handle your chit sheet, gas pumps, and navi in Japanese.
Any office job will require written Japanese for memos and email.
What sort of job were you contemplating?

Hmm. I see. I guess ill start doing RTK I heard its good for memorizing kanji and meanings. Thx for the help guys.


.

 

[Mike Cash]

Hmm. I see. I guess ill start doing RTK I heard its good for memorizing kanji and meanings. Thx for the help guys.


.

RTK won't teach you how to actually read anything.

You may have the same experience many people who have learned Japanese outside Japan from watching cartoons have....a big shock when you discover you don't understand nearly as much of what is being Saud around you as you thought you would and a similar big shock at your ability to speak similarly not being as good as you had thought it would be.

 

[Jibzoiderz]

RTK won't teach you how to actually read anything.

You may have the same experience many people who have learned Japanese outside Japan from watching cartoons have....a big shock when you discover you don't understand nearly as much of what is being Saud around you as you thought you would and a similar big shock at your ability to speak similarly not being as good as you had thought it would be.

I have Japanese dorm mates and they taught me how to speak Japanese for 2 years. They said my accent and speaking is fluent enough. oh well.

 

[Mike Cash]

I have Japanese dorm mates and they taught me how to speak Japanese for 2 years. They said my accent and speaking is fluent enough. oh well.

Good deal!

Now get to work learning to read.

 

[Jibzoiderz]

Good deal!

Now get to work learning to read.

ありがとうございます

 

[Glenski]

Virtually every foreigner I've seen at a register (darned few) has been Chinese, with an immediate edge on reading kanji.

I answered your question. Please do me the courtesy of answering mine: What sort of job were you contemplating?

 

[Mike Cash]

Virtually every foreigner I've seen at a register (darned few) has been Chinese, with an immediate edge on reading kanji.

In Tokyo you get a bit of variety. I've mostly seen them concentrated in an area surrounding an exchange student support facility in Odaiba. Mostly Chinese, but some Indonesians, South Americans, etc. I've seen one Spanish guy at 7-11 in Nerima. The job doesn't really call for any reading, and the speaking consists mostly of a few set phrases, so it really isn't a bad job at all for someone without great skills yet. Of course, the caveat being that they will have to have skills before they'd be left to work a solo shift.

I sort of wonder why the OP at age 16 is going to be attending language school for a year and a half instead of high school, though.

 

[Glenski]

Profile says 43 years old.

 

[Mike Cash]

Profile says 43 years old.

He fibbed.

 

[WonkoTheSane]

At my local Aeon there's what I assume to be a brother and sister pair of Indian (or thereabouts) youngsters working. Possibly kids of expats living nearby being taught the value of hard work. I kind of hope so. On my 14th birthday, the first day I could get a work permit, I started my first real job of washing dishes at a diner and I firmly believe young people can learn a lot from spending money they earned through honest work.

These young people have great Japanese skills as far as I can tell, both verbal and written.

I also wonder about a 16 year old wandering Japan. Though when I was that age I'd already been accepted into, and subsequently thrown out of, a university and consequently hitch hiked across the USA... So perhaps this person is just on a different path than typical. In any case, I applaud any young person who steps up and earns a buck instead of sponging completely off of their guardians.

 

[Jibzoiderz]

Ok ive memorized 600 kanji and it seems easy somehow.

Virtually every foreigner I've seen at a register (darned few) has been Chinese, with an immediate edge on reading kanji.

I answered your question. Please do me the courtesy of answering mine: What sort of job were you contemplating?

almost any job will be ok for me as the minimum wage is high enough to rent a dorm + food with 50% of tuition fee gone.

In Tokyo you get a bit of variety. I've mostly seen them concentrated in an area surrounding an exchange student support facility in Odaiba. Mostly Chinese, but some Indonesians, South Americans, etc. I've seen one Spanish guy at 7-11 in Nerima. The job doesn't really call for any reading, and the speaking consists mostly of a few set phrases, so it really isn't a bad job at all for someone without great skills yet. Of course, the caveat being that they will have to have skills before they'd be left to work a solo shift.

I sort of wonder why the OP at age 16 is going to be attending language school for a year and a half instead of high school, though.

I actually skipped 2 years of high school due to good grades so I plan to go to Japan for univ.

 

[Glenski]

Minimum wage in Japan is 730 yen per hour. Good luck living on that.

Can I ask why Japan for uni?

 

[johnnyG]

Minimum wage in Japan is 730 yen per hour. Good luck living on that.

Ease up Glenski:

Im not looking for a full type work or anything but just a part-time job to ease the tuition for my parents.

 

[Glenski]

Why ease up? Do you think it's feasible? He wrote more than just ease tuition.