Looking for a job in Japan is not so different from the rest of the world - the main requirements being patience, determination and an everlasting smile!!
The first place to begin your search would have to CareerCross Japan's job search page where there is a large selection of positions currently available that can be applied for by the click of a button. Also by registering as a member with CareerCross you can post your resume in the Resume Bank for employers to see and also receive regular email up dates of new jobs as soon as they arrive.
There are of course other recruitment sites out there on the web, but we believe ours is the best, so we will not bore you with information on the others!
The traditional print media is another good place to search out opportunities and most newspapers carry a special classified section at least once a week. For English language publications, the Japan Times on Mondays carries the largest selection of general vacancies, with the Daily Yomiuri's Wednesday edition carrying a smaller selection of ads both in English and Japanese. In the Japanese press, The Nikkei, the Japanese equivalent of the Financial Times or Wall Street Journal, carries a large selection of mostly finance related positions on Sundays and for general vacancies the Asahi, Mainichi and Yomiuri newspapers all carry job ads. on Sunday and Monday.
There is also a wide selection of Japanese monthly and weekly magazines that are dedicated to job hunting. Titles such as Be-ing, Tech Be-ing, Type, Type Engineer, Travail to name but a few, and all can be purchased from most Japanese bookstores and newsagents. There are not really any English equivalents but certain magazines carry job opportunities in their classified section - Japan Inc., and the Metropolis (previously Tokyo Classified) are currently the obvious choices but there are a lot of other magazines available such as the Tokyo Journal, The Alien, Tokyo Noticeboard etc.
Tokyo boasts a huge number of recruitment companies, all eager to assist you in your search for a new career path. As a general rule they do not deal in jobs such as English teaching or the like and quite often will specialize in a few particular areas.
If using a recruitment company to assist you in your job search always check them out first. - while the majority of these companies are professional and genuinely interested in assisting both you and their clients, unfortunately there are some who have a different approach to their business. Sending out resumes without the owners permission and pushing people into a job just so they can collect their fee are common complaints, so if you do not feel comfortable with the company or the consultant you are dealing with, just tell them that you do not wish to deal with them anymore and go elsewhere.
As a general rule the large global companies with a local Tokyo office (such as Robert Walters Japan or Michael Page) are a good place to start, as are local companies that have been personally recommended to you.
Another suggestion would be the local Chambers of Commerce. In particular the American Chamber (ACCJ) has a well-subscribed resume bank. For a few thousand yen you can post you resume on their site where it can be viewed by their members, most of whom are senior representatives of various foreign companies with a presence in Japan. The other chambers (British, Australian etc) also have a similar service but it is not so polished or subscribed to.
Finally good old fashioned networking. It is amazing what can be achieved by being in the right place at the right time and this is amplified in Japan. Look at your contacts and if appropriate give them a shout; most will be willing to help out if they can. After all, who knows when they will need to call on you to return the favor. . .
