Are you doing all you can to find the perfect job?

How to find a job in japan? Of course, a quick Google search will show some sites with job offers, but is that really the best option for you?

Scroll down for four ways to find your new job, discussing their advantages and disadvantages.

Job Portals

The most common way to look for jobs is to use online job portals. They let you search by profession, location and more. Thus, making it easy to narrow down the search results to job offers that are relevant to you.

Especially if you don’t have a particular company you want to work for, or if you have a special criterion you want to meet, this is a good way to start.

Benefits	Disadvantages
large pool of job adds	few entry-level jobs
easy, streamlined application	anonymous, often no feedback

READ ON　 The best job portals and who they are suited for!

Career Fairs

What job portals lack in networking opportunities, job fairs offer in abundance. Around the year, career fairs especially for foreigners or aimed at bilinguals are being held. Whether you are a new grad or a professional, at these events you will find companies looking for new employees of all experience levels.

Use the opportunity to talk directly to the staff and get a feel for the company. For those concerned about cultural differences, you might even meet non-Japanese employees who can tell you more about what working in the company is like.

Benefits	Disadvantages
talk to companies directly	still one among many
possibility of on-the-spot job offers	danger of insufficient preparation

READ ON　 Guide to job fairs for bilinguals in Japan (with upcoming events)!

Recruiting Agencies

A third option is to use the services of a recruiting agency (free of charge). New graduates often don’t take advantage of this opportunity as much as they could. The higher your Japanese skills the more options they can provide for you.

There are a variety of recruiting agencies especially for foreigners. The positions available will typically utilize your language or cultural background and offer an open working environment. If your Japanese is good enough, also take advantage of other recruiting services, aimed primarily for Japanese candidates (same goes for job portals, career fairs, etc.).

Benefits	Disadvantages
hand-picked jobs for your skills and wishes	fewer job ads
support in preparing documents and interviews	time-intensive process

Direct Applications

Most companies have recruiting sites online. When you know which company you want to work for, look for information on the company’s website and related media, and apply there directly.

It is often recommended to not apply to your first choice first since there usually is a learning curve to interviewing well. This is all the more true in Japan. Familiarize yourself with the recruitment process and manner before applying.

Benefits	Disadvantages
time-efficient	lack of knowledge about industry standards
allows for in-depth preparation	no room for failure

Do your research

To learn more about Japanese companies, check out popular firms among new grads, dig through company profiles on career portals, and do a background check on their official website, in media, and find out what actual employees think on review sites (Japanese necessary).

READ ON　 New grads in Japan would do anything to get into one of these 10 companies!

I would recommend trying a combination of the above options to maximize your opportunities. Go and apply online, get a recruiter to see if they can dig up something that really speaks to you, write to your dream company, and attend career fairs to make new connections.

Whatever you do, engage whenever you can. Not only will you find more job offers, knowing what you want and what you can expect will also help you through the recruitment process.