Hi everyone!
With how things are going in the US right now, I've been wondering to myself if moving to Japan is an option available to me. For me, moving to Japan would be a last-resort "I need to leave the US right now" sort of situation that I'm privileged enough to have as an option. So rather than making the decision to move to Japan and taking steps to prepare for it by securing employment beforehand, it would be a "well, I'm in Japan and now I have to find a job!" kind of thing. I know that I'm being a bit paranoid, but gathering information and knowing what to expect helps manage my anxiety, so here I am 🙂
About me:
- Late 20s woman; Dual citizenship in Japan and America. I'm 100% Japanese.
- Native-level fluency in both English and Japanese.
- I'm proficient in reading and writing Japanese. I should be able to read and understand most things that an average Japanese adult can.
- I have family in Japan that are willing to let me live with them and support me in Yokohama and rural Miyagi.
As a bilingual dual citizen, actually going to Japan and living there will not be an issue for me. I'm more curious and concerned about whether I'd be able to support myself in Japan without having to rely heavily on my family forever.
Job qualifications:
- I have a Masters degree in Social Work, and I'm a licensed clinical social worker (therapist).
- I don't have any other work experiences or skills outside of being a therapist.
- I have a lot of soft skills due to being a therapist. I'm an effective communicator, self-aware, and confident in my ability to connect with people.
- My main offer as a job candidate is my fluency in English and Japanese, as well as my cultural competency of both America and Japan. I'm also a very strong writer in English.
While ideally I'd be able to work in a similar field, I know that therapy and social work are fields that aren't as much of a thing in Japan as they are in America.
I'm not looking to make a ton of money. As long as I'm able to make enough to live independently and occasionally splurge on some luxuries like games, food and travel, I'll be happy.
My family and friends in Japan think that I'll easily be able to find work because of my English fluency, but I'm not so sure that's the case?? There are a lot of people who can speak English in Japan these days, so I'm skeptical that it will automatically make me a desirable candidate, especially because I don't have any other hard skills to set me apart.
I'm mostly just curious about: Are there any career opportunities for someone like me in Japan that aren't just part-time アルバイト-type jobs? Or have I screwed myself over with my career choice in terms of working in Japan, in which case I'd need to make a new plan or start working on acquiring new skills. I don't really have a job that I'm looking for or trying to get. This is just me starting to do my research, so I'm casting a very wide net to see any and all opportunities that I might have so I can look into it further!
Thank you so much for reading!
by MoonsMercy