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Things that Surprised International Students When They Came to Japan - Part-time Jobs
About 80% of international students have part-time jobs in Japan. In this article, we will introduce some of the culture shocks that international students face when they start working part-time.
How much part-time work is possible for international students?
To begin with, the "College Student" status of residence does not allow for part-time work. Therefore, most international students apply for a "Permission to Engage in Activity other than that Permitted under the Status of Residence Previously Granted" at the airport on the day they arrive in Japan. Even if you are granted permission, there are various rules regarding part-time work for international students. International students are only allowed to work 28 hours a week. However, during long vacations such as summer vacation, you can work 40 hours a week with a certificate from your school. There are also some jobs that you are not allowed to work, such as nightclubs and pachinko. If you violate these rules, you will not be able to live as a foreign student, so if you work overtime, please make sure that you have not exceeded the number of hours. Also, some students take part-time jobs with high hourly wages late at night and fall asleep in class. Study is the most important thing for international students. Don't get an unreasonable part-time job!
Most international students work in restaurants, factories, or convenience stores. Recently, sorting packages for online shopping at a warehouse is a popular job. If you want to find a job in Japan, experience in the hospitality industry can be a career. When choosing a part-time job, be sure to think about and consider many things.
What kind of people are in demand?
Japanese companies are looking for people who are cooperative and polite. Compared to other countries, Japan has a national character that values teamwork, and it is the same for part-time jobs. Listen to your boss's instructions and work together with your colleagues to get the job done. There are cases where international students are scolded for working alone without consulting anyone. Do you know that there is a word used at work called "ho-ren-sou (spinach)"? "Ho" means "report," "ren" means "contact," and "so" means "consultation. Let's always keep these three words in mind when we work. Also, In Japan, there is a saying, "The customer is God," which means that you should treat your customers as if they are God and be polite and courteous to them. If you can master customer service, you will have a big advantage when you find a job in Japan. You don't need to be good at Japanese to convey your feelings.
Unique greetings at part-time jobs
I was once asked by an international student, "Do Japanese people say 'Ohayo gozaimasu' even at night? I was once asked by an international student. In restaurants, "Ohayo gozaimasu" is often used as a greeting to start work. The greeting is the same even if the workday starts at 6:00 p.m., for example. This unique culture makes even Japanese people feel uncomfortable when they first start working part-time. There is no clear reason as to why people greet each other in such a way. Be careful, this is a greeting only between store workers and not used for customer
Be strict with time!
The most common problems that foreign students have at their part-time jobs are related to tardiness and absenteeism. If you are going to be late, be sure to call before the designated time. The same goes for taking time off from your part-time job. Also, if you are at work and it is prayer time, you are not allowed to give priority to prayer. If you have to pray, please try not to work during that time. Also, if you are going to quit your part-time job, please consult with your manager one month in advance. It is not a good idea to quit suddenly. If you quit your part-time job abruptly, people from the same country or the same school as you may not be able to work there anymore. Please be careful.
There are students who suddenly become fluent in Japanese when they start working part-time. I have also received reports that they have made Japanese friends and are enjoying their study abroad experience. Of course, the most important thing for international students is to study, but part-time jobs allow you to learn things that you cannot learn at school. Please manage your part-time job carefully and enjoy your life as an international student.
At our school, we can help you find a part-time job.
What surprised international students when they came to Japan - Part-time job -
About 80% of international students studying abroad are part-time students in Japan. This time, I will introduce the culture shock that international students face when they start part-time jobs.
How long can an international student work part-time?
In the first place, the status of residence of "student" is not allowed to work part-time. Therefore, most international students apply for a "permission to engage in activities other than those permitted under the status of residence" at the airport on the day they enter japan. Even if permission is granted, there are various rules for part-time jobs for international students. International students must work only 28 hours a week. However, if you are on a long holiday such as summer vacation, you can get a certificate from the school and work 40 hours a week. In addition, there are jobs that should not be worked, such as nightclubs and pachinko. If you violate these, you will not be able to live a study abroad life, so if you work overtime, make sure that the number of hours has not been crossed. In addition, there are people who doz off in class by working part-time at midnight with high hourly wages. Studying is the most important thing for international students. Don't do unreasonable part-time work!
Most international students work in restaurants, factories, convenience stores, etc. Recently, the job of sorting luggage for online shopping in warehouses is popular. If you want to work in Japan, your experience in hospitality may be your career. When working part-time, try to think and choose while paying attention to various things.
What kind of human resources are required?
Japanese companies need collaborative and courteous human resources. Japan has a national nature that values teamwork compared to other countries, and it is the same for part-time jobs. Listen to your boss's instructions and work with your colleagues. Some international students are scolded for working by them without consulting anyone. Do you know that there is a word "spinach" in the word used at work? "Ho" is "report", "ren" is "contact", "so" is "consultation". Always be aware of these three words. Also, in Japan, there is a word "Customers are God." It means that you have to think of your customers as God and serve them politely and politely. Mastering customer service is very advantageous when you get a job in Japan. Even if you are not good at Japanese, you can still feel it. I will serve you with all my heart.
Unique greetings for part-time workers
International students once asked me if Japanese people say good morning even at night. In restaurants, "Good morning" is often used in greetings to start work. For example, if work starts at 18:00, the greeting is the same. This multicultural culture is strange even for Japanese people when they start part-time work. There is no clear reason why you would say such a greeting. This is a conversation between clerks, and customers do not use it, so be careful.
Be time!
The problems that international students often have at part-time jobs are often related to "lateness" and "absenteeism". If you are likely to be late, be sure to contact us before it is a definite time. This is the same when you take a break from your part-time job. Also, if it's time to pray while you're at work, you're not allowed to prioritize prayer. If you have a prayer, please devise such as not entering a part-time job at that time. In addition, if you want to quit your part-time job, consult with the manager one month in advance. It's not good to quit suddenly. People from the same country or school as you may not be able to work part-time there. Be careful.
There are students who suddenly become good at Japanese when they start working part-time. I have also received reports that I have made Japanese friends and enjoyed studying abroad. Of course, the most important thing for international students is study, but it is part-time jobs that you can learn things that you cannot learn at school. Manage yourself and enjoy your study abroad life.
* At our school, you can consult with us when looking for a part-time job.
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