Job opportunities/Living in Japan

[Custard]

Hello Everyone,

First of all I would like to explain my situation and then ask for some input.

Currently I'm a Canadian fourth year student at my university studying Asian Language and Culture, specializing in Japanese.
My classes consist of Asian Studies, Computer Science, and Japanese.

I'm slowly approaching the end of my University career but I feel like i've just been cruising along this entire time...
I am probably going to graduate with a bachelor of arts degree with the degree above... however I'm not even sure if this will help me find a job?
My Japanese fluency level is N2 and I'm going to be taking the N1 next year, however I think i'm somewhere between the two.
I've studied Japanese for 6 years and I've been to Japan countless of times, including a one year studied abroad semester last year.
I can also fluently speak English since I was born in Canada as well as I am able to speak Cantonese since my parents are Chinese.
I'm currently 21 years old, and am sort of worried about the age-situation when job-hunting in Japan in the future.

My original plan was to graduate and apply for the JET program, but it seems so competitive so I might not have a chance to do that.
I really want to work in Japan in the future in terms of not just teaching English but doing other work as well for long-term.
So after two years, I would like to enter a company and use computer science to some sort of extent. I have a passion for computers and am knowledgeable in that field, but the computer science courses I have taken at my university have really made me dislike coding, so I was hoping to be a general IT somewhere assisting the workers?... Is there even such a job?

To put it short, I want to live in Japan.

However lately this reality and wanting of doing it is decreasing.

I guess I'm not really sure even what I want to do with life, but I just wanted to ask a few questions.

1. What is your opinion on this situation?

2. Do you think my degree can get me a job in Japan?

3. Do you recommend me to take any tests?

4. If I work for JET for 2 years (as I planned to) is it going to be possible to find a job in Japan after 2 years?...

5. ((Back to the age concern)) since if I decide to do JET for 2 years, that would make me 23 or 24 in the future when I do job hunting, will this look bad on my resume being 24 against other Japanese graduates who are only 21 or 22?

6. Do you think I should do JET or go directly find a job in japan? Why do you think this way?

Thank you all for your time in reading this and I hope for some insightful opinions and suggestions.

Also-- if this was the wrong place to post it, please redirect me and I will repost this!

Thank you again!

[Sangetsu]

JET would be a waste of time. You should consider going to graduate school and studying finance, business, or economics. These fields will open up more opportunities for you if you really want to work in Japan.

A degree in Japanese or Asian studies is about as relevant as a degree in basket weaving or flower arranging; there are plenty of Japanese in need of work who are fluent in both. You need something which is more marketable.

As for IT, many Japanese companies hire specialists from India. Much of this work is outsourced, and India provides competent technicians to Japan for a price that I'm sure you wouldn't want to settle for.

Most of my friends and associates are in finance, and are working for Japanese banks and investment houses. These companies see the economy in Japan as "mature" (meaning that they don't expect it will grow any further), and these companies are beginning to focus their attention outside Japan. The emerging markets are seen as Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and India. Many believe that China is in the beginning or midst of a "bubble economy", and they are a becoming cautious with investing in China.

Your best bet is to get an advanced degree, and look for a job with an American or European company with a subsidiary in Japan, such as a large investment bank. Your Japanese and Asian studies will be more of an asset there, and American/European companies pay much better than Japanese companies do. They also hire more people. Japanese companies like SMBC, Nomura, or Daiwa are hiring fewer people now, due to the poor economy in Japan, and poor corresponding company profits. And, as these companies are Japanese, their pay systems are strictly seniority-based. The starting salary is puny, and, even if you work there for 20 years, the best you might hope for is a mediocre salary. An entry-level person at JP Morgan or Goldman Sachs is much more lucrative, and as American and European companies base their salaries on performance rather than seniority, you will have much more incentive to work hard, and more opportunities for advancement. Any experience with computers or logic is a plus in finance.

Outside finance, you might look for Japanese manufacturing companies which are interested in moving production outside Japan (which more are doing now due to the lopsided currency exchange rates). Companies like Sony, Panasonic, or the auto manufacturers are all interested in expanding their manufacturing overseas, what would you need to know to be helpful to them?

Passing the N1 test would be a big plus, but it's not that easy to pass. Of all of my friends who have taken it, not a single one has passed (and they all live here in Japan). If you feel you are somewhere "in between" N2 and N1, you are going to have to work hard to be ready by next year.

Don't waste your time teaching ESL in Japan unless you plan to do something similar to it in the future (don't aim that low!).

[RustyBlackleford]

ESL is a good way to get your foot in the door, but competition is very high. Given your expertise, you probably should aim higher, but if you are tall and good-looking enough, ESL schools will hire you.

[steel]

I would recommend applying to the JET PROGRAMME:

Although you indicated hesitancy about applying to the program due to the chance of getting rejected:

1. You won't know unless you try.
2. At least one poster on this thread believes you are over-qualified

I think JET would be a much better opportunity than working directly in ESL either as an eikaiwa instructor or as a contracted ALT sent out by a dispatch agency.

What I would do - especially with your Japanese language ability - is to apply for the Coordinator of International Relations (CIR):

【Coordinator for International Relations (CIR)】

Applicants with a functional command of the Japanese language can apply to work as CIRs, assisting local government offices in international exchange activities at the local level. Just under 10% of participants are CIRs and major duties often include translation/interpretation for government officials, teaching community or school foreign language classes, and international exchange event planning and implementation.
Duties for a CIR may include:
　・Receiving guests from abroad
　・Editing and producing pamphlets in English or Japanese
　・Advising and planning international exchange programmes
　・Teaching English (or other languages) to government employees and local residents

I've met plenty of former CIRs who've successfully used their experience to transition to solid professional careers or grad school in some cases.