Contents
Many people are longing to change jobs overseas, saying, "I want to work overseas someday." It would be cool if I could work crunchy while being surrounded by foreigners in a new environment different from Japan. However, some people may feel that "I want to change jobs overseas, but I don't know how to do it" or "I'm worried because I'm not that good at English."
Therefore, in this article, we will introduce in detail how to realize an overseas career change for those who want to work globally overseas.
Let's know before considering overseas career change! Overseas job change situation
In Japan, where lifetime employment and seniority are widespread, the idea that it is better not to change jobs remains persistent. However, overseas, the perception and image of "changing jobs" is very different from that in Japan.
So, first, let's take a look at what the circumstances of changing jobs overseas are. At this stage, we will pick up three countries that are popular for overseas job changes from Japan and introduce the circumstances of job changes in each country.
America
As the United States is called a "power to change jobs," changing jobs is becoming a common means of career advancement. Since it is a pay-for-performance country, if you find a job that allows you to make the most of your skills, it will directly lead to an increase in income and skills. No matter how long you have worked, your salary will not increase automatically, so many people are always looking for an environment where they can advance their careers. There is no concept of lifetime employment like in Japan, and many companies are hiring all year round.
In the United States, there are many services that support changing jobs. Support for creating work history, interview preparation, counseling, coaching, etc. has been established and is used by many people to survive the career change competition.
England
Even in the UK, the idea of "advancing your career while changing jobs" has taken root. The general career plan is to get a job at a small company, acquire skills and experience there, and then change jobs to a larger company to advance your career. Since hiring emphasizes the experience and skills that you already have, it is also characteristic that it tends to be difficult to hire new graduates or change jobs to different industries.
Singapore
Singapore, which is an English-speaking country and has good security, is a popular destination for changing jobs in Asia. In Singapore as well, there is the idea of improving your career by changing jobs, and it is common to improve your skills, job titles, and income through changing jobs. There is no batch recruitment of new graduates at a fixed time every year, and many people start their careers by working as internships from the time they were students. It is widely seen that you get a job based on that career and change jobs with the aim of creating a better working environment and increasing your income.
Advantages and disadvantages of changing jobs overseas
Working in a different working environment than in Japan has both positive and negative aspects. Now, let's understand the advantages and disadvantages of changing jobs overseas and seriously consider whether or not changing jobs is really suitable for you.
Merit
There are the following merits to changing jobs overseas.
Expand your perspective by touching diverse values
Working with foreigners in a foreign environment gives you access to a variety of values and diversity. The stereotypes cultivated in Japan will be overturned, and you will be able to have a flexible view.
Improve your language skills
If you work abroad, your language skills will inevitably improve. It must be the best environment for those who want to improve their English.
Expected to improve skills and career
The skills and careers acquired through overseas work experience will be a valuable asset. Even when you return to Japan, you will be able to further your career if you use what you have learned overseas as a weapon.
Demerit
There are the following disadvantages to changing jobs overseas.
I have a work visa problem
Obtaining a work visa is required to work locally. Even if you get a work visa and start working, you may be forced to return to Japan without being able to renew your work visa depending on local political instability and company trends.
Welfare pension and insurance procedures are required
If you retire from a Japanese company, the welfare pension will disappear, so you will need to switch to the national pension. You can also quit your pension as you are not obliged to pay your pension while you live abroad. However, the amount of pension paid in old age will decrease, so think carefully before making a decision.
NISA will be canceled
NISA is a tax incentive in Japan, so basically it will not be applied once you leave Japan. However, there are exceptions, such as the fact that "Tsumite NISA" can be used continuously if you move overseas within 5 years. However, even in that case, you cannot save money while you are abroad.
3 ways to change jobs abroad
Now let's look at specific ways to change jobs overseas. There are three main ways to change jobs overseas.
Apply for local recruitment of Japanese companies
The first is to apply for local recruitment of Japanese companies expanding overseas. The big advantage of this method is that you can choose the country you work in, the content of your work, the period of time, etc. and apply. It has the characteristics that there is little overtime and it is easy to take vacations.
The longer you have worked, the more you can become the core staff of your local branch. From there, it is not impossible to switch to hiring at the head office and become an expatriate. When you return to Japan, you may be able to work for the same company.
Apply for local recruitment of overseas companies
The second method is to apply directly for local recruitment by overseas companies. With this method as well, you can choose the place to work and the content of your work. The place of employment may be a local company, or it may be a company in another country that is expanding locally.
Local recruitment by overseas companies often requires high language proficiency. Salaries are paid on a local basis and you can't expect much from benefits. Often there are few Japanese colleagues, and I will be working in a more international environment.
Change jobs in Japan and become an expatriate
The third method is to change jobs to a Japanese company in Japan and become a representative of an overseas branch. In this case, the salary will be paid according to Japanese standards, and overseas work allowance will also be included. In addition to receiving a higher salary than locally hired staff, the benefits are also substantial.
However, due to the circumstances of the company, it is not always possible to go to the country of your choice when working overseas. The length of stay and work content must also follow the company's instructions and cannot be decided on your own.
Flow when changing jobs overseas
Now that you know how to change jobs overseas, let's take a look at the flow of actually changing jobs overseas.
1. First, decide the country you want to go to and the desired conditions
First, research about changing jobs overseas and decide on the country you want to go to and the conditions you want. When deciding on a country to work in, it is very important to identify political and economic trends, not just the image. If you are looking for local recruitment, you should also consider the ease of obtaining a work visa.
Other factors that you want to consider are your desired work content, your language skills, local security, and ease of living. If you want to work in the United States or Europe, you need to have a high level of language ability to communicate smoothly. On the other hand, the language skills required in Asia are not so high. If you can communicate to some extent, you will find a company that will hire you.
2. Look for job information on a job change site and have an interview
Once you have decided on the country you want to go to and the conditions you want, look for job listings. It is a good idea to utilize a recruitment site for overseas and introduction of job change agents.
If you find a job you want to apply for, apply in a way that suits your country or company and have an interview. Interviews are often held locally, and at that time you can see the local situation and working environment with your own eyes. However, recently, it is becoming more and more popular online using video conference systems.
3. When you get a job offer, check the contents and sign
When you receive the informal offer, check the contents of the informal offer. We will check if there are any differences from what you heard at the time of the interview, such as work content, working conditions, and treatment after joining the company. It is important to check carefully so that you will not have any trouble later. If you agree with the content, sign it and send it back to start preparing for joining the company.
Q & A about changing jobs overseas
Changing jobs overseas is not the path that everyone experiences. Therefore, if you have any questions, you may not be able to find the answer immediately. Therefore, from here, I would like to introduce some frequently asked questions about changing jobs overseas.
Can even inexperienced people change jobs overseas?
Even if you have no experience, you can change jobs overseas. Even if you do not have the job category or industry experience you are looking for, you may be hired. There are reasons why companies want to hire even inexperienced people, such as "I want to train inexperienced people from scratch" and "I really want experienced people, but it is difficult to get together". In some cases, we dare to hire people from different industries and expect them to be flexible and come up with new ideas.
Is it okay if I don't speak English?
Even if you don't speak English, you can change jobs overseas. The language skills required vary depending on the industry, occupation, and company. For example, if you interact with Japanese companies or Japanese customers locally, being able to speak Japanese is a great advantage.
Even if you don't speak English, you may be hired by sales representatives of Japanese companies, tour guides for Japanese people, and call centers of Japanese companies. As you can see, if you work with Japanese people, it doesn't matter if you don't speak English. Development jobs such as engineers and programmers are also more likely to be hired if they have the skills of daily conversation.
Are there any tips for a successful overseas career change?
Here are some tips for a successful overseas career change. For example, in addition to language learning, it is necessary to improve communication skills and work expertise. If there is something that can appeal to other applicants that "this is the only thing that can be defeated", the chances of getting a job offer are high.
Interview measures are also important when changing jobs overseas. Be prepared to explain in your own words why you want to change jobs overseas and why you chose this country. If the interview is conducted in English, you need to be prepared to speak calmly in English.
Conclusion
In order to realize the longing for overseas career change, it is important to research and prepare well in advance. Also, if you acquire language skills, you will have more choices, so it is recommended that you first acquire English as your own.
With online EnglishPhonetics English conversation, you can take English lessons by a foreign teacher at home. If you are aiming to change jobs overseas, learn business English with EnglishPhonetics English and get one step closer to your goal.
