How to find a part time job?

Im visiting on a working holiday visa soon and am looking at finding some kind of work. I dont really want to do english teaching but it seems like its the only option! I found a whole lot of jobs in other industries in Japan on http://www.perkle.com but most required at least conversational level japanese. Does anyone know of any job opportunities that DONT require Japanese ability?

I believe you found the work that doesn't require a Japanese language ability, English teaching.
If you manage to find part time work doing English teaching you are already doing a LOT better than many other people during this time. I'd be happy if I were you :)

Unless you have skills and experience in a field where there is a demand for non-Japanese to fill jobs, and/or excellent Japanese skills, I'm afraid English teaching work is about it, although you may see some bar work advertised- even that tends to go to people with some Japanese skills though.

Japan is currently experiencing its highest unemployment rate since the second world war and this has definitely affected jobs for people on working holiday visas as well. You might have to take what you can get at first, and that might have to be English teaching.

how about a pub or bar owned by foreigners? since its mostly foreigners and a bunch of english speaking japanese who go to those establishments anyway id think fluency in japanese isnt required?

I believe you're getting it wrong. A lot of foreigners work in Japan teaching English, but they certainly don't have the Working Holiday visa. They're part of the JET program, working as assistant language teachers. You wouldn't be allowed to teach english without the proper credits. I guess you can help with the harvests and stuff like that with the WH visa.

Who's in the wrong?

"Foreigners" as in western speaking English foreigners make up only a very very small percentage of the over all foreigners working in Japan.

My Chinese friend, speaks decent Japanese, speaks OK english works in a restaurant.

I don't think it's wrong to say that a bar owned by foreigners or visited often by english speakers doesn't hire foreign speaking staff, they certainly do, especially in places like Roppongi.

Now if you were to compare the wages, you'll be making more as a English Teacher then you would working in a bar. Of course that's if you can find a job even as a English teacher.

A lot of foreigners work in Japan teaching English, but they certainly don't have the Working Holiday visa. They're part of the JET program, working as assistant language teachers. You w

JETs make up only a small number of the overall number of English teachers. JET is a government program so of course they have stringent hiring standards. Working Holiday Visas are often employed by various other language teaching companies because they already have a visa and the company doesn't need to sponsor them a visa. You find many job ads that say "proper visa needed", eg many places now don't want to bother with sponsoring visas.

I believe you're getting it wrong. A lot of foreigners work in Japan teaching English, but they certainly don't have the Working Holiday visa. They're part of the JET program, working as assistant language teachers.

There are a lot of English teachers that are on the JET programme (about 6000 thousand countrywide), however I doubt that they comprise the majority of English teachers in Japan. Its definitely a big chunk but there are plenty of people doing similar jobs in other programs as well as the eikaiwa industry.

You wouldn't be allowed to teach english without the proper credits.

The proper credentials are native English ability and a visa that allows you to work (work, spouse, working holiday, etc.)

I guess you can help with the harvests and stuff like that with the WH visa.

Seriously? I guess programs like WWOOF supply a small number of workers to the farms, but WHV immigrant labor isn't exactly a backbone of the farming industry here.

most english speaking working holiday visa holders teach english.

if they are not teaching english they are working in clubs or bars, even though it's not really allowed.

a small number of people do WWOOFing / farm work / ski resort, agricultural, rural work. it's not that common but you do come across the occasional western gaijin whv holder in the middle of nowhere working on a farm. along with a bazillion other foreigners from the various asian countries.

then there's a small subset of people on whv's that work in illegal places like hostess bars and etc.. this is not good.

for non native english speaking whv holders, most work in bars, some teach their native language if they can find someone to hire them. if their english is good enough they can get a job in some companies but others will be more picky.

don't let anyone fool you, the economy is bad but it's still super easy to get a job here if you speak english. if you can't find a job in japan teaching english, and you're a native english speaker, you have some other problem besides the economy and need to fix your resume or interviewing skills.

don't let anyone fool you, the economy is bad but it's still super easy to get a job here if you speak english

Winterwolf not sure where you get your information but that is so far from the truth it's not funny.

This year alone english teaching jobs dropped 32%!!! in the private sector. The ONLY places where jobs have not dropped has been in government distributed positions like in schools. These have instead seen extremely heavy competition as a result.
It's also very clear and obvious from other foreigners in Japan the hard time they are currently having if they have not secured jobs.

i live in tokyo and have been living here for coming up on 2 years. i'm offered jobs ALL THE TIME. i was recently offered a super decent package to teach near osaka but couldn't accept it because i don't have a degree which would stop my visa application from being approved.

they're not all fantastic high salary jobs, but if you can't get a job teaching english in or near tokyo, osaka, kyoto, kobe, nagoya, sendai, hiroshima, fukuoka, or sapporo, you have major issues with your resume or interviewing skills.

i don't know any foreigners who are having trouble finding work teaching english if they are motivated. i do notice a lot of unmotivated people who don't really want to work, just complain, are still unemployed. if they wanted to work they could find some work.

japan's unemployment rate is still LOWER than the unemployment rate is in most western countries especially the US and Canada. if you can find a job back home and can't find a job here you're doing something seriously wrong.

30% contraction of a market that was already saturated beyond belief means nothing. people are coming and going to japan all the time. jobs are available if you want them. look harder if you can't find one.

It has nothing to do with motivation. The fact of the matter there IS a a issue with jobs, you can't possibly deny this when it's been reported at least once a week.
Just because you see a sunny grassy picture does not mean it's the case, which it clearly is not right now. It's not wise to mislead people.

winterwolf how can you be in japan for 2 years without a degree. i dont have a degree but taught english for a year in china haha want to do the same in japan but for longer

Knocky,

There are many ways people can work in Japan with a degree:

Many have a visa that allows them to work other then the standard work visa.

This includes, students (with immigration permission), dependents (with immigration permission), spouses of Japanese nationals (no additional permission required) , and the list continues a bit.

If you don't fit in any of those categories, generally speaking one needs to get a Work Visa, and generally that entails having a degree.

However if you already have a visa and permission to work, then many companies often overlook the degree part, because they do not have to sponsor you a work visa.

The above should say:

"There are many ways people can work in Japan WITHOUT a degree"