JLPT N5 or N4?

I've been living in Japan for 18 months and didn't know any Japanese before coming here, aside from Kana and a few phrases. Since coming here I've been self-studying. I joined a class for a few months but fell behind quickly because they were already halfway through Minna no Nihongo 1 when I joined.

I want to sit for a JLPT test but unsure which one to apply for. Currently when I self-test myself I get 85% of the JLPT N5 answers right, so with more study I should be able to do the JLPT N4 within 6-8 months. My question is: is it better to start with N5, or go straight to N4?

I want it mainly for myself but might want to show the certificate to employers in the future. Do employers see the marks we get for each section, or do they only see that we passed or failed the test? For example if I sat for JLPT N4 and got a low mark (60%) would this be printed on the paperwork? Is it better to sit for N5 knowing I can get a higher mark, or does N4 look better even if I get a lower mark?

The main purpose of doing the test is to give myself a goal, but I'd also like the piece of paper to prove that I have an understanding of basic Japanese, and I feel like N4 looks better. I also have friends who said the level of difficulty between N5 and N4 is quite vast, and I don't want to apply for N4 and disappoint myself by failing it.

Please give me your advice!

To be completely honest no one is going to look at an N4 or N5. the only levels really worth doing in N1 or N2. My teachers in japan and my home country discourages students N3 or higher from doing the test as its expensive and doesn't carry a lot of meaning.

To be completely honest no one is going to look at an N4 or N5. the only levels really worth doing in N1 or N2. My teachers in japan and my home country discourages students N3 or higher from doing the test as its expensive and doesn't carry a lot of meaning.

Sorry, I should have clarified that I won't be looking for a job in a Japanese company or anything like that. I just want a piece of paper to show that I made the effort to learn some Japanese while I was here, as well as the primary goal which is to improve my Japanese ability through studying for the test. I know that N5 and N4 are both low levels of Japanese but surely it's better than living here for a few years and having no proof that I bothered to learn anything.

Initially I wasn't going to do the JLPT as I thought it was a waste of time as I don't intend to stay in Japan for longer than 3-5 years or use Japanese in the future. But my friends who are fluent in Japanese are all encouraging me to do it, making the point that it will give my study some purpose and direction and that any language certificate, even if the level is low, is better than nothing.

the aim for the N4! if your wanting as a boost of motivation then go for the test you have the least amount of confidence in! And it will feel great when you accomplish it. Don't be scared to fail. At times the test is also about luck! as there are so many different versions of it! good luck!

I second the suggestion for N4.

As for the certificate itself, it does not say your score, but at the time of receiving the certificate you also get another paper that does list your scores for each section. I can't imagine an employer asking for that, though.

Usually people only talk in terms of passing or not; score is generally not considered very important. So yeah, based on your description of your level, I would go for the N4.