Career Video Collection

Watch videos with career advice from people who use Japanese in their jobs on the Japanese Career Video page.

 

Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT)

JLPT is an internationally recognized test of Japanese proficiency which many employers acknowledge. Tests are administered twice a year worldwide (in July and December), but only in December in the U.S. The closest test location to Bates is Boston (MIT), however, it is not available in 2021. The closest in 2021 is New York. Register early as some locations fill up. For a December test, online registration opens in August and closes in September. A test guide is found on the link above.

Internship (recently participated by Bates students)

• Center for Purposeful Work
  Many internships are unpaid. You are strongly encouraged to apply for Purposeful Work Grant through the Center for Purposeful Work to pay for your living expenses.
• The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation
  Marina Dickson ’17 worked in Washington D.C. and Tokyo offices in the summer of 2015.
• Ibaraki Christian University
  Kaylyn Kipper ’16 taught English in the summer of 2015.
• Consider approaching the Japan Foundation or the Consulate near your home. The close ones from Bates College include the Consulate-General of Japan in Boston. and the Japan Foundation New York.
• The U.S.-Japan Conference on Cultural and Educational Interchange (CULCON) has an internship program to work on US-Japan cultural and educational exchange in their Washington D.C. office. See their website and Facebook page for the timing and details.
• Top Career International connects job seekers overseas with Japanese companies looking for applicants overseas. Sign up to get notified of internship opportunities, job postings, etc.

 

Job Fairs

• Boston Career Forum is the largest career forum for bilinguals in Japanese and English, annually in November. Participating students are encouraged to make appointments for interviews in advance (start in the summer), and to practice interviews in English and in Japanese. Sophomores and juniors may also be interested for internship opportunities. 2021 Forum is completely online and open from summer until November.

 

JET (The Japan Exchange and Teaching) Program

Official U.S. website
Majority of JET participants teach English in elementary, junior high, and/or high schools as ALT (Assistant Language Teacher). There are also positions for Coordinator for International Relation (CIR) who engage in internationalization, translation, and interpretation at local offices. Application information becomes available in October, and the deadline is November.

 

Princeton in Asia

has a few teaching assistant fellowships in Japan. Application is generally due in early November.

 

Fulbright U.S. Study/Research Awards to Japan

has very few Study/Research Awards for graduating seniors that combines further language study and independent research, placed at a local university outside of Tokyo. Two years of language study is required. Fields of study in Japan Studies, Pacific Rim Relations, Critical Issues of Contemporary Society, Issues of Global Society, or Education. in teaching assistant fellowships in Japan. There are no English Teaching Assistant Awards sent to Japan. Online application is generally due in early October.

Other opportunities in Japan

• Private schools and some local municipalities hire ALTs directly. Kobe College is one example.
• There are companies that send ALTs, such as Interac and Altia Central. Read a story about subcontracted ALTs.
• Gaijin Pot is a job posting board for foreigners seeking a variety of jobs in Japan.

 

Alumni Profiles can be found on Keiko Ofuji’s website under the section “Former Students & TAs”