Some people who want to work in a global environment may be aiming to find employment or change jobs at a foreign-affiliated company. Even at Japanese companies, if you have a job that involves dealing with people from overseas, you can work in a global environment. If you want to succeed in finding employment or changing jobs, you should look at Japanese companies as well as foreign companies.

In this article, we will pick out some recommended jobs that allow you to work in a global environment in Japan. If you are looking for a job in a global environment that suits you, we recommend “G Talent”, a job-placement agency that specializes in global companies.

List of recommended jobs that allow you to work in a global environment in Japan

There are many companies and jobs in Japan that are becoming increasingly globalized. The following is a list of jobs that allow you to work in a global environment in Japan.

1. IT engineer
2. Overseas sales
3. Trade administration
4. Consultant
5. Interpreter/Translator
6. Language instructor
7. Childcare worker
8. Information staff
9. Tour guide
10. Buyer
11. Journalist
12. Cabin attendant
13. Pilot
14. Air traffic controller
15. Diplomat
16. International civil servant
17. International lawyer
18. United Nations staff

We will explain the job content, how to become one, necessary qualifications, annual income, etc. in detail for these occupations.

IT engineer

The term “IT engineer” is a general term for IT technicians, and is divided into “system engineers”, “programmers”, “server engineers” and “network engineers”. You do not need any special qualifications to become an IT engineer, but you will probably need to study the basics of IT at a university's information science department, an IT-related vocational school, or by self-study.

The need for IT engineers is increasing, and this is a job category that is in high demand. There are also companies that will hire people with no experience, but you will probably need to continue studying even after you get a job.

Average annual salary: 6.5 to 7.5 million yen

Reference: 【英語を活かせる仕事35種】選び方やレベル、想定年収まで徹底解説／神田外語学院

Overseas sales

This is a job that involves communicating with overseas customers and sales agents. You will need to work for a company such as a manufacturer, and you will probably be required to have a high level of business English, with a TOEIC score of around 700-800. In recent years, not only large companies but also small and medium-sized companies have been expanding overseas, so it is thought that demand for this type of job will continue to increase in the future.

Average annual salary: 4 to 5 million yen

Reference: 海外営業の給料、年収／キャリアガーデン

Trade administration

You will be involved in import and export-related work such as creating and checking trade documents, and managing shipping and delivery. As the majority of the documents you handle will be in English, you will need to have a sufficient level of English to be able to carry out your work without any problems.

To become a trade clerk, you will need to find employment with a trading company or manufacturer, but you do not need any special qualifications. As trade accounts for a large proportion of the economy in Japan, demand for this type of work is expected to remain high in the future.

Average annual salary: 4 to 6 million yen

Reference: 貿易事務の平均年収は？未経験から始めても年収アップできる？／キャリチェン

Consultant

Consultants support the improvement and growth of corporate performance. While no special qualifications are required, English language skills are required when dealing with Japanese companies aiming to expand globally.

Due to the increasing demand for consulting services, the number of people being hired is on the rise, and there are many jobs available for those with no experience. The most common way to become a consultant is to work for a consulting company and improve your skills.

Average annual salary: 5 to 10 million yen

Reference: コンサルタントの仕事／キャリアガーデン

Interpreting/Translation

Interpreting is the work of translating between two different languages and communicating the meaning of the translation in the language of the country in which it is being used. Translation is the work of translating foreign languages used in academic papers and video works, as well as Japanese. Some people register with interpreting agencies or temporary staffing agencies, while others work as freelancers. No special qualifications are required, but a high level of English ability is necessary. Due to the advance of globalization, demand is expected to continue to increase in the future.

Average annual salary: 4 to 8 million yen

Reference: 翻訳家の給料や年収はどれくらい？／elan

Language instructor

This is a job where you teach languages such as Japanese and English to students, teaching reading, writing and pronunciation at Japanese language schools and other schools. Unlike school teachers, there is no legal license for Japanese language teachers. As the need for these teachers increases with the times, the number of people aiming to become language instructors is also increasing.

Average annual salary: 3 to 4.5 million yen

Reference: 日本語教師の給料・収入・年収は？キャリアアップの方法や実情について解説！／25 Brush up学び

Childcare worker

You will work at an English nursery school, etc., and look after children before they start school. There are cases where only English is used, and cases where both Japanese and English are used, and it seems that the policy differs depending on the nursery school.

In order to become an English-speaking nursery school teacher, you must pass the Nursery School English Proficiency Test administered by the Association for the English Proficiency Test for Nursery School Teachers, and a high level of English ability is required. Demand is increasing due to the growing focus on early childhood education for infants and young children.

Average annual salary: 3.5 to 4.5 million yen

Reference: イングリッシュエキスパート保育士とは？平均給料と必要な資格も解説／ほいくらし

Information staff

This involves providing customer guidance and hospitality services at places such as airports and theaters. For example, the job of a ground staff member would include boarding procedures and boarding announcements for passengers. In order to become a ground staff member, you will need not only a good educational background and language skills, but also the ability to make quick and flexible decisions and provide good customer service.

The most common way to get a job in this field is to work for an airline company or one of its affiliates, but the number of opportunities for ground staff members is decreasing due to factors such as the ability to purchase tickets on smartphones.

Average annual salary: 2.5 to 4.5 million yen

Reference: グランドスタッフの仕事／キャリアガーデン

Tour guide

This job involves managing tour schedules and giving guidance to ensure that customers can travel comfortably. Tour guides for overseas travel need to carry out procedures at local airports and hotels, so they will probably need to have a TOEIC score of 600 or above.

In addition to the fact that overseas tour guides may need to have qualifications depending on the country, in order to work as a foreign language guide in Japan, you must have “tour guide” qualifications and be registered with the prefectural governor. In addition to the method of finding employment at a travel agency, there are also many people who register with agencies that dispatch tour guides and work there, and demand is increasing due to globalization.

Average annual salary: 3.5 to 4.5 million yen

Reference: ツアーガイドとは／スタンバイplus

Buyer

In order to purchase products and negotiate, you will need to have a high level of English ability that allows you to communicate with the other party without an interpreter. There are no required qualifications or academic background, but you will need to have the ability to judge whether a product is likely to sell, and you will need to have the ability to see the future.

For example, if you want to become a fashion buyer, the quickest way is to get some on-the-job experience by finding a job at a department store or clothing store. Due to the recession, consumer spending has declined, so demand is not increasing. However, there are some companies that are showing remarkable growth, so it is important to do some research on companies.

Average annual salary: 5.5 to 6.5 million yen

Reference: バイヤーの仕事／キャリアガーデン

Journalist

You will write articles based on interviews and presentations at press clubs. There are various fields in which you can work, such as newspaper journalism, television reporting, magazines, and the web, but in order to become a foreign correspondent, you will need to work in the international department of a newspaper or broadcasting station and work at a branch office overseas.

No special qualifications such as national qualifications are required, but you will need to keep your antenna up at all times as the genres you handle are wide-ranging. Although the spread of the internet is expected to reduce demand for journalists, the number of people aiming to become journalists in search of a worthwhile career remains high.

Average annual salary: 7 to 8 million yen

Reference: 記者の平均年収(平成27年)／年収ラボ

Cabin attendant

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In charge of providing services to passengers and ensuring safety on board aircraft. Although it varies depending on the airline company, there are cases where height restrictions and high language ability are involved in the selection process, so it is a very competitive field. Although no special qualifications are required, you should have English skills of around 600 points or more on the TOEIC.

Average annual salary: 4 to 5 million yen

Reference: キャビンアテンダント（CA）の年収・給料はいくら？ JAL、ANAや外資系エアラインの平均年収も解説／キャリアガーデン

Pilot

Pilots fly aircraft and safely transport passengers and cargo to their destinations. In order to become a pilot, you must receive a skills certificate from the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and obtain qualifications such as “commercial pilot”, “private pilot” and “scheduled transport pilot” before finding employment at an airline company. This is also a job that requires a high level of English ability and skills.

Average annual salary: 11 to 12 million yen

Reference: パイロットの必要な試験と資格は？／スタディサプリ

Air traffic controller

In order to prevent collisions between aircraft, air traffic controllers give takeoff and landing instructions and guidance on flight paths to pilots. As you also have to converse with foreign pilots, a high level of language ability is essential. They are government employees, and in order to become an air traffic controller, you will aim to become an employee of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Demand will continue to increase in the future as the number of passengers increases.

Average annual salary: 5 to 7 million yen

Reference: 【最新】航空管制官の給与・年収はいくら？福利厚生や手当について解説／アガルートアカデミートップ

Diplomat

As representatives of their own country, they are in charge of foreign exchange and negotiations. As diplomats are national public servants, they must take either the National Public Service Examination (for comprehensive and general positions) or the Foreign Ministry's Specialist Staff Recruitment Examination to become employees of the Foreign Ministry.

As the world becomes more globalized, the need for diplomats to support the future of their country is increasing. This is also a job that allows you to work in various parts of the world, so it is suitable for those who want to work in a global environment.

Average annual salary: approx. 7 million yen

Reference: 外務省専門職員（外交官）になるには？仕事内容・年収・試験科目・難易度を解説／アガルートアカデミートップ

International civil servant

International civil servants are people who work for the benefit of the international community, transcending the framework of individual countries, in four types of international organizations: the United Nations, subordinate organizations established by the UN General Assembly, specialized agencies, and other international organizations.

You can apply for the United Nations Young Professionals Program (YPP) or the JPO Dispatch Program, and receive an offer to become an international civil servant. No specific licenses or qualifications are required, but passing the exam is not easy. This is a job that requires highly specialized personnel.

Average annual salary: 5 to 10 million yen

Reference: 国際関系の仕事の種類一覧（17選） グローバルに活躍できる職業とは？／キャリアガーデン

International lawyer

International lawyers handle cases not only in Japan but also overseas. They need to obtain qualifications as lawyers in other countries, and they also need to be proficient in various languages, including English and Chinese. In the modern era, when domestic companies are increasingly doing business with foreign companies, the need for international lawyers is increasing.

There seems to be a big difference in annual income depending on the firm you work for.

Average annual salary: 3 to 15 million yen

Reference: 国際弁護士とは？国際弁護士のなり方、メリットや年収について解説！／MS Agent

United Nations staff

You will work at the United Nations or its subordinate organizations to solve various problems around the world. No specific qualifications are required, but you will need to work from a neutral standpoint and have a strong desire to solve problems.

There are several ways to become a United Nations staff member, such as taking an exam or applying for an open position. Although there is demand, it is not easy to become a UN staff member because there are applicants from all over the world. The average annual salary varies depending on the country of assignment.

Average annual salary: 5 to 20 million yen

Reference: 国連職員の給与・年収は？気になる初任給額や手当は支給されるのか解説／職業仕事の情報ポータルサイト JOBZUKAN（ジョブ図鑑）

What kind of jobs can you do in a global environment in Japan?

If you are looking to work in a global environment in Japan, choose one of the following job types.

• Working for a foreign-affiliated company
• Working for a Japanese global company
• Working for a Japanese company that makes use of language skills

With these jobs, there is a high possibility that you can make use of your own skills and work across countries.

Working for a foreign-affiliated company

In addition to overseas transfers and business trips, there are also many cases where the official language of the company is English. Consider working for a foreign-affiliated company. There are three types of foreign-affiliated companies: “Japanese subsidiaries of overseas companies that are 100% funded by the overseas company”, “companies jointly funded by overseas and Japanese companies”, and “Japanese companies that have been acquired by foreign-affiliated companies”.

If you work for a foreign-affiliated company, you will be able to use your language skills in your work, and your monthly salary will probably be higher than at a Japanese company.

Reference: 外資系企業とは？基礎知識や日系企業との違いを解説／ROBERT WALTERS

Working for a Japanese global company

There is also the option of working for a Japanese company that has advanced globalization. For example, there are many manufacturers of cars, food, electrical equipment, etc. that have expanded overseas as global companies. By working for a Japanese global company, you will have the chance to work stably overseas, and it will also lead to your personal growth.

Reference: 【日本のグローバル企業ランキング】共通する特徴や就職するメリットを解説／就活の未来

Working for a Japanese company that makes use of language skills

If you work for a Japanese company, it is important to find a job where you can make use of your language skills. For example, if you work as a translator or interpreter, you can make use of your skills while in Japan. If you work as a nursery teacher at an English-language nursery school, you will be exposed to English on a daily basis. If you are thinking “I want to make use of my English skills” or “I want to work for a Japanese company”, please focus on whether you can make use of your language skills.

There are plenty of jobs in Japan where you can work in a global environment!

There are plenty of jobs in Japan where you can work in a global environment, not just for overseas companies. If you are considering changing jobs or finding a new job, you should also look at Japanese companies, as this will make it easier to find a job that suits your needs.

If you want to work in a global environment in Japan, please use the recruitment agency “G Talent”, which is a gathering place for global companies. With over 200 companies using the service and a track record of supporting engineers from over 70 nationalities in their job searches, bilingual consultants with specialist knowledge of IT will propose jobs where you can make use of your skills in Japan. There are many job postings for up-and-coming ventures and global companies, so why not start by registering for free?