Recommended Part-Time Jobs for College Students

In Japan, soon after universities start in April, students begin to look for a part-time job. Spring is the best season for job hunting as many vacancies pop up. If you move to a new place for starting university, it's an excellent chance to make friends as well.

Here is the guide for college students to find a suitable part-time job!

Convenience store staff

Convenience stores like Lawson and Familymart are located across the country. It is an exciting place to work if you like working under pressure in an energetic vibe. Also, you can easily make friends as the majority of part-time employees are college students.

The duties are to greet and assist customers, operate the cash register, do paperwork, stock shelves and clean the store. If your Japanese is at an advanced level, you will quickly develop strong relationships with customers to boost the service. Night shifts may be involved.

Movers

Are you confident in your physical strength? It requires physical toughness due to heavy manual work. However, the daily wage is higher than other part-time jobs and working hours vary. You may need to deal with multiple removals per day. Remember, spring is the busiest time.

Movers are responsible for moving furniture and other stuff from one location to another location without any damage and working as a team.

Japanese pub staff

Working in a Japanese pub will be interesting for international students. You can immerse yourself in a modern Japanese cultural environment. In there, the staff work in a traditional "Happi" clothing in a vibrant atmosphere. Pubs open typically in the evening. It means that your job won't interrupt your study in college.

The primary duties are welcoming customers when they arrive, informing about daily menu specials, answering their questions, taking orders, carrying dishes and drinks from the kitchen to tables, preparing bills and processing payment.

Supermarket staff

The responsibilities of supermarket staff are similar to that of convenience stores. However, working at big supermarkets is another story because it runs under a different system. For example, if you belong to a cashier section, you are in charge of the cash register only.

The duties include stocking shelves and cleaning stores, greeting and providing assistance to customers, operating the cash register, and preparing meals in a food section. It is fun to find out Japanese food culture throughout your work!

English conversation teacher

English teachers are in high demand in Japan. If you are a native speaker and like teaching, why not apply for the position? If you live in a remote area where there are no schools, online teaching is another option.

The primary responsibilities are to plan, prepare and deliver lessons to a variety of classes, and provide feedback. Working hours vary between employers. Evening and weekend work may be required. In general, language schools hold social events or marketing events so that teachers need to participate.

Cleaner

The job will bring joy to the person who is passionate about making everything clean and shine? Cleaners are one of the sought-after jobs as the number of buildings has grown in recent years, particularly in big cities.

Cleaners generally work at various places including hotels, restaurants, nursing homes and hospitals. The duties are cleaning rooms and work areas, changing sheets and towels, making beds, emptying bins, dusting and polishing the furniture and cleaning windows.

Café staff

A café is an excellent place to work if you are a friendly and out-going character, and love the smell of coffee. Japan has many types of coffeehouse like Starbucks, which typically serves coffee and tea, in addition to light refreshments such as baked goods or snacks. It would be recommended for beginners to start with café staff because the number of options for the menu is fewer and less complicated than restaurants.

The duties include welcoming customers when they arrive, informing about daily menu specials, answering their questions, taking orders, carrying dishes and drinks from the kitchen to tables, preparing bills and processing payment.

Light work in a factory

Do you like physical activities and deal with repetitive work well? If so, it worth taking up this job.

Light work includes packing items, sorting, inspecting and assembling objects, loading and unloading pieces from or to delivery vehicles, picking up products from the warehouse. If the factory runs around the clock, a night shift could be involved.

Pizza delivery staff

Pizza is one of the most popular snacks in Japan so that the demand for delivery is high. Do you have a driving license? If the answer is "Yes", it will be one of your options. Pizza takeaway shop opens until late at night so that you can work after school.

The duties are to deliver food items to the person who placed an order, collect the payment from customers, maintain a delivery car and pieces of equipment, communicate with pizza shops and inform of undelivered food items or any problems to managers.

Petrol station staff

Petrol station work is right for car lovers.

If you are knowledgeable about engines or accessories, you will have many opportunities to show it off. Answering the tricky questions of customers, recommending the most suitable items to them, for example.

The duties include filling fuel tanks of vehicles with gasoline, collecting payments, selling and restocking items, keeping shop area clean, keeping track of fuel levels in the storage tanks.

Depending on the type of petrol station you work for, checking tyre pressures or oil levels may be included. If it opens 24 hours a day, you may be expected to work on a shift rota.

Last remarks

There are many more jobs in Japan. A lot of students like working as they can gain business skills and knowledge throughout working. Before going into a particular career, why not try part-time work?