The 2 types of internships you can do to build your career in Japan

Written by: Putri Nurdivi Djamil | Published on September 17th, 2019

In this article, we provide you with the essential knowledges about these 2 types of internship provided in Japan along with exclusive interview and case of 2 international students: 1 student from Thailand shares her experience about Short-term internship and another student from Bangladesh shares his Long-term internship experiences.

Here we will guide you through the following:

• Learn the 2 types of internship in Japan: Short-term vs. Long-term internship
• Long-term internship : Real voice of Japanese university graduate from Bangladesh
• Short-term internship : Real voice of an international student from Thailand

The 2 Types of Internship in Japan

An internship has become a popular choice for sophomores and juniors before coming to the job hunting season since it has tons of benefits consciously and unconsciously. By having an internship in Japan, you will gain international and professional working experience. Moreover, it helps you build your relationship with the company and broaden your connection with colleagues.

Let's take a look at the key differences between Short-term internship and Long-term internship here in Japan!

Long Internships in Japan

Long-term internship is a well-known one usually ranging from one to six month — you probably need to think twice to say goodbye to your semester break. But, unlike the short-term internship, the long-term offers a real working experience by involving in the company’s project and work closely with other colleagues and employees.

Plus, long-term interns generally get paid per-month or at a minimum, the company usually covers transportation expenses/ accommodations. Companies which offer long-term internship are usually Japanese start-ups or mega-venture or large IT companies or 外資系 foreign-capital companies in Japan.

Short Internships in Japan

Short-term internship program in Japan is ranging from one day to one week — best for the student with a hectic schedule or for those who intend to still have some free time during their semester break.

The activity cover company tours, 説明会 or setsumeikai (company’s information session) and a set of presentations which aim to provide interns with the company culture alongside given a bigger picture of the working environment.

Note that short-term internship usually organized by the Japanese established companies and conducted in Japanese. That being said, your Japanese ability will be considered during the application process.

Long-term internship: Job advice from an international student in Japan

What to say in a Japanese interview

Once you have made it to the final interview, make sure to show your eagerness to learn new-different things through your internship period. “It’s nice to have a Japanese-Language Proficiency Test of N2 or at least N3 and emphasize that you are passionate enough to learn something new.”

Where to find long internships in Japan

Searching for long-term internship openings in Japan is not an easy but very challenging task. This can be done through several approaches.

First, start looking at your university portal which may/may not provide you information.

Second, type some keywords of your field of interest or preferable location on Google, LinkedIn, Neuvoo, and Glassdoor. If you already have a name in mind, go straight away to the company’s official website and land on the career page.

Short-term internship: Job advice from an international student in Japan

JPort had a chance to interview Thitikamon Modhuang, known as Mint from Thailand. She is a 4th-year undergraduate student of Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University who had just done her internship in Tokyo for Nihon Denpa News (NDN) which produce documentaries for other major outlets around the world such as the BBC, NBC, and NHK.

Mint needed to save her own money to survive in the capital city of Japan since it was as an unpaid internship. Despite that, the employees were very kind to her, “Sometimes, my supervisor invited me to have a meal together.”

The Japanese Work Environment

This internship required Japanese language ability even though some of the employees could speak English since the job involves various traveling and contacting international outlets. Furthermore, having some conversational Japanese will help you to survive in the workplace comfortably. Mint believed that the workplace environment is the most important thing to be considered while looking for a job.

“Honestly, I was very nervous when I first entered the office. Knowing that my Japanese is not anywhere near perfect, I was afraid to talk with them. Therefore, it is important to find the one that you think suits you the most, and you will most likely have a splendid time working there. In NDN, my colleagues were supportive and kind, which made me relaxed and tried my best to communicate in Japanese.”

Advice for Interns in Japan

Mint expressed her opinion to the JPort readers out there who are currently looking for an internship in Japan.

“Don’t be afraid and make sure to be prepared. You don't have to know exactly what you are looking for in a job, because that is the whole point of doing an internship; to get to know more about the job. But still, it is important to have some basic knowledge about the job and try to find more information related to the company beforehand.”

Where to find short internships in Japan

To find the short-term internship vacancies, you can go through your campus website, apparently, your university has a rich source of the list of companies.

If you are curious enough with more opportunity, you could go through the company’s website or online job portals such as MyNavi and RikuNavi.

Furthermore, a short-term internship is an unpaid internship, but on some occasions, the company may cover your accommodation and transportation expenses.

Advice on internships in Japan

Internship is a trending topic once you have entered college or university. Whether you have a plan to apply for a short-term or long-term internship program, perseverance and motivation are needed to meet the right place to improve yourself as an individual alongside your professional skills.

Internships can become everlasting lifetime experience in your life whether you decide to work in Japan after graduation. Meeting new people from different culture and dealing with them in real deal gives you the boost to grow as a person and as a professional.