Midton

I'm 48 and have been living in Japan for 20 years. I am self-employed and although my business provides a decent standard of living it is not transferable to the UK.

Although I'm not rich I do have some savings but no property in the uk. My biggest concern is finding a job. I have a basic social studies degree and worked for a bank before coming to Japan. I can speak good conversational japanese but am not fluent. I'm not sure what I can do anymore or what kind of employer would think about employing me. Where do I even start looking?

I've had enough of living abroad and have been feeling increasingly homesick over the last 3 or 4 years and am beginning to feel trapped.

Can I have some suggestions on where to start please?

bigglesworth

Good morning Midton. I think you do yourself down a bit there. Good conversational Japanese is a thousand times more than 99.9 percent of the UK, so should be a very valuable asset. A background in banking, a bit of BBB (B*llsh*t Baffles Brains) and Bob's your uncle.
Try the online job sites. Monster I think are the biggest, but there is also something called Skillpages of which I hear good reports. Gumtree have jobs in London.
See if you can find some recruiters, get their names and write PERSONALLY to them.
Try people who might need Japanese speakers- the City of London Corporation, what about the old FSA now the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulatory Authority. Society of Motor Traders and Manufacturers. Think laterally
Good luck

Midton

Thanks for the response. Some food for thought.

Bnet36

Adding to Bigglesworth's suggestions you should also focus on Japanese companies with offices in the UK (and vice versa) and I am sure there are plenty. Your cultural immersion and ability to speak Japanese is valuable especially to a Japanese employer.

Do not down play your experience, you have unique experiences and cultural understanding that most don't have.

spouse of scouse

Also, you have an undergraduate degree to go along with your conversational Japanese - you could perhaps explore teaching conversational Japanese in colleges or community based organisations. You could also look at gaining a formal teaching qualification to enable you to teach social studies and/or conversational Japanese in schools (public or state). Having already done an undergrad degree, the time needed for a teaching qualification should be reduced. Best of luck!

Midton

I have a 20 odd year old PGCE for history and social studies but I'd hate to enter the classroom in the UK now. I know so many people around my age who are quitting or taking breaks due to stress.

My dream job would be some back office where I could work on my own initiative. I work for myself and have done for about 16 years so I'm quite conscientious, hard working and diligent.


Finding such a job will be a balance of luck and lots of searching.

spouse of scouse

Wouldn't that be great, no boss breathing down your neck, no deadlines, no company politics. I think you've just described a lot of people's dream job

If you can't secure employment while you're offshore, you might have to bite the bullet and move back without a job. You'd have a huge advantage being in the country. A tough decision for you, and one that'll probably come down to a measure of security in a place you no longer want to be, or a measure of insecurity in a place you do want to be. Best of luck.

Midton

Yes, suppose it is. It's also the situation that I'm in now, except that I work for myself. My job situation is fine here really, I just seem to have gradually developed acute homesickness.
Thanks and appreciate all the support and suggestions.

dunroving

Unless teaching is something you feel excited about, it would be a difficult job. Lots of excellent teachers leaving the profession, as you say. It's the same at all levels, which is a shame as it should be the best job in the word. Too many politicians and middle-managers have got in the way for too long (as in, for the past 20+ years).

Tirytory

It might be ok as a stop gap though..to get you home?

HighCaper

Sorry I can't add much about your job potential but I have read what others have replied to your posting. These replies seem to me to be very positive and encouraging.

I just want to say that I'm 47 and have been away from the UK for 24 years and I too have developed acute homesickness. Even though where we currently live isn't bad, I often wonder why this absolute need to go home comes from. From my perspective, I would have gone back years ago but the fear of not fitting back in and suffering initial loneliness and not getting a job, keeps me in my current location.

Anyway, good luck in your job pursuits and a safe happy return home.