There are a number of ways to go about landing a freelance designer job in Japan, for instance:
Let’s take a closer look at each.
Portfolios are important to any budding designer. However, don’t discount what a testimonial can mean for you and your portfolio either. Focusing on one over the other will not help you in the long term. Finding jobs and adding testimonials from satisfied clients to your portfolio is a great way to build your reputation.
Erring on the side of caution and not wanting to bother people is sometimes a natural response when starting out. But in the long run, it won’t really help you. So don’t be shy about applying or contacting people you’d like to work with – you might get an enthusiastic response. There are some great resources out there to help you connect with people as well:
Although Instagram can be a time thief, it can also work to your advantage. By carefully curating your page, carefully thinking about every image you post, and using it as a sort of ‘second portfolio’ to highlight your designs, you may attract the attention of the kind of people you want professionally sliding into your DMs.
Likewise, make sure your LinkedIn is up-to-date, curated, and don’t be afraid to use it to share your work with current as well as possible connections. Once again, it’s a great place to showcase testimonials. You can list your skills and ask others to comment and support your abilities in those skills, which looks great.
Don’t underestimate the power of sharing ideas and getting jobs through word of mouth. You might not want to bore your friends with ‘job stuff’, but the truth is you never know who knows who. Ever heard of the six degrees of separation theory? It claims that we are connected to everyone on earth through no more than six acquaintances. So by talking shop with friends, you may be connected with a friend of a friend who needs your services.
Designing in a vacuum is never helpful – not for getting feedback or potential gigs. Finding a community is thus really important. Luckily, there are a number of groups in Japan for creatives:
With World in Freelance, you can find:
We’ve looked at how to get your freelance design career off the ground, but there are a few other factors to consider, such as:
As a foreign worker in Japan, your visa is your lifeline. It is thus important to know how freelancing affects it.
It may be very difficult to work as a freelancer if you are not already in Japan, as you generally require a work visa to stay in the country for extended periods of time. However, it is not impossible. You can check the latest requirements from the Japanese Immigration Services Agency for more information.
It is technically possible to sponsor your own visa if you already reside in Japan. If you are employed by a Japan-based company, even on a freelance basis, you can ask them to help provide you with the needed documents when the time for renewal comes. Our article on getting a visa as a freelancer goes into more detail about the process, and it applies to designers as well.
You may be wondering if you need to be fluent in Japanese to work as a freelancer in the country. The short answer is no. The Japanese labor shortage means that there is an increased demand for foreign labor, and designers are no different. However, it would still be very beneficial to be able to speak Japanese, and you would have access to even more opportunities. You can get more information from our article here.
Want to know more about freelancing in Japan? Check out our ultimate guide.
Now that you know how to land those gigs and make those connections, there’s no better time to get going than the present. If you still feel stuck and would like some guidance, Inbound Technology can help. Contact one of our helpful career advisors here. You can also find us on LinkedIn.