🔎 Smart Job Hunting
How to Read a Job Listing — Spotting the Signs Hidden Behind "Great Conditions"
So you don't end up saying "this isn't what I was told" after you join — places to check before you apply
📖 8 min read📅 2026-07-30
It said "¥250,000 a month," but when I looked at the breakdown I was stunned. The base salary was ¥180,000.
Hung (26), from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, froze when he saw his first month's payslip in the summer of 2024. The job site really did say, in big letters, "Monthly salary from ¥250,000." Believing it, he had quit his current job and changed jobs.
When he asked the company, this is how they explained it: "The ¥250,000 is the base salary of ¥180,000 plus '¥70,000 of fixed overtime pay (for 45 hours).' We pay the ¥70,000 even if your overtime doesn't reach 45 hours, but to get the ¥250,000 the premise is that 45 hours of overtime are 'baked in.'"
Fixed overtime — Hung didn't know what those words meant. The explanation really was written in the small print of the job listing. But he hadn't read the conditions, written in Japanese, that closely before applying.
You couldn't quite say he was "deceived," because the company hadn't written anything false. It's just that the figure of ¥250,000 carried a hidden meaning: "an amount that assumes 45 hours of overtime every month." On top of that, bonuses and severance pay are often calculated based not on the ¥250,000 but on the base salary of ¥180,000. Simply because he didn't know how to "read" a job listing, Hung realized only after joining that the conditions he'd counted on and the actual way of working were different.
A job listing carries "signs" that only those who know can spot. So you aren't caught out, check the following places before you press the apply button.
By law, a job listing is "a document that states working conditions" (the Employment Security Act). In other words, the important information is always written somewhere. The question is "where to look, and how to read it." Use the checklist below to lock down the points you should confirm before applying.
01.Does the breakdown of the "monthly salary" include "fixed overtime (deemed overtime)"?
Even when "¥250,000 a month" is written in big letters, the breakdown may say "includes fixed overtime pay for ◯ hours." Fixed overtime pay is money paid as a fixed amount every month regardless of whether you actually worked overtime (so even in a month with little overtime, you still receive that portion). But there are three things to watch out for. ① To get that amount, the premise is that "◯ hours of overtime are 'baked in,'" so long working hours easily become the norm. ② The base salary ends up lower, which shrinks bonuses, severance pay, and the premium hourly rate for overtime — all of which are calculated from the base salary. ③ Any work beyond the fixed overtime hours must be paid separately on top (not paying it is illegal). What you should confirm is **what the base salary is**, **how many hours the fixed overtime covers**, and **whether the excess is paid separately**. A listing where the fixed overtime exceeds 45 hours a month is a sign that long working hours are the norm.
02.Think about the turnover rate behind "no experience required" and "newcomers welcome"
"No experience required," "no academic background required," "anyone can thrive" — these are, in themselves, welcome conditions for foreigners. However, a company that is always recruiting in large numbers may have a reason that "people quit quickly = they don't stay." Check whether the same company keeps running the same listing month after month, and look up its turnover rate and reputation on review sites to be safe. Good companies also welcome newcomers, but take a moment to consider "why they keep gathering people."
03.Separate the "rent" of a dormitory or company housing from the "amount deducted from your salary"
"Dormitory provided" and "housing subsidy available" are appealing, but always confirm **how much is actually deducted from your salary**. Even if it says "dormitory fee ¥30,000," there are cases where utilities, equipment fees, and transport fees are deducted separately, leaving your take-home far lower than expected. There are also troubles where you're charged "costs to move out of the dormitory" or "penalty fees" when you resign. Confirm the total dormitory cost and the conditions on resignation in writing before signing.
04.Be careful with salary-system terms like "deemed," "discretionary," and "commission"
With a "fixed salary," you receive a set amount every month, but "commission-based" pay and "incentives" vary greatly depending on results. Figures like "example monthly income ¥350,000" are often the example of a top performer, not the average. Ask "what is the minimum guaranteed amount?" and "what does an average person earn?" A "discretionary labor system" treats overtime pay differently from normal, and is a point foreigners easily misunderstand.
05.Is enrollment in social insurance (health insurance, employees' pension, employment insurance) stated?
For full-time, regular employees, enrolling you in social insurance is the company's obligation. Check whether the listing says "full social insurance." If there is no mention, or if you're told "please enroll in National Health Insurance yourself," it may be an illegal situation where they are not enrolling you in the social insurance you should rightfully have. Social insurance is an important system that connects to your future pension and to coverage when you fall ill or are injured.
06.Are the conditions during the "trial period" different from those after you're formally hired?
Many companies have a trial period (3–6 months). The issue is whether the pay and treatment during the trial period differ greatly from those after formal hiring. Always confirm at the interview conditions like "the hourly wage is lower during the trial period" or "no social insurance during the trial period." Also, even if it says "regular employee after the trial period," that doesn't guarantee you automatically become one. Make the conditions for formal hiring clear in advance.
07.Is there a stated system for residence-status / visa support?
When a foreigner works, whether the job's duties are permitted under your residence status is crucial. Check whether the listing states "visa support available," "can accept Specified Skilled Worker," "residence-status change support," and the like. If there is no mention, always ask when applying: "My residence status is ◯◯ — can I do this job?" Taking a job that doesn't match your residence status carries the risk of being unable to renew it.
Hung later made it a rule, in his job search, to always check the "breakdown" on a job listing. At his next company, he confirmed "base salary ¥220,000, no fixed overtime, full social insurance" in writing before joining, and he now works under exactly the conditions on the listing. "If only I'd known how to read it from the start," he told us. When you have concerns about a job listing or the contents of a contract, you can consult Hello Work's foreign-resident consultation desk or the Labor Standards Inspection Office (free of charge). Jobs on GloJob clearly state the salary breakdown, social insurance, and residence-status support.
