COSJOB: The Premier Cosplayer Job Searching Website in Japan

• Cosplaying, short for costume play, is a form of performance art that involves dressing up in costumes of specific characters, often anime related.
• COSJOB is a cosplay specific job searching website that has over 480,000 users in Japan.
• COSJOB allows for people in the subculture to connect easier, find jobs, as well as find companions to cosplay with.

What is Cosplay? And What is COSJOB?

Are you a cosplayer in need of a job?  Are you looking to take your cosplaying to the commercial market?  Or are you simply looking for others to cosplay with?  If you answered “yes” to any of those questions, COSJOB is the website for you.

COSJOB is a new website launched on June 28th, 2018, operated by Cosplayers Archive, Japan’s largest social media network for cosplayers that allows cosplayers to find companions and cosplaying jobs.  Cosplay Archive has over 480,000 users.  

You may now be asking yourself, “what is cosplay?”  If so, cosplay is short for “costume play” and is a performance art that involves dressing up as specific characters, usually from one’s favorite movie or anime show.  

Cosplay Archive noticed the rising numbers of cosplayers who wanted to indulge in commercial activities, as well as a rise in “companies seeking cosplayers,” and decided to create a platform that would allow people to do exactly that.  

How it Works

The website essentially works like any other job searching site, but everything is cosplay-related.  COSJOB strives to make it easier for people in the subculture to connect.  The types of jobs listed on COSJOB include working at anime shops or cafes that want employees dressed up in cosplay costumes. 

COSJOB also has a wide range of jobs from one-time gigs, short-term jobs, part-time, and full-time positions.  Some shorter or part-time jobs include being staff at a cosplay or anime event, and longer-term jobs include working sales at retail stores.  Of course, Cosplayers Archive mentions that these full-time jobs require knowledge of the subculture.  

Further, Cosplayers Archive has made COSJOB a one-stop shop when it comes to looking for jobs.  Users can upload their resumes directly onto the site on their profiles.  COSJOB works like a social media network in the sense that by having a profile page with information, pictures, and resume attached allows for potential employers to browse for future employees easier.

Essentially, this is literally a social media network with personal profiles and everything alike but designed specifically for job searching.

Users can also communicate directly with potential employers through the site’s messaging function.  Here people can conduct or organize interviews.  

For those who post job offerings, it uses an extremely efficient management page that allows for everything on the posting to be laid out in order from the job description, to requirements, to recruiting to individual contracts, making it easy for people to browse for the best job for them. 

What it’s Like

COSJOB users often promote their profiles on other social media websites like Twitter to increase their chances of getting job opportunities or let their followers know what they’re up to.

For example, @bst_chu on Twitter is letting her followers know that she has posted a banner of photos to her COSJOB page and has another audition for a gig today.

cosjob サイトにてバナー掲載中です☺️🌸

前回のもピン写撮れましたー！！
今日のはその次のオーディションのやつかと思われます！🙋
スクショスクショ〜〜🙌💕 pic.twitter.com/1TbB5ZsVvW

— ⛄️しらゆき杏果🍎夜僕患い (@bst_chu) October 3, 2018

COSJOB will also post to Twitter to recruit more people for large events where more staff is needed.  Below, COSJOB Tweeted about job opportunities at the Tokyo Amusement Hall for cosplayers offering part-time or full-time jobs.

【本日の新着】
茜産業株式会社様より「【ホールコンパニオン募集】アニメ好き、コスプレ好き大大大歓迎!!　時給1300～」の情報が到着
都内アミューズメントホールでコスプレコンパニオン、正社員・契約社員として活躍できる人材を募集。高時給！#コスジョブ #コスプレ求人https://t.co/VeneIwG5DC

— コスジョブ(公式) (@cosjob_jp) November 16, 2018

Further, the listing below is a link used to apply for a position at the 2018 Winter Cosmall Itasha Show.  Itasha refers to cars that are customized and have anime paint jobs or wraps decorating them.  These cars are often very flashy and are covered in anime characters.  This job listing was for people to be dressed in cosplay costumes and attend the event.  

【本日のピックアップ】
コスモール事務局様より「コスモール2018冬　痛車の搬入出スタッフ募集」の情報に注目
12/2に名古屋で開催される同イベントで痛車搬入出を手伝ってくれるスタッフを募集中！採用者は当日のカメラマン参加料免除の特典も！#コスジョブ #コスプレ求人https://t.co/rEAyXSvOCM

— コスジョブ(公式) (@cosjob_jp) November 3, 2018

If you are into cosplay and live in Japan, check out COSJOB for potential job opportunities! 

Sources:

https://www.animeanime.biz/archives/44861

https://job.cosp.jp/enter.aspx