| COUNTRY |
| India |
| EDUCATION |
| Bachelor of Computer Science Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology Master of Computer Science Engineering, Nottingham Trent University |
| COMPANY |
| A Japanese technology company and global leader in NAND flash memory and solid-state drives (SSDs), providing advanced storage solutions for devices, data centers, and enterprise applications. |
| SUMMARY |
| His love for tech began when he coded his first text-based game as a kid. For his final year project, he was awarded for programming a video game that helped learn Japanese. Learning Japanese in high school opened up doors for him, allowing him gigs as a translator for Japanese companies. So, even when he studied in the UK for his master’s, his memories of working with Japanese companies, his appreciation for Japan’s teamwork values, and his dream of working in Japan kept getting stronger. When applying to Japanese companies proved fruitless, a friend directed him to FAST OFFER International to help him apply for Japanese Companies. Through the program, he found two companies he really wanted to work for, and he ultimately chose a company he’d admired since he built his first computer at 11. |
From My First Computer to Creating a Video Game with AI
When I was a child, my father bought me a computer. At that time, households like mine were stuck with “dial-up” internet, which required you to disconnect your house phone to access a very slow connection. Even downloading 3-minute songs would take hours. So, playing video games felt out of the question. So, when my cousin suggested I make my own computer game and supplied me with a basic programming guidebook, my interest was piqued! It sounded like a great way to use the computer without depending on the internet. I made my first turn-based, text-based Dungeons and Dragons-like video game in third grade by copying examples from those books.
The joy I felt making that game inspired my path in programming and AI. I later made simple apps, and then I started using AI. In my final year at the university, as a Computer Science student and a huge gamer, I combined all my interests—developing a vocabulary video game with the help of AI and Cloud computing called Kotobawaza. Proud to say, I won best project of the year.
From Manga Reader to Japanese Translator
Learning Japanese
Making an app that teaches Japanese felt like the natural thing to do because I was already a big fan of Japanese media by then. I was particularly fascinated by historic J-dramas. Later, I also got into anime and manga. So, I was always in one shape or form exposed and attracted to the Japanese language.
But every now and then, I’d encounter Japanese shows without available subtitles. Desperate and itching to watch it nonetheless, I decided to go ahead and watch it. To my surprise, I was naturally understanding about 60% what they were saying without any background in studying Japanese. I was curious: could I get it to 100%? This led me to join a Japanese Language Exchange community on Skype, which then later switched to Discord in 2016.
An Advantage as a Multilingual Indian When Applying for a Japanese Company
I guess what helped is that I’ve picked up multiple languages growing up: my mother tongue, then the school curriculum for English and Hindi—a normal set of languages for Indians. In general, knowing these two languages, like millions of Indians, wasn’t much of an advantage in itself. However, this really gave me an edge in picking up new words I hear and having an idea of how languages work. It made picking up Japanese feel natural.
When I first started chatting in Japanese with my online friends, I could only use hiragana and katakana because I did not know any kanji. To improve, I began reading Japanese novels, which helped me learn kanji significantly.
Having this third language became a superpower. It helped me land gigs as early as high school. I started as a translator for this Indian channel hosting a comic con event, flocked by famous personalities and cosplayers from Japan. Until I was taking my bachelor’s, I hopped around with small agencies. I was a translator for business meetings between Japanese and local companies.
Working with Japanese Clients as a Translator
I messed up a lot at first during these professional meetings. I had learned Japanese in a very casual setting, but these meetings had a whole different vibe, and there was so much formality and jargon involved. But the Japanese clients I worked with, in spite of my mistakes, were very patient and kind. They understood I wasn’t a native Japanese speaker, so they were supportive in the process and kept hiring me for new gigs. These experiences refined my keigo (formal Japanese) and built my confidence. What was fascinating to me was how these Japanese companies showed me patience as they would a teammate.
As I Realized How Much Team Work Matters, Applying for a Japanese Company Became More Attractive
At the same time, I was part of “Sketch Club” in college. It’s a club where we organize hackathons and gaming tournaments. During one event called “Clash Royale”, I experienced what teamwork truly meant. At times when I would be overwhelmed and tempted to revert to my only-child tendency to take things on my own, my teammates would remind me that I wasn’t alone. It was clear to me that the event, and the many others that took place, were successful because of the team and not just my individual contribution. Even coding—an activity that you would imagine to be solitary in nature—benefits from people working together. That realization made Japanese Corporate Culture more attractive to me.
My Time in the UK Made Me Want to Work in Japan More
This led me to try to look for a Japanese University to pursue my Master’s. However, there aren’t a lot of third parties who can help aspiring students to further their studies in Japan. I wound up taking my Master’s in the UK instead.
Even though I enjoyed my time in the UK, it was a beautiful place with great culture, architecture, and opportunities to explore and travel. But I simply didn’t see myself settling down in the UK in the long term. I was particularly turned off by their healthcare system when I accompanied a friend to the ER due to a mini heart attack and wound up in the waiting room for 16 hours. Luckily, it wasn’t a full-blown heart attack.
The more time I spent studying in the UK, the stronger my dream to work in Japan became. I tried to hop onto job boards, but didn’t have any luck.
A Career Breakthrough Through a Friend
I had something better than luck: a friend who thought of me. Like me, my friend also spoke Japanese, and I witnessed him over the years work really hard at it. He remembered that I had the same dream. So he told me about how ASIA to JAPAN’s FAST OFFER International program helped him learn Japanese and get into a big, well-known Japanese company. I felt so happy for him. More than that, when he told me to give it a shot, I felt hopeful for myself.
Applying to Japanese Companies With FAST OFFER International
Encouraged, I signed up, and two months later, a company wanted to interview me.
I had no problems during the first round, which was basically a self-introduction with some technical details. For the second and final round, I had to impress the company’s top brass. Sadly,I was rejected. It hurt because I was sure I had done so well. Even my advisor told me I did well. My advisor throughout had been so supportive. I was surprised I failed.
Figuring out How to Do Better When Applying for Japanese Companies
I took a break, trying to figure out what went wrong.
What I realized is that perhaps I was phrasing things in a way that made me sound less proactive. I tried to think of how I can sound more enthusiastic about the job and the company. More than just an opportunity to talk about myself, I need to better express a genuine interest in the company. If you talk too much about yourself, you run the danger of sounding haughty. On the other hand, overly flattering the company would seem disingenuous. I needed to find the balance between talking about myself and the company.
Luckily, it was easy to do this round with two companies that had very interesting offerings. At the end of both interviews, I got really good feedback. One company even said I’d been the best applicant they ever interviewed. I was so proud and happy as I called up my mom, my dad, my friends, and even my cousins, to share the good news.
Choosing A Company That I’ve Admired Since I Was a Kid
It took me two days to debate and decide on which job offer to take. I asked around, consulted with my parents, and other people before signing one of the offer letters.
One company offered a data engineer position that was completely on track with what I’d studied so far. So, I coasted through those interviews and got a job offer from them.
The other company, though, I was an honest fan of. I used their SSDs for the two computers I currently own. My favorite Youtube Channel, Linus Tech, also collaborates a lot with them. They’ve been in my life since I was a kid. When I was in 11th grade, when I was building my own PC, learning about every necessary part, studying the differences between brands, this Japanese company’s brand of SSDs stood out to me. So, when I was offered to be a SSD firmware developer for this company, I ultimately had to choose them even though SSD development was a bit new to me. But instead of seeing that as a bad thing, being a neophyte would also offer a great opportunity for exciting discoveries and unexpected career pivots. I thought it would be interesting to specialize in something so niche—perhaps become a rare talent.
Right before the interview, I read a news clipping about their newly released SSDs. The prospect of being part of the team that releases the new versions—reading a news clipping in the future mentioning our team—that would be a dream.
Beyond Corporate: Activities I’m Looking Forward to Doing in Japan
There are three main things I want to do in Japan:
Try Baseball at the Batting Centers
I really want to visit a batting center because I have never tried one before. There are similar places in India, but they are usually for cricket rather than baseball. Since I am not very interested in cricket, I think experiencing baseball in Japan would be a lot of fun.
Visit Japanese Temples I’ve Seen in Anime and J-Dramas
There’s this particular J-drama I’m fond of called Jin about a modern-day brain surgeon who time-leaps into the Edo period. There, he gets to meet famous historical characters he only read about in textbooks. It’s fascinating that some of the settings I saw there I can also visit.
The protagonist of my favorite anime, My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, as I Expected, was named after Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, so I also want to see it for myself. Perhaps, like the creator, be inspired to also make something exciting after.
Lastly, Buy Tech at Akihabara
I’m not just excited about working for a company making Japanese tech; this is also an opportunity to enjoy even more Japanese tech! So, of course, I’ll be exploring and shopping at the famous Akihabara!
FAST OFFER CAREER GUIDE: Tips for Applying for a Japanese Company
Japanese companies operate with a different cultural lens compared to other countries. Here are few things to watch out for when applying to Japanese companies:
- Express respect with Keigo (business Japanese).
- Know the difference between New Graduate VS Mid-Applicant job markets.
- Learn how to align yourself with the Japanese company you’re applying to.
- Be a team player. More than your skills as an individual, Japanese companies are looking for applicants who can work well with their existing teams.
- Understand the proper manners for Japanese job interviews. Every culture expresses respect a little differently!
