| COUNTRY |
| India |
| EDUCATION |
| Bachelor in Electronics and Telecommunication, Savitribai Phule Pune University |
| COMPANY |
| Japanese company specializing in designing and manufacturing custom automated machinery and precision dies primarily for the automotive and electronics industries. |
| SUMMARY |
| He turned his childhood love for Doraemon and Japanese tech into a real-life adventure! From struggling with Japanese classes to mastering conversation through FAST OFFER International and ASIA to JAPAN, he powered through mock interviews and cultural prep. His persistence paid off with a dream job in Japan as an electrical engineer. Now, he’s ready to explore all 47 prefectures while building a future in cutting-edge technology! |
From Doraemon Shin-Chan to an Internship Collaborating with a Japanese Company
I’ve always been drawn to Japanese technology, I guess in part thanks to watching Doraemon and Shin-Chan as a high schooler. Doraemon’s creative fictional tech tickled my imagination! That curiosity evolved, though, as I grew older and saw real cutting-edge Japanese tech. During my final year in university, I had the opportunity to work with Japanese materials to develop technology and that really powered my drive to get pass JLPT N4 in hopes of getting a job offer in Japan.
During my senior year, a Japanese company sponsored my graduation project. This let my team source industrial parts from Japan to construct our design. I got to use and witness how superior Japanese technology was from the ground up. Everything in Japanese technology—from the smallest nail to the large tractors—was well-designed and made to last long.
My experience with my final-year project was such a satisfying culmination of my hard work at the university. Not only was I proud of the final product, but we also got to interact with our Japanese company through it. I was able to interact with them with the little Japanese I knew. I was overjoyed by the small but meaningful interactions we had. My Final Year project was a defining moment. It made me serious about wanting to work in Japan.
How I Got a JLPT N4 with FAST OFFER International to Get a Job Offer in Japan
Before I was serious, I had tried learning Japanese before at the university during my second year. I quit, discouraged by the class style and swayed away by my academics.
Thankfully, I got a second chance in my senior year. One of my seniors pointed me to ASIA to Japan’s FAST OFFER International’s free Japanese classes. Fresh from my final year project experience, I joined the classes with renewed determination to one day work in Japan. More than my own determination, I was able to fully commit because FAST OFFER International’s classes were helmed by excellent teachers, the lessons were engaging and fun, and every class always inspired me to work even harder.
As you may know though JLPT N4 is typically not enough to land a job offer in Japan—but thankfully, Hirameki by ASIA to JAPAN had a special program that could help in the short amount of time I had left.
Offline Intensive Classes with Hirameki by ASIA to JAPAN Helped Me Practice Speaking Japanese and Get a Job Offer at Just JLPT N4 Level
Because it was my senior year—a time where academics take a back seat for the final year project—it also meant I had more time for Japanese classes. After the online N4 classes, I had the opportunity to take more intensive N3 classes near the end of my school year. This class was the turning point in my journey of learning to speak Japanese, as we went beyond foundational grammar lessons and writing exercises. Instead, we focused on practical exercises: conversing in Japanese. These intensive sessions gave me the confidence for the job interviews!
Japanese Classes Easily Transition to Job Hunting with FAST OFFER International
Because I was studying under FAST OFFER International, the path to job hunting for opportunities in Japan was clear.
After the intensive Japanese classes, I had a mock interview with my sensei. I failed this first test but was allowed to try again after a month. I prepared harder, studying day and night, knowing it could have been my last chance. To my relief, I was able to pass the second time around. That was when I was introduced to a FAST OFFER career advisor.
My Step-by-step guide to job hunting in Japan with FAST OFFER International with just JLPT N4
After proving I have sufficient Japanese to handle job interviews, I was ready for the job hunt. Throughout my FAST OFFER career, my advisor was with me every step of the way.
Step 1: Polishing my profile for job hunting with my Career Advisor
In the beginning, we got on the same page as we talked about my career goals and helped me polish my profile. I sent in a few requirements, including a PR video that was shown to different companies.
Step 2: Job matching with Japanese companies
Equipped with the kind of work and industry I had in mind, my career advisor found three Japanese companies that wanted to interview me.
I was ecstatic! Having three companies interested in me also meant I was qualified for FAST OFFER International’s free 6-day trip for Japanese job interviews. To be honest, at this point, just having the opportunity felt like a dream come true.
Step 3: Preparing for the Japanese job interviews
Although FAST OFFER International’s Japanese classes already had a lot of interview preparations woven in, there was still a lot to prepare in the one month before the scheduled trip.
- Thorough Company Research
- Japanese job interviews require very thorough company research. Before the interviews, I had to get to know the company and find that significant connection on what makes us a perfect fit.
- Preparing a Japanese Glossary for My Final Year Project
- I called my seniors and my teachers and asked them for advice for the interviews. I also created a list of jargon from my final year project to translate into Japanese. Even though I was only at the JLPT N4 level at that time, having a technical glossary helped me fluently explain my project in Japanese.
- Pep talks from mentors
- It was admittedly hard, so I called up my Japanese language sensei to get a morale boost. They told me that I’ve already come so far, and I’m where I was for a reason. They reminded me that we were nearing the final stretch. I was almost at the last push! Their pep talks really gave me much-needed confidence.
- Mock interviews with my Career Advisor
- Part of this process was also mock interviews with my career advisor. They let me experience what it would be like and also gave me very personalized advice.
Step 4: The Japanese Job Interviews as an Electrical and Telecommunication Student
I was very nervous going to my first-ever interview, but being warmly greeted by my interviewers helped me feel at ease. I appreciated that they asked more personal rather than technical questions. It made me feel as if they cared to know who I was as a person, not just my current skills. To gauge my potential working with them, they asked me how I felt about the company and how I expected I’d fare living in Japan. Of the three first-round interviews, I was able to pass two!
The second round was indeed a bit more difficult as questions became more personal and technical. To be honest, there were times when I wasn’t sure I correctly understood questions. At the end of the interviews, I felt a bit dejected, unsure if I was even able to answer in line with the question.
Step 5: Same-Day Japanese Job Interview results
I was already preemptively disappointed. I’d convinced myself I’d failed after the interviews. Thankfully, I was saved from that feeling pretty quickly. Just a few minutes later, my career advisor told me, while we were in the elevator, that I got the job offer! I couldn’t believe it. My emotions swelled, and I almost cried from happiness.
Soon after, I Facetimed my parents. All through my journey, they were so supportive. Sharing the news with them doubled the happiness I already felt. I then called up my sensei to thank them. They, too, got emotional, but also told me that it was all my hard work paying off.
How to get a job offer from a Japanese Company with just JLPT N4? With a Little Help from My Friends
I had to put in a lot of work towards my dream of working in Japan. What made success within my reach, though, was everyone who helped. There was my career advisor, who was there from when I entered the FAST OFFER program until I got an amazing job offer, to my Japanese language sensei, my family, my classmates, and even the friends I made during the job interview trip, with whom I practiced interviews! You can read their stories here and here.
To Those Dreaming About Working in Japan Too:
- Practice Japanese Conversation – The number one step towards Japan is learning Japanese–which is not just memorizing vocabulary and grammar. What’s more important is practicing Japanese conversation. You may ace your JLPT exams through memorization, but that’s not what your future employers will be testing you on. Instead, your ability to ace the interviews hinges on your listening and speaking skills. You can get a job offer from a Japanese company with just JLPT N4 if you can speak Japanese.
- Be consistent – You have to keep momentum and study every day, even for just 5 minutes. Consistency is key! There are tons of apps and media you can use and study with. Practice speaking by finding a Japanese friend on HelloTalk! or memorize new kanji every day with Anki.
- Trust the process – Failing is part of the process. I didn’t pass the mock interview on the first try, but I persevered. You have to believe that no matter if the hardships come your way, it will all pay off one day if you keep working hard. If there’s one thing that really changed me from this whole experience, is learning to have faith in yourself and the process
Preparing for My Future as an Electrical Engineer in Japan
Now all that’s left is getting ready to work in Japan! As I wait for my flight date, I’ll try to achieve a higher JLPT certificate, get some certificates needed for the role I’m taking, and brush up on business Japanese.
I hope that my preparations and my passion help put me on track to one day be an essential employee in the company. One day, I want to be one of the company’s key decision makers, or someone that others can look for help or leadership.
In a short while, when I go to Japan for work, but I won’t be alone! Beyond my professional excitement, there’s much more to look forward to, experiences, sights, delights with friends. From the short 6-day trip FAST OFFER International allowed me, I already got so many wonderful experiences of Japan. I got to taste and see so many things. That was all just a teaser! I can’t wait to have more of them!
I can’t wait until the day I join my other friends who also got job offers in Japan! Together, I hope to explore all 47 Japanese prefectures, taking great pictures along the way. I’m looking forward to see my SNS profiles fill up with photos of treasured memories!
