Exploring Opportunities: The Growing Tech Job Market in Japan for Indian Engineers
It all started when my sister applied for a Japanese company that was at their university career fair in 2021. My sister and I are very close, so when she told me about the Japanese company she applied for, I was strongly influenced. She eventually failed that interview, but her experience sparked my interest, and I began researching about Japan as a possibility for my future.
The Tech Jobs in Japan open to aspiring Indian Engineers
In my research, I learned Japan had a lot of opportunities for foreigners in the tech and computer field.
I took up computer science in hopes of greatly impacting and improving people’s lives one day. Working in Japan and its advanced industry would help me achieve that goal.
Inspired by Excellence: How Japan’s Infrastructure Fuels Dreams
Also, during that time, I had a lesson at my school about Japan’s experience of the Tohoku earthquake. Unlike most natural disaster stories, this one celebrated and glorified Japan as their advanced technology-enabled architecture that could withstand the strong 2011 earthquake with the least possible casualties.
The idea of life in Japan excited me. I thought of how great it would be to work there. I was also enamored with their embodiment of discipline and how their culture perfectly blends modernity and tradition. There’s a saying that goes something like: “What’s life without a challenge?” That inspired me to get onto the journey. I was so inspired that I began to self-study Japanese while I was in my 2nd year in college Self-studying though, was a little too tough, so I decided to find a Japanese class near where I lived that could help me perform my best.
Mastering Japanese as an Indian: A Crucial Skill for Working in Japan
In June 2021, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, on top of my online university classes, I decided to enroll in Hirameki Japanese language classes. After finishing my N5 Japanese lessons, I signed up with FAST OFFER International. Entering this program let me have N4 and N3 lessons for free.
Because all of my classes were online, I had time for a lot of studying and revision so I could manage both my academic requirements and my Japanese studies. Sometimes things got a bit hectic, especially during the times when both my Japanese as well as College exams collided. It was difficult to manage the added Japanese classes on top of my engineering studies, but I found that the inspiration and motivation I got from my Japanese classes made me work harder.
Apart from the classes being fun, interesting, and engaging, the kindest teachers always told stories about their experiences in Japan that helped me imagine myself in their shoes. It was also great to be surrounded by fellow highly motivated students.
Japanese is often recognized as one of the most difficult languages to learn, but I believe Indians have an advantage. Indian local languages are uncannily similar in grammar to the Japanese language. This really helps us Indians understand the language more easily.
After two and a half years of hard work in these Japanese classes, an N3 certificate in hand, and already in my final year of Computer Science at MIT Peace University, I was suddenly ready for the next step: Japanese job interviews with FAST OFFER International.
Embarking on the Hunt: Securing a Tech Job in Japan
Once I entered the final year of engineering, I was eligible for the job-hunting part of the program. The first step was to clear a mock interview conducted by our Hirameki class Sensei. I felt intimidated and scared of talking in Japanese, especially giving an interview in Japanese but after clearing it, my journey with FAST OFFER International officially began.
My mentor from FAST OFFER International helped me a lot to prepare for the interviews. He conducted mock interviews where he corrected my mistakes and gave me suggestions on how to make a better impression. In total, we did three sessions that lasted three hours each. I sometimes thought that these sessions were a bit too hectic, especially as they were happening in conjunction with my busy final year at the University but in hindsight, it was the practicing answers repetitively, sharpening and remodeling of my answers, the deciding factors on how I could pass interviews. Those mentoring sessions were vital to my success.
Perseverance in Practice: Overcoming Failures on the Path to Success in Japan
Mentoring sessions weren’t the only vital ingredient for success. Dealing and learning from failure was another ingredient I couldn’t skip.
Before finally securing a job offer, I failed five interviews. As I’d read a lot of success stories from FAST OFFER International before, I knew that failing at the first interviews was normal, so I never took it to heart. Instead, I treated each failure as an opportunity to learn and improve. I put my faith in the process and in myself. I knew that I was simply waiting for the right company that best fit me. Giving up didn’t cross my mind because deep down I always knew that sometime someday, as long as I kept moving forward, I would eventually get there. My mentor—who journeyed through these interviews with me—always encouraged me in our sessions, telling me that they were sure I’d crack the interviews.
This belief was really put to the test, especially with the last online interview I did. I passed two interview rounds. I was so close! We finished my last interview on such a positive note too that I was confident. Two days after though, I got the news that I didn’t pass. Although I didn’t think of giving up, it made me feel down, especially as I didn’t get new job interviews soon after.
Flying to Japan for In-Person Job Interviews
Suddenly, FAST OFFER International told me that 4 companies wanted to interview me in person. This qualified me for FAST OFFER International’s sponsored 6-day trip to Japan. This reenergized me! I began to fully immerse myself in Japanese content and started shopping for clothes for Tokyo’s 2-degree January winter.
The one week I spent in Japan for interviews was and will be one of the most beautiful experiences I’ve had in life. The first day was free so I mostly spent that time preparing for the interview, enjoying the cold weather as I roamed the places near my hotel.
I also got to finally meet my mentor in person. At the interview fair in Tokyo, he sat beside me 5 minutes before my interview to give me 11th-hour encouragement which really made all the difference.
Of the four companies I was interviewing for, I failed two of them. Surprisingly, the one I secured a job offer from was the company I preferred the most. I wasn’t expecting it! I was elated when I got the offer because it really made the years of learning Japanese worth it. I quickly called up my parents to share the happy news.
Seeing my future company in Tokyo and getting a taste of Japanese culture
On the final day of the trip, I visited the company. I will never forget the wonderful treatment and the support I got on the final day. Two people from the HR department of the company came to pick me up at my hotel to bring me to the office. At the office, they toured me around the building telling and showed me where I would get off the train every day and how I would get to my office. They introduced me to the different departments and showed me the different facilities. I even met my team and got introduced to the technologies I would be working on. Having the chance to interact with my future officemates, I got to experience their kindness as they made me feel very comfortable. It was a memorable day which I will never forget! We capped off the day with some souvenir shopping and a party hosted by ASIA to JAPAN.
Looking back, all the troubles were worth it. I’m even grateful about failing the other interviews as I eventually ended up in a company that exceeded my expectations. I’m so excited to embark on the career journey that awaits me when I join the company in April 2025.
All the hard work will be worth it!
I believe that Japan is really a land of opportunities once you clear the language barrier. It will also be an environment of discipline and kindness that can make you a better person. This is all within one’s reach if you want it enough and you are ready to give the work needed. With that, it’s just a matter of patience and perseverance before you reach your goal. It will be challenging. You must stay on the course and keep trying to improve yourself every day even when things look bleak—even when you fail interviews, plateau on your progress, or feel demotivated. One fine day you will be rewarded for your efforts. At the end of it all, you will have a beautiful memory with you of the path that you chose. Even the struggles, when you look back, will be a source of pride as you never lose hope until you succeed.
I will be forever grateful to ASIA to JAPAN’s FAST OFFER International program and will never forget the support they provided to help me achieve my dream. Also, I wish that every student looking for a job in Japan experiences this wonderful experience. Don’t give up! Someday you will succeed!
Tips for Indian Students looking for a job in Japan
- Start your Japanese language journey as soon as you can!
This will give you more leeway for mistakes in your journey because you won’t feel the pressure of succeeding quickly. Part of the reason why I wasn’t demotivated by failed interviews was because I knew I had time. After all, I was still in the university when I was hunting for a job. I believe that the most important thing in these interviews is how fluent are you in Japanese and how much effort have you put into your college in the 4 years. Every effort you put in is worth it and that’s what sells you as a person.
- Take FAST OFFER International’s one-on-one mentorship seriously
The individual mentorship sessions for mock interviews—which take 1-3 hours according to your skill level–can feel tedious and repetitive at times, especially if you’re juggling your academic performance at the same time. But I’m telling you, these sessions aren’t available to all job seekers so you should take full advantage. Once you’ve begun your Japanese job interviews, you’ll quickly realize how incredibly helpful these sessions were.
- Accept that failure is necessary and learn from them
It’s okay to fail. In fact, for a lot of us, failure is inevitable. So don’t let failure discourage you. Instead, let it motivate you to do better. Think about why you failed and act on those notes, use this information to upgrade yourself.
- Stay patient, determined, and have faith in the process
The biggest challenge in this journey is how to stay patient and determined even when you meet setbacks. So, persevere, work hard, and have faith that you are not alone in this process!
