| COUNTRY |
| Indonesia |
| EDUCATION |
| Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering, University of Indonesia |
| COMPANY |
| Japanese company specializing in designing and manufacturing fastening products and architectural products |
| SUMMARY |
| From attending an event and watching anime and Japanese dramas as a child to studying engineering and aspiring to work in Japan, he joined FAST OFFER International in his third year of university. At first, he focused more on his engineering studies than on learning Japanese. His final year project played a vital part in impressing an interested company and getting a job offer |
How Studying Electrical Engineering Led to Dreaming of Japan
When I was in high school, I attended a robotics event organized by a foundation in my area. There, I was fascinated as I learned about different kinds of robots and how they work. That experience inspired me to study robotics and learn how to build and work with robots. I started researching which major I needed to pursue and discovered that the field I was looking for was Control Engineering, which is a branch of Electrical Engineering. Pursuing this interest further in my final year project in university, I developed an autonomous humanoid robot with a team. I would also delve into other projects making robots from my genuine interest–before I ever thought of getting a job in Japan.
It was also in university that I started thinking about working in Japan. Looking around me, and the more I made robots, I noticed that many of the products used in Indonesia—from cars to robots—were made by Japanese companies. I wanted to contribute to developing those products and experience working with Japan’s advanced technology. Perhaps, I thought, one day, my future job could lead me to making robots in japan.
How FAST OFFER International Pushed Forward My Language Journey
However, I realized that simply consuming Japanese media would never make me fluent. I had already begun dabbling in learning Japanese from the anime and dramas I’ve been watching since I was a child. However, I only got so far as memorizing Hiragana and Katakana. With working in Japan as my goal, I needed to get serious about learning the language.
In my third year of university, FAST OFFER International collaborated with my university to introduce its program. They explained how students could learn Japanese essentially for free, so I jumped at the opportunity without hesitation. That was the beginning of my real Japanese learning journey.
Juggling Japanese and Engineering Studies
As an engineering student, university life was already challenging, so adding Japanese studies to my schedule was not easy. I prioritized my engineering courses while studying Japanese whenever I had free time. To stay motivated, I immersed myself in as much Japanese media as possible, including anime, dramas, and other content.
The biggest challenges I faced while learning Japanese were kanji and grammar. Another difficulty was understanding words that have similar meanings but are used in different contexts. This often made me pause and think carefully before speaking to ensure I was using the correct word.
Preparing for the Job Hunt
After reaching a decent level of Japanese, I was placed in a different class where I learned how to prepare for Japanese job interviews, including the types of questions commonly asked and how to answer them effectively. I was also assigned a mentor who began training me even before I officially entered the job-hunting process. Together, we practiced mock interviews, and my mentor helped me prepare and improve my presentations.
Job Interview Opportunities with FAST OFFER
At first, I received two job interview invitations, but one of them was canceled because the company wanted to conduct the interview face-to-face in Japan. To qualify for the trip to Japan, I needed to secure three more job offers. As a result, I had one online interview before that.
It was my first time interviewing with a Japanese company, so I was very nervous, and my preparation was not as thorough as it should have been. During the interview, I didn’t perform my best and made a few mistakes that could have been avoided if I had prepared more carefully.
I then had the opportunity to travel to Japan and attend the interviews in person. Since four companies were interested in me, I had to complete all four interviews on the same day, which was both mentally exhausting and very challenging.
After the interviews, I realized that there were generally two types of companies. The first type focused primarily on your technical skills and did not place as much importance on your Japanese proficiency. The second type expected both strong technical skills and a high level of Japanese proficiency.
How My Robotics Project Came In for The Second Interview Round
I prepared as thoroughly as I could for all four companies. Still, I was a bit nervous going into the first rounds. However, one company placed a much greater emphasis on Japanese language proficiency, so I was unable to pass that interview. Another company did not seem particularly interested in my profile, so I was not selected there either.
For the second round of interviews, I proceeded with two companies. This was a much more technical round. I was asked about my projects, the type of work I enjoyed the most, and other related technical questions. The interviewers were particularly interested in one of my robotics projects. With 15-member sized team, created a soccer-playing humanoid robot, which in later stages I acted as the tech lead. We spent a significant amount of time discussing it in detail. What they were specifically interested in was how well I worked with my team.
Reaching My Goal in Japan
After the interviews were over, I went to the restroom. As I was coming out, I ran into another candidate who had also been interviewing. Out of nowhere, he said, “Congratulations!” I was completely confused at first. It took me a moment to realize that he was congratulating me on being accepted for the position. Shortly afterward, my career advisor came and confirmed the results. I was both surprised and incredibly happy. I was a step closer to making robots in Japan.
Getting Ready for Working in Japan
I will start working in April next year. In the meantime, I plan to focus on improving my Japanese as much as possible. If possible, I would also like to get an internship to gain more practical experience and make good use of my time. In addition, I want to revisit the subjects I learned at university to refresh my knowledge so that I will be fully prepared for my new role. If I have enough time, I also hope to work on one or two personal engineering projects.
Once I start working, I want to work hard and grow into a senior engineer. Eventually, I hope to become a project manager. Sooner than later, I’d be able to say that my job let me make robots in Japan. More than growing my career, I’m also looking forward to exploring Japan.
My Advice to Engineering Students Dreaming of Working in Japan
- Starting is the hardest part. If you feel scared or hesitant about learning Japanese or pursuing a career in Japan, my advice is to take the first step. Start learning Japanese and see where it leads. It’s better to begin, even if your progress is slow, than to let fear stop you from trying. Do what you can with the resources you have, keep improving little by little, and eventually you’ll realize how far you’ve come.
- Engineer a strong foundation. As an engineering student, focus on your studies and do your best to build a strong technical foundation. Whenever possible, work on personal or academic projects to gain practical experience and strengthen your skills.
- Follow your passions in your projects. I was genuinely interested in making robots. This led me to find a job in Japan that was already interested in my ability to make robots. If you sincerely follow your interests in your projects, this too will affect the kinds of companies you attract, such as finding a robot job in Japan.
- Your projects show how well you work with a team. Japanese companies place a premium on team players! When talking about my projects, more than my technical skills, they honed in on how I was able to work excellently in the context of a team.
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