Why Japan Is the Ideal Place to Grow as an Engineer
Before I started looking into how to get a job from India, I was first drawn to Japan because of their advanced motorcycle industry. The motorcycle culture is a big deal in India, and being a big fan of motorcycles, I knew the prowess of Japanese machinery. Since I was young, I’ve always found Japanese vehicles so cool. Japanese motorcycles are known for their reliability, longevity, and excellence. In fact, Japan reinvigorated the local interest in sports motorcycles. The bike I use today is a Japanese sports motorcycle for a reason.
My awe for Japanese products is beyond motorcycles, of course. Japanese tech is all around us after all. Our house’s microwave has been in tip-top shape for maybe 25 years. These really made an impression on me about what Japanese engineering is like.
When I pursued Computer Science engineering at Savitribai Phule Pune University, my interest in Japan only grew. I learned more about the many job opportunities in Japan for my field. I began to wonder how to get a job in Japan from India.
As I was already looking for a fourth language to learn, Japanese felt like the obvious choice. However, that hope was dashed by the pandemic. Luckily, in my third year in university, I learned about FAST OFFER International’s partnership with Hirameki classes. I instantly signed up for the N5 classes.
Even though starting was difficult, being motivated helped me power through. I wanted to take full advantage of this chance: to learn Japanese all for free and expert help finding work opportunities in Japan.
How to Get a Job in Japan from India? Start With Learning Japanese
Learning a new language on top of a notoriously difficult engineering degree is no joke. But it was a challenge I embraced. I reached N3 Japanese within 2 years. I even had to pause for six months to concentrate on my studies, but I made up for it with sheer determination.
Here are some tips on how I quickly learned Japanese:
- I studied at least one to two hours every day. Consistency is key! One time, I wound up studying Japanese straight for eight hours.
- I followed a strict timetable that helped me navigate my academic life and the rigor of learning Japanese.
- I watched anime. Nothing could be more fun and productive at the same time.
- I joined the Japanese presentation contest with FAST OFFER International. I was hesitant to join but my friends and classmates encouraged me. Thankfully, I listened! We had a month to prepare for this contest where we presented anime. Preparing for it gave me hands-on practical experience with the language that greatly improved my Japanese and teamwork ability. Plus, the competitive side of me motivated me. When my team won the contest and got a certificate and a prize, it boosted my confidence!
Benefits of Pursuing an Engineering Career in Japan as an Indian
As I learned more about being an engineer through my academics, and Japan’s culture through my Japanese studies, I became more convinced of jumpstarting my engineering career in Japan. Here’s the benefits of working in Japan as an Indian I found out before I deep dived into how to get a job in Japan from India:
- As an Indian, you graduate from university pretty young. Being at once exposed to Japanese culture then can be extremely formative in the best way. What better culture to mold you than Japan’s? Japan is an overall great country you can learn a lot from.
- Japan’s global workforce will expose you to different cultures, techniques, and styles of working that can positively shape your future.
- You get to be part of a top-notch team. Being in Japan means being part of engineering efforts that yield excellent results. There’s only so much you can do alone. Working as a team will help me achieve big goals.
- You get to work on projects that positively change people’s lives. There’s fulfillment in being a good contributing member of society.
- Compared to European languages, Japanese pronunciation is a little like my native language. Japanese grammar is also like a lot of Indian languages.
- Working in a foreign environment will teach you how to adapt to new environments quickly.
How FAST OFFER International Helped Me Secure a Job in Japan
The best step I took to get a job in Japan from India, aside from learning Japanese, was get FAST OFFER Internationa’s help. Through them, I was interviewed by a good number of Japanese companies.
Initially, I was taking online interviews. I was giving my best, but things simply didn’t work out. One time, I wasn’t able to meet the company’s expectations. Another time, I couldn’t give my absolute everything as I had to take my final exams simultaneously.
It was upsetting. It tested my resolve, but I didn’t give up and carried on. I knew my hard work would all be worth it once I met my goal to be an engineer in Japan.
Despite failing those interviews, FAST OFFER relentlessly helped my journey by bringing me even more opportunities. After some failures, I got to fly to Japan all for free for in-person interviews. All my prior interview experiences—though at first glance they may seem like shortcomings, became meaningful as they served as lessons for the in-person interviews.
My Trip to Japan Expanded My Love for Japan
My flight was delayed for seven hours. We had to spend the night at the airport, which was horrible. But all the negative feelings melted away as our plane flew over Tokyo, and I could see its dazzling night lights. Things began proceeding smoothly and nicely once I was in Japan. The city lights, the array of neon lights, were delightfully fascinating.
At that time, I was worried about Japanese food. In India, I didn’t like Japanese food. Indian cuisine after all is very different from Japan’s minimalist approach. Having the real deal in Japan though, getting to eat the dishes at the quality as intended, was a completely different experience. The Tonkotsu Ramen in India and Japan were worlds different it was mind-blowing. I was won over. I ate a lot of Japanese food. Real Japanese food sold and made in Japan is next level.
From Mock Japanese Interviews to a Job Offer
During that trip, I was also surrounded by peers. I came to Japan with other students from Pune University and when I got there, I met fellow Indians as well. We were from different specialties: some specializing in mechanical and some electrical. This was relevant as we discussed our projects a lot and practiced mock interviews with each other. This was incredibly helpful for my confidence. On the day of my interview, my mentor and I spoke for two and a half hours for mock interviews. He gave me full marks! No notes!
Practicing interviews in Japanese with my mentors and friends made a big impact on working on how to got a job in Japan as an Indian. During the first interviews, I conveyed my thoughts easily in Japanese. On the second round, it was markedly harder, interviewers were stricter, and questions were more technical, but still, I performed just as well.
After the interviews, I was waiting at FAST OFFER International’s headquarters. I was waiting for a friend speaking to their guide in another room, when my own guide came up to me. They congratulated me on being selected. I was confused at first. It was incredulous! Unbelievable! I was so shocked I couldn’t process it. I asked repeatedly, clarifying, but it was true: I got the job offer from my target company! Funnily enough, FAST OFFER International captured that moment when I looked confused about the great news.
It was the best part of the whole trip. It was amazing. When my friend came out of the room, he was holding his offer letter as well. It’s so nice when you get to celebrate with someone! Later that day, I found out all my other friends from Pune also got selected. It gave the otsukare party at the end of the trip something to celebrate!
What I Look Forward to Life in Japan
One of my biggest goals in Japan is to buy a Japanese sports car and a Japanese bike. I even noted down the models of the cars I’m looking forward to buying. Because of my trip to Japan, I’m now also excited about all the food I’ll get to try. There’s also so much to explore in Japanese culture! My impression of Japan has expanded from the start of the year, so there’s even more to look forward to.
My Journey to Building a Career in Japan
The journey of how I got a job in Japan from India has changed me as a person. Learning Japanese and securing a job opportunity in Japan has made me grow. It taught me to not give up hope easily and to believe that things will work out if I give it my best shot.
The changes this journey has made began when I first studied Japanese. It exposed me to a classroom of students with similar dreams but different backgrounds and domains. I got to interact with folks outside of who I was usually with, and I adapted to different kinds of people. It really expanded my perspective.
When I rejoined Japanese classes after my hiatus, I was placed in a batch of students and teachers I didn’t know. I was able to quickly adapt and make new friends.
Adapting to different and unfamiliar situations really forces you to grow as a person. My future in Japan will be an extension of that, in a foreign country, where everything is new. Though in a way that can be scary, my experience has made me hopeful that the coming changes will all be good for me. I’m excited to grow into the best engineer I can possibly be in Japan!
