From Geeking Over Japanese Cars to Acing Japanese Job Interviews as a Foreigner

Japan always filled me with wonder.

Growing up, I was surrounded by interesting and fascinating Japanese cars. When I was nine, my neighbor had a fully customized Mitsubishi sedan that my friends and I used to take pictures with a lot. In my own home, my dad, who was also a “car guy”, owned a Japanese car. My exposure to these Japanese cars fed my interest in Japanese engineering. Japanese cars impressed me with their novelty and top-of-the-line functionality. 

On top of that, when I first saw Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004), it was the stylized Japanese segments of the movie that got me hooked. It all felt so novel and exciting. Although Kill Bill is an American movie, it led me to watch a lot of Japanese movies and J-pop. This exposed me to even more ways Japanese culture can feel so original and exciting. 

My interest in Japan continued to color my career goals as a budding tech engineer.

The exciting industry of AI and Data Science is a new frontier for social good.

My taste for novelty also led me to the major I chose in college: AI and Data Science.

For me, the ever-evolving industry promised a never-ending “newness.” I expect it to continue shifting even after I graduate. It’s exciting for me that there will always be new things to learn and improve.

Aside from being a growing field in India, AI also represents a new way to help people. In fact, part of why I chose it as my major was my family’s personal experience during the pandemic.

Seeing a gap in medical services where AI could come in 

In 2020, my father was affected during the pandemic. The restrictions at that time, and the logistical limitations of the busy doctors compounded the stress of the sickness. On top of all that, we got medical reports we weren’t equipped to understand.   

Our knowledge gap left us in the dark during such a trying time. Luckily, my father’s situation improved, but that harrowing experience stayed with me. It made me wonder, what if there was a companion app to help us at that time? I knew my family was just one of many who went through the same ordeal after all.   

What if laymen could get timely explanations of the medical reports they get? It would save time for doctors and patients while giving patients families an idea of what is happening. After 2-3 years studying AI and Data Science at the university, I pursued creating an app that did just that for my final year project.

First to working in Japan: starting to learn Japanese as early as possible

Convinced that I could be the best AI Engineer in Japan, I started working on my career goal as early as possible. At the same time I was studying to be an AI engineer, I was also learning Japanese. Connecting my interests, Japan as my career destination made the most sense. Using innovative technologies for social good is something Japan is known for.

In my second year of university, my friends and I were already itching to join the Japanese classes. But the classes were  only for 3rd-year students and beyond. So, we made a study group to learn hiragana and katakana basics. We weren’t very consistent, but luckily, we got into the next batch during our third year of university. Dedicated, I balanced Japanese classes with the requirements until my final year. I was able to graduate with the JLPT N4 level.

My 3 Tips on Learning Japanese

1. Watch a lot of Japanese Content. Watching a lot of Japanese movies and anime helped improve my listening and comprehension skills. Hearing Japanese in context helped me better understand sentences and led to scoring high on my JLPT N3 exam. Furthermore, it expanded my vocabulary. Even when there were some words I didn’t understand, I was able to connect the dots and figure out the meaning of the sentences.
2. Practice speaking Japanese. Try to put yourself in an environment where you can only speak Japanese. You can get an internship with a Japanese company, join Japanese classes, use a language learning app, or even simply talk to yourself! The more you speak Japanese, the more confident you will be.
3. Learn with others. Sharing your experiences with your juniors and seniors is both a fun, social activity and a learning experience. You’ll also get to learn in a relatable context, sharing expertise that’s relevant to each other. Joining a Japanese class can tap you into a similar-minded community keen to learn together.

Trying to find a job as a New Graduate

As a fresh graduate with N4 Japanese, I started searching for any opportunities that would get me a job in Japan. I joined a Japanese school to tap into job placements in Japan that they might know of. When I passed the JLPT N3, they introduced me to FASTOFFER International to help me land a job in Japan.

The start of job hunting with FAST OFFER International

Soon enough, I had a career conversation with a FAST OFFER International mentor. We talked about my journey learning Japanese and what I hoped to achieve. From then on, from what they learned about me, my advisor supported me through  job matching and interview training.

Pushing through the hurdles of job hunting

I had the first interview in November 2025. I managed to pass the first interview, but sadly, I wasn’t able to clear the second interview. It was devastating to fail so close to the finish line. Riddled with self-doubt, I wondered if all my hard work had been for nothing.

Despite feeling insecure, I decided not to give up. I reflected on what I did wrong and tried my best to improve. Then, a few months later, just last February 2026, I was given another opportunity with a different company. Sadly, it felt like a recap of what happened the last time, but with even more self-doubt throughout the process. I questioned myself every step of the way.

However, I was determined not to let it happen again. When the third opportunity rolled around in March, I finally felt as ready as I could ever be.

Three things I focused on to improve my job interview skills:

1. Getting practice sessions in with my mentor. I got even more help from my mentor, spending more hours on mock interview sessions.  
2. Researching the company as thoroughly as possible. I had researched everything about the company: from the most well-known fact to the tiniest detail.
3. Practicing speaking Japanese even more. Day and night, I would practice! I would try to focus on how I would answer questions and talk about the company.

The third job interview that changed my life

Coming in so well-prepared and greeted by friendly interviewers, I felt the self-doubt that had plagued me vanish. As I fluently expressed my thoughts about the company’s philosophy, future goals, products, etc., I felt confident they understood me as much as I understood them. After passing that initial round though, I felt my nerves return with the deja vu of being back in the second interview round I couldn’t seem to pass.

To my surprise, the interviewers were even more friendly. It was different from my past experiences. Typically, we’re advised to be brief and professional, but for the first time, with the interviewers’ assurance, I felt free to talk however I wanted.

I ended that interview ready to be anxious for the next few hours waiting for the results. Mercifully, though, in just five minutes, they gave me a job offer!

I was moved to tears! I quickly called up my mentor and my sensei to thank them for all the help and faith they gave me from start to finish. A sense of relief washed over me as I spilled the good news to my parents.

Getting ready for my job in Japan

I’m making the best of the year I have left before joining the company. Here’s the to-do list I’ve started:

1. Learn about Japanese work culture and environment to familiarize myself with their rules.
2. Keep studying Japanese to get JLPT N2 certified.
3. Become a better professional and team player through the internship I landed.
4. Learn a new coding language that could be beneficial for my role at my company.

From Watching Japanese Content to Making My Own

I’m most excited about the new social circles I’m going to be part of once I’m in Japan. There are so many new colleagues and seniors I want to get to know. With my coworker’s help, I hope I get to assimilate, adjust, and be an integral part of the company.

Then, there’s the traveling opportunities in Japan. First on my list is Minato Mirai in Yokohama, then there are my friends in Ibaraki. I plan to capture my travel experiences in video and flex my video editing skills. Watching Japanese content inspired and supported my journey throughout, but for the next phase of my life, I’ll be behind the camera, documenting my life in Japan!

FAST OFFER CAREER GUIDE: 7 Tips on Japanese Job Interviews for Foreigners

There a lot of cultural nuances to mind in Japanese job interviews that foreigners might miss. Here are some things to review for foreigners about Japanese job interviews to get you on the right direction!

1. Understanding what Japanese companies look for in their future employees can help you formulate the best interview answers. Knowing how Japanese companies think, what they’re looking for, and the kind of information they need from you can help you tailor your truthful answers in a way they can best appreciate. Learn more here:Understanding Japanese Companies’ Mindset at Job Interviews.
2. Your job interview performance hinges on your Company Research. Unlike other companies around the world that focus on your skillset, Japanese companies also take into stock how much you understand their company’s values, goals, and work. You can learn more here: 6 Steps to Perfect Your Japanese Company Research.
3. Your Final Year Project will greatly affect the Japanese companies that are interested in you. Make sure you choose a topic for your final project you genuinely are interested in as that can help you attract a company in that exact field.
4. In the New Graduate Recruit System, everyone is a little bit of a personality hire. Japanese companies looking to hire new graduates don’t expect you to have the perfect skills from the get-go, but they are looking for a personality that’s keen to learn and matches the company culture. Different companies and different teams look for different personalities–some prefer high-energy passionate people, and some prefer reserved team players.
5. Your pragmatic interest in Japan should trump your culture-based interests. It’s not necessarily a bad thing that one of the reasons you want to work in Japan is that you love anime. However, as similar as fictional and non-fictional Japan are, you must have even more grounded, realistic reasons that reflect a seriousness for this big life-decision of becoming an expat in Japan.
6. Learn and practice what it means to be respectful in Japan. Different cultures express respect in different ways. As an expat hoping to live and work in Japan, learning the proper manners for the interviews shows promise that you will make the effort to assimilate with your Japanese workplace. Learn more here: Japanese Etiquette for Job Interviews: A Step-By-Step Guide , Common Mistakes in Japanese Job Interviews: 6 Red Flags to Avoid , and How to Get Hired in Japan: 9 Job Interview Green Flags
7. Get help from experts! The road to acing a Japanese job interview as a foreigners may have a lot of twists and turns, but you don’t have to go through it alone. Sign up with us and get assistance training for Japanese job interviews as a foreigner.