| COUNTRY |
| India |
| EDUCATION |
| Bachelor’s in Computer Science – Cloud Computing, SRM University |
| COMPANY |
| A global Japanese manufacturer specializing in automotive components, with core expertise in rubber, plastics, safety systems, and electronics. |
| SUMMARY |
| A computer science student from India signed up for FAST OFFER International and enrolled in intensive AtoJ Hirameki classes to learn Japanese. Through consistent daily study, she learned Japanese in less than eight months and reached a high level of proficiency. This led to her receiving three job offers and finally being accepted into the company she wanted. Her hard work ultimately led to three job offers, allowing her to accept a position with the company she had hoped to join. |
Learning Japanese from Scratch in Less Than 8 months to Work in Japan
Learning Japanese was not a part of my original career plan. As a kid, I used to watch some Japanese TV shows. But I never had the idea, let alone the dream, of working in Japan one day. I was interested in the culture. However, I wasn’t really fully invested in it.
This changed when I borrowed a book called Ikigai. Through that book, I learned about many Japanese ideologies and philosophies, as well as Japanese traditions and culture. I started researching why Japanese people tend to live longer, stay healthier, and maintain such a high level of discipline. Eventually, this shaped my goals. I want to be healthy, live a long life, and be punctual. Living and working in Japan would be a good way to do it!
I wasn’t sure whether there was a real chance for me to work in Japan. Coincidentally, one of my friends landed a job in Japan. It showed me that getting a job there wasn’t as far-fetched an idea as I had thought.
How FAST OFFER and AtoJ Hirameki Helped Me Learn Japanese in Less Than 8 Months
During my third year of college, I found out about FAST OFFER International— a program that helps connect foreign talents to job opportunities in Japan. They also offer Japanese classes through AtoJ Hirameki. The AtoJ Hirameki classes were intensive! I was the last person to enroll, so I didn’t have any knowledge or information about the Japanese language going into the classes. I was behind compared to my classmates, and I felt the pressure to catch up. So, I had to put in more effort so I wouldn’t fall behind. It was very tough in the beginning, but day by day I kept getting better. I managed to create a routine where I would study Japanese for up to four hours a day. Through consistency, I was able to push through and catch up with my classmates.
To help with my language learning journey, I also started watching more anime, listening to podcasts, and having conversations in Japanese with my friends. All these paid off because I got to learn Japanese in just 8 months.
Getting Ready for Japanese Job Interviews
When my language ability reached around the JLPT N3 level, I began to prepare for answering job interview questions with a Japanese sensei. After completing the month-long class, FAST OFFER paired us with our career advisors.
During my first session with my career advisor, they explained how different companies would view my profile. I also learned about the entire job offer process and how companies conduct interviews. At that time, I was able to receive one job offer right away, but sadly it didn’t align with my expertise, so I had to turn it down.
Flying to Japan for More Job Interviews
First round of job interviews
A couple of months later, I managed to receive three job interview invitations, which gave me the chance to fly to Japan and attend the interviews there. Going to Japan and attending the job interviews was stressful because it was my first time traveling outside the country, and I was the only student from my city, so I was traveling all by myself.
I was assigned a new mentor upon arriving, and we had mock interviews. He also helped me with many things, gave me a lot of information and guidance for interview questions, and shared valuable information about the companies, which was incredibly helpful and made preparing for the interviews much easier.
Then came the day of the interviews. I had three first-round interviews in one day.
The first interview was a bit tough because it was my first one, but I managed to pull through.
Going into the second interview, I had more confidence, and I managed to answer the questions well. It went better than the first interview.
Going for the final interviews
Then came the last interview, and it was with the company I was most interested in. I was a little nervous, but I reviewed the documents I had and went over all the information I had studied in my head. I was also able to attend a small event with the other attendees, which helped reduce a lot of the stress I had.
Then came the time for the final interview. It was a bit nerve-racking at the beginning because it was a hybrid interview where I was speaking with someone through my laptop while also interacting face-to-face. But thankfully, the interview went well, and I was able to leave a good impression.
After the interviews, I was so tired that I went straight to the hotel and fell asleep right away. Then I was woken up by a call from my mentor telling me that I had passed two of the first-round interviews, and luckily, one of them was with the company I wanted.
The next day came, and it was time for the second round of interviews.
The first interview was with the company I wanted. From the start, it felt different. The way the interviewers were talking wasn’t really in an interviewing manner. I was even given a tour of the company, shown multiple activities taking place there, and shown the department where I would be working. Then it hit me that I had been accepted for the role!
I still had to go to the other interview, but I didn’t have much energy, and the interview was okay at best.
Then I was greeted by my mentor, who told me the results of the interviews: I had been accepted by the company that I wanted. We both jumped out of joy and celebrated!
Getting Ready for My New Job in Japan
I have about half a year before I start working, so I have time to prepare and brush up on my skills so that I can do my job smoothly. I will start by working on my language skills because they take time to develop, and I won’t have much time once I start working. So, it is better to work on them now, and my goal is to reach the N2 level.
I was also told by the technical lead at the company about the role and the technical skills required, so I will definitely be studying and learning the skills I need. I was also provided with a lot of materials from the company that I need to study.
My Advice for Anyone Who Wants to Learn Japanese and Work in Japan
When it comes to learning the language, make sure that you truly want it. You need to have the drive and the determination to succeed. Of course, consistency is the key, so make sure to have some daily exposure to Japanese, no matter how small it is.
For job interviews, you need to be as humble and transparent as possible. You don’t need to put on an act because your behavior, attitude, and personality will all be evaluated. If they aren’t consistent with one another, the company will notice, so it is best to just be yourself—no more and no less.
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