Choosing to Work in Japan: A Firm Decision After Careful Consideration 

During university, I always held onto the dream of working overseas. I ultimately chose Japan for several reasons. Firstly, I’ve been familiar with the Japanese language since childhood, thanks to watching anime. Secondly, Japan’s proximity to China gave me a sense of comfort—I wouldn’t feel too far from home. In addition, Japanese companies have well-established training systems for newcomers. Considering all of this, I made a firm decision to start my career in Japan. 

Once I began seriously considering working in Japan, I started researching job opportunities online. Among the platforms I looked into, FAST OFFER quickly became my top choice. I discovered it through introductions on Zhihu and Bilibili. It’s completely free for students, specifically targets new graduates, and offers excellent job opportunities, including positions at well-known companies, not just small firms or manual labor roles. 

Self-Studying Japanese For Work: From Passive Learner to Active Speaker 

I’ve mostly taught myself Japanese and have passed the JLPT N1. In terms of self-studying learning methods, I found shadowing techniques and dictation the most effective.  

At the end of 2023, I enrolled in a free advanced-level Japanese course offered by FAST OFFER. The course emphasized listening and speaking skills and was held once a week. This was actually my first time actively speaking Japanese. Before that, I really was a silent learner. After each class, we had to submit a short reflection, which not only helped me review what I learned but also improved my Japanese writing skills. 

From Silent to Successful: How I Got My Dream Offer 

After the course ended, I received an invitation to a preliminary interview. But at the time, I still lacked confidence in my speaking skills and didn’t schedule it. Then, in November 2024, I got another email invitation, and by then, I had practiced speaking more, so I finally worked up the courage to book an interview in early December. 

Waiting for the interview opportunities was an anxious time. Eventually, I was invited to participate in the February interview round and got shortlisted by three companies. I chose two of them to interview with, but unfortunately, neither interview went well, and I wasn’t selected. 

Luckily, in March, I had another interview opportunity with a different company. This time, I gave it my all, and successfully received a job offer! That moment of joy was truly indescribable. 

For the February interviews, I prepared mostly on my own. Before the March interview, however, I received mentorship support, which made a big difference. My mentor advised me to show a more energetic attitude and maintain a positive appearance, since I tend to come across as quiet. My coordinator also emphasized the importance of smiling. Looking back, these tips were absolutely crucial. 

Advice for Fellow Job Seekers: Be Brave, Stay Persistent 

Looking back on my job-hunting journey, here are some suggestions for those who also dream of working in Japan: 

1. If you’re considering working in Japan, I highly recommend joining FAST OFFER International’s free Japanese courses — the earlier, the better. This increases your chances of getting your ideal offer sooner. 
2. While language certificates like JLPT are important, practicing your speaking skills is even more critical. 

During interviews, be sure to smile and express genuine enthusiasm. Let your motivation and eagerness to learn and grow shine through. In Japanese job interviews, they are not only assessing your skills, but also your attitude and potential. 

FAST OFFER CAREER GUIDE: Beginner Tips For Self-Studying Japanese For Work

Starting your journey of learning Japanese? Self-studying Japanese for work can feel overwhelming at first. But many of our successful candidates who landed job offers in Japan began exactly this way and went on to become fluent in the language, some even passing JLPT N1. Some even prefer to self-study Japanese at first because of the flexibility: you can learn at your own pace and tailor your approach to match your learning style and goals. It’s also a way to build a good foundation in case you want to attend advanced formal classes later on.

Approach It Like A Child

Learning a new language requires you to think like a child. As a beginner, you’ll need to learn a whole new alphabet—and Japanese has three: hiragana, katakana, and kanji. Learning how to pronounce and write the Japanese alphabet is the foundation for moving forward in your learning process. Some of our candidates found it useful to use children’s learning materials such as workbooks, nursery rhymes, and more to support their studies. For work specifically, beginners often find it helpful to learn jargon to explain their Final Year Project and internships during job interview.

Practice Beginner-Friendly Basic Phrases

Once you’ve mastered the alphabet, you can start reading and pronouncing basic phrases such as numbers, months, days of the week, and simple greetings like ありがとう (Arigatō, thank you), お願いします (Onegaishimasu, please), and more. After that, you can move on to longer phrases. In business settings, aside from the usual greetings, it’s important to learn how to properly introduce yourself to superiors and to be mindful of using keigo (honorific language).

Practice With Native Speakers

Complement your self-studying by practicing with native speakers. How? You don’t need to go to Japan—just yet! Sign up for HelloTalk to connect with native speakers who can help you sharpen your Japanese for work. You can learn how to use a more formal tone when presenting to clients, a friendly yet professional tone when interacting with colleagues, and understand the cultural nuances of Japanese business settings.

中文快问快答版

选择赴日工作：综合考量后的坚定决定 

在大学期间，我心中一直埋藏着一个“去海外工作”的梦想。之所以选择日本，一方面是因为从小看日本动漫，对日语比较熟悉；另一方面，日本离中国近，让我感觉不会离家太远；而且，日本企业对新人的培养体系很完善。综合这些因素，我下定决心去日本开启职业生涯。 

在考虑去日本工作之后我就开始在网上了解赴日工作机会。我在知乎和bilibili看到了关于FAST OFFER的介绍，它就迅速成为我的首选平台。因为它对学生完全免费，主要面向应届毕业生，且提供的工作机会都很好，不乏大手公司。 

我的日语学习历程：从哑巴日语到主动表达 

我的日语主要靠自学，目前已通过JLPT N1。学习方法上，我觉得听写和影子跟读对我的帮助最大。 

23年年底，我报名了FAST OFFER提供的免费日语课程。每周一次课的高级班课程中，老师会主要锻炼大家的听力和口语能力。并且每次课后要提交课程收获，这很好地帮助我复盘，还锻炼了我的日语写作能力。参加这个课程实际上是我第一次主动去说日语，在那之前就真的是哑巴日语。 

从不敢开口到面试成功：我如何斩获梦想内定 

参加完课程后，我就有收到面谈邀请。但当时我对自己的口语还是不太自信，就没敢预约。直到24年11月，我再次收到面谈邮件通知，就鼓起勇气预约了12月初的面谈。 

中间等待面试机会的过程还是蛮焦虑的，令我惊喜的是，我在2月份的面试会收到三家公司的邀请，我选择了其中两家进行面试，可结果并不理想，都没有成功。  

但幸运的是，3月我又迎来了一家公司的面试，这次我全力以赴，最终成功拿到内定！那一刻，内心的喜悦简直无法言表。 

2月面试时，我基本是自己准备。而3月面试前，有mentor辅导我，这对我帮助很大。mentor提醒我要展现出积极的态度和良好的精神面貌，我的担当也反复强调笑容的重要性。事实证明，这些真的很关键。 

给小伙伴们的建议：勇敢追梦，坚持到底 

回顾自己的求职历程，我想给有赴日梦想的小伙伴们一些建议。 

1. 如果你们也想赴日工作，很推荐大家参加FAST OFFER的免费日语课程。 
2. 即使日语暂时还没那么好，也可以尝试早点网申，在求职的过程中努力提升口语，这样能获得更多机会。 
3. 面试的时候，记得保持微笑，展现出积极向上的精神状态，让面试官看到你对这份工作的渴望和努力学习的决心。