How a Japanese Festival Sparked My Career Ambition to Be an Indian Engineer in Japan
Before I began college at RMK Engineering College, while I was still in 10th Grade, I attended this Japanese festival at a mall that completely changed the trajectory of my life. The festival was a showcase of Japanese culture, apart from the traditional Japanese games I got to play, they also talked a lot about the job opportunities in Japan. Turns out, thereâs a lot of possible engineering jobs in Japan for Indians. I was so moved that I decided to learn Japanese. I enrolled in daily hour-long Japanese classes. After the class, I continued studying by myself for two more hours. I was extremely determined! I set my gaze firmly on Japan. Â
The following year, I went to RMK Engineering College to follow my interest in technology. The universityâs commitment to an interdisciplinary approach inspired me to pursue Computer Science and Business Systems. Combining the two majors would equip me with a business perspective as I designed meaningful programs. This all played into my goal of one day making a significant impact on Japanâs tech landscape.  Â
How RMK Engineering College and a Japanese Internship Shaped My Career Goals As A Future Engineer in Japan
Sharpening my technical skills at the university went hand in hand with learning more about my prospective industry. As I gathered more coding languages under my belt, I also learned more about how Japan was an innovative tech powerhouse that stood out globally. Unique to Japan was how they delicately balanced tradition and progress: taking care of their cultural heritage and creating technological marvels always going hand in hand. My determination to one day work in Japan continued to grow.
An internship at a Japanese company also exposed me to Japanâs impressive corporate culture. They emphasized teamwork, dedication, and an obsessive pursuit of perfection. They adhered to the concept of âkaizenâ which gears one to continuously seek for improvementâsomething that resonated with me at a personal and professional level.
I saw Japan as the perfect place where my passions can converge. It would offer me the stage where I could excel using my skills in web development and business analysis.
How FAST OFFER International Helped Me Secure An Engineering Job in Japan
During my final year in college, ASIA to JAPAN’s FAST OFFER International contacted me through LinkedIn. As a student just about to graduate from RMK Engineering College, I was shocked by the opportunity. I looked at their website and saw the service was free. It was unbelievable. It sounded too good to be true. I reached out to someone from my circle who was from Pune University and succeeded through FAST OFFER International. After a lengthy conversation later about FAST OFFER Internationalâs process, thoroughly convinced it was a real opportunity, I signed up. Soon after, three companies who could enable my dream of being an Indian engineer in Japan shortlisted me. This allowed me to fly to Japan for the interviews.  Â
FAST OFFER International Sponsored Me For Job Interviews in Japan
I studied really hard for a month to prepare for the interviews. I prepared my answers and memorized them to the last detail. During mock interviews with FAST OFFER International, they recommended that I be more natural for interviews.
When I finally arrived in Japanâthe country Iâve been dreaming of for so long, a country I had such high expectations ofâI was blown away. Itâs usual to be disappointed when visiting overhyped countries, but Japan met my every expectation and went beyond. It was just so beautiful!
When the interview results finally rolled in, I was devastated. All three companies rejected me. I knew I had the skills to be an Indian Engineer in Japan. My mentors even praised my flow and my grasp of Japanese. My resume looked great: I had a suited double major, internship experience, a meaningful Final Year Project that helped the Medical Industry, and preparing for the JLPT N2 exam. Somehow, all that wasnât enough. I was bewildered at first, but the reason was clear from the start.
With each failed interview, I got the same feedback: I was too stiff. Still, I persisted in my ways. Still, failing gave me something extremely precious: lessons! I reflected on the feedback I got and talked to my peers about how they succeeded.
What I Learned from Failing Japanese Job Interviews
Take your mentor’s advice seriously!
I had a good resume for a future engineer in Japan thanks to RMK Engineering College and pretty good Japanese. Perhaps thatâs why I only took FAST OFFER Internationalâs advice only as a suggestion. If Iâd listened mentor’s advices , I would have succeeded a lot faster! These folks have helped so many others. They really know what theyâre saying. Make sure you listen and apply their advice!  Â
Donât memorize your answers word for word.
Working with FAST OFFER International allowed me to prepare really great answers for the expected questions. I was so confident with my preparation that I recited them robotically in the interview. As I read the mental image of my notes, it kept me from being natural. Recalling my notes distracted me too much. I was too stiff both with my answers and my body language.
Think and act on your feet.
I was too stubborn. I was confident with the way I did things, and that stopped me from listening to valuable advice. FAST OFFER International’s experts already spelled out my issue right after my first interview but I couldn’t pivot quickly enough. Also, when they asked unexpected questions, I wasnât quite present, lost in my preparation.
Understand the questions well.
It doesnât matter how good your answers are if it doesnât answer the question well. The best thing you can show them about you is that youâre a good listener and can be on the same page with them.
Give concise answers.
Whenever I answered their questions, I was anxious over saying too little, and not hitting all the points I had. I wound up rambling. Japanese job interviews though, prefer you answer their questionsâno more, no less. Trust that they only need the information theyâre asking for.
FAST OFFER International Didn’t Give Up on Me
On the last day of my trip to Japan, I watched my peers visit the companies that offered them a spot. I was tempted to sulk, but I picked myself up. Looking around reminded me that I was in Japan for free! I wasnât going to waste this opportunity. Instead of being sad in my hotel room, I went to Tokyo Dom, Ueno Park, and Tokyo Shrine. Despite my disappointments, I can still say it was a wonderful experience.
Thankfully, FAST OFFER International didnât give up on me. They still gave me more interview opportunities once I was back in India. Even when I failed my next online interview, FAST OFFER International didn’t stop encouraging me. It kept my morale up. It helped me hold tight to my dream to become an Indian Engineer in Japan despite everything. Their support convinced me to keep on trying.
After my fourth interview, I anxiously waited for the results at home. I jumped for joy when I finally got the e-mail saying I passed. Ecstatic, I told my family, my friends, and even my university. It was a surreal moment.
My university, who was so happy for me, even asked me more about FAST OFFER International. This blossomed into FAST OFFER International visiting RMK Engineering College to talk to interested students!  Â
From RMK Engineering College to Japan: Preparing for My New Life
Packing up for Japan, I bought a new suitcase and Iâm buying clothes for Fall and Winterâseasons India doesnât have.
More important preparation is brushing up even more with my Japanese. Right now, Iâm taking FAST OFFER Internationalâs Business Japanese classes. Iâm also preparing for the JLPT N1 exam. On top of all that, Iâm on YouTube adding more words to my vocabulary. You canât be too good in Japanese!
Iâm so excited about the life waiting for me in Japan! There’s so much new technology Iâll use in my work, different Japanese foods Iâll get to eat, and novel places Iâll get to explore and photograph. Iâm excited about everything!
Key Lessons for Indians Aspiring For An Engineering Job in Japan
I love learning! Iâm a really dedicated student and it was apparent even at RMK Engineering College. But the one important lesson that Iâve always held, thatâs helped me with this journey from when I was in 10th grade up to today is this:Â Â
Donât be afraid to fail! Donât give up and keep moving forward!
Once fear grips you, youâll be tempted to give up. You need to hold steady! Failing is just part of your success story. I failed three attempts to pass JLPT N2! I didnât let that stop me, though. Even as I was balancing two majors, learning Japanese, and failing at job hunting, I never gave up. I kept pushing forward until I eventually succeeded.
