As the title says.
Before anything else, I'd like to preface with that I have looked up a lot of stuff regarding this from this subreddit, TokyoDev/JapanDev, etc. It seems like the general advice is "get a few years of professional experience" -> "start applying to Japan jobs". I just wanted to ask just in case as there were some specifics that I wanted to see if they change this advice.
For my background: I am an upcoming computer science major, graduating in Spring 2025. Last year, I studied abroad at Sophia University for about 5 months, and I am planning on taking the N2 this December. In other words, if I were to try and apply to jobs in Japan, my qualifications would just be the major, some self-taught development skills, and (hopefully) the N2 certification. I don't know if my experience studying abroad would help out the resume at all, but figured it would be worth listing here in terms of my experience living in Japan already.
I know that working for a few years first is the most conventional option, but I have two specific reasons I wanted to ask:
I'm aware that this is the case wherever you look, but the job market. I'm decently sure that I won't be able to find a job for months after graduation (not that I will not try), and I don't think my JLPT certification will be useful for job applications here. I'm wondering if I will have any better luck looking for junior dev roles abroad.
This is something I can get over, but I'm just impatient to get back to Japan. For a variety of reasons, I just felt so much more at home during my study abroad, and I find myself missing that life more and more. I've honestly found myself looking into all the ways to get back to Japan super often. I know there's no real reason to rush – Japan will always be there – but it's at least worth considering in my opinion. Even so, I want to set myself up well, so if waiting and getting experience in the US is better, then I will accept that.
One thing I saw is that people suggest the Boston Career Forum for new grads? I don't know if that would be a good avenue to go about to get sponsored/get a good job in general, but it's something I was curious about if anyone has any input.
I know this is a very specific and long post, I just wanted to see what peoples' thoughts are if possible.
by savemeloadme
5 comments
I can speak to this. I just on the verge of getting my first dev job in Japan. Halfway though CS masters. Non-cs STEM undergrad. Former teacher.
Getting a dev job in Japan is a LOT easier than in the US. It’s like 2015 or something.
You know the stories of applying for 300+ jobs in the US with no luck? Not over here. I got several interviews and likely a job after 9 hours total of Tokyo job searching.
One thing to note that job hunting for new grads in the Japanese college-to-company pipeline starts 1.5 years prior to graduation, and most students serious about their job search have a job lined up by summer (now). New grad position postings outside of that timeframe is uncommon, and can be very competitive.
I got into a tech company as a grad recently. Don’t bother trying to enter a ‘traditonal’ Japanese company i.e. the ones that keep their employees for life and pay them peanuts initially. Aim for either foreign or Japanese companies with a tech culture. Most of the companies willing to sponsor visas for new grads from overseas (and have a decent salary) will require you to have a prior internship in the area lasting longer than 3 months. While it may be easier to get a job than in the states, the companies that don’t require you to have any CS knowledge or a prior internship are usually shit in both pay and quality of work. From what I’ve experienced, Japanese tech companies are the same as the west and have several interview rounds, both behavioural and technical, after the intial OA and resume screen.
The new grad pipeline for your cohort (25′) is already well over so if you want to try for a traditional company you have to try next year. Japanese tech companies with a strong foreign presence don’t usually follow this pipeline though.
Also, if you don’t care about your quality of work or life try Rakuten, although I believe they’ve finished hiring this year for 25′ grads.
Gaman for 3-5 years and you’ll be better for it
Expect very very low salary (even if you had experience compared to the U.S. Most of the companies who hire foreigners are not paying well (expect under 7 million yen per year and I am being Very generous) + the quality of work is really abysmal as others pointed out.
Right now, and I don’t intend any discrimination here. Japan is hiring from India + SEA. They will take much lower salary since working a Japan is usually an upgrade in terms of potential income/quality of life for those willing to relocate (a lot will accept salaries around 3-5 million yen) and will do the work the same as you (since the work isn’t hard). They will also be more “docile”. Westerners have a reputation to be more problematic (speak their opinions more, ask why too often)
Even though you could work for a foreign company, most of the supervisors will be Japanese therefore still very prone to manage as a Japanese company would, a bit less but you get the idea. Foreigners are rarely in line for promotions too so expect to be doing the same role for a while.
I don’t mean to be negative. It’s been my experience and I am sure others can atest to this.
As for the interview process, for most companies, expect somewhere between 4-6 rounds.
E.G: PayPay will have a phone screening, a qualifying test, a technical interview, a culture fit interview, an interview with a member of a different team than the one your interviewing, for example I interviewed in the past for Front-End Engineering and got a Site Reliability Engineer to interview me for an other technical test. Then you have an interview with a higher up. Then you have an offer (salaries are only revealed at that moment (90% of the time it will he the minimum of the fork. Forks will usually display 6 mil to 12 mil, so expect 6 mil)
I suggest you contact recruiters in Japan as the job market is heavily using them. Have them analyze your profile and see what they could find for you. Some are really good and have good network and are able to push your resume up the pile.
As long as your okay with all this. You should fit right in. I applogize if this is not the answer you’d want to hear but I am trying to keep it realistic.
Hope that helps and good luck!