– How long did it take you to get hired?
– What industry did you get into using your JLPT certificate? (If training for the job position was included)
– Did you regret choosing a Japanese company instead of a western one?
– How many of you are employed by a western company working remotely in Japan using bilingual skills?
For context, I go days without speaking English sometimes and have always communicated with my wife and her family in Japanese, so my conversational skills are up to scratch, just without the qualification.
30 comments
Rather loaded questions there.
The length of job search doesn’t change depending on your JLPT cert.
Industry is translation/interpretation, but that comes from having more than just JLPT, need to show actual experience.
What’s to regret? Some “western” companies are just as bad as some Japanese ones, no way to quantify this, since literally everyone’s situation is different.
Disclaimer: I work for City Hall, not a company
-I passed N1 in Dec. 2021, got hired to start from April 2022
-My job is basically the same as a JET CIR position, so for industry I guess International Relations?
-I wanted experience working in a Japanese office not a Western one, as I am keen to stay in the area I currently live in, which means statistically working for Japanese companies and not western ones
-No remote work whatsoever, but I need to use English and Japanese on a daily basis. I’d say it’s about 70% using Japanese and 30% using English
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I’ve been working for Japanese companies for the past 15 years. Did online commerce for a year or two before breaking into video games and also translation work.
As with most things credentials are only part of the story. The bigger part of the story is who you know. My past two jobs I’ve gotten by just knowing the right people. They recommend me, I’m given a shot, I demonstrate that I can do what they need me to do, I get the job. I only had N2 when I got my previous job, decided to get N1 quite a few years later because why not.
My previous company was a Japanese one, but the section I was in was run by foreigners so it didn’t really feel like a Japanese company. Currently I’m right in the middle of a Japanese company. There’s a lot of mundane, repetitive, pointless tasks and reporting and record keeping, etc. But having things be so on the books also has its merits as well.
I passed N1 in 2017 while i was in uni. I graduated and worked in my home country through the plague.
– from starting my job search to getting hired: took 2 months.
-i’m confused, about number 2. What does this mean? my job uses both japanese and english.
-no, not really. I work at a japanese company and the job is fully remote.
I got JLPT 1 in 2007 before they introduced the N. I did freelance translation for a couple of years before segueing that experience into an in-house position at a Japanese manufacturer. I used a recruiter to get the job.
I have never worked for a western company, so I can’t really speak to that, but it’s mostly remote work unless I’m needed for on-site interpreting (usually when we have important guests).
Gonna go against the grain and say that your language certificate does not matter. What matters is your skills beyond language. If you can communicate fine and have a track record of good work in your area (plus a bit of who you know) then you’ll get a job, not having N1.
So I passed the N2 a while ago, I would say it didn’t have much to do with my job.
I had a lot of practice for the test so I passed, but couldn’t speak worth anything.
The job I have now, I got because I just got out of school and a friend of a friend had a job opening and the company is desperate for people (still are).
Do I regret choosing a Japanese company instead of a western one? Honestly yes. If there was a Western company that would hire me, I would take it immediately. Personally, I have been working in Japan for some time and the amount of things that could be solved with a single google search is bothering me.
If anyone is employed at a western company here in Japan and working remotely, please do let me know.
1.) Like 2 months from first interview to start day.
2.) N2 didnt get me into an industry, my science background did. I got into the semiconductor industry.
3.) No. The Japanese company I was in wasn’t black by any means, though I didnt get along with my boss. I ended up changing to Software engineering because it paid better and was easier work, not because I absolutely had to get out of previous company.
4.) I work for a Japan branch of a US company, but my reporting structure goes through the US, not Japan. I have to use both JP and English when speaking to customers and the upper management.
I don’t think jlpt “gets” you into an industry. Not speaking Japanese in a Japanese speaking country might be barrier to meaningful employment though. To get into a specific industry, a jlpt certificate would be so far down the list of qualifications it makes your question kind of meaningless.
1. I was hired to a Japanese-speaking position without having taken any JLPT. Took about three months of interviewing.
2. Field was media and marketing, advertising and content. Eventually included drafting ad copy, brochures, leaflets, pamphlets, and web sites.
3. Not at all, because the monolingual environment gave me a massive leg up on learning the language and business culture which has tremendously aided my career now that I am working in a multilingual firm. I maybe should have worked less time in Japanese-only firms (ten years), as salaries are lower than multinationals, so I sacrificed some total lifetime earnings for it.
4. My current firm is owned by a western company which has ended remote work completely in the US and pushing to eliminate it in Japan as well. All of my staff are monolingual Japanese, my direct C-level is a somewhat bilingual Japanese, and top management overseas are all English monolinguals. So I use both regularly, but mostly Japanese.
How long did it take you to get hired?
About 4-6 weeks
What industry did you get into using your JLPT certificate? (If training for the job position was included)
Not relevant at all. They determine Japanese proficiency via SPI exams and interviews
Did you regret choosing a Japanese company instead of a western one?
I started in JP company then changed to Western one. I think it is good experience to understand culture, but should have left earliet because the pay difference is about 3x for the same positions (4M vs 12M)
How many of you are employed by a western company working remotely in Japan using bilingual skills?
Hybrid, not fully remote.
I think western companies in Japan have a higher demand for Japanese proficiency and much lower usage of English. I almost never needed to use English in my job, and was told by the bosses that in order to get to the next promotion I need to improve my Japanese pronunciation more. Fail to see any benefits of bilingual ability as it is easier for Japanese only speakers to get promotions.
Passed JPLT1 in 2002 as a student. Started working for a Japanese company in 2021.
Hasn’t in the slightest affected anything in between but felt like an accomplishment. The current job was based on other training and work experience that happened in the interim. That said, I’m trying to get the certification located or reissued for use when I apply for PR.
Japanese company but bilingual work internally (80/20 Japanese) and externally (reverse ratio).
1) Maybe a month or two. I wasn’t looking very hard. (Edit: That’s for the job search. The actual application to hiring process for the job I currently have took only a few days. I met the requirements, passed their tests, got along well with the boss, could move cities within 1-2 months, and didn’t need a visa. Right timing, pretty much. Later I heard they wanted to offer me the job on the spot, haha.)
2) Digital marketing, but I didn’t need JLPT given my background. I just took it to improve my own language skills and for the resume. I got hired when I was N2, now I’m at N1. I had zero experience in anything, but a super basic hobby portfolio with translations, writing, etc.
3) No. I wanted a steady office job with an understanding boss, very little overtime, and other foreigners working there so I wasn’t alone, and that’s what I got. The common language was Japanese, so in a few years I got pretty good at it. I’m still there today and it’s grown significantly and I also got promoted. Maybe in a few more years I might consider jumping for a better salary?
4) Not me. I do work entirely remote now and the company has zero plans of pushing in-office work. At most, it’ll be a hybrid setup, but with more days remote. I do use both English and Japanese every day.
I was recruited before taking the JLPT. I was freelancing while doing ALT work and then was brought into a translation company as a regular employee. Pretty much when I told the boss I was interested in changing careers, she offered it upfront.
My boss at the time requested me to take the JLPT to make my skill sheet stronger. I took a class at a language school twice a week for test prep. It was worth it so I knew what to expect on the test and I wouldn’t waste time taking the test for no reason. It was pretty affordable and a great experience.
But having JLPT never made a difference in my work. When I changed from the automotive industry (translation) to civil work (interpretation), no one asked for my JLPT results. I think if you have experience or good communication skills it is far more valuable than the JLPT.
– Around 2, 3 months? I had N2 back then
– Internal translation for a (very well known) tech company (basically no training)
– A little bit, it’s mostly okay but there are issues you definitely wouldn’t encounter working for a more international company
I got N1 while still in the states, came to Japan for grad school, and was hired immediately by a traditional Japanese company after graduation.
I work in corporate planning, mostly deskwork. stuff like writing reports, making spreadsheets, with some translation and interpretation sprinkled in.
my only regret working here is the terrible pay, but I’m unable and also unwilling to move/commute to Tokyo for better pay, at least at the moment. management is decent, there is very little overtime, benefits are probably much better than some other places, and I’m living within my means, so… I’m good for now. may jump ship later, once I pick up some more education on their dime.
The language cert might make sometimes the difference between getting an interview or not. But your language ability will be assessed by your performance at interviews, not on a passed exam. Having N1 won’t help if you can’t demonstrate ability to read and speak (and sometimes write) Japanese on the spot.
1. 3-4 months but I was applying from overseas which made it difficult
2. Events. The certificate didn’t exactly get me the job but I had N1 when I applied and they never asked to see it.
3. Yes and no. It was a good experience and a good company, but the division was awful. If I have the option of a western company over a Japanese company the western will be better 9/10 times. Benefits, pay, culture, etc.
I have only ever worked at Japanese companies in mostly Japanese-only settings and have N1, but all the companies I worked at had separate SPI tests and/or skill tasks.I don’t think the JLPT makes much difference in whether or not you get hired. It might get you the initial interview, but no company is actually checking for your certificate. They will be able to tell whether you can speak Japanese or not from your interview whether you have JLPT or not.
N1 in 2019, got stuck in my country because of COVID, got hired 2022 July while I was in Korea. I work in Sales in a kinda big ex Japanese company that was bought by a huge Western company. Had 0 sales experience beforehand, but family friend worked in the big western company and wrote an email to the Japanese company sales director if they are looking to hire someone with N1. Basically that email got me to skip all the bullshit HR steps and have an interview immediately with the Sales director after he looked at my resume. I sold myself and got hired. Basically connections, luck of timing and good grades/overseas experience on my resume that finally brought me to Japan.
1.) I got an offer from the very first company I interviewed with (college job fair). But I stayed an extra 6 months back in my home country to study Japanese before landing in Japan.
2.) My industry is IT, but I got my offer before I even got N3. Whenever I passed N2 or N1, I received a raise though.
3.) No I don’t. I was a new grad with almost no experience, I would take whatever opportunity available.
4.) I work for a big tech fully remote now and no longer use Japanese for my work. In fact, for the last 4~5 years, all my jobs are 100% in English.
1. Got a scholarship for an MBA here in Japan (all in Japanese) and got my N2 before starting. Passed the N1 while studying and got a job directly after graduating through the usual 就活.
2. I joined a Japanese Pharmaceutical company after said graduation and worked there for 3 years (the blackest of black: I’m American and they would call me “Mr. Atomic”..awkward). I was in HR and was in charge of 新卒採用 for Kyushu and Shikoku, with 99.9% of my job being in Japanese.
I finally made the (correct) choice to change companies, but I actually changed to another Japanese company in the Energy Sector. I am currently in this position as an HRBP and use both English and Japanese on a daily basis. But my Japanese skills definitely got me the position.
3. I don’t regret working in a Japanese firm, and I’m glad to have started my career in such a sh*tty company; it helped filter out the black companies during my 転職. However, it’s best to make sure that the company has a track record of hiring and caring (training and development) for foreign employees; I was one of the first foreign employees at the pharmaceutical company and they really didn’t want to take steps to hire more.
All-in-all, I’m glad I got the N1 for the sake of the certificate, but my actual language abilities took off after joining my first company (read: trial by fire).
I hope the way of writing the above doesn’t make me sound like I’m full of myself. I’m still a pretty dumb guy with mad imposter syndrome trying to figure things out.
I never had to prove N1. I could read contract law out loud and asked to see the company rule book and tore through it, and the employer didn’t care about N1 after that. I love to memorize words from the dictionary as a hobby so that might have something to do with it. lol
I am living here in Tokyo for 16 years already. I only have N4 which I took around my 2nd year in Japan, and no plans of taking the higher levels. I have jumped to several companies during that span of time and had many interviews in Japanese. All I can say is that improve your verbal communication skills in Japanese rather than focusing to get N1/N2 eventhough it is stated in the criteria of the hiring company. Those certificates will mean nothing if you can’t speak properly during an interview. My Japanese is far from perfect but my listening and speaking skills are enough for my interviewers to not question my JLPT level. Having the ability to read common phrases used especially in emails is also a BIG plus.
Will just add I’ve never been asked for proof of certificate, or asked about JLPT during any part of the process. Your Japanese will be tested in the steps building up until you’re hired.
I have worked for a major Japanese company and some small ones. I don’t enjoy the culture of either (pointless meetings, overtime is mandatory, nomikais, etc.).
* How long did it take you to get hired?
About 6 months of serious job hunting while I was a student course. The actual process with the company I got hired by took about 1.5 months from application to offer. I actually ended up with 2 near-identical offers during that 1.5 month period from 2 different companies, so go figure. Both offers were received when I had N2 and were contingent on me getting N1 before starting work, which I did.
* What industry did you get into using your JLPT certificate? (If training for the job position was included)
Consultancy for ERP software. (IT-adjacent. Really more business than IT. There was a compulsory (paid) 3-month training period before starting actual work). I should mention the training period (and work afterwards) is totally in Japanese and I do not think less than N1 level of understanding would be enough to get through the training period.
* Did you regret choosing a Japanese company instead of a western one?
No, my company is relatively young (around 25 years old) and reasonably progressive. There are rules against doing too much overtime, we get flexitime and decent bonuses. Most workers are in their late 20s – early 40s and everyone is reasonably tech-savvy. Not many of the “traditional Japanese company” horror stories really apply to my company, except for unavoidable crunch during busy times of year and it being basically impossible to work from home.
The only thing I regret is that I don’t get to use English much for my job, despite translation/interpreting being my biggest strength (and was one of the reasons they stated they wanted to hire me).
* How many of you are employed by a western company working remotely in Japan using bilingual skills?
Doesn’t apply to me, but my wife works for a western company in Japan. She is pretty happy with things in general, she earns more than she would doing the same job at a Japanese company, everyone is nice and supportive, she can easily take days off, she can work from home etc… but on the other hand, she doesn’t get a bonus and is expected to keep her company phone with her for emergency work, even out of hours and on weekends, for no extra pay.
The JLPT cert is not for you. It’s more for the hiring manager, a threshold so they don’t throw away your resume after 1 second of looking at it.
You may get lucky and end up in a good JP company but by global labor standards most jp companies are the black as heck, even those who think they aren’t – they just don’t have a reference level to realize it.
Also a lot depends on how much you like to be a brainless done puppy and play along while putting up with bullshit. A couple foreigners in my company are loving it as if they’re living the Matrix or something.
All the motivation I had to improve my Japanese further kept withering away the more I experienced the local work culture. Makes you doubt if you should go the distance and put any more effort into studying just to become a bigger slave/drone. Especially when Tanaka next to you can already do it perfectly and effortlessly. The better you become at language and local work culture shenanigans the less slack you’d be given and the more you’d get picky comments about how you’re still not as perfect as Tanaka. Dog forbid you work with local お客様 – you’d be playing the 謝罪・反省 game on a daily basis.
I’d love to know these too because even with N2 now I still rarely get an interview.
Japanese alone isn’t enough. There are 10s of millions of adults in Japan who speak Japanese better than 99.999% of gaijin.
What you need is Japanese combined with an in-demand skill set. For many people that works out to be tech skills. Programming, networking, being a PM, being a tech manager, that sort of thing. Combine those skills with Japanese and English and you can make a lot of money.
I have a HS diploma, no degree, no JLPT, but a wide ranging background in the tech industry, combined with business-level Japanese fluency. My salary isn’t quite 20mil, but it’s close. Many people here make a lot more than that.