We’ve explained in some articles about questions and answers at Japanese job interviews so far.This time, we would like to explain more details, about “reason for applying to a job” that it’s asked as same frequently as “Reason for changing/leaving a job” during jobs interviews at Japanese companies and how to answer it properly.From the viewpoint of a foreigner who’s changing jobs in Japan, it might seems not very important, but for Japanese companies who want to hire personnel to work with for a long term, the reason for applying would be one of the most important questions in job interviews.What Japanese companies are checking through “reason for applying to a job”First of all, let’s understand why Japanese companies focus so much on the question “reasons for applying” and what Japanese companies are seeing through the question.There are 2 main points that Japanese companies are focusing through “reasons for applying”.Does the applicant have high motivation and clear reasons to work for the job?Is there no gap in what the applicant wants and the company wants?We’ll explain more details about these 2 points.1.Does the applicant have high motivation and clear reasons to work for the job?Regarding “Does the applicant have high motivation and clear reasons to work for the job?”, talents who can positively influence for both the company and their employees with high motivation to work and strong commitment would be evaluated highly by any companies regardless of whether it’s Japanese company or not.And also, since Japanese companies often want the people they hire to work for the long period of time, it is very important that the applicants have clear reasons for working at that company.Therefore, you should prove a clear reason that the company you applying can understand deeply why you apply for the job in the job interview.2.Is there no gap in what the applicant wants and the company wants?Regarding the second point “Is there no gap in what the applicant wants and the company wants?”, it can be connected with the reasons for changing/leaving jobs. The company side has the image that the applicant will work with them for a long period of time if the applicant can achieve his goals at the job.However, if what you want to do is different from what the company expects, the company may be thought that you should work for other companies.Be sure to check out the jobs and companies which you apply in advance, and think about how you can fit what you want to do with what the company expects.Key points to answer for “reason for applying to the job”Next we’ll explain the points you must consider to make a solid reason for application based on what Japanese companies are checking in job interviews.Let’s try to consider the reason for application according to the following order.Understand the companies and jobs applying from various perspectives!Choose what fits with your needs and skills!Think concrete reasons and examples for what fits above!Check if it match with your reason for changing jobs!We’ll explain these 4 key points in details.1.Understand the companies and jobs applying from various perspectives!“Understanding from various perspectives” means understanding the company and work content from various perspectives. Here are some specific examples.What kind of products and services the company handles?What kind of vision and management philosophy they have?What kind of employees are workingWhat is the corporate culture and personnel system like?What skills are required for workWhat kind of results are requiredWhat kind of team you work forThere are other various viewpoints than the above.2.Choose what fits with your needs and skills!After you understand the companies and jobs applying from various perspectives, let’ choose something that match with your needs and skills.When you make a reason for applying, if it is more unique, the company seems that you have a high motivation to join them.In that case, if the reason is made from just one point of view, it might be the same reason for applying as other companies.However, if you think it from various points of view, you can say that you are interested in the applying company in a comprehensive way.3.Think concrete reasons and examples for what fits above!Not only when you tell the reason for applying, when you have to explain something to someone, it would be more convincing that you use some specific cases.For example, if you are interested in the products and services of the company you are applying for, it is more convincing to tell you that you have actually used it as a user.In addition, if you are interested in the employees or corporate culture of the company you are applying for, it will be more concrete and credible what kind of working environment make you feel more motivated and work harder through your working experiences so far.4.Check if it match with your reason for changing jobs!Finally, check if your reasons for applying match with your reason for changing/leaving jobs. If what you covey as your reason for changing/leaving jobs doesn’t match with your reason for applying, the interviewer of the company would take it like your lying.It is not necessary that your reason for changing/leaving jobs and the reason for applying to be exactly the same, but it is necessary that your reason for applying can solve you reason for changing/leaving jobs.SummaryAs considering the Japanese company’s approach to human resources, the reason for applying to the job is so important in the job interview.Even if you have great skills and careers, you may not get a good result for the job interview because the reason for applying to the job isn’t appropriate for the company.Therefore, be sure to consider seriously the reasons for applying before going to a job interview.If you would like to learn not only about the reasons for applying job but also about how to generally treat Japanese job interview, please read the following articles.Common Japanese Job Interview Questions and Best Answers!How to Answer “Reasons for Leaving Jobs” in Japanese Job InterviewsIf you are an IT engineer looking to change your job and want to take a job interview after taking appropriate advices about job interviews, please register with G Talent, a Japanese recruitment agency specialized in IT engineers. A professional consultant will support you in changing jobs in Japan for free.

If you would like to learn how to prepare for Japanese job interviews in Japanese, please click Here!To foreigners who are looking for a job in Japan, do you know what is important for Japanese Companies in job interviews? The questions asked during interviews are unique about what Japanese companies focus on because Japanese Companies have unique rules when it comes to hiring.Therefore, I would like to advise foreigners who are looking for a job or considering changing jobs in Japan about how to prepare for job interviews in Japan such as how to answer for the questions asked by Japanese companies through this article.Purpose of job interview for Japanese companiesWhen you prepare for a job interview, firstly it is necessary to understand why the company have the job interview.The purpose of the job interview is for the company to clarify if the person is suitable for the recruiting position. Also for applicants, it is a place to prove that he/she fits the position they are recruiting, and a place to learn more about the company.Therefore, it is important for the applicants to sell themselves in a job interview and make the company realize that they fit the recruiting position.What Japanese companies expect from applicantsBefore you join a job interview for a Japanese company, should understand that they expect for applicants. There are 3 main things that Japanese companies expect from applicants.Does the applicant have the experience and skills to take advantage of the recruiting position?Does the applicant have a mind or character that can be used in the recruiting position well ?Can the applicant work for the company for a long term?“Does the applicant have the experience and skills to take advantage of the recruiting position?” mentioned in above 1 and “Does the applicant have a mind or character that can be used in the recruiting position well ?” said in above 2 are important factors when companies hire employees in any country.In addition to that, Japanese companies regard “Can the applicant work for the company for long term?“ in above 3 as important.Japanese companies tend not to hire employees, if they do not have the image that the applicant can work for a long period, even if he/she has high skills and experience for the recruiting position.Therefore, Japanese companies confirm that the applicant will be able to work for a long period through the reasons why you want to change jobs and the reasons to apply in job interviews.Example questions in job interviews from Japanese Companies and How to answer to them betterQuestions about the reasons of changing jobs and applying jobsFirst of all, we will show you the points of how to answer questions that are always asked in job interviews about reasons of applying/changing jobs. These are questions that companies will judge whether you will be able to work for a long term or whether you will be highly motivated to work, so be sure to prepare them ahead of having an interview.[Question] Please tell me the reason for changing/leaving jobs.＜How to Answer＞The period of working for Japanese is more longer than other countries. So if you change jobs many times, Japanese companies may think that the applicant could leave the job soon. That is the reason why Japanese companies are very concerned about why the applicants change or leave jobs. Keep the following points to prepare a solid reason to change/apply jobs. Answer positively as possible, so the company isn’t going to think you’ll leave soon.Tell that you are making a decision after thinking hard instead of thinking lightly about changing jobs.Don’t say bad things about your previous or actually company.The reason for changing jobs should be something that can be resolved by the company which you are applying.ex) In case of changing jobs because of your low salaryInstead of telling the story as it is, you could say “I want to change my job to an environment where I can be evaluated highly and step up in my career. Looking at the seniors co-workers around me, even if they achieve good results, they cant’t take time for next opportunities in the company.”.[Question] Please explain your reason for choosing us (in the company).＜How to Answer＞ Tell specifically and clearly the reason why you were interested in.Express that you have studied in details about the company in advance.Match the reason of changing job and applying for a job.Appeal that your experience and skills fits with the position you’re applying.In the question, it’s important to tell the company that you’re deeply interested in them and that you can play an active role in it.[Question] What do you want to realize with us (in the company)?＜How to Answer＞Don’t just tell what only you want to do. You can say something that fits with the company goals and what you want to do.Questions about your skills and experience[Question] Please introduce yourself (Please tell us your curriculum vitae).＜How to Answer＞ Appeal your experiences and skills that match the position you applied for.Think in advance about the content to appeal in 2 to 3 minutes so that it can be easy to understand.In the case that the interviewer say “Please introduce yourself”, be sure to give your name, country of origin, when you came to Japan, etc first and then give your curriculum vitae.It is important that the company easily understands your background and feels that you have the skills and experience to utilize in the position you applied for.[Question] What are the strengths you can take advantage of the position you are applying for?＜How to Answer＞This is a question to appeal that your technical and personal strengths are in line with the recruiting position. Figure out your “strengths” that might match with the company you are applying. And if you can give much concrete experience and examples as you can, you appeal would be more persuasive.[Question] What is your most successful experience in your career?＜How to respond＞It is not only important to talk about your great success experience, rather, you should explain your efforts and actions you did to achieve the goal. It is important for companies to realize that the same successful experience can be reproduced in the company.[Question] Please tell us about an episode you failed at work.＜How to respond＞As a company, they focus on how do you think about the failure. Let’s not just talk about the episode of the failure, also explain about the factors that made the failure, some improvement points and your actions.Questions about your future[Question] How long are you planning to stay in Japan?＜How to Answer＞It’s important to explain that you want to live in Japan for a long time. For Japanese companies, they are concerned about that the applicants return to their home country soon, so let’s tell that you want to build a career in Japan for a long term.[Question] Please tell us about your future career plan.＜How to respond＞If your future goals and career plan are not related to the company or job you are applying for, the company will not have the image of being able to work for a long time with you, so you own career should be relevant to the position you are applying for.Other frequent questions[Question] Please tell us your desired annual salary.＜How to respond＞Let’s not only tell your desired annual salary, also say, “It is just a desire, I’ll follow your company’s salary rules”. If the company considers that it is difficult to make an offer with the desired annual salary you proposed, the employment selection may fail at that present.[Question] Please tell us your preference in comparison with other applicant companies＜Points to answer＞As the companies proceed with the selection, they want to prioritize those who are likely to be hired if they make an offer. Therefore, if you have a higher priority for another company, don’t tell it as it is. Please make sure to explain that you are interested in the company you are applying for. All you should do first is to get a job offer.[Questions] Do you have any questions for us (the company)?＜How to respond＞If you don’t have any questions for the company, they may feel that you are not too much interested in them. Make sure you have to research for the company and be prepared to ask questions in advance. Also, since job interviews are an opportunity to talk directly with a company, try to ask as much work-related questions as possible to give an image of you working for that company.Things to be aware of when joining job interviewsSo far, we have described how to answer to the most frequently questions in job interviews by Japanese compannies. However, in addition to the answers to the questions, there are 3 important things to keep in mind to leave a good impression during the interview.Make sure that the questions and answers are logically to understand easily.Relax and talk with a smile.Keep a clean appearance.We will explain about these 3 points from now on.Make sure that the questions and answers are logically to understand easily.One of the most common mistakes made during job interviews is that the answer doesn’t fit the question. There are many applicants who are judged that their logicality and comprehension are lacking because the story when answering becomes too long and they say something different from the answer to the question.For any questions, always give the answer first, after that, you can add the reason why you gave the answer. If you do not understand the meaning of the interviewer’s question, be sure to listen one more time the question and understand the meaning of it before answering.Relax and talk with a smileJapanese companies value internal communication in their work. Therefore, a person who is easy to talk tends to have a good impression in the interview.If you get nervous in the job interview, your facial expression could become stiff and how to talk also could be faster. it would be a negative impressions which make you someone not easy to communicate. Be more conscious of smiles and speak with a slower pace so that the companies can want to work together.Keep a clean appearanceWhen you meet someone for the first time, the first impression is very important. Generally, as a job interview has only 30 minutes to 1 hour, the visual impression would be very important.It’s best to wear a suit, especially if you have a lot of contact with your customers. If there is no contact with the outside people such as customers, you can wear casual clothes. But we recommend at least wear a jacket and try to be as clean as possible.ConclusionIf you are looking for a job or changing jobs in Japan, it is necessary to fully understand the interview culture of Japanese companies.In Japan, job hunting or changing jobs are carried out after students graduated from university, all at once. Therefore, most companies tend to ask the same questions focusing on the same points. If you take the necessary measures and prepare well you can achieve good results. However, without a good preparation, the possibilities of getting job could be lower.If you are going to a job interview in Japan, let’s prepare proper ways of Japanese job interviews before attending that. If you are an IT engineer seriously looking to change your job and you want to prepare appropriately a job interview in Japan, please register with us, a foreign recruiting agency specialized in IT engineers, G Talent. A professional consultant will support you in changing jobs in Japan for free.

The article summarized how to search jobs for foreign Software engineer in Japan.We hope it’s useful for not only programmers working in Japan but also job seeker who search jobs in Japan from abroad.Job boards for Software engineers in JapanJob board is the most popular job search way in Japan. This part will introduce popular job boards for software engineers in Japan.Job boards with many IT jobs for foreignerDaijob.com  www.daijob.com 20 tweets148 users121 pockets外資系・グローバル企業の転職・求人サイト | [Daijob.com]https://www.daijob.com日本最大級バイリンガル人材向けの外資・グローバル転職サイト「ダイジョブ・ドットコム」。英語を活かせる仕事や海外求人も多数！過去51万人利用、延べ3000社掲載実績。外資系企業からスカウトが届く！  Daijob.com is the No.1 job boards that has the largest foreign register who want to change job in Japan. Their target is not only foreigner but also Japanese who can speak English.You can see posted jobs in both English and Japanese, and also there are many IT engineer jobs here. If you register their scout service, companies and recruitment agencies would contact you.CareerCross  キャリアクロス 1 tweet143 users31 pocketsグローバル求人多数https://www.careercross.com外資系への転職・就職なら「キャリアクロス」。英語求人満載！外資系・グローバル企業で働きたい方や、海外で就職したい方必見の満足度No.1バイリンガル向け転職サイト。  CareerCross is one of the biggest job boards for bilingual speaker in Japan as well as Daijob.com.They are a group of JAC Recruitment which is a famous recruitment agency for middle to higher class, so there are more middle and higher jobs than Daijob.com.You can search job in both English and Japanese on the website and get scout service.LinkedIn www.linkedin.com 28929 tweets881 users3641 pocketsWorld’s Largest Professional Network | LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com  As you know, LinkedIn is the largest business social networking service in the world. It’s not as major in Japan as other countries, but it’s used a lot when company hire foreigner in Japan.Therefore, there are many jobs targeting foreigner including IT engineer. Their jobs are written by either Japanese or English. The jobs written by Japanese would target foreign Japanese speakers.TalentHub  TalentHub（タレントハブ） 3 users1 pocket外国人エンジニア採用情報サイトhttps://talenthub.jpApply to jobs in Japan for foreigners, all online. Find work in Japan as a software developer, engineer, or in IT, animation and design.  TalentHub is a job boards for foreign IT engineers in Japan. They have many Vietnamese job seekers and have only IT engineer jobs for foreigner.However, As of March 2020, the number of jobs looks less than other job boards above.GaijinPot  GaijinPot Jobs 2 tweets2 users11 pocketsGaijinPot Jobshttps://jobs.gaijinpot.com/index/index/lang/ja日本最大の外国人向け総合求人サイトガイジンポットジョブズ英語、その他外国語での求人情報多数。英会話講師、通訳・翻訳など語学力を活かした求人情報から、外国人留学生やバイリンガルの日本人の方向けの転職情報まで、幅広い求人情報を網羅  GaijinPot is a famous Japanese web media for foreigner in Japan. Many jobs are on the website, but the most of them are English teacher jobs and IT jobs are no so many.Advantage of using job boardAdvantage of using job board is followings.Job search with your desired criteriaMany jobsA lot of information not only words but also photo and video etc.Disadvantage of using job board and cautionary pointsAs job boards are posted jobs directly by hiring companies, the information tends to be subjective. It might be different from what you expect, because it’s not objective.Therefore, you should ask questions in job interviews in order to confirm what you should know.< Company review websites >We can recommend you some company review websites that are used in Japan to check objective reputations reviewed by employees of the companies.However, any websites are written by Japanese.OpenWorkhttps://www.vorkers.com/転職会議(Tenshoku-kaigi)https://jobtalk.jp/Although there are some companies with few reviews, if the size of the company is bigger, there would be many reviews.However, it would be just information for you because the reviews may not be the fact.Recruitment AgencyRecruitment agency is used as the second biggest job search service in Japan.We’ll introduce some famous recruitment agencies supporting mainly foreign IT engineers in Japan.G Talenthttps://www.gtalent.jp/enOur service, G Talent, is a professional IT recruitment firm in Japan. It’s focused on foreign IT engineers in Japan.There are many IT jobs from global companies to start-up companies and you can get the support with 4 languages, English, Japanese, Chinese and Korean.Both those who have already been working in Japan and those who want to work in Japan from now on can get the service with free.You can apply suitable jobs to you, as there are more than several hundreds jobs recruiting foreign IT engineers in Japan on our website.Robert Half  www.roberthalf.jp 9 users25 pockets人材紹介のスペシャリスト | ロバート・ハーフhttps://www.roberthalf.jp/jaロバート・ハーフは、日本で専門性の高い人材の求人と求職サービスに特化しております。今すぐサービスの詳細をご覧ください。  Robert Half is one of the biggest recruiting firms in the world. They are supporting job search of bilingual Japanese and foreigners in Japan.RGF  www.rgf-professional.jp 8 tweets4 users9 pockets外資系・グローバル企業への転職ならhttps://www.rgf-professional.jp外資系への転職、グローバル企業への転職ならRECRUITのグローバルブランドRGFの日本拠点RGF Professional Recruitment Japanにご相談ください。グローバル人材の転職をチーム体制でサポート。正社員、派遣・契約社員の非公開求人、語学力を活かせる求人多数！  RGF is a group of Recruit Holdings which is the biggest recruiting firms in Japan. They have many jobs with using strong group network.As there are many recruitment companies in Japan other than above, you can use some suitable agencies with you.In case of recruitment agency, you can get many objective information about not only company but also working viza and living.OthersYou can do other job search as followings.Direct application on the company’s recruitment website.Referral through your friends.As there are some companies which doesn’t post jobs on job boards, you can apply to the jobs through the company’s recruitment website if you have a company which you are interested in.However, since company’s recruiting website doesn’t have generally less the information than other job boards, you need to collect information through the job interviews and internet.If you have some friends in Japan, you can rely on them to introduce some available jobs.Generally, it would be better to get deeply information about the company.However, it’s not necessary that the company your friends refer to you is better. In any case, you can proactively collect information on your own.ConclusionThere are other ways to search jobs than what we introduced this time.As we introduced some ways that are generally used well, please try the best way you are suitable as reference.Sincerely hope all foreign IT engineers in Japan can meet a comfortable and suitable working environment.

Foreigners working in Japan will be enrolled in the Japanese social insurance system. If you do not pay insurance premiums according to the law, you may suffer disadvantages like high treatment costs when you get sick. Also, foreigners who already work in Japan and are planning to change jobs should be careful. If you do not complete the procedure within the specified period, there is a risk of not being able to receive the coverage or losing money.This time, we will explain the Japanese social insurance system for foreigners who are looking to work in Japan and foreigners who are looking to change jobs in Japan.Do Foreigners Have to Join the Japanese Social Insurance?As a general rule, foreigners must join social insurance in Japan regardless of nationality. There are five types of social insurance in Japan: pension insurance, medical insurance (health insurance), worker’s accident insurance, unemployment insurance, and long-term care insurance.Pension insuranceAnnuity insurance is a mechanism in which the premiums paid by the working generation are paid to seniors aged 65 and over. There are two types of pension insurance in Japan: The National Pension and the Employees’ Pension. The national pension is obligatory for all people in Japan who are 20 to 60 years old, and foreigners are no exception. The Employees’ Pension is a pension that company employees and government employees join in addition to the national pension. Employees’ pension insurance is deducted from their monthly salary, but the company pays half.However, from the perspective of a foreign worker, there are some concerns like “Since I also have a pension in my home country, it is too expensive to also join insurance in Japan” or “What will happen to my paid insurance if I go back to my country?”. The Social Security Agreement and the lump-sum withdrawal system have been set up to solve such concerns of foreigners.What is a social security agreement?For foreigners who have a pension in their home country, having a pension in Japan means paying double premiums. Also, in order to receive a pension in Japan, you have to join the pension for a certain period, so there is a risk that insurance premiums won’t be refundable.The “Social Security Agreement” is established to avoid such disadvantages. The social security agreement is a system that allows foreigners from countries that have signed a social security agreement with Japan to join a pension in either Japan or their home country, depending on how long they work in Japan.>> Click here for details on social security agreementsWhat is lump-sum withdrawal?The lump-sum withdrawal is a system that allows a foreigner who has joined the Employees’ Pension and National Pension to receive a certain amount of money in case they return to their home country before they receive their pension.>> Click here for details of withdrawal lump sumMedical insurance (health insurance)Medical insurance (health insurance) is a system that supports the burden of medical expenses throughout society. By joining the medical insurance, the burden of medical expenses will be reduced when you get ill or injured or when you visit a medical institution.The term “health insurance” generally refers to the health insurance that employees join, and foreign workers are obliged to join as well as Japanese workers. Insurance premiums are deducted from the monthly salary, but the company pays half.On the other hand, “National Health Insurance” is for non-employees such as self-employed persons and full-time housewives. Foreigners also need to join the National Health Insurance if they stay in Japan for more than 3 months. Also, pay the full amount of the insurance premium, and the amount varies depending on the municipality where you live.Worker’s accident compensation insuranceWorker’s accident compensation insurance is a system in which an employee’s insurance benefits are paid if during work or commuting, a worker suffers injury, disease, disability or death resulting from employment-related cause.Foreign workers are required to join the work-related accident insurance as well as Japanese workers. There is no employee burden because the company bears the full amount of the insurance premium for the workers’ accident compensation insurance.Unemployment insuranceUnemployment insurance is a system that provides the benefits necessary to promote the reemployment of employees while stabilizing their lives in the event of unemployment. The so-called “unemployment allowance” is paid by the employment insurance.As long as the conditions of “a person who is expected to continue to be employed for 31 days or more” and “a prescribed working time of one week is 20 hours or more” are satisfied, foreign workers will be covered by employment insurance in the same way as Japanese workers. It is necessary to subscribe to. The insurance premium for employment insurance is deducted from the monthly salary, but the company pays part of it.Long-term care insuranceLong-term care insurance is a system that supports the elderly who need long-term care throughout society. Those who are 40 years old or older and under 65 years old and have medical insurance or 65 years old or older are obliged to join, and foreigners are no exception.Care insurance premiums must be paid from the age of 40 and are collected along with medical insurance (health insurance) premiums. If you are a company employee, you will be deducted from your monthly salary, but the company will pay half of it. Non-employees must be paid to the local government where they live together with the national health insurance premium.Social Insurance Procedures When Changing Jobs in JapanIf you are already working in Japan and wish to change jobs in Japan, you will need to apply for social insurance.If you have no retirement period and you work for a new job immediately, the job transfer will do most of the work for you. On the other hand, if there is a period of separation, you need to be careful as there are procedures that you must perform yourself.Procedures required for pension insuranceIn case you change jobs immediately, you only need to submit your pension handbook to your next employer. The person in charge will do the procedure.If case you leave or lose your job, you will need to switch from the Employees’ Pension to the National Pension. Within 14 days from the next day of retirement, please complete the procedure at the local municipal office (city / town / village office).Procedures required for medical insurance (health insurance)If you want to change jobs immediately, you will need to join a health insurance at the job change location, but the person in charge in your new company will do the procedure.If an unemployment period occurs, it is either “discretionary continuation” or “subscription to the National Health Insurance”. As a general rule, if you leave a company, you lose the insured certificate of the health insurance you were in that company, but if you meet certain conditions, you will join the same health insurance for two years after you leave the company. Can continue (optional continuation). The procedure for voluntary continuation is to be submitted to the health insurance association that you have joined within 20 days from the day after your retirement date.If you do not continue voluntarily, you will have to join National Health Insurance. Apply for National Health Insurance at the municipal office where you live within 14 days from the day following your retirement.Procedures required for worker’s accident compensation insuranceIf you want to change jobs immediately, you will have to join the worker’s accident compensation accident insurance at the job change destination, but the person in charge in your new company will do the procedure. Also, if you have a job separation period, you do not have to take any special procedures because you will not be enrolled in the workers’ compensation insurance during the job separation period.Procedures required for unemployment insuranceIf you want to change jobs immediately, just submit the employment insurance card and turnover slip you received from the company you quit to the new company. The person in charge will do the procedure.If there is a turnover period, you may be able to receive a so-called “unemployment allowance”. In that case, please contact Hello Work (a Japanese government employment agency) that has jurisdiction over the local government where you live.Procedures required for long-term care insuranceSince long-term care insurance is integrated with medical insurance (health insurance), it is OK if the necessary procedures for medical insurance (health insurance) are performed.ConclusionForeign workers are also covered by Japanese social insurance, so you can enjoy the benefits of social insurance in the same way as Japanese workers. Of course, this requires payment of insurance premiums. In order to work in Japan with peace of mind, make sure you understand the basic social insurance system and pay the insurance premium properly.Also, if a foreign worker who is already working in Japan quits the company and is leaving for a certain period of time, there are procedures to be performed by himself. Medical insurance (health insurance) and unemployment insurance (unemployment allowance) can make a big impact on your life while you are away from work, so be sure to the take steps to avoid any adverse situations.

Companies recruiting foreign IT engineers are increasing due to the labor shortage in Japan.On the other hand, there are considerable differences between companies in terms of salary and treatment that can be provided that match the needs of foreigners.So, first of all, we will explain the results of a survey on IT engineers to find out what level of salary is satisfactory and what is the standard salary market trend in Japan. In addition, we will introduce the points you should be careful with in terms of treatment and to who consult when you are in doubt.１．1. Why is the salary market trend important? Isn’t your visa issued unless your salary is at least equal to the Japanese salary?What do you think is the motivation for companies to hire a foreigner?There are two main patterns.・ They wants to recruit talent that is not available in Japan・ They wants to recruit talent equivalent to JapanFirst one is those who have a great skills which Japanese don’t have and get enough treatment to cover everything from housing, meals and maids, all this as company expenses. However, there are few talents in reality.If you see this article and have a rare skill that can be useful in Japan, be bullish on salary and treatment. When negotiating, one of the tips is to negotiate through agents.On the other hand, the latter is the engineer whose salary market is a problem. However, in addition to economic benefits, knowing the Japanese market from the residency system is the key to changing jobs.Foreigners need a residence permit and work permit. So-called visa. In the case of Japan, a work permit will not be granted unless the salary is equivalent to that of a Japanese by a Ministry of Justice ordinance. Therefore, when you work in Japan, you should consider the “salary market of Japanese engineers” and “treatment unique to foreigners”.In addition, in order for foreign IT engineers to work in Japan, it is normal to work with a “technical” status of residence = workable visa. These visas are usually obtained with support from the company. Don’t take visa support as granted, and in case there is support available, ask your company how much support you can get from them.２．What is the salary market trend for foreign IT engineers? Let’s get to know the Japanese IT engineer’s salary market.Since salary is an important part for obtaining the status of residence, then what is the salary market for Japanese IT engineers? What we’ll say from now shows the average salary by occupational type, as surveyed by DODA who is one of the largest HR company in Japan and published on January 20, 2020.As the survey, it can be said that the income of IT engineers in the upstream process is higher and that the downstream is lower.However, considering the age, experienced IT engineers can expect an annual income of over 6 million yen downstream even after the age of 50, and it exceeds the 4.41 million yen which is the average salary of workers in Japan (FY2018, according to the National Tax Agency).In addition, the market of annual income for IT engineer is not only by occupation but also by industry or area.For example, as shown in the survey at this link (Heikinnensyu.jp), if you compare the same SE position, the industry with high technical requirements and high economic conditions, such as those found in financial SE and information and communication, has higher annual income.The average annual SE income by industry exceeds 16.6 million yen in the highest finance and insurance industries and 11.8 million yen in the information and communications industry, while the lowest in the transportation and postal industries has a wide range of 4.80 million yen.In our opinion, the finance and insurance industry and the information and communication industry are too high on the website, there might be some bias for the data. However, depending on which industry you choose and on your level of technological skills, these can be said that salary is likely to change greatly even for the same SE position.By the way, “The wall of 6 million yen” is often said for the annual salary of IT engineers. Because it is difficult to work with an annual income exceeding 6 million yen and salary satisfaction increases when it exceeds 6 million yen.Looking at the whole occupations in Japan, the occupations with an average annual income of more than 6 million yen are a small number of occupations in the upstream according to the survey results through all ages.However, as the age increases, the number of occupations whose average annual income exceeds 6 million yen will increase slightly. Beyond the age of 50, the average annual income for most occupations is over 6 million yen.For example, the debug tester’s annual income has also risen, with an average annual income of 6.61 million yen, far exceeding the average annual income of all office workers. It is a job that is said to be simple and steady, but considering that you will work for a long time in Japan, it will be considered as one of the more attractive jobs.In this way, it is necessary to consider whether the salary is an acceptable one, considering age and experience.3.What should foreign IT Engineers be aware of other than salary?It is not recommended to only consider salary market when considering the salary.For example, if you are wondering which company is better with the same 5.5-million-yen salary, it is important to consider the following factors.・ Overtime working hours・ Welfare・ Systems such as company training and mentors・ Support for family visa acquisitionIt is important to get to know the actual working style, such as whether the workplace is too hard together with overtime hours, judging from salary alone may even damage your health. So it is important to be careful with.Among benefits, other than special holidays, there are systems and health examinations that fit the sense of IT engineers who work hard, such as subsidized food and meals provided by the company, and that are economically beneficial. It is a good idea to pay particular attention to items that require a large amount of expenditure, such as whether they will bear the burden or reduce the burden at their own expense.As a foreigner living in Japan, the Japanese language is always needed to be improved. It would be better if the company has an educational program.Also, if you have family visa support, you can reduce your out-of-pocket expenses. It is important to make sure if your family will be supported.4.G Talent is the service that supports Foreign IT engineer decisions.For that reason, the salary of foreign IT engineers is also required when obtaining a visa, so let’s negotiate with the company to aim for a salary with the same market price as the Japanese occupation and industry.However, there are many other factors that actually affect salary, such as visa support, benefits and educational training programs, and negotiating these one by one is a difficult task. And, in the end, you’ll often find yourself worried about some of the several companies you’ve narrowed it down.In this regard, it is considered that using recruitment service agents specializing in foreigners has a great advantage.For example, with our G Talent’s service, you can get bilingual support expert on IT talent with free. It will help you bridge the gap between individuals and companies during negotiations. And you don’t need to worry about words.In addition, G Talent is a long-established English conversation school. The company also has know-how in training programs and is well-versed in the education and training programs of recruiting companies, providing objective advice and insights.Therefore, G Talent is well aware of the recruitment performance of bilingual global talent at each company. We have a lot of projects with companies with a proven track record, so if you are a candidate for a foreign IT engineer, your options will be expanded after receiving the GTalent service.G Talent – Professional IT Recruitmenthttps://www.gtalent.jp/ConlclusionThe salary market of foreign IT engineers is considered the same as the salary of Japanese IT engineers. Visa requirements also require a salary equivalent to Japanese by Japanese government.In general, the salary level of IT engineers is considered to be higher than the general office workers, but it does not seem to be an attractive salary for some young people in the downstream process.However, it is difficult for foreign engineers to understand the actual total amount of salary if they don’t look at the benefits, like training from the company, visa support, etc. We recommend you to seek the help of a professional advisor like G Talent and be sure to change jobs with a reasonable salary.

If you are a foreign IT engineer who wants to find a job or change jobs in Japan, there are not only engineers specialized in specific fields of expertise but also “full-stack engineers”, those who have multiple skills.In this article, we will explain the current situation of full-stack engineers in Japan. Such as, what skills are required for foreign employees to work as full-stack engineers in Japan, or what kind of job you will be responsible for and in what kind of company or how much can you earn.Full-Stack Engineers in Japan“Full stack engineer” is the name that has become popular in recent years, but its meaning is almost the same as “multi-engineer”. It is a general term for IT engineers with multiple skills, and does not refer to engineers engaged in specific occupations.More specifically, a full stack engineer is a person who has a wide range of knowledge and skills related to IT system development and can perform various kinds of development by himself/herself. It is a versatile IT engineer who is familiar with infrastructure and security, also familiar with web system development, and can develop iOS and Android applications too.Full-Stack engineers that Japanese companies are looking forOverseas companies, especially English-speaking companies, have established a division of labor for IT engineers, and their evaluation depends on how advanced their skills are in their field of expertise. For this reason, IT engineers with a specialty tend to have higher estimation and salaries rather than full-stack engineers with a wide range of specialties.On the other hand, traditionally Japanese companies have a culture of handling work across job types or departments, and those IT engineers who are capable of doing many types of different jobs, rather than just specialize in one thing, are more treasured. The recruitment policy also reflects the Japanese way of thinking, and Japanese companies welcome full-stack engineers who can do anything by themselves.Job description and income of a Full-Stack engineerThere are many IT engineers with specific skills, but full-stack engineers with multiple skills are rare. For that reason, in Japan, the market value is higher than the typical IT engineers, and the salary and income tend to be higher.These are statistics just for reference, but according to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s “Survey of IT-related industry salary, etc.” (August 2017), the average annual salary of Japanese engineers was 5.92 million yen. Based on the results of this survey, the average annual income of a full-stack engineer can be expected to be between 6 and 10 million yen.Skills in Demand for Full-Stack EngineersThere are various types of IT engineers in the world, but a full-stack engineer is an engineer who can fulfill many roles by herself/himself. For that reason, the knowledge and skills required are extensive. It depends on the company you work in and the project you are working on, but you should consider that the following knowledge and skills are required.・Knowledge and skills as an Infrastructure engineerKnowledge and skills to design, build and operate infrastructure such as networks, servers and databases.・Knowledge and skill as a web engineerKnowledge and skills as a front-end engineer and back-end engineer involved in the design, development and operation of websites and web services.・Knowledge and skills as an Application EngineerKnowledge and skills for designing, developing, and testing application systems such as business systems, web apps, and smartphone apps.・Programming skills as a programmerProgramming skills using each programming language. PHP, Ruby, Go, Python, Java, C #, JavaScript, etc. are major programming languages, but if you call yourself a full-stack engineer, you should not only learn one language, ideally, you should be able to develop a system in multiple languages.“All skills are average level” is that enough!?For full-stack engineers, there is the impression that it is a super engineer who can do anything, but there is also a negative image and is that what they do is too wide and superficial and that everything is halfway. Certainly, they tend to have an average level, if they cover many fields.To be active as a full-stack engineer, it is essential to have a wide range of IT knowledge and skills, and it is also important to be specialized in a field that no one can beat you. Even in the IT industry, where the transition is fast, the trend of six months ago is said to be old. Among them, the ability to adapt to the trend may be the most important, such as identifying areas where needs will increase in the future while constantly feeling changes in demand, and making efforts to grow your skills.Build Your Ideal Career as a Full-Stack Engineer!Full-stack engineers in large companiesAs mentioned above, full-stack engineers are engineers who work in a wide range of tasks, but in actual system development sites, it is common that multiple engineers with different specialized fields are engaged in their duties. Especially in large companies, it is better to think that there are few cases where full-stack engineers handle all fields and processes because the division of labor of engineers has been established.That doesn’t mean that large companies don’t have a full-stack engineer position. Using a wide range of knowledge and skills as a full-stack engineer, it is possible to play an active role as a development manager. Of course, in order to become a manager, management ability to supervise multiple engineers with different roles is essential.Full-stack engineer in start-ups and venture companiesStart-up venture companies are highly demanding for full-stack engineers. Many startups and venture companies are developing IT systems with limited funds. That’s why a full-stack engineer allows companies to have an excellent productivity with a small number of people. In extreme cases, a single full-stack engineer can do it from start to finish, which is more cost-effective than developing multiple engineers with different specialties.Of course, full-stack engineers working at start-up ventures are more responsible, but it is attractive to be able to engage in the entire project with great discretion.Full-stack engineers also have advantages as freelancers (independence and entrepreneurship).If you are an engineer who wants to work as a freelancer in the future or an engineer who is thinking of starting a business, experience as a full-stack engineer will become advantageous.If you become independent as a freelancer or start a business, naturally, a full-stack engineer with a wide range of knowledge and skills will be able to accept more orders. You can also hold multiple projects, so you can aim to increase your income while choosing your own job.Besides, full-stack engineers who can develop in multiple programming languages can make course corrections easier. This is the same as the two-sword style of the baseball player Shohei Ohtani who can play an active role as a batter when he cannot throw as a pitcher. Even if one programming language declines, a full stack engineer who can develop in another language should have a low risk of losing your job.ConclusionA full-stack engineer is an engineer who has a lot of knowledge and skills, but of course, no one has a lot of knowledge and skills from the beginning. The correct way of thinking is that only those who have worked hard as IT engineers and who have continued to improve their skills will eventually be able to become skilled full-stack engineers.Foreign IT engineers must not only improve their skills as engineers, but also clear the language barrier. It is not easy for a foreign IT engineer to become a full stack engineer in a Japanese company, but making efforts to become a full stack engineer will surely be a future asset. We encourage you to improve your knowledge and skills and walk towards your ideal career.

Currently, AI engineers are the first on the list of most demanded engineers around the world. In Japan, the battle for talented AI engineers has begun, regardless of the size of the company, and of course foreigners are also targeted.This article summarizes the job description, salary level, and necessary skills for foreign IT engineers seeking a place to work as an AI engineer in Japan. Please make use of it to prepare for job-hunting in Japan.AI Engineers in JapanAI engineers job descriptionAI engineers are professionals who develop systems that use AI (artificial intelligence) and analyze data accumulated in AI. AI engineers are still new positions, so the names may differ depending on the industry or company. In terms of recruitment guidelines, you may see names such as machine learning engineer and data scientist, but they can all be regarded as a kind of AI engineer.To put it simply, machine learning engineers develop systems using AI, so you can say they are, “AI construction experts”. A data scientist analyzes the data learned by AI and improves the system. In other words, it is like an “expert who uses AI”.What’s the difference between AI engineers from overseas and Japan?There is no big difference between an overseas or Japan role as an AI engineer. Basically, the work of AI engineers is to think about how to process data and how to use it in business, and to construct and verify an optimal AI system.What is the income of AI engineers?Compared to general IT engineers, AI engineers with advanced expertise have a higher annual income level, which goes from around 6 million to 12 million yen, depending on their ability and experience. In particular, the demand for engineers with practical experience in AI development is high, and there are many great positions that exceed 10 million yen in annual income.It is said that AI-related technologies in Japan are falling behind compared to overseas, but potential AI Unicorn led by AI Unicorn “Preferred Networks” have been born one after another in Japan for the past few years. There are many AI-related startups that have succeeded in raising large-scale funds, and many companies are hiring AI engineers with high treatment. Companies such as Sony, Toshiba, and Toyota that represent Japan are also investing heavily in AI human resources.In this way, a number of Japanese companies are starting to focus on business development using AI to strengthen their competitiveness, and actions toward the acquisition of AI engineers are active. There are many opportunities for foreign AI engineers in Japan.Now is the time to start your career as an AI engineer in Japan!According to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s “Survey on Supply and Demand for IT Human Resources” (March 2019), there is a shortage of 34,000 AI engineers in Japan in 2018. Looking ahead, we expect AI demand growth to be “average”, and if we do not take into account productivity increases, we will have a shortage of 97,000 AI engineers in 2025 and 145,000 AI engineers in 2030.Unless the gap between supply and demand for AI engineers is filled, the competition for human resources should continue, and naturally, foreign AI engineers are also the target. In this situation, it is now a good time for a foreigner to find a job at a Japanese company as an AI engineer.Skills Required of AI EngineersCompared to general IT engineers, AI engineers require a high level of expertise. To be active as an AI engineer, at least the following knowledge and skills will be indispensable.Deep understanding of AI including machine learning and deep learningOf course, the most important thing is to understand AI. If you do not understand the essence and concepts of AI, like what is AI and what can be done with AI, you will not be able to work as an AI engineer.A general IT engineer has a strong image of building a system according to specifications, but an AI engineer is different. Rather than work as instructed, it is the AI engineer who participates from the upstream process of the project and makes a plan about how to solve it by using AI.If an AI engineer does not understand the characteristics of AI deeply, there is a high risk that the project will fail, and you may end up with a system that is completely useless.. To avoid this, it is important to know the essence of AI and understand the basics of machine learning and deep learning.Programming skillsProgramming skills are required in order to develop systems using AI. Currently, the most popular programming language for AI development is “Python”. Python is an easy-to-use language for AI development, and has a rich library of machine learning and deep learning. As an AI engineer, programming skills in Python and skills to master Python libraries are indispensable.Other programming languages often used for AI development besides Python include C ++, Lisp, and Julia.Mathematics knowledgeTo understand AI and machine learning algorithms, mathematical knowledge like differentiation, linear algebra, vectors, matrices, and probabilities is required. In addition, parameter adjustment is repeated to improve the accuracy of the AI model, but understanding mathematics is indispensable because the parameters are also based on mathematical expressions.Knowledge of database operationTo predict the future by referring to a huge amount of past data, and to find the optimal solution from this big data is AI’s job. But the data given to AI is important in order to obtain a highly accurate output. In order to handle the data given to AI efficiently, it is desirable to have knowledge of database applications, like MySQL and NoSQL.Follow Your Ideal CareerAI engineers in large companiesAs an AI engineer, if you are involved in a big project while earning a stable and high income, you should aim to find a job in a large company. Large companies such as Toshiba, Panasonic, NEC, Toyota, and three megabanks are focusing on acquiring AI engineers both in Japan and overseas. Large companies have not only AI engineers but also excellent IT engineers, so if you want to improve yourself in a high-level environment, you should try to find a job at a major company.AI engineer in a startup or a venture companyAs mentioned above, AI-related startup companies have been launched one after another in Japan. Employing or changing to an AI startup venture can be an attractive option. Of course, startups and ventures may not reach the salary you want because some companies don’t have abundant funds. However, the experience of joining and starting up a business from the beginning of the company’s founding should have a significant positive impact on the career development of AI engineers.ConclusionIn order to strengthen Japan’s competitiveness, the government has formulated an “AI Strategy” to train 250,000 human resources who can master AI each year. Although there is a shortage of AI engineers, human resources will definitely increase in the future. If that is the case, the skills and experiences of individual AI engineers will become more powerful.Whatever job method you choose, whatever kind of company you work for, if you are an AI engineer who will be chosen in the following 5 or 10 years, it is important to accumulate knowledge and improve your skills every day.

In the future, when IT will become more and more common, back-end engineers are attracting attention as highly promising occupations. Now that most Japanese companies have websites, there is a growing need for back-end engineers who can manage systems and servers, from servers and databases, to building websites and web services.Therefore, this time, I will explain the job description and required skills that are expected from back-end engineers.Back-end Engineers in JapanCurrently, an increasing number of Japanese companies are improving their corporate image by improving the quality of their websites. Therefore, the needs of front-end engineers who develop UIs (user interfaces) including designs that are visible to users are rising. However, even if only the surface looks good, the user will leave. Therefore, there is also a growing need for back-end engineers from companies that feel the need to develop parts that are not visible to users.The specific work of a back-end engineer is to build a server that receives and processes information input by the user from the front-end. When a client requests to create a website, is important to understand the request and then select the optimal hardware and OS, build a server, and develop a system that runs on it. At the same time, security on the server side is also required. The back-end engineer’s work extends to system construction. Especially when new software or version upgrades are made, the environment of the system is adjusted and constructed.Differences between Japan and overseasThe need for IT technology at an early stage had been understood in foreign countries, but Japan has finally understood the need of IT technology. Due to such changes in the times, more and more Japanese companies are employing back-end engineers.However, compared to overseas countries, in Japan is still not seen as high social status and high income is not yet been established. However, as Japanese companies are accelerating the adoption of general engineers, including back-end engineers, we look forward to improving their status and raising their salary base.Skills Required for Back-end EngineersBecause the back-end supports the foundation of the system, back-end engineers are required to have various skills. Languages are a must, so let’s aim to acquire skills related to project management.1.Language skillsAs long as you are an engineer, you naturally need language skills. For example, many companies have employed interpreter languages such as Ruby, PHP, Python, etc. that not only save time and effort of compiling by converting source code sequentially but also fast program execution speed. At the same time, it is also effective to learn Struts, Spring, Rails, Laravel, etc. as framework languages that frame frequently used processing parts.It’s also a good idea to keep the basic language of web page creation, such as HTML / CSS and JavaScript. Although these languages are in the field of front-end engineers, it is not uncommon to work with front-end engineers in the field, so it is useful to learn them.In recent years, Go language has become a trend because it enables efficient and speedy development. It is useful to learn the Go language because it can be used for general purposes based on requests.Furthermore, there is a tendency for talent who can use Java in companies related to smartphone payment services, which have been in increasing demand in recent years. Based on the trend of cashless payment, if you master Java, you may be able to work in any company.2.Listening Comprehension SkillsOne of the skills required for back-end engineers is the ability to listen to client requests.Some clients may only have a vague image and would only want to create a web page. Even if you start the project in such situation, it is obvious that trouble will occur. That’s why you have to listen carefully to what they want to make a web page for and what goals they want to achieve with the web page.In addition, there are limits to the specifications that can be made depending on the delivery date and cost, but running the project without a proper understanding of each other can be a major problem. Sometimes you may need skills to explain in plain language to someone who does not have enough engineering knowledge.3.Progress Management AbilityBack-end engineers are also required to manage the progress of the entire project and prevent delays.In particular, engineers tend to misunderstand their work speed and tend to put out a schedule that cannot be realized without a little effort. It may not be impossible if you increase overtime, but if such a situation continues, you will wreck your health and be forced to leave. As a result, the project itself can get stuck.First, before starting development, identify the tasks that each person should perform and assemble a specific schedule. At the same time, it is important to encourage people to report progress frequently and create an atmosphere where they can immediately consult if there are any concerns.Annual Income and Future Potential of Back-end EngineersAs demand for websites and web services continues to increase, the work of engineers as a whole will not disappear. In particular, work such as service improvement and maintenance will continue semi-permanently, including the occurrence of deficiencies and prevention of security problems.Also, back-end work tends to be more difficult than front-end languages, and because it has a wide range of work, there is a lot of knowledge to remember, and there is a widespread impression that there are high barriers to entry for those who want to learn it from completely inexperience. This means that if you look at it differently, you have fewer rivals. Given the small number of back-end engineers in the market, it will certainly be an advantage if you accumulate skills and experience.However, many companies are now moving from servers to the cloud, and it is also true that automation is progressing through technological innovation in programming languages. Against this backdrop, it is expected that back-end engineers in the future, might want to only make things according to specifications or conveying their point of view and ideas. In order not to be so, it is essential to become a back-end engineer with added value of plus alpha as well as chasing the latest technology every day.The average annual income of back-end engineers is about 4 million yen, which is relatively high among engineers. The reason for this is that, as mentioned above, the skills and knowledge required in addition to programming are diverse in order to prevent the occurrence of defects.Let’s Aim to Become a Back-end Engineer with Added ValueBackend engineers are responsible for supporting critical parts of systems and websites. Although it is expected to play an active role in various companies in the future, now with cloud computing and program automation it is difficult to affirm that there is an absolute future in this field.However, that is because the value of a back-end engineers who can only do what they are told declines. The future of back-end engineers who can actively look for service improvements and move forward to find and fulfill requests from clients will be bright. For that reason, it is also effective to gain the knowledge and skills of the front end to increase the added value. So, why don’t you improve your skills to raise your value so that you can be in great demand to any Japanese company?

An Internet society in where most companies all around the world have their own websites, Japan is no exception, and it is natural in Japan too for companies to have their own websites. Under such circumstances, the number of Japanese companies that hire engineers and create full-time Web pages is increasing.Until now, web designers have typically been responsible for designing and constructing HTML. However, in recent years in Japan, high-quality Web pages can lead to an improvement in the image of the company, so a system that divides which person is in charge of each process, has become quite normal.One position in the website creation structure is “front-end engineer”, who is in charge of building web pages based on designs created by web designers. In this article, we will explain the skills and work content required for front-end engineers, who are needed more and more by Japanese companies.Front-end Engineers in JapanFront engineer refers to the engineer involved in the front-end development of websites and apps that users see and touch directly. The content of the work is diverse, but based on the design mainly handled by the web designer, for coding normally is used HTML, CSS, JavaScript (jQuery), PHP, etc., and then to build and customize WordPress.There is profession similar to a front engineer, which is a code, but in Japan it is said that there are many engineers who draw a career plan aiming to be a front engineer after experiencing coding first and then being able to reproduce the image of the web designer on the web. There is great expectation from Japanese companies for front engineers, those who can take into account the viewpoints of clients and users and design and configure easy-to-use sites.Differences in environments between Japan and overseasIn the United States, you can start your career as an engineer by studying specialized knowledge at universities and graduate schools and earning a degree. However, in Japan there are many engineers who can start from no knowledge and skills and learn while working. Therefore, compared to the United States, which has a high social status and average annual income, the status and annual income are not so high in Japan.In recent years, the importance of IT technology has also been understood in Japan, and an increasing number of Japanese companies highly value engineers in general, including front engineers. The background is that the IT industry is becoming more active every year, and the needs of IT engineers are increasing.Required Skills and Annual Income for Front-end EngineersSince front-end engineers are required to create web pages, many people may think that knowledge and skills in languages such as HTML, JavaScript, and CSS are indispensable. Of course, the more languages you can use, the wider the range of representation and the more you will be able to respond to client requests. In addition to that, “framework”, “communication skills”, and “UI (user interface) comprehension” are also required.FrameworkTo be active as a front engineer, mastering the framework is an important point. In particular, if frameworks such as Vue.js, Angular, and React.js can be used, not only will work be made more efficient, but it will be easier to manage because it allows you to write unified code. It also leads to prevention of problems, so those who feel that their knowledge is still insufficient need to learn them soon.Communication abilityCommunication skills are the essential skills of front engineers. The reason is that it is difficult for clients to give instructions when creating Web pages that are easy for users to use. For this reason, front-end engineers are required to communicate with clients, in addition to listening to requests, sometimes engineers will need to make proposals from themselves. Also, the client is not the only person with whom they communicate. In-house communication is also important, such as web designers in charge of design and engineers in charge of system construction. Rather than concentrating only on your own work, you need the ability to proceed with the creation of Web pages while looking at the whole picture and to actively communicating.UI (User Interface) comprehensionAs I mentioned earlier, in recent years, in Japan the idea that a high-quality Web page can lead to an image of a company is expanding. However, while the design is attractive, some users may find it complicated to operate. Therefore, what is needed is UI (user interface) design skills from the user’s point of view in order to build Web pages that are easy for users to use. Recently, not only personal computers but also users accessing web pages from smartphones are increasing. In other words, you need the ability to understand the interface for your device.Annual income for front-end engineersAlthough there are variations in age and years of experience, it is said that the annual income of front-end engineers is about 3.8 million yen. Although it is a relatively low amount in the IT industry, the needs in Japan are increasing year by year, so as you gain experience and gain skills, revenue will increase steadily.Differences Between Major Companies and Venture CompaniesThe career path for front-end engineers can be either the management side, such as a development manager, or the on-site side, as engineer.If you are aiming for management, you will need management skills and knowledge, and the progress management of team members. And if you’re aiming for the field side, it’s a good idea to collect the latest information every day and make efforts to learn as new languages appear.In addition, front-end engineers often have careers while changing jobs. Let’s compare the differences in environments when changing jobs to a major company or a venture company.Changing jobs to a major companyIf the company size is large, the scope of work is divided into departments and occupations. For this reason, it is not uncommon for the number of people involved to be large and the meetings to be repeated. Therefore, people who are slow to make decisions and want to work with speed will find it difficult to work.However, because the work to be done is clearly divided by the division of labor, the time is not restrained more than necessary. You will have time after work, so you can cultivate your skills and knowledge through reference books and programming schools.Many large companies have already established work methods and tools to use based on their experience in various scale projects. On the other hand, because of the large scale of the company, it may not progress. For example, there are many cases where it takes time to approve the upper management even when trying to introduce new tools to improve operational efficiency. In such environment, the wide range of projects allows you to increase your experience and learn how to deal with problems.Changing jobs to a venture companyVenture companies are inferior to major companies in terms of funding and resources, but they are more flexible. In most environments it is easy to let people know your opinions, like introducing new tools because there are few resources, and using a new tool will increase business efficiency. Perfect for people who want to speak more and more to improve their work.In addition, major Japanese companies have long-standing Japanese philosophy, and there are still companies based on seniority. In such a case, if you have little experience, it may be difficult to improve your career abruptly. However, in ventures there are many relatively young members, including representatives, and it is possible to be promoted if your abilities are high.Venture companies can also actively challenge what they want to do. For those who are greedy to gain experience, we recommend a career change. Even those who are considering to start a business in the future, will later have the experience of a venture company where they can learn all about corporate management.People who wants to study a little more as an engineer should change jobs to major companies, and those who want to improve their career based on their skills should change jobs to a venture company.There is future for Front-end EngineersRegardless of the industry or scale, Japanese companies that focus on their websites will definitely produce many web pages in the future. And because the design and tool updates are repeated, of course, the web page needs to be fine-tuned each time. It is important to keep updating yourself so that any company can work without problems while meeting the growing needs of front-end engineers. Aiming to become an high skilled front engineer, why not start by identifying your career plan?

There are plenty of manners for job interviews in Japan that even make Japanese nervous. Now you’ve finally received a job interview proposition, so it is essential to learn the Japanese etiquette for your interview. In this section, we will explain in detail some of the most important interview manners, like courtesy and etiquette which are a symbol of Japanese culture. This will come in hand to those foreign engineers who are planning to change jobs soon.Tips for a Successful Job InterviewIn Japan, companies hiring foreigners are increasing year by year, and the number of foreign workers has reached the highest record with 1,460,463 foreigners in 2019. (Source: * Ministry of Health,Labor and Welfare “Summary of Status of Employment Status of Foreigners”). However, there are still few achievements in Japan. The interviewer might be worried about if you can adapt to Japanese culture and their corporate culture, so be sure to tell him why you applied for the company.Also, in Japanese job interviews, you need to be careful about your clothes. The point is whether there is a sense of “cleanliness”. Basically, wearing a suit is seen as the rule. Be careful not to add too much perfume. Also, being prepared is an important first step to a successful interview, so make sure to bring your ID, seal (inkan), emergency contact information, and to previously investigate how to get to the interview location.Step 1: Reception and Waiting RoomThe first important thing on the day of the interview is to give yourself plenty of time. Ensuring sufficient time to arrive at the interview venue will not only prevent late arrivals, but also will allow you to make practice what you are going to say, like your motivation, self-appeal, and application guidelines. Besides, it is possible to avoid train delays and to react in case you forget to bring something.In Japan, being 5 minutes before a job interview is part of the etiquetteJapanese people are very strict about time. Even if you arrive a little after the meeting time, you will leave a bad impression of being a loose person. Therefore, you should arrive at the interview venue at least 5 minutes in advance. At this time, it is safe to check your final appearance.As well is important to note that, even that it is important to have enough time, arriving too early it is also a violation of manners. If you have a lot of spare time before the interview, wait in the vicinity before entering the venue.Don’t be late! In case you are, contact them immediatelyAs a major premise, late arrival is strictly prohibited. If you are inevitably late because you are not feeling well, be sure to call the emergency contact information and recruiter. Even if there is a delay in transportation, it is a good idea to contact immediately and obtain a delay certificate from the station staff just in case. It is also very important as a member of society to be able to be flexible and react to any of this kind of situations.Manners at the Reception room and InterviewWhen you arrive at the job interview venue, take off your coat at the entrance. Don’t forget to turn off the power of devices that emit sound, such as smartphones. At the reception desk, communicate the appointed time, the reason for visiting the company, your name and the name of the person in charge, then wait until the person in charge comes. If your company does not have a receptionist or has a telephone (extension) to call the person in charge, you can tell to a nearby employee “I’m sorry to interrupt your work ” and ask them to let the person in charge know that you have come to the job interview. There are cases where even before the interview, you are being evaluated by your answers and posture at the time of reception, so it is important to be ready and to think as the job interview has already begun.In the Waiting room, wait quietly until you are calledAlthough it is not in all Japanese companies, you may be passed to a waiting room or to a chair in an aisle before the job interview. Sometimes, it is possible that they are also interviewing other candidates, so don’t touch the smartphone, eat or drink while you wait quietly to be called.Step 2: When Entering the Interview RoomWhen you are guided from the reception desk or waiting room to the interview room, try to enter the room slowly without being rushed. At this time, if you are not calm, you will leave a negative image, so take a deep breath and be calm.Knock the door before entering the roomWhen your name is called by the interviewer, lightly knock the door three times (note that if you do it 2 times, this is the number of knocks when checking the toilet). As well, depending on the company, there are cases where the interviewer enters the room first, and there are cases where the interviewer enters after the candidate. In the latter case, attendant will tell you that the person in charge will come later, so don’t miss it.。Enter the room after the interviewer says “Douzo (please)”Do not open the door immediately after knocking. Slowly open the door after you hear the word “please”. If there is no response from the interview room at the first knock, knock again and wait for their reaction. If you still don’t get a response, say “I’m sorry” and open the door.Close the door quietly after entering the roomWhen entering the interview room, instead of going straight to the seat, turn your body toward the door as soon as you enter, and close it gently while holding the inner door knob. Be careful not to close the door with your hands behind because that would be a breach of manners.Seat close to the doorwayIn the Japanese business scene, there are seat positions called upper and lower seats which are very important. The upper seat refers to the backmost seat from the doorway, and the lower seat refers to the seat closest to the doorway. The same applies for the interview scene. If the interviewer enters in advance, you can sit in the seat you were instructed, but if the interviewer enters the room later, stand next to the lower seat and wait. If you are assigned a seat from the information desk or have been instructed to sit and wait, follow their instructions.Don’t forget to greet and bowWhen you enter the room, stand next to the chair and give your name looking to the front, and say “Thank you for your time today”, then in the case of men, they should bow with their hands on the sides and women with their hands in the front. If the interviewer enters the room later, get up and greet in the same way.Step 3: During the Job InterviewDo not sit down immediately after the greeting. Sit down on the chair after the interviewer tells you to do so. If you are given a business card during the greeting, pick it up with both hands, carefully read the content, and place it carefully on the left If there are multiple interviewers, the rule is to place business cards in the order in which they are sitting. Also, if you want to take notes during the interview, it is a good idea to store your notebook and writing utensils in a convenient location in your bag. If you are told to bring application documents, you will be asked to submit them, so prepare them in advance.Keep your back straight and correct your postureYou can also see your posture during the interview. If you keep your back straight and place your hands lightly on your lap, you will get a good impression. There are many people who tend to look down when they are nervous, and they often turn their eyes away, so be sure to keep your eyes on the interviewer and answer.Answer clearly with a cheerful expressionIdeally, you should relax your shoulders and smile gently. Let’s be careful not to become too expressionless. Of course, it is strictly forbidden to laugh out loud with familiar words and laughter. When responding to questions from interviewers, it is important to listen to the other person’s story to the end and answer in a clear tone. If you don’t understand or can’t hear something, be sure to tell it.Step 4: When Leaving the RoomIf the interviewer tells you that the interview is over, thank with a “Thank you for your time today,” while bowing sitting in the chair. After that, you can stand up with your writing utensils and documents in your bag. If you have received a business card, you can say “I’ll keep your business card”.Always bow when leavingWhen you’re ready to go home, stand next to the chair and make a bow. After moving to the front of the door, turn your head to the interviewer, say “Excuse me” and open the door again. Make sure to close the door quietly until the end without rushing to leave early.Interview is finished until you can’t see the venue anymoreDo not lose composure after leaving the interview hall, so avoid touching your smartphone or taking off your jacket until you leave the building. Also, depending on the company, there are cases where the interviewer or the information desk sees you off to the exit of the interview room or to the elevator hall, so when you arrive at the exit or elevator, you should say “excuse me” once more. In the case of an elevator, a very polite impression will be given if you keep your head down until the door closes.ConclusionA job interview that normally makes people nervous, above that if you do it in a foreign country, it’s difficult to avoid feeling uneasy. Even after telling you some of the interview manners that are unique to Japan so far, not many people reading this article are 100% Japanese, so it’s okay if you can’t do everything perfectly. We hope you can use the Japanese interview manner guide introduced here as a safeguard. The important thing is whether you can make preparations and show that you are a valuable person for the company you are interviewing. If that effort and sincerity reach the interviewer, you will surely get a good result.