The spread of the coronavirus has led to changes in the methods of job hunting and job changing activities. A particularly big change is the rise in the number of online interviews.In this article, We would like to explain in detail the introduction status of online interviews in Japan, their impact on job hunting activities and job changing activities, and also introduce some representative companies which already incorporate online job interviews.The Status of Online Job Interviews in JapanDo you know how many companies currently offer online job interviews in Japan?Looking at the results of a survey conducted by Recruit Career in March 2020, 29.8% of the Japanese companies have already adopted online job interviews for mid-career hires or have already decided to adopt online job interviews. Besides, including companies that are considering introducing online interviews, more than half of all Japanese companies are already involved in this new trend.Therefore, if you are going to start job bunting or job changing activities soon, we could say that more than half of your job interviews may be conducted online.Resosrces:Recruit Career / Online Recruitment ActivityThe Status of online job interviews in the USAIt is said that the USA introduce the most online job interview in the hiring process in the world. What about the status of online job interviews in the USA when comparing the status of Japan?According to a survey by Ideal, a US provider of recruiting software found that 63% of HR managers in the United States use online video tools for job interviews.Resorces: The 38 Top Recruiting Software Tools Of 2020Japan still behind in the introduction rate of online job interviews compared to advanced countries, but the influence of the coronavirus will surely accelerate online recruitment activity, and the number of online job interviews will continue increasing.Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Jobs InterviewsSince the number of online job interviews still increasing, We would like to explain the advantages and disadvantages of online job interviews.Advantages of Online Jobs InerviewsSaving time and no need movingRelaxed environmentSaving time and no need movingSince the interview is conducted by online, it’s unnecessary to go to the office of the company you’re applying to, saving you the travel time and energy.As you can save time, it will be easier to adjust the schedule and you will be able to smoothly participate in the selection process of the companiesRelaxed environmentThere are a lot of people who can be relaxed when they meet with the interviewer and others who can not. When you go to a job interview while you are nervous, you may not be able to give the answers you want or you may even lose your chances.In the case of an online job interview, the environment will be easier to have a job interview without worrying about the ambiance of the place.Disadvantages of Online Jobs InterviewsWe would like to explain the disadvantages of online recruitment for job seekers below.The interviewer’s reactions are difficult to readHard to catch the atmosphere of the officeInternet connection troublesThe interviewer’s reactions are difficult to readIt’s hard to read the interviewer’s facial expression because you don’t meet him with face to face.In the case of an actual face-to-face interview, you can easily realize how the interviewer feel if see their reactions like nodding and facial expression. However, in the case of an online interview, it’s difficult to do that. And also it can be the same from the interviewer’s view.Especially, if the interviewer doesn’t understand how to deal with online job interviews, reading the reactions would be more difficult for you.Hard to catch the atmosphere of the officeOne of the major factors when you decide to join a company is the “office atmosphere”.In common hiring activities, the atmosphere of the company could be understood with the number of times the company is visited during job interviews.To change these disadvantages, some companies have been posting videos that show the atmosphere of the office so applicants could get it.Internet connection troublesIn the case of online job interviews, the internet network environment would be trouble well. If you may not be able to connect well, you couldn’t listen the questions and the interviewer couldn’t listen your answer well. In the worst case, the interview time may end as it is.Therefore, be sure to check the internet connection before an online job interview.In the unlikely case, if you have sudden disconnection, freezing of the video and so on, you don’t panic and call the recruitment counter of the company directly and explain the situation with calm.Also, some companies use software that needs to be installed in advance, we recommended to install it in advance.Major Japanese companies that have adopted Online RecruitmentWe would like to introduce major Japanese companies that have already included online interviews and AI systems.TOYOTA: Embeds online interviews in hiring new graduatesSoftbank: Incorporating AI into job interviews, the time required in the interviews was reduced by 75%Mitsubishi Corporation：80% of recruitment activities are done from home, only the last interview is conducted face-to-faceMitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co., Ltd. ：All interviews are executed online until the official offer※All articles above are wrote in JapaneseEven major Japanese companies are actively engaging in online job interviews. Those who are looking for a job will be easier to apply for the job that are more interested than ever.ConclusionWhat did you think about the article on the state of online　job interviews in Japan this time?Although there is still a huge difference in online recruitment activities between developed countries and Japan, the spread of the coronavirus has Japan to introduce online job interviews more than before.Even if you do not live in Japan, finding a job in Japan will be easier than ever.If you are an IT engineer looking for a job in Japan, please register with G Talent, a recruitment agency specializing in foreign IT engineers. A professional consultant will support you in changing jobs for free.

In the previous article, Common Japanese Job Interview Questions and Best Answers!」, we explained to foreigners abou how to prepare for Japanese job interviews.This time, I would like to explain more details, “Reason for changing/leaving a job” that is absolutely asked 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 changing jobs or leaving job would be one of the most important questions in job interviews.As understanding what Japanese companies judge based on reasons for changing jobs, make sure that you can answer successfully the questions about job changes/leaving that you will be asked during Japanese companies jobs interviews.What Japanese companies are checking through the reasons for changing/leaving jobsFirst of all, let’s understand why Japanese companies are so concerned about the reasons for changing/leaving jobs and what Japanese companies are seeing through reasons for changing jobs (leaving jobs). There are 3 main points that Japanese companies see through reasons for changing/leaving jobs.Does the applicant work with us for a long term? (Does he/she quit immediately after joining the company?)Can the applicant be highly motivated while working together?Does the applicant take serious your career and growth?We’ll explain these points in detail.1.Does the applicant work with us for a long term?For the first question, “Does the applicant work with us for a long term? (Does he/she quit immediately after joining the company?)”, most of Japanese companies want the people who they hire to work with them for a long period.By listening to the reasons why applicants change their jobs, “If the applicants face something don’t like, will they leave our company?“Will they quite our company for the same reason with their previous company?” are checked.Therefore, in the job interview, it is necessary to answer to satisfy the company that you are willing to work with them for a long period.2.Can the applicant be highly motivated while working together?For the second question, “Can the applicant be highly motivated while working together?”, Japanese companies are checking if the reason of changing/leaving jobs at the current company is firmly resolved and you can work without dissatisfaction or anxiety.Motivation is a very important factor for work performance. If you feel dissatisfied or anxious about the company you work for, you may find it difficult to increase your motivation.When you’re thinking the reasons for changing/leaving jobs, it’s important to realize if changing jobs to the Japanese company you’re applying would solve the reasons and factors that made you decided to leave your current or past job.3.Does the applicant take serious your career and growth?Regarding the third question, “Does the applicant take serious your career and growth?”, Japanese companies are checking whether you quit immediately due to a low awareness of your career and growth regardless of the company you’ve worked for.Poor awareness of careers and growth can be seen as less aggressive and willing to work. I recommend you to think seriously about your future goals and how you want to improve your carrier when you think of the reason of changing/leaving jobs.Key points to answer for reasons of “changing/leaving jobs “You could understand what Japanese companies are checking through reasons of changing/leaving jobs. Next we’ll explain the points you must consider to make a solid reason of changing/leaving jobs based on what Japanese companies are checking through.There are 4 main key points to think about changing/leaving jobs reasons.Always tell the truth!Think positively, job change is an act to improve the current situation!Thinking based on specific cases!Don’t say bad things about your current company (or your previous company)!We’ll explain these 4 key points in details.1.Always tell the truth!The purpose of looking for a new job is “Improve the current situation”. It’s not just about finding a job.If you can’t solve the reason why you want to leave the current company, there would be no reason to change it.Even if you have already quit a job, it wouldn’t mean that you should choose whatever you can work. If you don’t get a job that resolves the reason you left your ex-company, you might quit a job with the same reason.When you tell the truth to the company you apply, you might think that the reason would be negative. However, you can express positively the reason of changing job regardless of whatever reason, if you regard the purpose of changing job as what make you improve better.2.Think positively, job change is an act to improve the current situation!As we mentioned earlier, the purpose of looking for a new job is to improve your current situation. A lot of people only focus into the “occurrences” and “triggers” when they consider the reason of changing/leaving jobs.Instead, when you should think about how the occurrences and triggers for changing jobs can be “improved”.For example, if you’re thinking in change or leave your job because you don’t have a good relation with your boss and you’re not evaluated enough, the reason may be negative in job interviews.In such cases, you can think as followings first.Factor(Why it’s happening?)Improvement measures(How to improve it.)Regarding “Factor”, it would be followings in case of the example(bad relationship with your boss, not evaluated enough). The result of the job your boss wants is different from the result of the job you want(The boss evaluates the process, but you evaluate the results,etc)As I have to do everything exactly as the boss directed, actually I want to work with a certain own discretion.And so on.And then, let’s try to think improvement measures for the factors above in terms of changing job.Hope to grow myself through many chance in working environment on the result basis.Want to get many experiences and make my skills better through a working environment where I can have a certain own discretion. It would make me grow further.These improvement measures above become reasons changing/quitting job.3.Thinking based on specific cases!Using concrete examples is more persuasive when explaining something to people, not just when telling the reason for changing jobs.For example, if you’re looking for a job because of less promotion and low salary due to seniority system in your current job, if you tell as it is in a job interview, the interviewer may think that the causation is due to your low performance.Instead, by telling that even seniors who are active and highly evaluated have few opportunities to get promotion or raise their salaries, it would be more persuasive for the interviewer to understand your situation.When you think your reasons for changing/leaving jobs, Using concrete examples would be more persuasive in job interviews.4.Don’t say bad things about your current company (or your previous company)!Even if you had a bad treatment in your current company or previous company, should avoid saying badly about the company in job interviews. The complaints would make you impress negatively in the interviews.And also, the company which you have the job interview with might be concerned about that you criticize the company as well when leaving.The person who can connect anything to growth will take higher evaluation in terms of honesty and willingness to grow.A case of that you changed or leaved jobs within a short period of timeIn case you changed or leaved a job in a short period of time, there is a possibility that you will be seen as a person who will immediately quit a job anytime when you have something uncomfortable. Let’s keep the following two points in mind when giving reasons for changing jobs in order for you not to be regarded as such a person.Make decisions after considering the risk of leaving in a short period of time.Rather, it’s good for you and the company that hired you to leave in a shorter period.When you leaved a job in a short period of time, most of them are large image gaps before joining the company and after joining the company. When that happens, it’s important to think about whether the image gap can really be resolved, rather than changing jobs or leaving the company immediately.For example, you can talk with the joined company about resolving the image gap, and can think about whether there is a gap that can be resolved by continuing to work.As a result, if the image gap cannot be resolved, it is better for you and your company to change jobs in a short period of time.And if you want to change or leave a job in a short period of time, it is important to keep the above points in mind and tell the reason for changing jobs in job interviews that you will join.ConclusionEven if we look around the world, Japanese company that values reasons for changing jobs or leaving a job in job interviews would be rare. As we explained, it’s due to the Japanese company’s approach to human resources.Even if there are applicants who have great skills and careers, there are some people who will lose the interview because of the reason for changing or leaving their jobs. Therefore, be sure to consider the reasons for changing or leaving a job before going to a job interview.If you would like to learn not only about the reasons for changing jobs but also about how to generally treat Japanese job interview, please see the following articles.Common Japanese Job Interview Questions and Best Answers!If 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 for free.

GTalent, which supports the employment and job changes of foreigners living in Japan, has summarized the common questions and anxiety in the Q & A format when foreigners are going to work or change jobs in Japan. If you are considering to find a job in Japan, please feel free to refer to it!FAQ for Job Hunting in Japan! 14 Questions and AnxietiesQ1. How many foreigners work in Japan?A. 1,658,804 foreign workers are working in Japan as of the end of October 2019（“The employment status about foreigner in Japan” by Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare）.It has increased by about 200,000 foreign workers compared to the previous year. In Japan, there is a shortage of labor force due to issues such as population decline and aging society, so various industries are actively accepting foreign labor force.Since there are about 60 million employees in Japan (As of March 2020, “Labor Survey” by Statistics Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications), about 2.7 out of every 100 are foreign workers.Q2. What do I need to work in Japan?A. To work in Japan, you need a workable visa. Working hours will vary depending on the type of visa, so it is recommended to check the visa type in advance on the website of TOKYO EMPLOYMENT SERVICE CENTER FOR FOREIGNERS.If you are a foreigner working as a regular employee in Japan, a representative working visa is a status of residence for “ENGINEER / SPECIALIST IN HUMANITIES / INTERNATIONAL SERVICES “.You can work in Japan without obtaining a working visa, if you need some residence visas like “Permanent Resident”, “Japanese spouse”, “Permanent spouse” or “Long term residence” so on.Q3. In which fields do foreigners most work in Japan?A. As of the end of October 2019, the percentage of manufacturing industry was the highest at 29.1%. Next are the service industry at 16.1% and retail / wholesale industry at12.8%（“The employment status about foreigner in Japan” by Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare）.In recent years, as the number of foreign tourists visiting Japan has increased, the number of foreigners working for sales and tourism is increasing. also, there is a shortage of IT engineers in Japan, and the number of foreigners working as IT engineers has been increasing significantly recently.Q4. From what countries are the employees working in japan?A: As of the end of October 2019, the countries of origin of foreign workers are China 418,000 (25.2%), Vietnam 401,000 (24.2%) and Philippines 179,000 (10.8%). In recent years, the number of people from Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam has been increasing especially（“The employment status about foreigner in Japan” by Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare）.Q5. In which city of Japan are foreigners working?A: As of the end of October 2019, the percentage of cities in Japan where foreigners are working is 26.6% in Tokyo, 8.0% in Aichi, and 7.3% in Osaka（“The employment status about foreigner in Japan” by Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare）.After all, there are a lot of foreigners working in the capital, Tokyo.Q6. Are there some difference between Japanese and foreigner when working in Japan?A. First of all, Japanese law prohibits to discriminate working benefits based on nationality.If you have the same occupation and position as a Japanese worker, your salary is basically the same as a Japanese worker. And also, when applying for a working visa, it is necessary that the salary is equivalent with Japanese in the same positions except for some cases.Q7. How much Japanese language skills do I need to work in Japan?A. The Japanese language skills required vary depending on the job type, but generally, business level Japanese ability (JLPT N2 or higher) is required. However, there are foreigners who are employed as English teachers or engineers of some IT companies even if they cannot speak Japanese.Q8. When working at a Japanese company, is it difficult to take a major position unless you are Japanese, as the word “glass ceiling” means?A. Japanese companies that have a long history and old ideas tend to have such ideas. However, there are many cases in which foreigners are playing a major position in companies that are expanding globally in emerging IT companies.Removing the “glass ceiling” has become a challenge for all Japanese companies promoting global and diversity. In addition, since the number of foreign workers has increased in the past few years, it is expected that foreigners will play an important role in many companies in the future.Q9. What is the flow of hiring for Japanese companies?A: The flow of hiring Japanese companies is not much different from other countries. In general, documents screening → interview (2 to 3 times) → offer. In some cases, some companies carry out pre-employment aptitude tests.Q10. Can I find a job in Japan while I am overseas?A: It is possible to have a job interview with a Japanese company while living overseas. Especially nowdays, the number of Japanese companies that complete the selection online is increasing. However, many Japanese companies place importance on not only skills and experience but also “personality”, so there are cases where the first interview is conducted by video call, but in the end, the applicant go to Japan and have a finally job interview. It is a common case. Therefore, if you are looking for a job in Japan, it would be easier to find it if you come to Japan.Q11. Is a Japanese resume absolutely necessary when applying for a Japanese company?A: It depends on the company you applied for. For jobs offers that do not require Japanese ability, Japanese resumes are often unnecessary when applying. However, in most cases, Japanese resumes are required when applying for jobs that require Japanese ability.Q12. I often see “regular employees”(Sei Shain) and “contract employees”(Keiyaku Shain) when Japanese companies are hiring. What is the difference?A: The main difference is the employment period. Full-time employees (Sei-Shain) have a fixed-term employment style with no fixed working period, and contract employees (Keiyaku-Shain) have a fixed-term employment style with a fixed working period. If you are hired as a full-time employee, you don’t have to worry about being dismissed unless there are major problems with the company’s situation or working style.Q13.What kind of methods are available for finding a job after coming to Japan?A: If you are a foreigner looking for a job in Japan, the job advertisement site is most often used. For IT engineers and professionals with management skills, they often use recruitment agencies. If you are looking for a job in Japan, please refer to the following articles for reference. Although it is for IT engineers, it will be useful for other occupations as well.How to Search Jobs for Software Engineers in Japan!Q14. What happens to the work visa procedure if I come to Japan on a working holiday and work as a full-time employee?A: To switch from a working holiday to a workable visa, you will need to apply for a new status of residence. Therefore, it is highly possible that you will temporarily return to your home country for the procedure. (The information is at the end of May 2020).ConclusionFor those who are thinking of finding a job or changing jobs in Japan for the first time, please use the “FAQ” described above. If you are an IT engineer looking for a job in Japan, please register with GTalent, a recruitment agency specializing in foreign IT engineers. A professional consultant will support you in changing jobs for free.

Nowadays, the words “Telework”, “Zaitaku-kinmu”, and “remote work” have become popular all over Japan due to the influence of coronavirus. At GTalent, a recruitment agency for foreigners, there is an increasing need for registrants to work in telework.In this article, We would like to introduce you to what kind of work you can do　in telework or working from home in Japan. If you are a foreigner who wants to work from home or other teleowork in Japan, please use this article as a reference.What is “Telework” or “Zaitaku-kinmu” in JapanCurrently, it is a word that is often used in news and SNS, but what is “telework”? Let us explain it first. “Telework” by the Japan Telework Association is made up of a combination of two English words, “Tele” and “work”.It means working from a place other than the office such as a home, cafe, or a rental space using information and communication technology.Reference – Japan Telework Association/Meaning of TeleworkAlso, it is sometimes called “remote work” instead of “telework”, but there is no significant difference in meaning. In Japan, the word telework is the word that has been used by governments since ancient times.The word “Zaitaku-kinmu” means working from home, so it is included in “telework”.Telework situation in Japan and OverseasTelewrok situation in JapanWe will inform you of the situation of telework in Japan based on a survey by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.Reference:Survery results on the introduction and effects of teleworkIn Japan, Telework is being introduced depending on the industry, but according to the results of these surveys, the number of companies that have introduced telework in Japan from 2013 to 2019 has increased from 9.3% to 19.1%.How much has the impact of the coronavirus increased?Due to the spread of coronavirus infection, the declaration of emergency was announced in April 2020, and the number of companies whose employees stop working in an office has increased significantly since then.According to a survey conducted by the Persol Institute, the number of companies conducting telework in early April increased to 27.9%.Reference:Survey conducted by Persol InstituteTelework situation at OverseasAccording to the report from MIC of Japan, the penetration rate of telework overseas is high in North America (such as the United States and Canada) and is still in the process of developing in Asia.Reference:Telework overseas diffusion trends/MICIn the United States and other countries where telework was introduced at an early stage, working at home has become a common practice.Conditions for jobs that are suitable for telework and that are notSubtable jobs for teleworkIn recent years, the number of companies introducing telework is increasing in Japan, but not all companies can introduce telework. In general, telework can be introduced if the job meets the following conditions.Jobs that can be completed on a computerJobs that can be completed by one personSecurity background is arranged or security-safe jobsFewer opportunities to interact with external customersJobs not suitable for teleworkOn the other hand, the conditions of work that do not apply to the introduction of telework are as follows.Jobs that are done by multiple peopleJobs that requires a specific machineJobs that require face-to-face communication with customersFor example, sales, hospitality business, medical care/welfare business, etc., which have many opportunities to interact with customers, so these jobs would be difficult to introduce a telework. Also, it is considered difficult to perform telework in the manufacturing industry, which uses specialized machines.What kind of jobs can we work in telework and working from home?We would like to introduce a lot of telework jobs in Japan from now.IT related jobsTelework is the most pervasive industry for IT industry. Telework has been introduced in several jobs, but the typical jobs are as follows.System engineersMost of the work of a system engineer goes to a computer by himself, and most of the work can be managed and performed online. we can say this is a typical job proper for telework because internal meetings and client needs are completed by video conferencing.Web designerAs with system engineers, WEB designers mainly work on PCs. It is a job to build a website, etc. We can say it is proper for telework because customer requests and consultations can be handled by video conferencing.Sales related jobsWe can say that sales-related jobs are the jobs that telework is increasing most. So far, sales jobs had been a style of visiting customers, but many companies are updating the style of sales, and telework is the most common in the following two jobs.Inside salesLately, the number of cases where the sales organization is divided into outside sales and inside sales is increasing in Japanese companies. The purpose of inside sales is mainly to develop new customers by phone or email and connect them to outside sales. It is proper for telework because the basic work is to make calls, emails, inputting customer information into the system etc.Customer supportIn customer support, the job is to follow up with customers who already have a contract, and most of the time it is done through telephone or email rather than face-to-face communication. There is some customer support that need to go to the customer’s office, but in most cases, this is a work that can be done at home if you have a computer, telephone, and internet connection.Creative related JobsWhen it comes to creative-related jobs, it can be said that there are many cases where you can work from telework originally. It can be said that the style of working at home and a cafe rather than the office is major in creative related jobs such as writers, designers, and producers. It causes of that there are many outsourced jobs which not need an office.Clerical-related JobsIt can be said that most of the clerical work is suitable for telework because it is often done by one person in a computer. However, about clerical work, there are many companies have not yet introduced telework. Since uch companies may still have paper documents, you should work at office in the case. Also, since general affairs and others need to receive postal items, there are cases where they have to come to the office, so you must be careful in advance when looking for a telework job related to clerical work.OthersIn addition to the IT-related, sales-related, creative-related, and clerical-related jobs that have been introduced so far, the introduction of telework is rising for the following jobs.TeacherSpeaking of teachers, the image of teaching directly to students is strong, but since the number of online learning services such as English conversation has increased in recent years, the number of cases where people can work from home is increasing.Planning / Management OperationsTelework is also expanding in planning and management operations due to the penetration of communication tools and business-IT tools. In general image, management positions have to go to the office because they are responsible for the organization, but recently, in order to spread the telework for staffs, the number of cases in which managers take the lead in telework is increasing.ConclusionCompared to a few years ago, more and more companies have introduced telework in Japan. For companies, by introducing telework, it is possible to hire human resources who can only work at home and to improve the efficient work style and work-life balance of employees, which will reduce the turnover rate.If you are a foreigner who is interested in a company that has introduced telework at this opportunity in IT-related jobs in Japan, please register with GTalent, a recruitment agency specializing in foreign IT engineers. A professional consultant will support you in changing jobs for free.

There are many reasons why Japan is one of the top choices for working foreigners who want a change of scene. The country’s rich culture, historical tourist attractions, delicious cuisine, excellent working environment, terrific people, and continued acceptance of outsiders have all persuaded foreigners to see how they would fare in the country.A large part of why many foreigners are interested in moving to Japan is because of the country’s national government exerting a lot of effort to bring in gaijin to join the workforce. One of the areas that the Japanese government is looking to fill in with foreigners is the IT engineer industry. By 2030, Japan is expected to have a massive software engineering deficit of close to 800,000.Japan’s need for foreign IT engineers has increased over the years, and the nation’s demand for these technology experts have somewhat been fulfilled. In fact, according to Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, there are approximately 30,000 non-Japanese IT engineers residing in the country today, which equates to about 3% of Japan’s IT engineer population.Foreign IT engineers are scattered all over the Land of the Rising Sun, but some locations have shown to be more inviting and alluring to these in-demand professionals. Here are some of the best-recommended destinations for IT engineers in Japan.TOKYOThis comes as no surprise, but Tokyo is perhaps the most popular choice for most non-Japanese professionals. The metropolis is known for its diverse international community, as Tokyo is currently the most populated area in the world. The opportunities for IT engineers in Tokyo are endless because most of Japan’s major tech companies are located in the area. As a matter of fact, 9 out of the 10 largest Japanese tech companies positioned their headquarters in Tokyo.Tokyo is filled with some of the world’s leading tech brands such as Softbank, NTT Docomo, NTT Data Corporation, Sony, KDDI, Recruit Co., Ltd, Canon, Hitachi, Mitsubishi Electronic, and many other internationally-recognized companies.The nation’s capital is also famous for its Akihabara district, which is filled with anime, electronics, manga, and video game companies heavily relying on the talents of IT and software engineers.OSAKAOsaka is perfect for IT professionals seeking high compensation but don’t want to deal with Tokyo’s busy atmosphere, crowdedness, and high living expenses. Osaka is home to globally-known tech brands including Panasonic, Sharp, and manufacturing giants such as Suntory and Nissin Food Products.Japan’s 3rd largest city is ideal for IT engineers who want to grow with their company. Currently, the city serves as the breeding ground for tech companies with over 1,000 developing startups. The famous British newspaper, The Guardian, referred to Osaka as Japan’s own Silicon Valley.Osaka even has a mall dedicated to newly-made technology. The Grand Front Osaka hosts programs that showcase developers and their high-tech inventions and innovations. Guests can try smartphone apps as it is being coded, operate drones, and use prototypes that are years from being released to the market.Aside from this, Osaka is also experiencing a surging development and tourism sector. So, apart from the opportunities available in tech and manufacturing companies, IT engineers can even venture into new fields and enhance their skills.KYOTO Kyoto has always been admired for its incredible manufacturing industry. With more factories adapting to the ever-developing times by embracing automation techniques and artificial intelligence, IT engineers have become some of the most sought-after talents on this side of Japan.Luckily for IT engineers who are fans of iconic video games such as Pokémon, Animal Crossing, The Legend of Zelda, and Super Mario, the Nintendo main headquarters is positioned in Kyoto. This opportunity is ideal for IT engineers who want to work for a major company while embracing the inner-child in them.Kyoto is also known for its excellent educational reputation provided by the Kyoto Institute of Technology (KIT). KIT is a superb place for IT engineers who want to expand their horizons and enhance their capabilities in new technology. Aside from the Kyoto Institute of Technology, there is also the Kyoto University, which has consistently ranked among the world’s best universities.What makes Japan’s historic capital unique from other technologically advanced locations is that it is known for its continued focus on the production of hardware technology, as opposed to the rest of the world’s fascination with software technology led by tech giants such as Google, Amazon, Uber, and several others.FUKUOKA One of Japan’s most promising IT engineering spots is the city of Fukuoka. Much like Osaka, a lot of IT startup companies establish their reputations here. This city is an excellent place for IT engineers who are at the beginning of their careers. Fukuoka, which has been dubbed “Japan’s most innovative city” by major news outlet BBC, made headlines for its mission of becoming Japan’s number 1 startup destination. Mayor Sōichirō Takashima is leading the way by requesting the national government to treat Fukuoka as a “national strategic special zone,” which cuts corporate taxes for tech companies and creates a special visa for non-Japanese entrepreneurs.Additionally, Fukuoka still maintains reasonable living expenses even though it has the country’s highest population growth and is also one of its many booming and developing technological cities.CONCLUSION Japan is one of the most technologically advanced countries on the planet and home to some of the most revered tech companies. With plenty of opportunities abound, IT engineers have no reason to worry about which companies they are potentially going to represent and lend their services to. In the Land of the Rising Sun, there are multiple alluring destinations where IT engineers could sharpen their skills, practice their expertise, and successfully continue their careers.If you seek great IT engineering opportunities and more employment tips, feel free to visit our website below. Good luck with your future endeavors! Sources:https://agency-star.co.jp/column/district-engineerhttps://www.atmarkit.co.jp/ait/articles/1803/12/news008_2.html

Japan’s manufacturing technology is well known in the world, but how much do you know about the Japanese IT industry? In this article, for foreigners who are interested in the Japanese IT industry, we would like to explain the structure of the Japanese IT industry with well-known companies in each field making it easy-to-understand.Basic Information about Japanese IT IndustryBefore classifying the IT industry, we would like to explain some basic information about the Japanese IT market.Market Size of Japanese IT Industry(2019): 12,493 billion yenReference: Forecasting calculation conducted by Yano Research Institute LtdGrowth rate of Japanese IT Industry: 2018 increased 2.8%、2019 increased 3.4%、2020 increased 1.6%Reference: Forecasting calculation conducted by Yano Research Institute LtdAreas where IT Investment will increase in the next 3 years in Japan: No.1 ERP, No.2 Security-related Software, No.3 SFA (SalesForce Automation) Reference: Questionnaire survey for corporates conducted by Yano Research Institute LtdNumber of IT engineers in the World and Japan: Japan ranks 4th in the world with an approx of 1.09 million engineers※1st USA with 4.77 million, 2nd China with 2.72 million, 3rd India with 2.12 million engineers.Reference:Human Resocia/Number of IT engineers around the world (North & South America)Human Resocia/Number of IT engineers around the world (Asia & Oceania)Details are summarized in this article, so please have a look when you have some time.Japanese IT Industry Market Size Compared to the WorldJapanese IT Industry StructureFrom now on, we would like to explain the structure of the Japanese IT industry.The Japanese IT industry is generally divided into the 4 categories below.Internet/Web IndustryInformation Processing/Information and Communication Service IndustrySoftware IndustryHardware IndustryNow, we would like to explain about these four industries with their representative companies.Internet / Web IndustryThe Internet / WEB industry includes B2B companies that provide services for companies such as network construction, website production, Internet advertising, and B2C companies that provide services for individuals such as SNS, portal sites, and EC.We are going to explain below the 5 types of services in this industry.Web PortalThe web portal serves as an entrance to the Internet and is a multi-purpose website that has varied services and useful pages for users such as obtaining online information, news, auctions, and shopping.Well-known Companies GoogleYahoo！JAPAN, etcSNSSNS (Social Networking Service) is a service that allows you to build relationships and share information over the Internet. It is one of the typical services that has expanded with the spread of smartphones.Well-known Companies FacebookLINELinkedIn, etcE-CommerceE-Commerce, also known as electronic commerce or internet commerce, is a service which allows you to shop online. Some representative e-commerce services easily to recognize are the web sites we use while online shopping, but e-commerce is more than “online shopping”. In addition to business-to-consumer transactions, it also includes business-to-business transactions, customer-to-customer transactions such as auctions and flea market sites.Well-known Companies AmazonRakutenMercari, etcWeb AdsAll services that provide agencies and systems that handle advertising on the Internet belongs to the WEB advertising industry. There are many types of ads, such as “listing ads”, “ad network ads”, “SNS ads”, “article ads”, “banner ads”, etc.Well-known Companies Cyber AgentOPTAdways, etcCuration siteA curation site is a site that collects the necessary information and puts it together in an easy-to-read manner.Well-known Companies GunosySmart News, etc Information Processing / Information and Communication Service IndustryInformation Processing IndustryA company of information processing services is responsible for the development and operation of information systems in a company and services used on the cloud, which is generally called “System Integrator (SIer)”.SIer receives an order from a customer, hears the customer’s needs, considers how to realize those needs as an information system, and outsources the system development and operation to　cooperative enterprises. Also, there are cases when the SIer should advice client companies on how to use IT to do a better performance, working as a consultant too.Well-known Companies FujitsuNTTDataSCSK, etcInformation and Communication Service IndustryThis industry is divided into two categories, “fixed communication” and, “mobile communication services”.Fixed communication is a communication service in fixed environments such as fixed-line phones, IP phones, and public phones.Mobile communication means a communication service represented by mobile phones.Well-known Companies NTTKDDISoft Bank, etcSoftware IndustryThis industry is to develop ​​a software such as application software and operating system. And also engineers can also play an active role with wide range in the industry from the software package to the system construction that manages the infrastructure.Well-known Companies Oracle JapanMicrosoftCybozu, etcHardware IndustryHardware means “machine, device, equipment”. This refers to physical objects such as electronic circuits and peripheral　equipment that make up a computer, such as servers, storage, and mobile phones.Well-known Companies AppleNECSony, etcConclusionIn this article, we explained the main structure of the IT industry in Japan, but in the next article, we would like to explain the occupations in the IT industry in Japan.

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.

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.