Job Hunting Knowledge

FAQ for Job Seekers in Japan: How to Search Jobs?

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.

キャリア開発

日本企業のWEBアプリケーション開発手法~海外比較~

近年、日本企業ではWEBアプリケーションを開発する際、スクラム開発を含むアジャイル開発が多く見受けられるようになりました。外国人ITエンジニアの転職エージェントでもあるGTalentにおいても、クライアント企業から依頼がある求人にスクラム開発経験者の要件が増えてきております。今回の記事では、実際に「どのくらいアジャイル型開発が日本で普及されているのか?」、「海外と比べてどの手法が主に使われているのか?」など、海外と比較した日本のアジャイル開発の普及状況を説明したいと思います。ITエンジニアで転職をお考えの方で日本企業の開発手法のトレンドを確認したい方やスクラム開発の日本における使用状況などを知りたい方、ぜひご参考にしてみて下さい。WEBアプリケーション開発手法まずは、現在日本のシステム開発現場で主に使用されている開発手法に関してご説明したいと思います。ウォータフォール型開発ウォーターフォール型開発は、エンジニアの間で一番古くから用いられている開発手法の一つです。アプリケーションに追加される機能全てを以下のような流れで段階1つずつ確認しながら次の工程に進む手法であります。企画 ⇒ 設計 ⇒ 実装 ⇒ テスト ⇒ 納品このようにシステムを1つ作る時に工程で全て分けられているため、修正などが必要な場合には後戻りができないのが最大な特徴であると言えます。この特徴により、スピードよりも、最初からクオリティーが求められるような場合に用いられることが多いです。例えば、業務システムや大規模サービスなど大掛かりなシステム開発で仕様が完璧に決められており、途中で変更する可能性が低いプロダクトや、予算や納期などが定まっていて変更できないプロジェクトなどに使われるケースが多いです。アジャイル型開発ウォーターフォール型とは違い、アジャイル型開発は柔軟な開発方法です。この方法では、プロダクトをできるだけはやくリリースし、そこからどんどん改修を行なっていくことを目的にしています。参照画像:VES(株式会社ヴェス)コラム「アジャイル型開発の重要性とは」アジャイル型では、仕様をある程度決定したら、その後の要件変更や改修を見越して、ビジネスのニーズに合わせて、上記のプロセスを数回繰り返すことによって商品を完成させていくことが最大の特徴であります。スクラム型開発スクラム型開発はアジャイル開発の中でも一番有名な開発手法であり、スクラム開発=アジャイル開発となっているのが日本の企業では一般的です。スクラム型開発はアプリケーション開発で「無駄」をなくすために提案されたアジャイル型開発の一つのフレームワークになります。スクラム型開発の要素スクラム型開発の主な流れを以下に簡潔にまとめてみました。プロダクトの優先順位を決めその順番に従って開発を進める固定の期間(1~4週間、「スプリント」と呼ばれる)で開発を区切り、プランニングを行うデイリーで開発メンバーでタスク管理を行い、スプリント単位でステークスホルダーへレビューを行う①~③を繰り返し、その都度ステークスホルダーに確認・修正点を明確化する納品先ほど述べたように、アプリケーション開発の「無駄」をなくすために用いられている開発方法ですので、プロダクトの終了期間が読みにくいことが特徴であります。日本と海外の開発手法の状況IT関連のシステム開発では全世界で同じ手段が使われていると思っている方が多いかもしれません。日本で使われている開発手法が海外では異なったり、もちろん海外の手法が日本より遅れているケースも少なくありません。これからは、日本と海外におけるアプリケーション開発の手法で何が主流になっているかを述べていきたいと思っています。日本の開発手法ガートナージャパンが行った調査では、日本企業の43%はアプリケーション開発でウォーターフォール型の開発手法を用いられています。この理由としては、日本企業が結果だけにフォーカスするだけではなくて、過程も重視するため、アジャイル型よりウォーターフォール型の方が期間や予算を把握しやすいため選ばれていると思います。ただし、多い人数のエンジニアを確保して作業を行うため、現在ITエンジニアが不足している日本においては、ウォーターフォール型の開発手法を見直す大企業も増えてきています。参照:ガートナー / アプリケーション開発に関する調査海外の開発手法ビジネス向けのカスタムソフトウェア開発を行っているLvivityによると、海外では日本と異なって主流となっているのはビジネスサイドの要望に柔軟に対応できるアジャイル型開発となっています。アジャイル型の中で最も使われいるフレームワークは、顧客や社内のビジネスサイドとチームを組んで定期的なフィードバックを頂くスクラム型開発であります。米国などでは自社内で開発を行っているケースが多いためソフトウエアの変更がしやすい方法が選ばれていると思われます。参照:Lvivity / Software Development Methodologies写真:情報処理推進機構 / 非ウォーターフォール型開発の普及要因の調査まとめ現在、日本と海外で主な開発方法は違いますが、日本でアジャイル型を用いられている企業が年々増加しています。その傾向を考えると、エンジニアとしてキャリアを構築するためには、スクラム型の開発手法を経験しておくことが重要になると考えられます。日本でアプリケーションエンジニアやIT関係への就職・転職を検討される外国人の方がいらっしゃいましたら、外国人ITエンジニア専門の人材紹介会G Talent (ジータレント)にご登録ください。プロのコンサルタントが無料で就職活動をサポートいたします。

Job Hunting Knowledge

What Kind of Jobs Can We Work with Telework in Japan ?

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.

Career Development

WEB Application Development Methods in Japan

In recent years, Japanese companies have come to see a lot of agile development including scrum development when developing web applications.Even in GTalent, which is a Japanese recruitment agency for foreign IT engineers, the requirements for people who have experience in Scrum development are increasing for job offers requested by our client’s companies.In this article, “How much agile development is prevalent in Japan? and “Which method is mainly used compared to overseas?”. We would like to explain the prevalence of Japanese agile development compared to overseas.If you are an IT engineer thinking about changing jobs and want to check the trends of Japanese company development methods or, if you want to know the usage situation of Scrum development in Japan, please use it as a reference.WEB Application Development MethodsFirst, We would like to explain the development methods that are used mainly in Japanese system development sites.Waterfall Model DevelopmentWaterfall development is one of the oldest development methods used by engineers. It is a method to proceed to the next process while checking all the functions added to the application step by step according to the following flow.Requirements ⇒ Design ⇒ Implementation ⇒ Verification ⇒ MaintenanceIn this type, all of the processes are divided when making one system, so the biggest feature is that you cannot go back if you need to make corrections. Due to this feature, it is often used when quality is required from the beginning rather than speed.For example, it is used for products whose specifications are completely determined by large-scale system development such as business systems and large-scale services, and which are unlikely to be changed in the middle, or projects which delivery date or fixed budgets.Agile Model DevelopmentUnlike the waterfall type, agile type development is a flexible development method. The objective of this method is to release the product as quickly as possible and then proceed to improve it.Reference image: Medium.com / Agile&Waterfall Model DevelopmentWith the agile model, once the specifications have been decided to a certain extent, the greatest feature is to complete the product by repeating the above process several times in anticipation of subsequent requirement changes and modifications and according to the needs of the business.Scrum type developmentScrum type development is the most famous development method among agile development, and for Japanese companies scrum development = agile development.Scrum development is one framework for agile development that has been proposed to eliminate “waste” in application development.Elements of Scrum-Model DevelopmentThe basic flow of scrum-model development is briefly summarized below.Prioritize products and proceed with development in that orderThe process is done by separating development within a fixed period (1 to 4 weeks, this period is called “Sprint”)The task is managed by the development members daily, and reviews are made to stakeholders in sprint units.Repeat steps above 1 to 3, and make confirmations and corrections to the stakes holder each time.Deliver the productAs mentioned earlier, this is a development method used to reduce the “waste” of the process of application development, so it is difficult to read the end period of the product.Status of Development Methods in Japan and OverseasMany people could think that the same method is used in IT-related system development all over the world. There are some cases where the development methods used in Japan are different overseas, and of course, they’re cases the overseas methods are slow than Japan.From now on, We would like to talk about what is a mainstream in application development methods in Japan and overseas.Japanese Development MethodsAccording to a survey conducted by Gartner Japan, 43% of Japanese companies use a waterfall type development method for application development.One of the reasons for this is that Japanese companies focus not only on the results but also on the process, another one is they think that the waterfall type is easier to grasp the period and budget than the agile type. However, to secure a large number of engineers to carry out the work, in Japan, where IT engineers are currently in short supply, big companies are reconsidering the waterfall type development method.Translation from Japanese to English at above graph.ウォーターフォール型開発手法 → Waterfall Developmentアジャイル型開発手法 → Agile Development反復型開発手法 → Iterative and Incremental DevelopmentIT部門関与しないビジネス主導の開発 → Business-led development without IT involvementReference :Gatner Japan / Application Development SurveyOverseas Development ethodsAccording to Lvivity, which develops custom software for business, the mainstream overseas, unlike Japan, is agile development, which can flexibly satisfy the demands of the business side.The most popular agile framework is Scrum development, which teams up with customers and the business side of the company to get regular feedback. In the US and other countries, there are many cases where in-house development is performed, so it seems that the method that allows easy software changes is selected.Reference:Lvivity / Software Development MethodologiesConclusionThese days the main development methods are different between Japan and overseas, but the number of companies using agile type in Japan is increasing year by year. Given that tendency, it seems important to have experience with Scrum-type development methods to build a career as an engineer.If you are an application engineer or a foreigner who is looking for IT-related jobs 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.

転職・キャリア開発ナレッジ

日本企業のオンライン面接の状況【外国人の就職】

新型コロナウィルスの感染拡大をきっかけに、就職や転職活動の方法も変化が生じてきています。特に大きな変化としては、面接などがオンラインで実施されるケースが増えたことが挙げられます。この記事では、日本のオンライン面接の導入状況、それが転職活動や就職活動に対する影響、オンライン面接を行なっている代表的な企業などについて詳しく説明したいと思います。※こちらの記事を英語にご覧になりたい方は、こちら(English Here!)になります。日本のオンライン面接の状況現在、日本ではどのくらいの企業でオンライン面接が実施されているかご存知でしょうか。リクルートキャリアが2020年3月に実施した調査結果を見ると、中途採用でオンライン面接を既に導入している企業もしくは既にオンライン面接の導入が決定している企業は全体の29.8%とのことです。また、導入を検討している企業も合わせると、全体の半数以上となっています。そのため、近々転職活動や就職活動をする場合、半分以上はオンライン面接で行われる可能性があると言えるでしょう。参照:リクルートキャリア / オンライン採用活動アメリカのオンライン採用の状況それでは、もっともオンライン採用が進んでいると言われているアメリカと比較した場合はどうでしょうか。人材採用ソフトウェアを提供するアメリカのIdeal社によるアンケート調査では、アメリカでは63%の人事マネージャーがオンラインで面接を行なっている結果となっています。参照:The 38 Top Recruiting Software Tools Of 2020オンライン面接の先進国アメリカと比べて日本はまだオンライン面接の普及率が遅れてはいますが、新型コロナウィルスの影響が採用活動のオンライン化を確実に加速させ、今後ますますオンライン面接が増えていくと考えられます。オンライン面接のメリット・デメリット今後オンライン面接が増えていくため、改めてオンライン面接のメリットとデメリットについて整理したいと思います。メリット面接場所まで移動する必要がないリアルの対面ではないためリラックスした状態で臨める面接場所まで移動する必要がないオンラインで行うため、わざわざ面接予定の企業のオフィスに出向く必要がないため、移動時間の節約ができて移動の労力も減らすことができます。移動時間が節約できる分、日程調整もやりやすくなり、スムーズに企業の選考に参加ができるようになります。リラックスした状態で臨める面接官と直接会う際に、気持ち的に余裕がある人もいればそうでない人もたくさんいらっしゃると思います。緊張している中で面接に臨むと、思ったような回答ができなくなったり、せっかくのチャンスを失う場合も少なくはありません。オンライン面接の場合、その場の雰囲気などを気にせず、面接にしやすい環境とも言えるでしょう。デメリット以下には、求職者に対してのオンライン採用のデメリットについて説明していきたいと思います。面接官の雰囲気や反応が読みにくいオフィスの雰囲気がわからないネットワークトラブル面接官の雰囲気や反応が読みにくい実際に対面するわけではないので、面接官の表情を読み取ることがどうしても難しくなります。実際の対面であれば、ただ頷いているだけでも話を聞いてると相手は感じられますが、オンライン面接の場合、ただ頷いているだけでは相手に反応は伝わりません。そのため、オンライン面接のやり方をわかっていない面接官の場合、特に雰囲気や反応が読みにくくなります。オフィスの雰囲気がわからない就職・転職活動を終了させるときに、一つの大きな決め手として「オフィスの雰囲気」があります。一般的な採用活動では説明会や面接の際に企業を訪問する回数を重なることによって、応募先の雰囲気が少しずつわかってきます。もう一方では、オンライン面接では、面接官と求職者が最初の段階から1対1になっているため、オフィス全体の雰囲気はつかみにくいものがあります。一部の企業では、このようなデメリットを改善するために採用サイトにオフィスの雰囲気がわかる動画などを掲載することで、応募者がオフィスの雰囲気を理解できるように工夫をしています。ネットワークトラブルオンライン面接の場合、インターネットのネットワーク環境が悪いと、なかなかうまく接続されず、質問が聞きにくかったり、答えてもうまく伝わらないリスクがあります。また、最悪の場合はそもそも接続ができず、そのまま面接時間が終わってしまうケースもあります。そのため、オンライン面接の場合は必ず事前にネットワーク環境を確認するようにしましょう。もし万が一、オンライン面接中に突然回線が切れたり、相手の声がよく聞こえなかったり、映像がフリーズしたり等の予期せぬ出来事が生じた場合は、慌てずに企業の採用担当窓口に直接電話を掛け状況を説明するようにしましょう。また、会社によっては事前にインストールが必要なソフトウェアを使用している場合もありますので、その場合は事前にインストールをするようにしましょう。完全オンライン採用を導入した企業日本の代表的な企業のオンライン面接やAIの活用状況を数社ご紹介していきたいと思います。トヨタ:新卒採用でオンライン面接導入、会わずに内定も!ソフトバンク:面接にAI導入することによって、面接への所要時間を75%削減三菱商事:面接の80%は自宅から参加、最終面接のみ対面式三井住友海上火災保険:全てオンライン面接で内定まで日本を代表する大手企業ですら、面接をオンラインで実施し、そのまま内定まで出す動きが活発になってきています。就職活動や転職活動をする方は、これまで以上に興味を持った企業の選考に参加がしやすくなるでしょう。まとめ今回、ご紹介させていただいた、日本のオンライン面接の状況についての記事はいかがでしたでしょうか。採用活動のオンライン化という点で、先進国とはまだ差が大きい日本ではありますが、コロナウィルスの影響をきっかけに普及のスピードが増していっています。日本国内に住んでおらず、海外に住んでいる場合においても、これまで以上に日本で仕事を探す方法は簡単になると思います。日本で就職・転職を希望するITエンジニアの方々、仕事をお探しの場合は、外国人ITエンジニアの転職エージェントGTalent (ジータレント)にご登録ください。プロのコンサルタントが無料で転職・就職活動をサポートいたします。

Others

Cashless and Electronic Payments Services in Japan

GTalent, a job-hunting and job-changing agent for foreigners, hear from foreigners who come to Japan for work, such as “Can we still only use cash in Japan?” “Is there a place where cashless services can be used in Japan?”From foreigners coming to Japan, it’s very anxious that they don’t know what can be used as a payment method when they buy something.In this article, We would like to introduce how much cashless society is in Japan compared to overseas, and the recommended cashless payments that can be used in Japan.Status of cashless payments in Japan and overseasCashless payment situation in JapanAccording to data from the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry, the diffusion rate of cashless payments in Japan was less than 20% as of 2016, which is low compared to other developed countries.Reference:Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry/ Current status and significance of cashlessAlso, according to this Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry material, the reasons why cashless payment is not prevalent in Japan are as follows.Reassurance for the cashMany choices of paymentReassurance for the cashUnlike overseas, there is almost no distribution of counterfeit bills in Japan. Therefore, life is based on the assumption that the received banknotes are genuine.the distribution of counterfeit bills has become a major social issue overseas, and the expanse of cashless payments was essential to reduce the distribution of counterfeit bills. In Japan, the distribution of counterfeit bills is lower than overseas and it is said to be one of the reasons for the slow spread of cashless payments.Many choices of paymentThere are various methods of cashless payments that are mainly used in different countries. For example, in South Korea, credit card is the most commonly used cashless payment method. In China, QR code payments such as “Alipay” and “WeChat Pay” are the mainstream.In Japan, unlike China or other cashless top countries, many companies offer cashless payment methods, and there are various options such as PayPay, Merpay(Mercari), and LINE Pay even in only QR code payments. Nothing of mainstream service causes the slow penetration of cashless payment in Japan.Cashless payment situation at OverseasAs mentioned above, according to the Data of the Ministery of Economy, Trade and Industry , South Korea, the United Kingdom, and China (96.4%, 68.6%, 65.8%) have prevailed the cashless society much more than Japan(19.9%).Overseas, the government has led the promotion of cashless payments, reducing the opportunity of counterfeit bill circulation and the cost of issuing new bills.In Japan, it is difficult for the government to penetrate the people with political force, and because many elderly people have a strong resistance to cashless settlement, the introduction is not progressing well.Advantages and Disadvantages of Cashless Payment in JapanAdvantages of cashless payment in JapanFrom now on, We would like to introduce some of the advantages of using cashless payment in Japan.Reduce the waste of Counting CashAbundant Points and BenefitsAlthough there are similarities with other countries, each company has unique points and benefits, we can say it is a characteristic of Japan.Reduce the waste of counting cashIn Japan, not only bills but also small changes are used, so when cash is used for accounting, it is surprisingly time-consuming to count cash.。Within the case of cashless payments such as credit cards and contactless payments, you do not need to count the cash, so you would be able to omit this little action and perform smooth accounting.Abundant Points and BenefitsAmong companies that provide cashless payment services, points can be provided and campaign benefits can be used according to the amount spent.For example, there are benefits such as discounts on products and travel tickets, payment with possession points, etc.Especially in Japan, each store often has its point system. Its own “point card” is often issued. Therefore, in Japan, point cards often accumulate in the wallet when you notice it.This trend does not change even for cashless payments, each payment company has its points for cashless payments, and each of them has tie-ups with different retail stores, so there are many various points and discounts for consumers in Japan. These often confuse consumers.Disadvantages of Cashless Payment in JapanBelow, We would like to introduce the main disadvantages of cashless payment in Japan.Limited number of stores that we can use cashless paymentLack of seamless links with bank accountsSecurity concernsLimited number of stores that we can use cashless paymentIn recent years, the number of stores handling cashless payments has increased little by little, but according to the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry, the diffusion rate in Japan is still below 20%. In other words, there are limited places available.( Data of the Ministery of Economy, Trade and Industry )Also, the cashless payment service in Japan is assumed to have a higher fee for member stores than other countries, and many stores can only accept cash. Even some major retailers have not yet introduced cashless payments.There are numerous types of cashless payments, so it is necessary to confirm whether you can make cashless payments and what kind of cashless payments you can use before entering the store.Lack of seamless links with bank accountsIn Japan, debit cards are less popular than in other countries, and in most cases, even with electronic payments using smartphones, which are necessary to bother charging from a bank account and linking with a credit card.Also, depending on the electronic payment application on the smartphone, the bank or credit card company that is linked may be different, so even if you set it up, you can rarely use the bank account you own.Therefore, when using the electronic payment service on smartphones, it takes time and effort to set up and link and many people give up during registration.Security concernsNot only cashless payment but also many useful services are emerging with the development of IT, but the most important thing is the “security” when using these services.By using cashless payment, your registration information may be obtained illegally, and “fictitious billing” or “leak of personal information” may occur.Even in Japan, in the cashless payment service started by Seven-Eleven, the largest convenience store, registration information was obtained illegally, and many people were billed that they could not remember.There are few counterfeit bills in Japan, but cashless payment services are behind other countries, and numerous companies have joined the cashless payment service and some companies are still worried about security.Cashless Payments that can generally be used in JapanIn the table below, We would like to introduce some cashless payment services that can be used in Japan.Credit CardsDebit CardsContactless ICQR code Payment                        The most cashless payment method used in Japan still been the credit card payment. Although debit cards have become more popular than before, they are still rarely used, and more recently, contactless ICs and QR payments are increasingly used.ConclusionJapan is still an inconvenient country when it comes to cashless payments, although in 2019, the government also started to promote cashless payments with a strong focus. Thanks to that, the spread of QR codes payments such as PayPay and LINE Pay is accelerating to prevail.For foreigners coming to Japan from now on, please refer to the cashless payment that can be used in Japan in advance through this article.

その他

日本の祝日は少ない?世界と日本の祝日を比較!

「日本人は働きすぎ」とよく言われますが、海外と比べて日本の土日以外の祝日は本当に少ないのでしょうか。今回の記事では、日本で働いている、もしくは働きたいと思っている外国人向けに、2020年の日本の祝日について説明したいと思います。※こちらの記事を英語でご覧になりたい方は、こちら(English Here!)になります。日本で働くと休みが少なかったり、残業が多いイメージを持たれている方も多いと思いますが、実際はどうなんでしょうか?他の国の状況と比較しながら日本の祝日についせ説明しますので、ぜひご参考にされてみてください。祝日が多い国まず、世界中で祝日が多い国を見ていきましょう。以下には、世界で最も休みが多い国を代表的な祝祭日とともにご紹介しています。タイ(祝日数:23日)また、タイには仏教上の祝日や選挙の日は禁酒日があります。ちなみに、5月6日はお釈迦様の誕生日を祝う日なので禁酒です!5月1日(金)National Labor Day(メーデー)5月4日(月)Coronation Day(国王戴冠日)5月6日(水)Wisakha Bucha Day(仏誕節)中国(祝日数:21日)中国では、大型連休が1年間で3回もあります。5月にも5日間の長い休みがあります。そのほか、10連休(1月24日~2月2日)の「春節」と、8連休(10月1日~8日)の「中秋節」の大型連休も。5月1~5日(金~火)Labor Day(労働節)韓国(祝日数:17日)4月30日(木)Budda’s Birthday(釈迦誕生日)5月1日(金)Labor Day(勤労者の日 )5月5日(火) Children’s Day(こどもの日)インド(祝日数:17日)4月6日(月)Mahaveer Jayanti(ジャイナ教マハビラ生誕日)4月10日(金)Good Friday(聖金曜日)5月7日(木)Buddha Purnima(釈迦生誕日)5月25日(月)Id-ul-Fitr(イスラム教断食明け祭)コロンビア(祝日数:17日)4月5日(日)Palm Sunday(聖枝祭)4月9日(木)Holy Thursday(聖木曜日)4月10日(金)Good Friday(聖金曜日)4月12日(日)Palm Sunday(復活祭)5月1日(金)Labor Day(メーデー)5月25日(月)The Ascension Day(キリスト昇天祭)参照:世界で祝日が多い国ご覧の通り、世界でもっとも祝日が多い国はタイとなっており、祝日が23日もあります。その次に2日違いで中国が2位となっています。その後に、約17日間の祝日をもつ韓国、インド、コロンビアが3位に続きますが、日本もこの3カ国と同じ祝日数でなんと3位となります。しかも、2位の中国は春節などの祝日連休が続くときは、その前の土曜日が休みで無くなったりします。それに比べて日本は祝日連休などは関係なく、土日は基本的に全て休みとなるため、実は他の国と比べて日本は休みが多いんです。日本の2020年の祝日日本の祝日がいつ頃なのかご存知でしょうか。これからは、なぜその日が祝日になったのか等の意味や由来も含めて、2020年の日本の祝日について説明したいと思います。春の祝日(3月〜5月)日本で有名な桜の花が咲く季節、「春」の祝日を見ていきましょう。日本では5月初旬に祝日連休があります。この祝日連休が土日と連続になることで、長い連休となるため、「ゴールデンウィーク」と呼ばれています。日付祝日名意味・由来3月20日(火)春分の日天文観測による春分が起こる日(昼と夜の長さが同じになる日)4月29日(水)昭和の日昭和天皇の誕生日5月3日(日)憲法記念日日本国憲法が施行された日5月4日(月)みどりの日自然と親しみ豊かな心を育むことが目的5月5日(火)こどもの日子供を祝うだけではなく、その母親にも感謝することが目的5月6日(水)振替休日日曜や他の休日と祝日が重なってしまったときに休みの日数が減らないように設定された休日夏の祝日(6月〜8月)次に、花火大会やお祭りが多数開催される、日本の「夏」の祝日を見ていきましょう。日付祝日名意味・由来7月23日(木)海の日海に感謝の気持ちを伝え、これからも日本をより豊かになるようと願う日7月24日(金)スポーツの日(旧名:体育の日)1964年に開催された東京オリンピックを記念にもうけられた祝日。8月10日(火)山の日山に親しむ機会を得て、山の恩恵に感謝する日※「体育の日」は、今まで10月の第二月曜日でしたが、「スポーツの日」に改名された後でも変わりません。ただし、2020年だけは東京オリンピックをきっかけに7月24日がスポーツの日になり、10月の祝日はなくなります。2021年以降はまた10月の第二月曜日となります。※本来ならば、山の日は8月11日の祝日ではありますが、スポーツの日と同様に、開催予定だった東京オリンピックにために違う日に祝日が移動となりました。2021年以降は通常通りに日付に戻りるそうです。秋の祝日(9月〜11月)日本の「秋」は気候的にとても過ごしやすい季節です。旬のおいしい食べ物、紅葉でカラフルに彩られた美しい景色の持ち主として海外にも認知されています。この季節の祝日は以下に記載しております。日付祝日名意味・由来9月21日(月)敬老の日長い年月にわたり、社会に尽くしてきたお年寄りを敬い、元気に長生きしてもらい、平和な暮らしを願う日9月22日(火)秋分の日天文観測による春分が起こる日(昼と夜の長さが等しくなる日)11月3日(火)文化の日「自由と平和を愛し、文化をすすめる」を目的として設立された祝日11月23日(月)勤労感謝の日勤労を尊び、生産を祝い、国民互いに感謝しあうことを目的に設立された祝日冬の祝日(12月〜2月)最後の季節にはなりますが、祝日が少ないわけではありません。以下の表には日本の「冬」の祝日をまとめてみました。2月23日(日)天皇誕生日今上天皇の誕生日にあたる日付日付祝日名意味・由来1月1日(水)元旦年内最初の日1月13日(月)成人の日20歳になった人を大人になった仲間入りをしたことを祝う日2月11日(金)建国記念の日日本という国ができたことをお祝いする日2月24日(月)法律による休日皇室関係の慶弔行事が行われる日は祝日になりますまた、内閣府が日本の祝日に関する情報を提供しているウェブサイトもありますので、是非ご参考にしてみて下さい。まとめ海外からの目線では、「日本人は働きすぎ」などのイメージが定着しているかもしれませんが、それはきっと祝日が少ないからのではなく、有給休暇の消化が他の国と比べて極めて少なかったからだと思われます。近年、働き方改革の推進によって前年より、多くの企業では有給休暇の消化や残業時間の減少ができております。日本の有給休暇の消化率が海外と並ぶ日が来るのは決して遠い未来の話ではないと考えられ、そうすると祝日が多い日本は世界でも有数の休みが多い国になるかもしれません。今回ご紹介させていただい日本の祝日の記事をきっかけに、日本の文化にさらに興味が湧いたら幸いです。

ビザ

【外国人ビザ】業務委託・請負契約時の就労ビザ申請について

在宅勤務やリモートワークが多くの企業で導入され、人的リソースの確保が必ずしも社員として雇用するだけではなく、業務委託形態など企業がマンパワーを確保する方法が多様化されてきています。それに伴い、外国人を業務委託や請負で形態で契約する機会が徐々に増えている傾向にあり、企業から業務委託や請負などの場合の就労ビザに関する疑問や質問を弊社に多く寄せられるようになりました。今回の記事では、業務委託契約の場合の就労ビザ申請に関して詳しくご説明したいと思います。業務委託契約時の就労ビザ申請について業務委託契約においても、社員雇用をする場合と同様に就労ビザの申請が必要になります。ただし、人によっては複数の企業と業務委託契約を締結する場合があります。その場合は、契約を締結している企業の中で、報酬が一番高い企業が就労ビザの申請手続を行う必要があります。例えば、自社で業務委託を依頼する外国人の方が、他社でも業務委託契約を結んでおり、自社の契約の方が他社よりも報酬が高い場合、自社で就労ビザ申請を行うことになります。そのため、業務委託契約を締結する場合は、必ず他社との契約状況を確認するようにしましょう。業務委託契約における就労ビザ申請の注意点外国人と業務委託契約を締結して日本国内で働いてもらう場合、就労ビザの許可を得る上で以下の注意点が必要です。労働法上適切な業務委託契約であること長期的な契約内容であること税金や年金、社会保険の手続きは委託先(外国人)に行ってもらうこと上記3点について詳細は以下の通りとなります。労働法上適切な業務委託契約であること就労ビザの申請には締結をした業務委託契約書の添付が必要になります。その内容が労働法上不適切な場合、就労ビザの許可が得られない可能性があります。そのため、業務委託契約においても、適切な報酬や契約条件をしっかりと明記した契約書を作成するようにしましょう。長期的な契約内容であること業務委託といえども、通常の雇用契約で就労ビザ申請を行う場合と同様に、長期的な契約である必要があります。1〜2ヶ月位の契約ではビザ申請の許可が得られない可能性があります。ただし、契約期間が短い場合でも、特に大きな問題がなければ基本的に契約は更新されていくというものであれば、ビザ申請の許可は得られる可能性があります。税金や年金、社会保険の手続きは委託先(外国人)に行ってもらうこと外国人の場合でも、日本人と同様に個人で業務委託を受ける場合は、その個人が確定申告、年金や社会保険の支払いを行う必要があります。外国人の方でその辺の認識がない場合も稀にあるため、必ず事前に認識のすり合わせを行うようにしましょう。まとめ昨今ではフリーランスとして働き始める方が増えており、企業が人的リソースを確保する上で業務委託契約で上手く人的リソースを確保することが一層必要になってくると予想されます。特に、IT/WEB業界においては、多くのエンジニアがフリーランスとして個人で業務委託をするケースが増えています。また、IT/WEB業界では現在外国人ITエンジニアの数が増加しており、今後は日本人に限らず、外国人のITエンジニアもフリーランスで働き始める方がますます増加していくことが考えられます。今後、外国人と業務委託契約を検討する企業にとって、この記事が参考になると幸いです。自社で外国人ITエンジニアを活用したいという場合は、即戦力外国人ITエンジニアの人材紹介GTalentにお問い合わせください。プロのコンサルタントが外国人ITエンジニアのリソース確保をご支援いたします。

Others

A Workday in the Life of an Engineer in Japan

The IT industry in Japan is providing several opportunities for foreign IT engineers. Among all the engineers working in the country, 3 percent of those are foreigners. With the country facing a deficit of engineers by 2030, Japanese IT companies are looking for more It professionals offshore.Working as an engineer in the Land of the Rising Sun can be exciting but work-life balance hinders most foreign workers from sending their applications. To shake off this reputation, many companies are easing up on the schedules of IT engineers in an effort to encourage work-life balance.Working HoursAn IT engineer typically starts working at 9:00 or 10:00 and ends the day after 8 hours of work. However, some stay at the office for an hour or two to avoid the rush hour.Flexible Working HoursSome companies still prefer engineers to work on the set working hours but more IT companies and engineering departments are adopting a flexible schedule nowadays. This is part of the efforts to reduce overtime among employees. In addition, the flexible working hours also allow engineers to avoid rush hour stress and crowds, and give them time to attend to other matters and conduct personal transactions like a doctor’s appointment.An Engineer’s Workday9:00~12:30: Start of Work, Work Assembly or updates12:30 ~ 13:00: Lunch13:00 ~ 16:00: Continue working on projects and tasks16:00 ~ 19:00: Going home, after-work partiesThis is the typical schedule of an IT engineer working in an office. For those working from home have flexible schedules, they may have different working hours and some may be shorter compared to the above sample.Day ScheduleCompanies in Japan have morning assemblies called chourei which takes about 15 minutes. The whole team comes together and shares information about work progress and their schedule or goals for the day. Sharing information provides everyone in a team an overview of their tasks to avoid delays and suggest improvements in projects.After the morning assembly, engineers also have to check on emails and answer queries from clients in the morning. This helps them know if new projects are given or if clients request for new details and functions in an ongoing project.Project HandlingIT companies and departments received a handful of projects which are then assigned to different teams. Each member has his/her own responsibilities and those will affect how an IT engineer’s schedule would go.Planning StageOn an event when a new project is given, a team starts to plan, schedule, and research as part of their morning schedule. Members are assigned to handle project management, estimate cost, and plan the working hours needed for each task.Members research about technologies related to their tasks and inform the team. In their regular meetings, the team shares their ideas on how to proceed with their project.Development StageIn the late morning, engineers start working on the actual project after schedules and estimates have been approved. When a team’s already working on a project, this part of the process is usually done first thing after the morning assembly.The team begins designing algorithms and functions in this stage. This also takes days to complete depending on how big the project is. So a workweek of an engineer may comprise project development.Though research has been done in the planning stage, the team also conducts thorough research during the development of the project. This involves solving backlogs and issues in a program as some previously searched technologies and developments might not be compatible with the current project.Project CompletionWhen everyone is done with their respective tasks in a project, team members conduct a series of tests to check for bugs and major issues. This review process can last for half a day or two depending on the size of the project. This stage also requires members to list down suggestions to improve the output.Afternoon ScheduleReviewing does not only happen when the project has been completed. Every step of the process of each member’s tasks is reviewed by themselves or by another engineer assigned.In this part of the day, engineers prepare a list of what they have accomplished within the day to report during the next day’s morning assembly. This also gives them time to organize and keep track of or set their daily, weekly, and even monthly goals.After Working HoursAs mentioned above, people tend to leave work late to avoid the rush hour so some leave the office around 19:00. Some engineers continue working to have a headstart the next day or do overtime work to finish a project within the day. Nonetheless, overtime does not happen as frequently nowadays.Just like other businesses in Japan, IT companies and departments also go for drinks to celebrate a finished project, holidays, promotions, or just hang out with colleagues. In bigger companies, engineers can join club activities such as sports or take this time to study the Japanese language. Days Off, Paid Leaves, and HolidaysA few of the questions asked by IT engineers who don’t really know much about the country are the number of days off, holidays, vacations, and breaks. Employers must give 45 minutes to an hour worth of break in a workday. Companies should also let employees have one or two days off in a week. For vacation leaves, companies should grant a minimum of 10 days paid vacation leaves to new employees after working for six months. Some companies even give additional vacation leaves.Holidays also affect workdays. Japan has 16 national holidays and most of them fall on a workday. That means more time to explore the country and find new hobbies for IT engineers working in Japan.ConclusionAs more foreign IT engineers pursue their careers in the country, the work environment continues to shape to provide more flexibility and promote great work-life balance. Though the rush hours remain, the reform efforts made by companies will relieve the stress coming from commuting and provide more opportunities for IT engineers to learn new skills and go for vacations in the country. Sources: https://blog.gaijinpot.com/working-past-the-timehttps://kimi.wiki/work/workday-japan-engineerhttps://medium.com/devjobs-jp/software-developer-in-japan-myths-work-life-balance-9a7a41315678https://www.jetro.go.jp/en/invest/setting_up/section4/page5.html

Career Development

How Will COVID-19 Impact IT Engineers in the Future?

The spread of coronavirus infection has led several businesses into a temporary halt, and some completely shut down. The work environment has also changed as the government encourages companies to make their employees work remotely.Moreover, businesses in Japan are moving their efforts to online marketing. Industries greatly affected by the pandemic are also creating new business strategies as the country plans to open its doors again for tourists to help kick-start the economy. As such, the number of IT-related projects continues to soar and Japan still needs more IT engineers to cope with the demand for workforce in the industry.Impact of Corona in the IT IndustryAccording to IDC Japan, the ICT market in the country is forecast to decrease by 4.5%. This is due to the postponement of the 2020 Olympics, the sluggish service industry, and the supply-chain disruption. Despite the forecast, IDC believes that it will have less impact in the IT industry due to digital transformation and system updates for businesses which opens up a new market for the IT industry.Companies are expected to lose some revenue due to the pandemic but system support and maintenance are indispensable. They are necessary to stabilize business operations or help them transfer to digital marketing as consumer behaviors are seen to rise during the pandemic.Unlike other businesses, IT companies can work remotely which is shaping up to be the new normal. In-house services are also needed recently for digital transformation in businesses.Remote WorkCompanies are recommending a work from home or remote work setup to keep employees safe and businesses afloat. Remote working is not only limited to working at home but it also includes working in satellite offices.Remote work can reduce long travel hours and eliminate the stress from commuting. Transportation costs are also reduced for companies. This type of setting will also improve the work-life balance of IT engineers. However, remote work can also cause delays in confirmations and consultations which can easily be done face-to-face in an office-based setting.RecruitmentThe job market in Japan has seen a downward trend but the hiring of IT engineers has not decreased under these circumstances. IT companies in the country are still looking for new candidates and have adopted online applications into the interview and screening process.IT companies are motivated to continue hiring and training engineers in response to the implementation of system improvements for businesses to grow. Companies are expected to request system replacements and maintenance in 2020 which can potentially continue in the next year.IT Industries and Job Titles Needed in JapanThe IT job market continues to look for IT engineers to fill in available job titles for remote and in-house work during these circumstances. Here are a few IT industries and job titles IT companies are looking for:Internet industryCompanies in this industry deal with various web services and developments on the internet such as server management, site management, and internet advertisement. Most IT engineers working in this industry can work anywhere as long as there’s an internet connection. Web designers and programmers fall under this industry.Telecommunications industryThey deal with maintenance and improvements in mobile phones, landlines, internet, and communication lines. Sales engineers and network engineers work for the telecommunications industry. They also do product planning and development.Software industryCompanies under the software industry develop a wide range of operating systems of basic software and applications. The industry needs systems engineers, application engineers, and programmers.Hardware industryIt is an industry that plans, designs, and develops hardware such as smartphones and PC peripherals. They also handle IoT which is currently included in home appliances. Sales engineers, systems engineers, and hardware engineers fall under this industry.Engineering Work OutlookIT Engineers in Japan are requested to work on various system-related services, contractual development projects, and in-house products and services. Here’s the outlook for the three working styles of IT engineers in Japan.System Engineering Service (SES)Engineers working in this field develop and maintain information systems of companies. An engineer is assigned to a company and stays resident there to get used to the system design of the company. During this period, engineers can work remotely and access the system environment with VPN but communication is less and it may be difficult to provide the service they need. Moving forward, SES contracts may change and will require engineers to learn new skills. Contract Development ProjectsIT companies are responsible for the system development of companies. Multiple engineers are assigned and work together as project members along with the development team in the company office. Engineers working in this field can work remotely, but efficiency is expected to become lower due to work schedules risking the delivery time of the development system. In the future, there is a need for change in the working style of engineers involved in contract development projects.In-house ServicesEngineers belonging to the in-house services develop and maintain operations to improve company products. Development and maintenance are scheduled and contracts are based on the services needed. As engineers need to work remotely, requesting reviews and communication with leaders can be difficult and engineers need to learn skills to work around this.Skills Needed from IT Engineers in the FutureThe coronavirus has eliminated close contact work. As more IT engineers seek jobs in the industry, remote work is expected to continue even when the pandemic is over. Employers are also looking for qualities that will best fit IT talents while doing remote work. Here are two important skills that IT engineers need in the future.Great Time ManagementCompared to working in the office, there is less interruption when working remotely. IT engineers should utilize this opportunity to practice managing their tasks and setting clear goals such as finishing a part of a task within a day or scheduling a review of ongoing work once a week.Employers will be looking for candidates and trainees that are reliable and can balance their work and life while working remotely.Online CommunicationUnlike talking with your teammates in a conference room or meeting room, online meetings right now are moving in a systematic approach. Always listen to the host and write down everything you want to ask and make them simpler so when your turn comes, you can ask questions precisely and promptly to avoid delays in the meeting. For emails and other business communication platforms, explain all the things you need to convey in easy sentences or in precise sentences. Fillers are not needed in business communication as it will only cause problems. This will also give your employer your professionalism and respect for time. ConclusionThe IT job market is continuously looking for IT talents to fill the demand of the workforce in the country. The work-life balance is expected to improve among IT engineers now that companies are transitioning to remote work. With the current technology and problems related to remote work, IT engineers also need to improve their skills moving forward. Sources:https://xtech.nikkei.com/atcl/nxt/column/18/00001/04125/?P=2https://www.java-career.com/column/industry-knowledge/influence-of-coronavirus-to-it-industory/https://arvo.showcase-tv.com/140081/https://www.java-career.com/column/industry-knowledge/engineer-and-telework/