Q1: How and when did you start looking for a job?

I started job hunting in March 2022 and mainly relied on the internet and friends to gather information about companies, and submitted my ES and applied for each opportunity. I mainly focused on the IT industry, particularly in solution companies.

Q2: Looking back on your job-hunting experience, please tell us one thing you would have done differently.

I think I should have started job hunting as early as possible.

Q3: Looking back on your job hunting, please tell us if you had any difficulties.

Waiting for the results from companies that take a long time to notify about interview results.

Q4: Lastly, what advice do you have for other international students?

Please keep submitting your entry sheets and job applications to new companies until you have received a confirmed offer from a company that you really like.

Q1: How and when did you start looking for a job?

Around summer during first year of my masters program, I started by searching for one day internships.

Q2: Looking back on your job-hunting experience, please tell us one thing you would have done differently.

I was very nervous because it was my first(and only)job interview throughout the whole job hunting process. I remembered giving a lot of “textbook” answers during the interview which come to think of it, I probably should not have done that or at least to that extent.

Q3: Looking back on your job hunting, please tell us if you had any difficulties.

I wished that my academic advisor was more supportive of my job hunting.

Q4: Lastly, what advice do you have for other international students?

You know yourself better than anyone so take time to think about job conditions that are important to you. Being fluent in Japanese will increase your chances of getting a job.

Q1: How and when did you start looking for a job?

I started job hunting activities from August 2020 until July 2021.
In august 2020, I did “self-analysis”. I used this opportunity to know more about myself. The “self-analysis” is the most important thing to do to start job hunting activities. After doing self-analysis, I started to join a lot of job festival fair that you could no more about companies in Japan. This is the important step to see what field of job you are interested in. By listening to the explanation of certain companies, they will offer you internship to learn more about the company.
My job hunting period was much longer compared to other Japanese and international students.

Q2: Looking back on your job-hunting experience, please tell us one thing you would have done differently.

I would like to visit OB/OG more to get advice or to get information that I could not get from internet or job fair.

Q3: Looking back on your job hunting, please tell us if you had any difficulties.

The hardest part I felt from job hunting is to speak in short, dense and clear in a limited time during interview. During the job hunting activities, I kept learning to speak clearly in a cohesive statements.

Q4: Lastly, what advice do you have for other international students?

In my opinion, job hunting was an enjoyment. Because it gave me the opportunity to listen to different opinions and look back at myself, which made me grow. I don't care if you are a small- and medium-sized enterprises or a company that you are not interested in, so I recommend you to enter for the time being.

Q1: How and when did you start looking for a job?

I attended information sessions from several companies since the beginning of January. By the end of the month, I had selected three companies that I wanted to join the most. After that I focused on the applications of these three companies (doing internships, attending special events). At the same time, I submitted “entry sheets” to several other companies in case I wasn’t able to join one of my top three.

Q2: Looking back on your job-hunting experience, please tell us one thing you would have done differently.

I would have loved to have joined a summer internship. In my experience, internships are the most efficient way to learn about the company’s culture and get insight about the inner workings of the company.

Q3: Looking back on your job hunting, please tell us if you had any difficulties.

It was difficult to write “Entry Sheets” while focusing on practicing for the different tests (e.g. SPI) required by each company.

Q4: Lastly, what advice do you have for other international students?

Start researching the companies you would like to join, narrow down the list of the companies you will actually apply to, and start preparing the “Entry Sheets” for those companies. Also, I think it is important to join an internship at the company you most prefer to enter.