u/SessionStrange4205

Hey everyone, can you share your experiences job hunting in Japan, especially for software roles. Also hoping to get some honest feedback on my situation. I will give out awards to helpful comments!

If you’ve gone through it, I’d love to know:

• Your background (YOE, education, tech stack, etc..)
• How long it took to land an offer
• Where you applied (job boards, recruiters, etc.)
• What interviews were like (leetcode/system design or something else entirely)

About me:

• CS degree from NYU (graduated in 2024)
• ~1 year of SWE experience (outside the US)
• Worked with Python, Docker, SQL, AWS, LangChain
• Did some work integrating a legacy ERP system with a newer automation setup

My current plan:

• Go to language school in Japan for 1–2 years and aim for N2/N1
• Start applying while studying (or right after)
• Maybe brush up on C/C++ / embedded / OS stuff to try for robotics or automotive roles

I’m mainly wondering:

• Is this a realistic path to landing a dev job in Japan?
• Or would it make more sense to pivot entirely (like doing a master’s in Europe and going for something like accounting/audit for visa stability)?

Appreciate any honest takes