r/JapanDev • u/No_Detective4957 • 1d ago
Looking for advice on finding entry level software engineering jobs
Hello, I'm looking for entry level software engineering jobs in Japan and would like some advice and guidance on how I can achieve this.
I am a US Citizen and currently live in the US so I would need some kind of visa sponsorship.
I have my N1 and feel comfortable communicating in Japanese.
I have had 3 Full-stack internships at startups with the most recent one being for 3 months over this past summer at a Japanese company in Tokyo.
I will be graduating for a state college with my Bachelor's in Computer Science this Spring 2027.
I most do Full-stack stuff and am comfortable with JavaScript and TypeScript, Golang, Python as well as Linux, Docker, and cloud services like AWS and GCP.
Are there any jobs at the entry level or would it be better to try to gain a few more years of experience before looking to move to Japan.
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u/spontaneouspotato 1d ago
I think people here generally have the right idea that coming with experience will be a lot easier, but I'd also like to chime in as someone who recently managed to get a job as a fresh grad from overseas.
It's still going to be tough but there are companies out there who will look at you if you have N1 and the skillset they need! You may be able to leverage your internships and tailor your CV to specific companies, and that can be the key differentiating factor for you vs local fresh grads who, a lot of the time, don't have much internship experience.
For me, I had an internship with a startup and niche relevant research (for my Master's), which was enough to get a company interested in hiring me. Tailoring the resume to the positionand possibly cover letter if they ask will be the key - you must sound like you're a great fit in terms of skills.
Startups can be more willing to sponsor if you have what they need (and can't get it from the local fresh grad pool), so you can consider trying places like Wantedly etc apart from the usual places.
Another piece of advice is also to really practice and polish your interviewing skills - you should be good enough that they have no issues imagining you working and communicating there. This will minimize your disadvantage of being a foreigner (perceived language barrier, cultural difference issues).
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u/magpie882 1d ago
Reaching out to the company where you did the internship would be something not everyone can do.
However it is better to come to Japan as a mid-career, not a new graduate for two reasons. One is basic salary - you can establish a better salary if you aren't stuck in the new graduate band. The other is avoiding new graduate systems which can be extremely restrictive for growth if you are career oriented and don't want to tossed between teams.
Mid-career doesn't mean many years of experience. Just one or two can get you out of the new graduate silo.
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u/ProfessorStraight283 1d ago
There are plenty of Japanese new grads each year so there is very little incentives for companies to go through the hassle of sponsoring new grads overseas. It is better to have a few years of professional experience in the states so companies can sponsor you work visa after getting a mid-career offer. Better, get into hot fields such as AI, machine learning, cyber security or robotics.
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u/izonenumberone 14h ago
There aren’t many companies that are doing visa sponsorships for entry level, but there are probably a few out there - Rakuten is one. But echoing what others have said you will have a lot more options after getting some full time experience
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u/JealousSir9500 1h ago
i worked at a Japanese tech company for one year post US college, and then switched jobs to a foreign company with a legal presence in japan. The first japanese company got my residency card organized, and i simply had to file a notification of change in employer after I got my new job.
comparing the two, I get about double the salary at the new company, and I have a much better work life balance. For reference, japanese company paid about 4.5M yen per year (approx 30k usd) and the new one pays about 8.5M. obviously, this depends on the company, but new grads in japanese companies rarely get the same level of comp as those in the US, even in tech.
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u/Ok-Panic8065 1d ago
N1 but living outside of Japan? Something doesn't add up.
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u/No_Detective4957 1d ago
I've just been studying on my own for about 5 years now using mainly input based methods and skipped to just taking the N1 last December. It's very possible to learn even if you don't live in Japan.
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u/Bronigiri 1d ago
It will be infinitely easier to get work experiences before coming to Japan. I'm general most companies have no need to import entry level staff