Can I get a job in Japan without JLPT if I can speak conversational Japanese?

Hi everyone,

I’m a Canadian planning to come to Japan this year. I intend to spend about 3–6 months studying Japanese full-time, with the goal of improving quickly and eventually finding a job in Japan—ideally in manufacturing or mechanical engineering (my background), or possibly in something international or business-related.

I’m considering starting to apply for jobs on platforms like LinkedIn or Indeed once I reach a basic to intermediate conversational level, even if I haven’t passed the JLPT yet.

I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone with relevant experience:
1️⃣Is it realistic to find a job in Japan without passing JLPT N2/N1, if I can speak and understand Japanese fairly well?
2️⃣Do employers care more about your language certificate, or your actual communication and performance during the interview?
3️⃣Are there certain industries or companies that are more flexible about Japanese language requirements, especially for foreigners?

Any tips, real stories, or even hard truths are welcome. Thanks in advance for your help!