Hey everyone, this is probably one of those typical questions people ask here, and I’ll probably get a few “you’re not special” comments, lol. But I wanted to hear some honest input on my possible plans to move and work in Japan.
A bit about me: I’m 25 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Marketing. I live and work in New York for a nonprofit that helps formerly homeless people adjust to living in subsidized housing (Section 8/HRA). It’s a pretty simple job—nothing too stressful—aside from helping some tenants who aren’t very tech-savvy with their paperwork.
I’ve traveled to Japan about four or five times now. On my third trip, I actually worked as an ALT in the countryside. I didn’t really enjoy that experience, so I came back home determined to find another path to live in Japan—ideally something not related to teaching English or working at a convenience store. That’s when I started thinking about tech.
To be blunt, I make around $53k a year before taxes, which isn’t bad for my field, but it’s not exciting or fulfilling. I decided to transition into computer programming—even though I know I’m a bit late to the game and the job market is rough right now. I’m currently about 51% through my Software Engineering degree and plan to get a master’s afterward (my first degree let me transfer a lot of credits).
I’ve been applying to tons of internships and entry-level programming jobs but keep getting rejected. The farthest I’ve gotten was taking an online assessment for an SDE I position at Amazon, but it’s been two weeks with no response—so I’m assuming that’s a no.
Since I can’t seem to land a job here in the U.S., I came up with a couple of plans:
Plan A: Finish my bachelor’s and master’s, save up as much money as I can, and then attend a language school in Japan to get a long-term visa. While there, I’d apply for tech jobs. It’s risky, I know—there’s a chance I won’t find a job even while living in Japan.
Plan B: Join the military. I talked with a friend who finished his contract a year ago, and he said it’s possible to work as a government contractor in Japan afterward, with lots of benefits. He mentioned that during training, I might be able to study software engineering—but it’s not guaranteed, and I’d likely be placed wherever they need me. After the three-year contract, he said I could probably request a Japan assignment and almost be guaranteed it due to rank and experience. Of course, the main thing I’d be sacrificing in this plan is time—which also applies to the first plan, honestly.
Has anyone here taken a similar route or have any advice or experience to share?
by AaronBG321