Passed N1 with full marks in Listening/Reading (44/60/60) – How much does grammar matter for working in Japan?

I have taken JLPT N1 and I’m really happy with the outcome: 44/60/60 (Total: 164/180). I managed to get full credit on both the Reading and Listening sections!

I can chat with Japanese native speakers pretty smoothly, but since I’m entirely self-taught, I feel like my grammar is my weakest point. I still make occasional small mistakes—nothing that stops communication, but enough that I notice them.

My goal is to eventually work in Japan. Will these small grammar gaps be a major problem in a professional Japanese environment? Even with an N1 certificate, do companies care more about perfect accuracy or the ability to communicate fluently?

How can I specifically improve my grammar at this "post-N1" level? Since I learned everything on my own, I think I have some "Swiss cheese" gaps where I know complex things but trip up on the basics.

Has anyone else been in a similar spot? I’d love to hear your experiences or any resources you’d recommend for polishing up grammar for the workplace.

by go_dolphin