**Importance of Self-Investment and Annual Income**

Hello, everyone! This is Kenta.
In my conversations with foreign engineers every day, I've noticed that many people feel they are missing out on important opportunities, so I decided to write this article. It might be quite tough to read, but I hope you'll consider it as something relevant to yourself.

Please refer to the chart below. There are two key points for foreign engineers looking to increase their income through job changes: ① years of engineering experience and ② proficiency in Japanese. Of course, if you're planning to shape your career exclusively in foreign companies, Japanese proficiency may not be necessary. However, many individuals still aspire to work for Japanese companies.

Among them, engineers who feel they are in particularly challenging circumstances fall into the category of ① in the chart below. Typically, those in category ① earn around 3 to 3.5 million yen annually and aspire to move to stable, large companies paying over 4 million yen through job changes. Unfortunately, many engineers have failed in their job change attempts. Why is that? It's due to "insufficient Japanese language skills."

Large, stable companies that everyone wants to work for require at least JLPT N2 proficiency and business-level conversational skills, along with a minimum of 3 years of engineering experience. In other words, if you possess these skills, landing a job at a major Japanese corporation is relatively achievable.

However, many engineers in category ① are dissatisfied with their current income. Some are considering changing jobs in less than a year. However, job changes often don't go smoothly, and many find themselves continually searching for new opportunities. Even if they successfully change jobs, some see only a modest increase of around 200,000 yen from their previous salary, and their dissatisfaction persists, leading them to consider another job change within a year. Of course, I can't deny that job changes are subjective decisions, but the reality is that, especially from the perspective of major Japanese companies, it's tough for job hoppers like these to secure offers unless they have exceptional skills.

If you're reading this article and your Japanese proficiency is at a conversational level, especially if you fall into category ①, please seriously consider self-investment.

Certainly, you may be dissatisfied with your current salary at your current company, and you may have concerns about the future. In that case, activities that will help your future self are considered self-investment. It may be tough now, but if your years of engineering experience and Japanese language skills are still immature, start by gaining solid engineering experience at your current workplace and sincerely brushing up on your Japanese. As a result of your efforts, improving your Japanese language skills and gaining practical engineering experience will lead to a significant increase in your income. I believe a bright future awaits you, rather than a future where you didn't make the effort.

Especially regarding Japanese proficiency, obtaining N2 certification is a prerequisite, and additionally, your ability to converse at a business level may be assessed during interviews, so I strongly recommend seeking professional assistance.

At our school, professional Japanese instructors provide one-on-one support to improve your Japanese language skills for business. If you're interested, please consider signing up for a free trial lesson. If you decide to formally enroll, we will propose a curriculum tailored to your goals.
https://nihongo-career.com/

We sincerely hope for the best in your future endeavors.