Is it sane to leave India for a mid tier Software Engineering job in Japan?

Japan is an aspirational place to live in but I have no relation to Japan besides anime, music, and foreign content creators over there.

Besides that there are problems about racial discrimination that I have heard against Indians, though I don't completely believe them.

P.S: I have been selected for a job in Osaka which I can join as soon as I clear N3. Can you guys please provide some advice? Thanks.

Hello! I am 28F, from India. For the last several years I've worked but never felt fulfilled. I completed my Bachelor's and Master's in Literature as it was really something I liked and enjoyed. I couldn't go farther for education due to some constraints.

Worked as a freelance content editor and writer for a good 2-3 years around and after that time. It was not high paying and not consistent at all. It got worse after COVID when the scene became saturated here with all BTech/BCom/BBA pass outs starting working the same jobs. No offense to them since the unemployment was (and still is) very bad in our country, but their low rates really affected work for literature/language graduates.

Started working as an AI trainer FTE in 2024 with a solid paycheck, easy money ~ around 7LPA. WFH, living w my parents, no excessive expenditure. This was my first proper job as in the previous jobs I was not paid (ahhh startup and "will pay you when we receive funds"). Work was pretty chill here with some phases of overwork. Salary bumped to 7.5 in year 2.

I recently left my employment after 2.5 years due to excessive mental strain, lack of personal life and toxic environment. I also started to question the ethical implications of the work I was doing and how I was doing and it did not sit well with me. Good for me for leaving when i did because the company laid-off the whole department 2 weeks later.

Now- i don't know what to do. I feel so stuck and in a limbo. I love creative, helping professions. Have always felt attracted towards those. I am a jack of all trades, happy and eager to learn- that makes things quite difficult since that route doesn't have a fixed trajectory.

I am great with brainstorming and idea generation, looking at the big picture, helping my close friends in suggestions (about events, products, shoots, creative aspects). Unfortunately, the city I come from has a very elitist culture, groupism, kitty type. Rich people know rich people since school and they mingle and work amongst themselves. I've never had a supportive friend group who'd help in outreach or promotion- have a very limited one now.

Phew, typing this out feels very humiliating at my age when many of my friends are settled in their lives. If anyone has any ideas, could offer suggestions, inputs, I'd love to hear <3 Thank you

I(24M) worked as Customer Support for 1.5 years. I was laid off. For while, I stopped looking for 4 months since I had been fired as I started to follow my passion. Following passion can't enough feed me and my family. I understood the truth of life. I just keep applying but I won't receive any call.

For past 3 months I only attended 3 interviews. My job;s quite different in my previous company. I do write a script to fetch data of API and used to write a SQL quries sometimes for manipulating , handling the client queries about product and also ya'll know of process of Tech Support/Cust Supp. There I did rotational shift which is exhausting. I used to handle them through mail most of time . Hardly handle them in call. that was our protocol. As I'm introverted, It was suitable to me. Now mostly I have been interviewed and for call and market requires call rather than tech. Call isn't my thing. Even with my family and friends, I prefer to talk direct and straight to point.

Right now, I'm thinking about moving to Network domain as it (ECE) is part of curriculum. I have love for networking and linux. And also I think of preparing for comptia Network+ to get myself hired. I'm willing to spend another 2 month on networking and linux to get the job.

Switching over to new domain job won't cause any issues to me?

should we mention career gap in resume if its more than 2+. How difficult will it be to turn in?

So for context, I am a 22F and a recent graduate (not so recent lol, its been almost 5 months now) and I still could not figure out what I genuinely wanna pursue, I graduated from Computer Engineering but wasnt passionate about it, I only went into it because of my family as its a "high paying career" according to them, but most of the time I hated it, I never liked going to classes or sitting in labs coding for two hours straight for god knows what use! So I kinda wasted all of my four years not gaining skills or rawdogging leetcode like my classmates. I passed the classes by studying only 2 days before finals and scored somewhat average gpa. But now I dont wanna pursue it anymore, its not like I never gave tech a shot, I have tried learning software development, then AI/ML, then cybersec but none of them genuinely gained my interest, I dropped them after doing them for like 2-3 months everytime.

Now I am researching ALOTTT, every career, every stream but I am not getting any clue which one because I am too scared to make a wrong choice AGAIN. I wanted to go into something more hands on like machines, robots etc etc, or something creative but most of the creative field are in danger due to AI. So if you guys can help me out, I am all ears.

I'm looking for honest advice from people who have been through something similar, especially experienced software developers or hiring managers in India.

My background

After completing my MCA (Master of Computer Applications) in 2017, I accumulated around 6.5 years of professional experience in software development, primarily in Java, Spring, and SAP Commerce (Hybris).

I worked at established IT services companies on enterprise e-commerce projects involving REST APIs, third-party integrations, order and payment flows, customisations, and production troubleshooting.

I left my last job in 2023 because I genuinely believed I could build a sustainable income through stock-market trading and eventually become financially independent. I spent a substantial amount of time learning, researching, and trading, but I haven't managed to build the consistent income I had hoped for. I've since stopped trading and am now trying to return to a regular software development job.

During the gap, I also developed a 2D game using Godot and published it on the Google Play Store. It was a personal project that gave me experience completing and releasing something independently, although it doesn't replace professional Java development experience.

What I've been doing to return to work

Over the past couple of months, I've been preparing for interviews, refreshing my Java and Spring Boot knowledge, revising backend development concepts, and applying for Java backend and SAP Commerce roles.

I'm primarily looking for opportunities in Delhi NCR or remote positions, as relocating isn't practical for me.

The response has been discouraging. Most applications receive no response. I've had a few interview opportunities, but they haven't translated into an offer. In some cases, recruiters seem to lose interest when they learn about my career gap.

I'm beginning to wonder whether my resume is poorly positioned, whether companies are filtering me out because of the gap, whether my technical preparation isn't sufficient, or whether I'm targeting the wrong roles.

A placement service recently told me that I'd struggle to get hired with such a long gap and offered to arrange fake employment documents for ₹20,000–₹30,000 (US$230–$345). I don't want to misrepresent my employment history, so I'm trying to find legitimate ways to overcome this barrier.

I'm not comfortable doing that. I don't want to risk my future by lying about employment, but I also don't know how best to overcome this obstacle.

My questions

1. How realistic is it to return to software development in India with 6.5 years of genuine Java/Spring experience and a 3.5-year career gap?
2. Would you prioritise SAP Commerce/Hybris roles, Java/Spring backend roles, or adjacent roles such as integration engineering?
3. How would you explain a gap spent on independent trading and personal software development without making it sound like an excuse?
4. I'm currently working on a substantial backend self-project involving multiple microservices and technologies such as Spring Boot, Docker, Kubernetes, Kafka, and React. Would building a well-tested, end-to-end project like this meaningfully improve my chances of getting interviews and demonstrate that my skills are current? Or are employers likely to dismiss it because it's a personal project rather than professional experience?
5. What would you do differently in my position? Would you focus on referrals, direct recruiter outreach, service companies, smaller product companies, contract roles, or something else?
6. Has anyone here successfully returned to software development after a multi-year career gap? What actually helped you land your first offer?

I'm not expecting anyone to tell me that everything will be fine. I'd appreciate practical, realistic advice, even if it's uncomfortable to hear.

I'm willing to put in the work. I just want to make sure I'm working on the right things rather than spending another few months repeating a strategy that isn't producing results.

Thank you.

I’m interested in pursuing a career as a sports scout. I’d like to know what the usual career path looks like, what skills or qualifications are useful, and how I can get started, especially in India. Any advice or experiences from people working in sports scouting would be appreciated.

Regards

Im a 2027 graduate and I currently have 2 offers , One is 4lpa from a service based company and the other is around 6lpa in hand from a small startup where i previously interned, at the startup, my work was around ai agents and prompts. I can rejoin the company from jan and do internship for around 6 more months before converting full time (which is uncertain), Im concerned abt the conversion thing, and about job stability later on as it is a small startup.

With the service based company, the joining date will obviously be delayed and I dont have an idea about what role I will be assigned to (could be support or testing) which will hinder my growth, I can spend the time at home doing DSA, projects so on until the joining date but Im uncertain abt the projects I will be assigned to in the company. So, Im confused with both the offers, and also in the startup I wont have a lot of free time as I've seen the employees there as it was hectic, so I wont have as much free time as I would in the service based as per my understanding but Im not sure yet. Please help me out.

Hi everyone,

I'm a 22-year-old Indian IT graduate and I'm trying to make an informed long-term career decision before I start specialising.

My goals are:

• High salary and long-term career growth
• Strong international job opportunities
• The best realistic chance of eventually obtaining permanent residency and citizenship in a developed country

I'm currently considering paths such as Software Engineering, Cloud, DevOps, Cybersecurity, AI/ML, Data Engineering, and other IT specializations.

My biggest concern is investing the next 3–5 years in the wrong specialization, only to discover later that it has limited global demand or makes long-term relocation much more difficult.

If you were starting your career again today with these goals, which IT specialization would you choose and why?

If you've relocated internationally or work in one of these fields, I'd especially appreciate hearing about your experience and reasoning.

Thank you!

I'm currently in 4-1 Btech (CSE), and my training has begun.

Please stay with me .

I'm unsure whether to focus on my training or pursue higher studies like M.Des.

I'm not interested in IT jobs, especially those requiring relocation, which lack work-life balance, and where getting leave approval is difficult.

I prefer designing, floor plans, choosing flooring, cabinets, colours, etc.

I started Btech without knowing about placements, drives, or DSA.

Every time I planned to focus on DSA and skills, academic tasks intervened. I have no friends to prepare for placements, no hackathons, no internships- I'm basically a loner

By the time I realised, I'm in 4-1, our college asked us to submit resumes.

Mine was blank, with no achievements.

I wondered if I could stay in an industry I dislike. Recently, our college sent a form to opt out of campus placements if interested in higher studies.

I considered M.des, But my family called design a waste and said not to fill

the opt out form and try for placement, And I was like , I don't have no skills, haven't interned, built projects, or participated in hackathons, and I've ignored

training and placement messages. I wonder if I can get a job, and even if I do, will I be happy working for something that I'll not be satisfied with.

Then again though to go for UI/UX, even though that is design and is related to IT field, Still not interested.

if we talk about money, well i only need a decent amount a month, enough to live by (no need of rent money) that's it

I stay in Hyderabad and don't plan to move.

My questions are:

1. Should I focus on placements and try for UI/UX, or is the design industry good enough for me to pursue it?

2. Can I get a job if I pursue M.des?

3. What do people do in these jobs? Is it only designing ? (I know there's site checking, but what is the actual work?)

4.What skills should I learn in M.des? How do I network with vendors?

1. If I don't get a job, can I freelancing and earn enough in Hyderabad?

Also, does anyone know a Discord channel to learn more about interior design? Please help; I have no siblings or contacts in this industry for guidance.

I’ve been working as a frontend developer since 2018, mainly with React and related technologies. But recently, especially with AI becoming a big part of development, I’ve started feeling that finding a good frontend job with a decent hike is getting harder.

I also feel like a lot of frontend developers are now moving towards backend, AI, automation, etc. So I started exploring Python, FastAPI, Django, and AI automation.

One reason I’m considering Python is that, from the research I’ve done, the Python developer market seems less crowded compared to frontend/React. I also genuinely like learning Python so far.

My plan right now is to properly learn Python first, then FastAPI/Django, databases, APIs, and eventually get into AI automation.

For Python developers - here do you think I’m thinking in the right direction?

Would really appreciate some honest advice, especially from people who have actually worked in Python/backend. Don’t mind telling me if my thinking is completely wrong 😅

i am a 23 year old software engineer i have completed my computer engineering this year and started working at a startup with an average salary. I feel sort of confused or stuck in my current situation. I really don't know what i should do in the future, it seems like i have no dreams and i am very much confused about my future.

Should i study for higher education? (I do want to move internationally in my life) should i learn new skills or practice dsa to get a better job at a bigger company? should i start my own company? should i start content creation for my personal brand as a software developer? Should I just do nothing for a year?

I’m a student from India who recently completed Class 12 with PCM. I’m currently trying to decide what career/degree I should pursue, but I’m quite confused because I keep hearing different things about AI, CS saturation, cybersecurity, data science, etc.

I’m considering studying abroad for my bachelor's if I can find an affordable university/scholarship.

The main fields I’m currently considering are:

• Computer Science / Software Engineering
• Data Analytics / Data Science
• AI / Machine Learning
• Cybersecurity
• Mathematics / Statistics → Data Science/AI
• Quantitative Finance / Quant

I have a few questions, especially for people who are already working in these fields:

1. Which of these fields currently has good job demand in India and abroad?

2. Which fields do you think will still have strong demand 5–10 years from now?

3. How is AI actually affecting entry-level jobs in CS, data analytics, AI/ML and cybersecurity?
I don't want marketing-type answers like "AI will create more jobs." I'd really appreciate experiences from people who are actually working in these industries.

4. How difficult is it to get the FIRST job in each field?
For example, is cybersecurity difficult to enter without experience? Is data science becoming difficult for fresh graduates? Is software engineering still a reasonable entry point?

5. For someone doing a bachelor's, would it be better to do a broad degree like Computer Science and specialize later, or choose a specialized degree like Cybersecurity/Data Science/AI from the beginning?

6. How transferable are these careers internationally?
I'm interested in potentially working in countries such as Germany, Netherlands, Ireland, Australia, etc. after my degree. Which of these fields has the best international mobility?

7. What are realistic salary ranges for fresh graduates and after ~5–10 years?
I'd especially appreciate answers comparing India vs Europe/Australia, rather than extremely high salaries from exceptional cases.

8. For Quant:
How realistic is it for someone without an IIT/top-tier university background to enter quant? What level of mathematics/programming is actually required, and is it worth considering as a career option?

I'm not necessarily looking for the highest possible salary. I'm looking for a career that has a combination of:

• Good long-term demand
• Good income
• International opportunities
• Reasonable work-life balance
• Low risk of becoming obsolete because of AI
• A realistic path for an average student rather than only the top 1%

I'd especially appreciate responses from people currently working in these fields, hiring managers, or people who have recently graduated.

Thanks!

I am a class 11th commerce with applied maths student studying in India.

i keep a keen interest in robotics, electronics, etc. (i have a 3D printer, built a cnc plotter, and drones)

but at the same time, i don't want to become an engineer (because of JEE needing chemistry, and i completely hate it).

thus, i am thinking about becoming a chartered accountant.

I don't like the job environment

am currently running a business making around 30k in revenue per month

I am totally confused what can and should i pursue in life.

half of the year of my 11th standard has been completed, take a good interest in subjects like business studies, accountancy, economics, and the applied maths subject as well.

i have started reading books recently about sales, business, etc.

guidance about what should i do/pursue would be appreciated

thankyou!

I recently graduated college with a Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering. Didn't get placed anywhere; so currently sitting at home and applying to various places through LinkedIn and their career websites, but the responses are very few. I did attend a few interviews and got through to next rounds and all, but still no luck. I have good academic knowledge. I am the type of guy who knows a bit about a lotta topics rather than knowing deep about a certain topic. I am planning to use this time to upskill and get good at a certain niche. What are the some of the most sought after niches/skills by companies? Could be in the mechanical or automotive industries. Niches that have good career growth opportunities and stability? Any guidance or support would be appreciated. Thanks

In the month of May, I completed my final semester and in the first week of August, I also completed my graduation ceremony. Now it’s been a month since that, so approximately 4 months I didn’t do anything. In my college time, I used to work on my skills, but when exams were closer, I had to stop everything and concentrate on it, and after exams, it used to take me 2-3 months to come out from that cooling period so it continued till the eight semesters and now everything is completed. Coming to the point, should I take any courses from outside or sit for six months to work on my skills(but I’m actually worried about career gap). At this point, I’m not understanding anything. I’m feeling lost and blank. Please, please, I request you to give me any genuine advice ASAP!

Fresher with SQL + Power BI analyst project experience, trying to figure out a realistic timeline to become competitive for Associate Data Scientist / Data Scientist roles at larger companies.

Currently learning Python/pandas, planning to build one solid end-to-end ML project (currently doing loan default risk prediction) rather than collecting courses.

For people who made this transition (analyst-leaning background → data scientist):

1. Realistically, how long did it take you to go from 'knows SQL + BI' to being able to pass a data scientist interview?

2. Did you need deep AI/LLM knowledge to get hired, or is that overkill for an entry-level/associate role and more of a later-career thing?

3. Should I keep applying to data analyst roles in parallel while building toward data scientist, or does that hurt how I'm positioned?

Trying to build one thing well rather than rush through everything shallowly — just want a realistic sense of the timeline and what actually matters at the entry level vs what's overkill.

Hi lads,

I'm 22M moving back to Bangalore. I've worked at a reputed company for a little over a year as a backend HR analyst supporting teams in the states with experience in HRIS (Workday) and CRM (Salesforce) platforms.

The issue is, it's been almost a year since I left that job and had to move abroad to support my family. I didn't do anything that could be mentioned on my resume during this time. I tried applying there to land jobs but local laws and my lack of experience didn't help and I was unable to get even a single interview.

I'll be travelling back to India soon and I'm not sure how to get about landing a job there. I will be grateful for any piece of advice including what platforms to use and how to apply. I have time to invest in learning new skills, certifications (at a reasonable cost), courses etc. Thank you for taking the time to help me out.

So, I recently quit my job as a content marketer at my company because of my super toxic manager. I quit before getting another job because at one point I would literally feel like throwing up whenever I received a message from her. I am so stressed out, I am losing chunks of hair and gaining so much weight without even eating. Honestly, everyone in her team has had enough of her. The company won't take action because she's highly effective in her role; however, she is a poor manager, and when complaints are raised against her, the company asks us to work around her and not take anything to heart. She literally compares us to animals, calls us dumb, makes us feel useless, works us to the bone (we work 16 hours a day), and has created such a toxic environment in our team that we are all too scared to even ask a doubt. It seems people are ready to blame others so they don't have to hear her call us useless or make us feel insecure.

Anyhow, I am currently serving my notice period (which is about to end in around three weeks).

Despite the manager's shortcomings, the company I work for provides decent employee benefits and pay. Everyone gets industry-standard pay, and you do get a lot of exposure to the industry by working with them. So, I have been working here for 1 year and 10 months and get paid a decent salary (~ $10,000 a year). I have 4 years of work experience. Now, while searching for another job, I ask them if they can pay me the same amount (not even more), but so far everyone has either said no or offered me less pay.

They say it's too much! Am I asking or expecting too much?

Up until now, I have cleared all their assignments and interviews, and all these jobs want me to do so much more than what I am doing in my current company. But after all this, they give me offers that are genuinely shocking. Like today, I was offered a job after clearing their interviews (I had interviews with 6 different people), and cleared their assignment (I had to create 5 social media posts, three blogs, create a social media and content startegy for an ed tech company, write 3 LinkedIn essays for their CEO, write webaite copies for an imaginary mobile company, come up with 30 questions that I would ask their potential client, write a pitch for their product, and design two carousels using Canva). I did all this. They liked all of it. And then they said they could only provide around $6,000 per year. The role I applied for was Senior Content Strategist. The pay is waaaaay less than what I am currently getting, and the work is so much more. When I rejected the offer, they said that, given my experience, this is all they can give and that I am asking too much (FYI: this might sound like they were rude, but they were really sweet). Am I really asking too much? I am losing all my confidence and am worried that rejecting all these companies was a bad decision (I have rejected 3 so far). Am I being greedy? What if I don't get a job anytime soon?

I really am starting to get super insecure and worried. So, I thought I would ask here.

Thank you so very much for taking the time to read this!!! I hope everyone has an amazing week and all of your dreams come true!!

EDIT: I noticed a whole lot of typos. I have corrected most of them. Sorry, I am just super jittery from all the stress and can't seem to think straight. I apologise if my typos bothered you!

This might sound like a small thing, but I’ve been thinking about it lately.

When I started my career, I always addressed HR as Ma'am or Sir. It felt like the respectful and “safe” way to go.

But over time, I got used to addressing HR by their first names instead, and now it feels more natural.

Now I’m 29 and have a few years of experience, so addressing by name feels fine to me.
But what about for freshers? Should they still stick with Mam/Sir out of respect, like many of us did at the start, or is it okay to use names right away?

Curious to hear from both job seekers and HR folks — how do you prefer to be addressed during interviews or calls?

Please note: I'm from India especially Taminadu guy

Very confused pls help.

How much is my CGPA actually going to affect campus placements in Design?
Current;y, i have 7.12 and my fourth/final year is going to start in 1 month.

I'm from the first batch of the Design program at Shiv Nadar University, so we don't really have placement data from previous batches to judge anything.

Also, what should I realistically expect from the Career Development Centre (CDC)? Do they actively help Design students get internships and placements, or is it mostly on us to build our portfolio, network, and apply off-campus?w

I'd especially appreciate responses from:

• Design students from other colleges who've gone through placements
• Recruiters or people working in the design industry

Hi everyone,I am [30 F] looking for some honest feedback on my career transition plan.

My Background:Education: MBA with a dual specialization in Finance and Marketing.

Experience: 2 years of corporate experience in operational/non-core finance roles.

The Gap: I have a 5-year career break due to marriage and family management (with kid)

My Current Strategy:I want to transition into Human Resources. My current plan is to complete an online HR certification course to learn the fundamentals, and then actively apply for HR internships or workforce re-entry "returnship" programs to gain hands-on experience.

My Questions for the Community:

1) Is an online course paired with an internship a realistic way to bridge a 5-year gap, or do employers look for formal HR degrees?

2) How heavily will automated screening systems (ATS) penalize my 5-year gap, and how can I best format my resume to bypass them?

3)Are there specific HR certifications (like SHRM-CP or HRCI coursera) that carry more weight for someone re-entering the workforce?

Appreciate any advice or insights from HR professionals who have hiring experience or have made a similar pivot!

Hi everyone,

I recently received a referral for a Software Engineer role at Ethera AI through a friend.

I submitted my first assessment a few days ago and am currently waiting for an update. I was wondering if anyone else here is going through (or has recently gone through) the Ethera AI hiring process.

A few questions:

• Have you completed the first assessment?
• How long did it take to hear back after submitting it?
• Were there additional rounds after the assessment?
• What was your overall experience with the process?

I'm mainly trying to understand the typical timeline and whether others have received any updates after the assessment stage.

Thanks in advance!

I was originally planning to prepare for the RBI, but in 2024 I had a family emergency and ended up leaving my job in wealth management. Since then, I've been trying to find a career path that offers more flexibility because I have responsibilities at home.

Ideally, I'd like work that is remote or flexible, while still involving some travel. My ideal setup would be being able to travel for projects and return to my hometown every week.

Career-wise, I'm drawn to roles that sit at the intersection of finance, government, policy, and corporate strategy. One thing I value is being around ambitious, high-performing people and having exposure to senior decision-makers in both the public and private sectors.

Long-term, I'd like to build a strong professional network, work on projects that have real economic or business impact, and develop expertise that opens doors across industries rather than being locked into a narrow function.

Given these goals and constraints, what career paths would you suggest? Are there roles that realistically combine flexibility, travel, exposure to influential networks, and meaningful work, or am I trying to optimize for too many things at once?