Interview Article: What is the most Inspired Career Fly in Japan for international IT engineer at Solairo-vol.1

Today we, Career Fly team, went to the IT company “Solairo“ to understand the experience of an international engineer “How is Career Fly in Japan”. Read on as the international engineer share the experience of working & living in Japan.

Mr. Armando J. Ortiz from Solairo
Meet Mr. Armando J Ortiz who joined Solairo 1.5 years back from Puerto Rico. He works as a full stack engineer. He traveled to Japan once for three weeks & liked it so much that he decided to start his career here.
Read his motivating story as he didn't know the Japanese language & also didn't know the programming language which he is currently working one, but still was able to build a career in Japan. Towards the end of the interview, Mr.Armando gives some good advice for future candidates.

Caree Fly(CF): Hello! Mr. Armando, what's your story? How you became an Engineer? What inspired you to choose programming?

Mr. Armando(A) : I am from Puerto Rico. I did my studies there. I joined Puerto Rico university as a general student & took computer science only as a subject. In those computer programming classes, something sparked and I decided to do Computer engineerings as my mains. I am in love with programming now.

CF: After graduation, you had so many places to go, as in America & other places? Why did you decide to work in Japan?

A : After my graduation, the whole new world of opportunities had opened up for me. But I decided to come to Japan. I had already been to Japan earlier for 3 weeks as a tourist & I liked this place a lot. 

CF: How you came to Japan earlier?

A : I went from Puerto Rico to Thailand for a student exchange program and traveled from there to Japan. During that time I really liked Japan & it remained back of my mind that I want to live here someday.

CF: So, how did you search for a job in Japan from Puerto Rico?

A : Over the internet through many groups. My search was very limited as I was looking for companies accepting Non- Japanese candidates and also offering a working visa. I found Solairo over the internet. I didn’t know the Ruby language before joining Solairo. But I had learned other languages, so it helped me familiarizing with Ruby on rails.

Mr.Armando’s tip to budding engineers: Learn the most difficult programming language and find similarities & build your skills in other languages accordingly. 

CF: And what about the Japanese language? Lol

A : Oh, its tougher than programming. Lol. I am still learning. However, I learnt a bit of language before coming to Japan over internet. I practiced kanji & grammar a lot.

CF: What difference do you feel between traveling in Japan & actually living in Japan?

A : The only difference I see is that while traveling I could discover the whole of Japan but while working I am just bound to this place. So basically physical boundaries. Rest all is the same. People are very friendly & welcoming either way.

CF: Can you tell something about your initial days in Japan? Did you face a lot of challenges?

A :  It was a very smooth start for me. It wasn’t hard for me. I have always loved Japanese food: sushi & ramen. Traveling system in much better here, so for me it wasn't troubled on those lines.

The only hard part was looking for a house in central Tokyo close to my workplace. It all ended fine & I got a good place just a station away.

CF: How did you make friends here?

A :  Go out, talk to people. I went out a lot in the initial days. I spoke to random people & that’s how I made a lot of friends. Now I know many people, I prefer to stay at home. Lol

Continuing to the Vol.2.......