Suguru — Software engineer in Vancouver via classmate referral (ex-sales)
Chemical-maker sales 4 years → Japan engineer 3 years via coding school; CICCC; cold market until ESL classmate referral into a US e-commerce analytics startup.
ソフトウェアエンジニア · Vancouver
Profile
Suguru is a software engineer working in Vancouver for a US e-commerce analytics startup (employer name not stated). Attributes: college route, prior experience (as engineer), monthsToOffer not stated.
Current role
Software engineer at a **US** startup building **e-commerce analytics** systems (multinational eng; several Japanese hires via referral chain). Fast product iteration; notes messy initial codebase vs Japan; quicker decision culture.
Japan experience
Prior experience as engineer after an earlier career change. Osaka University **economics**. **~4 years** generalist/**sales** at a **chemical manufacturer**. COVID reflection → wanted “making things”; coding school with agent placement → **~3 years** engineer on finance/industrial business web systems. Entered engineering as inexperienced hire at a firm that also trained other juniors. Overseas idea grew after ~2 years as engineer.
Path to Canada / North America
First contacted Frog **9 Dec 2023**. Chose Canada (vs AU/UK/US) via Frog content + WH practicality; Vancouver over Toronto for perceived junior openings. Considered WH-only but chose college for hireability/visa runway; attended **CICCC** (article discusses a new data-science-leaning course’s rough edges). Job hunt from arrival **Sep 2024**: **1 month** attached ESL then studies; cold apps quiet in harsh market; one Toronto-required interview declined. Breakthrough: **referral** from Japanese ESL classmate when their company opened a seat—friendly technical interview.
Outcome
Referral hire into US e-comm analytics startup while based in Vancouver. Employer name and monthsToOffer not stated. Shows networking > volume when market is silent.
Based on Frog’s Japanese-language interview. English summary for scanning (partners / employers). Original interview (Japanese)
company=null. Emphasize referral mechanics for employers.