─ Boishya, you came to Japan when you joined SHIFT. What made you interested in Japan and why did you choose SHIFT?  

Boishya: After graduating from college, I began my career as an application and embedded systems developer for a Japanese company in India.

Most projects I participated in were with Japanese companies, so I communicated in Japanese while working.  

Through this experience, I began to dream about working in Japan. Due to the Corona disaster and family commitments, I could not make it happen until 2023 when I started my job search to fulfill that dream.  

I was introduced to SHIFT by a recruitment agent. He explained to me that SHIFT was involved in a variety of businesses in addition to quality assurance and that the industries they worked with were wide-ranging, including distribution, finance, and manufacturing.

Since SHIFT does not specialize in one business or industry, I was attracted to the many career options available. 

─ Did you also change your industry focus when joining SHIFT in 2023?  

Boishya: Yes, I was in charge of projects in other industries, such as energy, at my previous job, but after joining SHIFT, I requested to jump into the EC domain. 

The e-commerce industry has a large end-user base and is undergoing rapid changes, including technological innovation and the birth of new services.

I thought that by being in this environment, there would be many learning opportunities and chances to develop new skills.  

I want to use the skills and system knowledge I have acquired to contribute to many customers.

When I interviewed for a job at SHIFT, I told my current boss about this desire and was invited to try my hand at the EC area.  

Also, in my previous job, I was in charge of the entire project, but now I am engaged as a PM specializing in the software testing area.

In this way, my role within the project has also changed. I have gained a better understanding of quality assurance at SHIFT, and now I can propose quality-centered solutions to our customers’ problems.  

At the same time, I try to promote projects with an awareness of the entire development process, utilizing the PM skills I developed in my previous job.  

During test execution, the quality assurance perspective may differ from the development perspective. How do we explain the quality assurance perspective to the development manager?

Thinking about what to do is a daily challenge, and it is what makes my life worthwhile.  

─ How did SHIFT support you as you took on new challenges?  

Boishya: When I joined SHIFT, I was new to the company, and I was anxious, but thanks to SHIFT’s follow-up system, I was able to get off to a good start.  

I can communicate casually with my supervisors and mentors via chat, and we have web meetings to discuss topics that are more difficult to convey through text alone.

It was very reassuring to have an environment where any problems could be resolved quickly.  

Also, my mentor helped me open a bank account. I was glad to receive support not only for my work but also for my daily life. 

─ That’s great to hear. It’s important to have an environment where you can work with a sense of security. What kind of projects are you currently working on?  

Boishya: A major apparel client has asked me to provide testing support for a mobile app and I am the quality assurance PM.  

Since there are multiple brands and the specifications are customized by region, we are divided into four groups with about 30 people working on this project. My job is to manage them all.  

We communicate directly with the customer, analyzing why any defects occurred and coming up with solutions.

We are driving the project so that a high-quality application can be released. 

─ I know that managing the progress of four groups must be difficult; please tell us what your day is like as a quality assurance PM.  

Boishya: I have many meetings throughout the day to keep track of the status of each group.

In my free time, I gather information and identify necessary tasks for project planning.

I’m also preparing documentation and sharing it with relevant parties to address potential problems or obstacles.  

6:30-7:30 a.m. 
Before work begins, unwind with yoga as a hobby.  

8:30 a.m.  
Start work, 4 times a week telecommuting, 1 time a week onsite (at the customer’s office). 

9:30-10:00 a.m.  
Daily SHIFT quality assurance team morning meeting with the PL, execution manager, design manager, and each execution group leader to share today’s implementation details and goals based on the Gantt chart.  

10:00-10:30 a.m. 
Daily meeting with the client manager to give updates on the SHIFT quality assurance team’s progress. We sometimes receive requests from the customer at this time. 

10:30-11:00 a.m. 
Weekly meeting with each execution group leader within the SHIFT quality assurance team, where we update reporting materials for the regular progress meeting with the client that will be held on the same day.  

11:30 a.m.-12:00 
1st daily progress check meeting with clients. 

12:30-1:00 p.m. 
Daily lunch meeting of the SHIFT quality assurance team, to report our progress against the goals set during the morning meeting. Any delays or problems are discussed and dealt with during this time.  

1:00-2:00 p.m. 
Lunch break.  

2:00-2:30 p.m. 
Weekly progress meeting with the customer, discussing the progress report prepared with the group execution leaders of each SHIFT quality assurance team during our 10:30 meeting.  

4:00-4:30 p.m. 
2nd daily progress confirmation meeting with clients regarding. 

4:30-5:00 p.m. 
Daily evening meeting of SHIFT quality assurance team, to update progress and confirm scheduling with design managers and other members involved in design.  

5:00-5:30 p.m. 
Weekly meeting with my supervisor and service manager (a position that manages multiple projects and is responsible for ensuring that services are provided without delay ),  to report on the progress of the SHIFT Quality Assurance Team and discuss any problems with the future schedule.  

5:30-6:00 p.m. 
Daily evening meeting of the SHIFT quality assurance team, where we report on today’s progress, review the status of achieving the goals set at the morning meeting, and share the details of tomorrow’s implementation plan.  

6:00 p.m. 
Leave work. After work, I go to the gym to exercise.  

─ You have been with SHIFT for about 8 months now, what are your goals for the future?  

Boishya: The companies I have worked for in the past did their testing in-house, and I think that outsourcing testing to a company like SHIFT, whose strength is in quality assurance, is a very efficient way for developers to focus on their core work.  

There are still very few companies with this type of business model. I believe that SHIFT has the opportunity to further grow as a global company and expand its business.  

By expanding SHIFT’s services to my home country of India and other countries, I would like to provide a mechanism for developers around the world to develop high-quality software more efficiently.

To promote these global initiatives, I am interested in working as a global manager.  

─ What message would you share with those who want to work in Japan as much as you did?  

Boishya: I would recommend SHIFT to anyone who wants to work while choosing their own career.

SHIFT covers a wide range of service offerings and client industries, making it the perfect environment for those looking to challenge themselves and gain experience in various areas!  

SHIFT has many foreign members, and our supervisors and mentors are supportive and understanding of our culture and values.

We also have a variety of club activities that provide opportunities to interact with colleagues across the company.

I belong to the English cafe for English conversation and am also a founding member of the yoga club.  

SHIFT has a culture that encourages each and every employee to take on new challenges. We look forward to working with you!   

(*The content of this article and the affiliations of the interviewees are as of the time of the interview.)