HENNGE Provides Global Interns With Immersive Tech Experience

Yuri: We want to make sure the process is fair for everyone. We try to avoid bias, whether it’s related to gender, nationality, university, or academic background. The coding challenge helps us evaluate if they’re suited for the role and able to handle the kind of work expected of them.

Kevin: We’re looking for people with some project experience. It doesn’t have to come from a formal internship. It could be open source contributions, school projects, or any kind of team-based experience. Like Yuri said, we also assess how they communicate when expressing their opinions or facing challenges, work through different viewpoints, and resolve issues. 

Their technical decision-making is important. For example, in software development, they might choose between options A, B, or C when working on a project. We’d like to hear why they chose A rather than B and if they can clearly explain their reasoning.

Yuri: To add to that, the GIP is primarily for junior engineers. HENNGE promotes a bottom-up culture, where we value people who are ready to work in this kind of environment. We look for those who take initiative, ask the right questions, and are comfortable challenging their mentors or managers when appropriate. This gives us a sense of how well they might adapt to our culture.

Kevin: For more senior candidates, the GIP is not just about learning what the company is like. It’s also a chance to experience life in Japan and see if they connect with the local working culture. This can help them decide whether this is the right environment for the next stage of their career.

Yuri: Yeah, like Kevin mentioned, it’s really about giving them the real experience of what it’s like working here. For some participants, a one-month commitment is often the most they can manage to take off from work, which is one of the reasons we adjusted the GIP duration to four weeks.

Yuri: We wouldn’t recommend reapplying immediately after an unsuccessful attempt. It’s better to gain enough experience or reflect on how to improve their cover letter. We also encourage applicants to be authentic when sharing their personal motivation and explaining why HENNGE aligns with their goals. Of course, enriching their portfolio can help increase their chances of moving on to the next step.

Kevin: Additionally, regarding what Yuri said about reapplying, we recommend a waiting period of 6 to 9 months. This allows candidates to gain more experience, rather than just reattempting the coding challenge. What we really look for is meaningful progress reflected in their resumes, along with other factors. Applicants should be able to clearly explain their experience in their CVs. It also helps if they truly understand their projects and can discuss them in a way that even those without a software engineering background can understand.

Kevin: On their first day, interns are introduced to fellow HENNGE members and warmly greeted with a speech from our CEO, Ogura-san. They are then provided with company devices, such as laptops and smartphones. All interns gather for a casual lunch with members from the ETA and the engineering team. Later, they meet their mentors, who walk them through the details of their assignments and the overall project timeline.

Yuri: And to make things even more welcoming, we host a Welcome Café for all new joiners, including interns, and organize lunches to help them connect with people from different teams. Additionally, we have GIP lunches where HENNGE members join interns and explore restaurants around Shibuya, and we make sure to accommodate any dietary restrictions.

Kevin: Most of the time, interns work on individual assignments with the help of their mentors. Our engineers created a sandbox project for interns to have hands-on experience in software development. 

Regarding the full-stack development pathway, there are various teams focused on different tech stacks like Python, Golang, and TypeScript. Mentors consider each intern’s familiarity with these programming languages and typically assign them accordingly. For example, interns who are more comfortable with front-end languages might be placed on the TypeScript team.

Yuri: During their internship, interns gain a clearer understanding of our company and team culture, which can help them decide if this is the kind of environment they’d like to be part of. At the same time, we assess not only their technical skills but also their soft skills and how well they might fit within our engineering teams.

As part of their orientation, interns join introduction sessions to get to know the sub-teams and departments across HENNGE. After their internship, we may reach out to those interested in full-time opportunities. Interns are also encouraged to share their GIP experience on our Medium blog.

Kevin: We also have club activities (bukatsu) in the company. For example, Wednesday nights are board game nights. If HENNGE members or interns stay after work to play board games, the company pays for dinner. My personal favorite is the #fun-sweets-bu, where members bring sweets and lunches to share, and the company also covers the cost! There are many club activities that it’s difficult to join them all, and many former interns enjoyed meeting various HENNGE members through these activities.

Yuri: Each intern will work individually and have a one-on-one mentor. They’ll have checkpoint meetings to review their assignment progress and a final meeting where they’ll present what they’ve done.

After the first assignment, they move on to their second assignment, where they’ll have one-on-one or group sessions with different mentors and other interns.

The third assignment is a bit unique: interns will take on a variety of tasks and get to know different sub-teams within the engineering department, as well as teams outside of it. We don’t want them to only focus on their assignments, but also learn about HENNGE as a whole, our products, and how collaboration happens across teams.

Kevin: We’re a Japanese company, but we’re quite diverse and flexible in many ways. For example, we don’t have a dress code, and we have a hot-desking system. Transparency is also highly valued. In case they’ll be late due to train delays or personal reasons, it’s always best to communicate in advance. The same goes for meetings, which are sometimes scheduled back-to-back. Occasionally, clients or external guests might visit the office, so it’s important to be professional and courteous.

Yuri: During our Monthly Technical Sessions, interns are expected to give a brief presentation on any tech-related topic of their choice, which doesn’t need to be related to their assignments. It’s also a chance to practice public speaking as part of their GIP experience.

Kevin: On their last day, we hold Honor Day, a small ceremony to mark the completion of the internship. Interns give a short speech, followed by messages from their mentors or other team members who want to share a few words. The CEO then delivers a message and presents each intern with a certificate. To wrap things up, we have a casual farewell pizza party where everyone can drop by and say a few kind words to the interns.

Kevin: The company provides a round-trip flight ticket and an accommodation subsidy. We also offer administrative support for interns requiring visa assistance. If housing isn’t available on the day of their arrival or if they arrive late in Tokyo, we arrange a hotel stay.

Yuri: Prior to onboarding, we have a one-hour preparatory session to address any questions or concerns they might have, especially since some of them are coming to Japan for the first time or haven’t been abroad before. During pre-onboarding, we send out documents that include helpful information about living in Tokyo, such as which trains to take and how to use the Suica or PASMO commuter passes.

Kevin: Many interns say the experience goes beyond their expectations. At first, some even think it’s too good to be true! Interns seem genuinely impressed that the program is conducted entirely in English. This is still quite rare in Japan, where most similar opportunities require at least some basic Japanese proficiency. 
We also share photos and videos of our office and bukatsu (office club activities), which give them a better sense of our work culture. Values like transparency also stand out to them, which we often highlight in our info sessions.

Yuri: I think we’re ahead of the game as one of the first companies to bring in interns all over the world to Japan, provide comprehensive living subsidies, and give interns the opportunity to be considered for full-time roles. We’ve been running GIP since 2013, so we’re definitely one of the pioneers and have built a solid reputation. 

The Medium blog, where interns share their stories, somehow validates the GIP experience. I think interns also help shape our culture by making it more diverse and welcoming, and that positive cycle just keeps going. We haven’t received any negative feedback so far, and we want to keep it that way.

Kevin: Interns would learn much more if they asked for as much feedback as possible. While mentors hold regular meetings to track progress, it’s usually the interns’ responsibility to request feedback or opinions since it’s their own assignment. It’s important for mentors to see interns taking initiative and showing interest by asking questions. Interns who do this tend to perform better during the internship, which may help increase their chances of being considered for full-time roles.

Yuri: What matters most is that interns are curious and eager to learn. Like Kevin mentioned earlier, being a “learnaholic” is very much part of the HENNGE spirit. We encourage transparency instead of just trying to make a good impression. If interns feel their mentor isn’t checking in enough, they should take the initiative to reach out and share what they’re working on. Since we have a bottom-up culture, we’re looking for people who can lead themselves and be proactive.