Hi, I’m Hantus, a product designer at Colorkrew.

Colorkrew is my first company after graduating, and this is also my first experience working in a professional IT environment. I joined with limited industry experience and many things to learn.

In this article, I’d like to share why I chose Colorkrew, what it was like joining as a new graduate, and what I’ve experienced so far in my day-to-day work.

Before joining Colorkrew

Before joining Colorkrew, most of my design experience came from university projects and personal work. I had experience designing interfaces and concepts, but this work was mostly done independently or in small academic teams. I had never worked in an environment where designers collaborated closely with engineers, product managers, or other roles on products used by real users.

During my job search, I applied to and interviewed with several companies, including large IT companies. Going through different interview processes helped me see how varied company cultures and expectations can be. It also made me realize that, for my first job, the working environment would matter a lot.

As a new graduate, I knew I would need time to learn basic professional habits, workflows, and communication skills. Because of that, I was looking for a place where it felt acceptable to ask questions and gradually adapt, rather than needing to perform confidently from the start.

Why I chose Colorkrew

I found Colorkrew through a job-hunting website, which led me to the company’s website. While reading about the company, I became interested in its mission, “Color Your Work with Excitement.” The focus on improving how people experience work felt meaningful, especially for a company building SaaS products.

What ultimately made the difference for me was the interview process. Compared to other interviews I had, Colorkrew’s interviews felt more conversational and open. I was encouraged to explain my thinking, talk about my work, and ask questions without feeling rushed.

Rather than feeling like I was being evaluated through strict questions, the interviews felt more like discussions. This gave me a clearer sense of how communication might work inside the company. After completing the process, I felt that Colorkrew would be a place where I could learn gradually without being expected to know everything from the beginning.

Joining as a new graduate

After joining Colorkrew, I quickly noticed how different professional work is from school projects. Even relatively small tasks required understanding background context, constraints, and how the work fits into a larger picture. At first, it was difficult to judge how much detail was needed or how to communicate progress clearly.

Since I had no prior experience in the IT industry, many aspects of the work were unfamiliar to me. I needed time to understand how tasks were planned, how feedback was given, and how designers worked with engineers and other roles. There were moments when I felt unsure whether I was approaching things in the right way.

What helped me most during this stage was the people around me. When I asked questions, colleagues took time to explain the background and reasoning behind decisions. This made it easier for me to adjust and slowly become more comfortable with how work was done.

Flat structure, communication, and working environment

One thing I noticed early on was that Colorkrew does not feel strongly hierarchical in day-to-day communication. While there are team members with more experience and others who are newer, conversations tend to feel open, and opinions can be shared without much formality.

As a new graduate, this made it easier for me to participate in discussions, ask questions, and share thoughts even when I wasn’t fully confident. Senior team members were open to discussion and willing to give advice, which helped reduce the sense of distance that can sometimes exist between roles.

From my experience so far, people are generally willing to listen and clarify things when someone speaks up. There is also room to try ideas and adjust along the way, rather than needing everything to be perfect from the start. This reduced pressure and made it easier for me to learn through actual work.

Designer’s Day

Every Wednesday is Designer’s Day at Colorkrew. Designers work across different products and teams, often in a hybrid setup, so this day creates a shared time to connect.

During Designer’s Day, designers share ongoing work, ask for feedback, and discuss design-related questions. For me, this time has been helpful because it allows me to hear different perspectives and better understand how other designers approach their work. It is also reassuring to see that others face similar challenges.

Support for working in Japan

As a foreign employee moving to Japan, I had many questions about visas, paperwork, and relocation. Colorkrew provided support throughout this process.

The HR team answered my questions clearly and guided me step by step, which helped reduce a lot of uncertainty. There was also relocation support, which allowed me to focus more on adjusting to my new environment instead of worrying about logistics.

Starting a new job while adapting to life in a new country can be stressful, and this support made the transition easier for me.

What I’ve learned

I am still early in my career, and there are many things I do not know yet. Through my time at Colorkrew so far, I’ve gained a better understanding of how professional teams work together and how design fits into product development.

Another thing I’ve learned is how much design work depends on collaboration. Communicating with engineers and other roles has helped me understand how technical and practical considerations influence the design process, and how designs are adjusted through discussion rather than strict limitations.

For future candidates

I’m still early in my time at Colorkrew, so my perspective is limited to my own experience so far. From what I’ve seen, collaboration and open communication are a normal part of daily work, and learning happens through working on real tasks with others.

People come from different backgrounds and career stages, and asking questions along the way is generally accepted. For those coming from abroad, there is also support during relocation and onboarding.

If you’re looking for an environment where you can gain experience through real projects and work with people who are open to communication, Colorkrew may be a place worth exploring.