Hideo Kojima Reveals His Challenging Job Hunt Before Joining Konami

In an article for the Japanese women’s lifestyle magazine An An (via VGC), Hideo Kojima revealed he recently watched the 2024 film Rokunin no Usotsuki na Daigakusei (Six College Students Who Lie), leading him to reflect on his past job interviews.

Kojima explained that when he began job hunting in 1985, he wanted a creative career but faced disadvantages due to corporate-university agreements where promising graduates could be “bought” and hired immediately.

“As a liberal arts graduate from a second-tier private university with no sports clubs, study abroad experience, or connections, I was at a considerable disadvantage in my job search,” he stated.

Still wanting a creative career but unable to afford a gap year or graduate school, Kojima admitted: “I had no choice but to lie to myself and start job hunting.”

He recalled major companies rejecting him based solely on his university’s reputation. During group interviews, “when I told interviewers I wrote novels, I was met with laughter.”

Lying became essential, Kojima noted: “At some large companies, if they didn’t remember your name from the corporate briefing, you wouldn’t advance – so I had to ask unusual questions to stand out.”

“Everyone had to hide their true selves and adapt like chameleons. This false daily life was far from pursuing a dream job,” he explained.

Ultimately, during an interview at a medical equipment manufacturer, Kojima confessed his true aspirations. Surprisingly, the HR manager advised: “I think you’re better suited for creative work, Kojima. Go for it.”

This convinced Kojima to focus solely on gaming and toy industries. “I no longer needed to lie,” he said. “I sincerely shared my past experiences, novels I’d written, and creative background – even showing my portfolio and idea notebooks.”

This path led to Kojima joining Konami in 1986, resulting in iconic titles including the Metal Gear franchise.

Kojima concluded that both interviewers and candidates lie during the process, but his experience taught him honesty’s value: “Since my second year employed, I’ve conducted interviews. I hear students’ lies daily. But interviewers lie too – they represent companies, not personal views. Interviews are where lies meet.”

“Yet I don’t lie. Not because I represent a company. I engage honestly, even advising misfit candidates – like that life-changing HR manager whose name I’ve forgotten,” he concluded.