The final countdown to this Sunday's Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) has begun, but professionals say piling pressure on examinees might do more harm than good at this point.

Having said that, recruitment specialists and Japanese language teachers interviewed by The Japan Times stress that passing the N1 or N2 level of the exam is of paramount importance for foreign nationals hoping to land a top job in this country.

The JLPT is a biannual testing service organized by the Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services. It will take place Dec. 1 across the country and in more than 100 cities around the world. The tests are divided into five levels, from N1 through N5, with the N5 being the easiest.