- Why did you decide to look for work in Japan and why did you choose this company?
Because I wanted to be based in Japan yet work globally, I chose to look for a job with a foreign-owned enterprise in Japan. Graduates who have just joined the company undergo training for new employees and the content is varied so I could start at zero and learn a lot. I thought it would be a good challenge for me.
- What did you feel were the merits and demerits of job-hunting from the perspective of a student who had studied abroad?
To be honest, when I was job-hunting I had no real feeling of being a student who had studied abroad. There were no particular job offers only for students who had studied abroad. So I took the same online tests and participated in group discussions and interviews, the same as all the other students. If I was going to recognize one merit, it would be that the interviewers were showed interest in me because my background was different to that of the other Japanese students. As a demerit, I had to study up on Japanese, Japanese history and Japanese literature because that content took up a lot of time in the online tests.
- What effect did it have on your job-hunting?
My English ability and presentation skills improved. I had no problem understanding company briefing sessions in English and I was able to take part in group discussions without hesitation. Including my experiences through G.ecbo on my self-introduction slides at my interviews was good PR for me. The interviewers nodded their heads as they listened to me. Also, I think I have gained a lot more self-confidence.
- What advice do you have?
I don’t think there are any students who do a G.ecbo internship and regret it. Try to see the world when you are still young. Experiences build a person’s character. During an internship you will meet all kinds of people and have all kinds of experiences. By thinking for yourself and finding answers, you will be able to grow. When job-hunting, self-analysis is an extremely important part. In making the move outside of your comfort zone, you will start to think about yourself. I went overseas to where I did my internship by myself. However, I was exchanging information with my fellow G.ecbo interns who went to different parts of the world and that was very reassuring for me. Don’t miss the chance to change into a more mature person. Each person can do more than they actually think they can.