I dreamed of living in Japan but thought it was impossible until FAST OFFER International opened my eyes
I grew up on Japanese anime, TV shows, and mystery novels, and I have always had a fondness for the country of Japan. After graduating from high school, I visited Japan for the first time on a group trip to famous tourist destinations such as Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Nara. Through that one-week stay, I fell more in love with Japan.
I’ve always wanted to spend more time in Japan, but studying abroad would have been too expensive, and there were few other options. Seeing no other viable options before then, I resigned myself to go with the flow, spend the rest of my life in China, find a job after becoming a graduate student, and be content with that. It wasn’t ideal or exciting, but it was the safe usual route for most students like me.
Finding a job in Japan didn’t cross my mind. In my fourth year of college, I found information about Study Go Work Japan (now FAST OFFER) on the university’s employment website. FAST OFFER opened a new and exciting option: the chance to chase the life I wanted. I decided to go for it.
FAST OFFER International inspired me to double my efforts in learning Japanese while finishing my graduation project
In March 2023, I applied for FAST OFFER International. After my initial interview with FAST OFFER International, I was determined to strengthen my profile. Every day for the next six months, I studied Japanese in the morning and worked on my graduation thesis in the afternoon.
Around the end of July, I had my second interview with the FAST OFFER International staff. My six months of hard work paid off! I communicated in Japanese for the first time and finally passed the interview!
FAST OFFER International’s assistance and mentorship empowered and motivated me on my journey to work in Japan
After submitting my graduation thesis, self-promotion video, and other materials, I was invited for a job interview around October. The interview was online, but since it was the first job interview in my life after graduation, both in Japan and overseas, I prepared myself very carefully.
The FAST OFFER mentor was very kind and guided me through the process. After hearing that this interview would be my first time and that I was also extremely keen to join the company, my mentor encouraged me, “Let’s work together and pass the interview!” The mentor checked my list of questions so thoroughly that they spent more time with me than planned.
My mentor’s guidance powered me to push through with the things I’ve accomplished since. On my own, I would have been unmotivated and susceptible to procrastinating and losing direction. Without my mentor, I would not have been able to prepare so well for the vital interviews I went through. With my mentor’s gentle push, I got valuable advice and was driven to research the company and the industry.
As part of my preparation for the interviews, I wrote down a set of answers to memorize. This was because it was difficult for me, with my limited skills in Japanese, to fluently convey candid answers. However, my mentor told me it was more important to express my feelings in my own words rather than give predetermined answers. So, I consciously made my answers my own and practiced repetitively. This was crucial for the actual interview.
During the first interview, my readiness gave me confidence. Even if there were in-depth or off-the-wall questions, I calmly summarized them from the materials I had prepared.
By the second interview, getting familiar with how things went made me more comfortable. I finished that interview in a relaxed atmosphere. After the interview, I felt at ease with myself. I believed that whether or not I received a job offer, I could continue to do my best in the succeeding interviews.
However, on the same day of the interview, I received an e-mail from a FAST OFFER staff member saying, “Congratulations!” I was so happy! I felt relief that the whole interview process was over and I had come out victoriously.
My experience has affirmed that hard work does make a big difference in the long run. Even if your steps are small and slow, if you keep working hard at your own pace, one day, you will reach your goal. This experience has boosted my confidence that I can go for the life I want as long as I pour in the effort.
Trusting FAST OFFER International paved the way to quickly find a great job in Japan
At some points in the process, it was tempting to feel insecure. I didn’t have a JLPT certification under my belt. Before being serious about learning Japanese, I had some “Japanese sense” by watching anime and variety shows. I knew that wouldn’t have been enough for Japanese interviews.
But FAST OFFER’s kind staff alleviated my worries. They helped me believe in myself and simplified the process: all I needed to do was make the effort, wait, and trust everything else to FAST OFFER. Surely enough, through FAST OFFER, it took me only two days to get the job offer from the interview.
I hope students outside of Japan find out about this great opportunity. If they dream of working in Japan, this program is their chance to take it!
