Fellow Burmese University Seniors Working in Japan Inspired Me to Study Japanese
When I was an electronics and communications engineering student at the Mandalay Institute of Technology in Myanmar, I witnessed my seniors find jobs in Japan. Seeing their life in Japan through their Facebook posts, I began wondering about working as a Burmese engineer in Japan. I yearned to visit them there and to also travel around Japan’s beautiful spots. By getting inspired by my seniors’ success stories, I began taking Japanese language classes at the university.
At the beginning when I started studying Japanese, I found it very difficult. My dream to work in Japan though, kept me determined and helped me persevere through the hard times.
When the COVID-19 outbreak broke out, the university had to close temporarily. All classes related to my major were stopped for two years. Because the university’s Japanese language classes were still offered at this time, I suddenly had a lot of time to focus on my Japanese studies. I attended Japanese classes four to five days a week and in 2022, I passed the JLPT N2!
After Graduating, I Started Job Hunting to Become an Engineer in Japan
Because my university finally reopened, I was able to graduate from university in 2023. As soon as I graduated, I started looking for job opportunities in Japan for Burmese talents. First, I had about two interviews for employment in Japan through the Association of Japan Myanmar Mutual Cooperation (AJMMC). However, because I lacked the opportunity to practice spoken Japanese at that time, my Japanese was rusty, and it kept me from succeeding in job interviews.
However, through AJMMC, I came across ASIA to JAPAN’s FAST OFFER International program. A friend of mine who had originally studied Japanese at AJMMC had fulfilled his dream of finding a job in Japan through FAST OFFER international. As soon as I learned about this, I registered with FAST OFFER international as well.
Soon after registering, a FAST OFFER international’s staff member interviewed me. I explained my major, discussed my field of study, and talked about the type of job I wanted to pursue. Immediately after that, I was accepted into FAST OFFER international’s interview preparation Japanese class. There, I worked hard to practice my Japanese for the interview.
In the process, I came across an opportunity to take job interview with a Japanese company to be an engineer in Japan. The position was exactly what I performed for my thesis; in a field I wanted to be in for a long time.
I wanted to pass the interview at all costs, so I did everything I could do to raise my chances. I practiced mock interviews in Japanese with a Myanmar friend three to four times a week and attended Japanese classes at FAST OFFER international to practice Japanese conversation with my classmates. These exercises enabled me to speak Japanese words fluently and converse confidently.
To my great fortune, I received a job offer on my first interview!
Taking Business Japanese Classes with FAST OFFER International
After signing my contract to work in Japan, I was able to take a 4-month Business Japanese class through FAST OFFER International. Unlike the interview preparation class, here I not only learned Japanese, but I also learned about business manners and corporate culture that I needed to know to work in Japan.
By taking two classes at FAST OFFER International, I was able to make friends from different countries all over the world who are studying Japanese and want to work in Japan. Recently, I heard that one of my classmates from India got a job in Japan through FAST OFFER International. Because of my friends, there’s more to be excited about start working in Japan! I am looking forward to seeing my classmates in Japan one day!
Advice for Japanese Language Learners
To achieve my dream of becoming an engineer in Japan, I have been studying Japanese for 5 years. In the beginning, it was hard for me to enjoy my studies because I wasn’t interested in anime or Japanese dramas. I grit my teeth and did my best to keep studying and improve my Japanese conversion because of my goal to work in Japan as an engineer.
Thankfully, I eventually found joy in my Japanese studies later on. Through the various Japanese language classes I joined, I met friends from different backgrounds to practice Japanese with. Time spent with them, learning together, made my experience more enjoyable. My Japanese teachers, the Myanmar friends who I studied Japanese with, and the classmates from all over the world who I met at FAST OFFER international enriched my Japanese learning experience.
My biggest tip for learning Japanese: Don’t study alone!
Try to expand your circle of relationships using Japanese as a communication tool. This will not only improve your conversational skills but also make your language-learning experience more effective and enjoyable.
Practice out loud.
Practicing reading Japanese sentences out loud repeatedly
Listen and mimic.
Listening to podcasts and conversations can effectively improve your Japanese conversation skills. I often studied “Eriko Cafe Online” and “YUYU’s Japanese Podcast” channels. I used a shadowing technique where I mimicked the podcasters out loud in real time and sometimes noted down their words.
A Community Behind and In Front of Me: All Set for My Future Working in Japan
I had the support of so many people before I found a job in Japan. I’m deeply grateful of all their valuable support. My Japanese teachers at university, the teachers at AJMMC, my Japanese teacher at FAST OFFER international, and my friends who practiced Japanese interviewing with me, all of them were vital to my success story.
With this gratitude in mind, I will do my best in Japan. I am now preparing for my visit to Japan, excited about meeting new friends and becoming a successful engineer in Japan by making the most of my major.
