| COUNTRY |
| Turkey |
| EDUCATION |
| Bachelor’s in Foreign Language Studies (Japanese Language and Education), Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University |
| COMPANY |
| A Japanese manufacturing company best known as the world’s leading zipper and fastening products producer, with operations in multiple countries and a strong commitment to quality, innovation, and sustainable growth. |
| SUMMARY |
| Inspired by a video game he played and loved, a Turkish foreign language studies graduate developed a passion for Japan’s history, language, and culture. After earning a MEXT scholarship, participating in an exchange program at Hokkaido University, and preparing through FAST OFFER International, he secured a position at a familiar company, achieving his first step of building a career in Japan. |
How I Landed a Role in Japan as a Language Studies Graduate
Following in My Mother’s Footsteps
While I was in middle school, my mother started working at a Japanese company. While working there, she often talked about how factory operations ran smoothly and how kind her Japanese colleagues were. Compensation, compared to other firms, was good as well. Years and years later, by coincidence, or even fate; I am now preparing to join the same company my mother once did as a foreign language studies graduate.
A Strategy Game Piqued My Interest
My mother’s words gave me my first impression of Japanese people. What drew me to Japanese culture, on the other hand, was Total War. It is a series of strategy games, mostly taking place in Europe. As such, it was usually based on European history. I was extremely interested in world history, so I played the whole series. One day, I came across a Total War title set in Japan, in the Sengoku era. I played it, and loved it. Beyond the game, I grew interested in the era, and started to do more research on Japanese history.
Learning Japanese: N6 Level?!
Eventually, I got into anime, Japanese movies, and dramas. My interest reaching new heights, I decided to learn the language.
It was my second year in high school when I started. I had a senpai who was interested in studying and working in Japan. We would often talk about studying Japanese. He taught me how to write a lot of hiragana and katakana characters. On my own, I kept a small anki deck to memorize basic expressions, such as sayonara or konnichiwa. I even started studying kanji. However, this was not enough to progress. At that point in time, I was at the N6, maybe even N7 level. I was an extreme beginner. To make better progress with studying, I decided to learn Japanese at a university.
Choosing Japanese Studies in University
Aside from my desire to master Japanese, there were other reasons I chose the Japanese language program. I was interested in Japanese history and culture, for one. I also noticed that my country, Turkey, and Japan had deep historical and economic connections between them. But, the main reason I chose Japanese was because I simply did not want to pursue English studies. Having graduated from a foreign language class in high school, my career path would have been to join the English language department in college, and then become an English teacher.
I did not want to do that.
My parents were initially opposed to the idea – even my mother. They did not want me to study Japanese because it was ‘too exotic’ for the Turkish job market. This means that it would have been difficult to find a job aligned with my degree. They wanted me to pursue English as more opportunities were available for English Studies graduates. I told them that many of my peers were already on this track, and that the market would be saturated by the time I graduate (which is exactly what happened). I told them about how it would be better for me to study Japanese. Fortunately, I was able to convince them.
Enrolling into the Foreign Language Studies Program
As planned, I was able to study Japanese properly in university. By the end of my first year, I was able to reach the beginning of the N3 level. In my second year, we had a preparation class, where I was able to immerse myself in Japanese even more. Because we had teachers who were Japanese and did not speak a lick of Turkish, it was imperative that we communicated in and understood the language. By the end of that class, I received my N3 certification. I got my N2 certification in Japan.
Getting a MEXT Scholarship
One day, our teachers told us about a program. There was a scholarship exam coming up, and they suggested we apply for it. The scholarship turned out to be the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship, provided by the Ministry of Education of Japan. I took the exam. It was all in Japanese, and quite difficult, so I expected to fail. Luckily, I passed and made it to the next round. After further screening, I was eventually selected for the program and assigned to study at Hokkaido University.
My First Time in Japan
The first time I landed in Narita Airport, I couldn’t believe it. I felt like I was in Turkey, but everyone spoke Japanese. It was my first time in a native Japanese environment. For the first two or three days, I had problems communicating with people. But, I eventually got used to the new environment, and started communicating normally with no problem.
Exchange Student Life at Hokkaido University
I had a fun experience at the University. I learned a lot from the Japanese culture and language classes I took. Beyond the classroom, I was able to truly experience the culture. I was able to work part-time in a restaurant; joined matsuris and events, and made friends. I was even able to visit Osaka, Kyoto, and Tokyo.
One moment I can’t forget is the feeling of relaxing in an onsen for the first time. At that time, we went to an extremely small village in Hokkaido famous for their tomatoes. Afterwards, we stayed in an onsen hotel. It was snowing outside, but inside it was hot, humid, and perfect. I haven’t forgotten about that night.
The Decision to Work in Japan
Experiencing the Exchange Program made me realize how much I wanted to work in Japan. Through the Program, I saw firsthand how Japanese people lived, not from a 観光者 (tourist) point of view, but from a 社会人 (member of community) point of view. There weren’t many foreigners in Hokkaido compared to Tokyo, so I was able to communicate with Japanese people more. I saw how their lives went on. Finding their lifestyle appealing, I realized that it was a good place to build a stable life.
I also resonated with the Japanese work culture. Our local work culture is different; you go to work, you make money, you go home. You don’t feel any connection with the company at all unless you hold a high position. In Turkey, it’s normal to change jobs every few years to increase base pay. But from what I researched and heard from teachers, it doesn’t work like that in Japan. In Japan, I think a lot of people see their companies as their second families. Companies actually care for their workers as well. Employees are rewarded for their tenure, and receive good training from the start. I personally want to feel a genuine connection where I work, and learn a lot from the job, hence my preference for Japanese work culture.
Finding FAST OFFER International Through LinkedIn
After coming back to my home country, I eventually started an internship. During this time, I scrolled on LinkedIn and found an ad. It invited students from overseas to participate in the company’s next round of interviews. I had nothing to lose, so I applied and created an account with the company. From there, I took the interview, and got accepted into FAST OFFER International. The first time I talked with my career advisor, we talked for 1.5 hours straight. We talked about why I wanted to work in Japan, how I wanted to do it, and the like.
Limited Opportunities for Foreign Language Studies Graduate in Japan
After that, I did not hear anything back. For 5-6 months, I did not receive much information because most of the job offers were for Engineering students. Since I was a 文系 (humanities) student, there did not seem to be much opportunities.
During the 5-6 month wait, I did not know if I would receive any interview offers due to my course. But, because I was a student, I was too busy with my academic and Japanese studies to be anxious over it. Still, I contacted my career advisor just to be sure, and she told me she would give me an update in 2-3 months.
True to her word, she told me a few months later that a few companies were open for 文系 graduates. Confirming my interest in working in Japan, I applied to all of them.
My Month-Long Interview Preparation
Even if I were to not receive any job opportunities from the interviews, I was happy to be able to gain the interview experience. Still, preparation made me anxious, though it was also exciting.
I prepared for the interviews with my career advisor and mentors. We had mock interviews weekly, and came up with answers to possible interview questions. On my own, I did research about the companies I was going to interview for, and practiced how to respond to interview questions.
My Interview Experience
After a month of interview preparation, it was time for the interviews themselves. Because I’ve held a few part-time jobs, it wasn’t my first time undergoing interviews. But, these were different. They asked about my 志望動機 (reason for application) and other related questions. The first company interview went smoothly, and I answered their questions with no problems. For the second company interview, things went fast, and I just kept answering questions. It went smoothly as well, but I was not selected for a second round with this company.
The next day, I had my second interview with the first company. It was also smooth, and shorter than I expected. The atmosphere was light and fun.
Getting a Job as a Foreign Language Studies Graduate in Japan
A few hours after the interview, I was preparing to go out with friends when I received an email. The header said 面接結果 (interview results), so I knew it was going to be either a 合格 (pass) or 不合格(fail).
Opening the email, the first thing I saw was 合格おめでとうございます!
I felt extremely good. I told my friends, and they were happy for me. Then, I let my parents know about the results. My dad was happy, but my mom was happier; possibly even more than me, because she had been with the company for more than 13 years. It was like a tradition, starting from my mother who was a blue collar worker, passed down to me as a white collar worker. I felt so happy and proud of myself!
From Foreign Language Studies Graduate to Corporate Worker in Japan
At this point in time, I’ve already done paperwork as I prepare to join the company as a foreign language studies graduate in Japan. I will be going there soon for a meeting with company representatives who will show us around the company factories.
Though I am excited to go back to Japan, but before that, I must deal with my biggest obstacle – school. I want to graduate, and then get my diploma. Afterwards, I will prepare myself for life in Japan.
After I arrive, I want to try joining a kendo club. I also look forward to learning about the prefecture I will be staying in.
Tips for Language Learners and Job Seekers
To study the language well, you must learn kanji. It is important to be able to live in Japan. It is also important to focus on 会話 (conversation) skills, as you will be doing a lot of communicating in Japanese. My main recommendation is just to work hard – once you learn the language well, you will find it to be a deep language to use and communicate with.
One interview tip I have is to watch a lot of mock interviews. Watching on YouTube helped me learn how to answer questions, practice reactions to give when answering questions, and the like. If you apply to FAST OFFER, you’ll have a chance to experience mock interviews, so consider joining as well!
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