Choosing a Bachelor in Electronics Engineering Degree at the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia for a Future of Traveling
My first childhood dream was to become a doctor to help people, but I soon found out that blood scared me. Shrugging off that dream, my second dream was born: to travel. That’s why I chose my Bachelor in Electronics Engineering degree at the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia – I knew that degree would equip me with a globally in-demand skill set and would lead to well-paying jobs—two things that could help me travel more easily. True enough, I soon found out that there are a lot of engineering jobs in Japan for Malaysians.
During my time at the university, like all Malaysians looking to graduate, I had to study a foreign language. Luckily, because I chose Japanese, during my final year, FAST OFFER International’s CEO held an information session during one of our Japanese classes. There, I learned, that my Engineering degree combined with my very basic Japanese would help me land a job in Japan. On top of that, FAST OFFER International also offered a free 6-day trip to Japan for the job interviews—this detail got me excited. I also thought that because Japan was known for its technology, working there would really allow me to upgrade my skills, improve my resume, and perhaps lead to more opportunities to travel. Quickly signing up, I told my mom who was supportive and excited for me, but I didn’t tell my dad who I knew really wanted me to stay in Malaysia.
I flew to Japan for the interviews through FAST OFFER International without my dad knowing but with my mom’s full support. When I got the news that I got the job, my mom and I were ecstatic but once again, I had to keep it a secret from my dad. I decided that no matter what my dad thought, I would follow my dream.
Winning Over Family Skepticism: Embracing Opportunities Abroad
My dad, of course, eventually found out and he really didn’t want me to go to Japan. He was worried about his precious daughter living alone in a foreign country. Honestly, it did strain our relationship, but I made the effort to communicate with him repeatedly and continuously, in the best way possible to eventually convince him that I made the right decision and that he can trust me. As I talked to my dad, I wasn’t asking for his permission, rather, I was trying to help him accept the fact that his daughter was growing up. I knew that he was coming from an emotional place where he wanted his daughter by his side for years to come, so I talked to him from that perspective, appealing to the loving dad who just wanted to take care of me.
I told him that this would help me grow—something, I’m sure was what he wanted most for me. Realistically, I told him that they wouldn’t be with me for the rest of my life, so I needed to learn to be more independent—and this journey to Japan would really help me with that. Most importantly, I appealed to the part of him that wanted me to be happy. I told him that traveling was my dream, and that’s why I needed to grab this opportunity, so I wouldn’t have regrets or resentments if I stayed. Over the past few years, my dad has adjusted to this life I’ve led, and his love and faith in me eventually won over his fears of me living alone in Japan.
The Expat Life in Japan for Malaysian Engineers
When I first arrived in Japan, I lived in the company’s dormitory which allowed me to save a lot of money. I got to enjoy a salary that was much higher than starting salaries in Malaysia too.
The opportunity to work in Japan really opened my eyes to a lot of stereotypes I held before. It either broke some of the stereotypes I believed in or showed me a more nuanced understanding of some of their cultural norms. I think my experiences have given me a more global and flexible perspective.
Malaysian’s Experience of Japan’s Work Culture
1. My Japanese company actively works to fight overtime
There’s a stereotype about Japan’s work culture being extreme, with overwork being the norm. My experience at the Japanese company I work with though has personally debunked that myth for me. The Japanese believe in “Kaizen,” the idea of improving 1% every day, and perhaps that also applies to their society. Overworking was indeed the norm in the past, but from what I see, because they’ve seen the ramifications of overworking, Japanese companies today, in their hopes of reaching their Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as they become more global, are actively working on fighting against that norm.
In the company I work for, we have a “No Overtime Day”, that makes sure that employees go home as soon as their shift is done. Our company also makes sure that employees aren’t compelled to stay in the workplace until after their superiors go home. We get lots of paid holidays, including the famed “golden week” when folks usually travel.
Additionally, as a woman, I’m also given one paid leave a month for female reproductive issues. If I were to fall pregnant, I would also get a lot of support. Pregnant women are entitled to a year of paid maternity leave shouldered by the company and the government. They would get their full salary for the first few months, and then a halved salary for the rest of the year.
2. As a foreigner, you’re not expected to uphold every unspoken Japanese rule
Japan’s economy is constantly expanding and their companies continuously looking to be more global. This means, that a lot of these companies—especially those in the city—are increasingly foreigner-friendly. Most Japanese locals understand that foreigners bring with them a different culture and don’t expect foreigners to fully abide by all Japanese unspoken rules.
For example, the Japanese have a way of speaking and communicating that can be very indirect. Japanese locals typically never say “no” directly and would find a way to say a roundabout maybe. You must mind the context and pick up on subtext to fully understand their meaning. To a foreigner, this can be tricky, and, in the workplace, it can be even trickier. Local Japanese can pick up these cues naturally and with clarity but a foreigner who didn’t grow up in that culture might find it all vague. In these situations, I’ve found it helpful to always clarify, ask more questions, repeat, and rephrase to confirm if I understood them right. This may seem repetitive and perhaps too obvious for the Japanese, but they’re very patient and eager to help.
3. The Japanese move fast and in sync with the help of rigorous systems in place
My experiences in Malaysia as a student and as an intern were very different. It’s typical in our culture to go at our own pace. The rest of the world could be running, but we would always prioritize to keep in our own footsteps. It’s very different in Japan.
People tend to move fast and as a group in Japan. They give fast and efficient responses, so things progress faster. They also have thorough rules and systems in place that keep things organized and efficient. At the start, you feel like these rules can slow you down, but the rules keep you from making mistakes and allow you to move quickly and smoothly with the rest of your team.
I was also privileged to work in France through my company for some time. This enabled me to see how different it really was to work in Japan. They have fewer rules in France and that can enable more freedom in how you carry out your tasks—but that also leaves you open to making mistakes that you have to be fully responsible for.
4. Japanese Companies put a real premium on their training
A lot of the stereotypes about Japan may have been debunked, but perhaps the stereotype about rules and efficiency was on point. To learn all the rules and to work efficiently, that’s why there’s a big emphasis on training. When I entered the company, I was assigned a job coach who worked alongside me for some time. My training was also very thorough—I was in the Research and Development team, but I also spent time working in the production line. This gave me real experience of how to improve processes for the company’s technicians. All in all, my training took a whole year.
5. The Business Japanese we learn in school isn’t the only Japanese That Exists
I studied basic Japanese at the university for three semesters. Once I was in Japan, during work hours, I was able to communicate in Japanese and I gradually got better. However, outside of the office, I was surprised at how people spoke. It sounded similar to the Japanese I knew with my ears, but for some reason, I couldn’t understand them at all. Turns out, outside of Tokyo and outside of the office, most locals would speak in their local dialects. Business Japanese—the Japanese we learn in school—is enough to get you around Japan, but if you’re based outside of Tokyo and want to have more casual friendships outside of work, you might have to learn the basics of their dialect as well.
Learning Japanese is really important when it comes to living in Japan. It’s not just for the sake of passing job interviews, or communicating with your workmates, but will also affect your personal life. Navigating the country with very basic Japanese can be very daunting in the beginning, which is why one of the first things I did was to find an ally.
Building Connections: The Role of Community in Adjusting to Life in Japan
I got in touch with a fellow Malaysian who also got a job through FAST OFFER International and wound up working for the same Japanese company. At that time, she had been working at the company for a year already. It was such a breath of fresh air to be able to speak to someone with similar experiences in my native tongue. Of course, I enjoyed being in a foreign place, but during my first year, my Japanese was still very basic, and I constantly felt unable to fully express myself.
Also, I got a travel buddy! We got to travel around Japan a lot. We took every long weekend as a chance to see more of Japan—and there’s a lot to see in Japan. Years after we first met, we still make traveling plans together and we keep a digital map that shows all the prefectures in Japan we’ve visited.
Another nice thing was that we were able to celebrate our culture the both of us, but also, it made it easier for us to share our culture with other Japanese and international friends. In Malaysia, there are a lot of cultures meshed so that means a lot of multicultural celebrations. So, we kept celebrating even in Japan, with our little slice of Malaysia with each other.
I’m grateful to FAST OFFER International for helping me get the job I have now, but what I’m most grateful about is that they allowed me to connect with such a great friend.
Homesick with Malaysian Flavors
In Malaysia, I fortified my luggage with a lot of jars of flavorful local pastes such as sambal and laksa I knew I wouldn’t find easily in Japan. This served me so well as the COVID-19 pandemic hit soon after I arrived, keeping me from flying back home for a visit for almost three years. During that time, I very slowly rationed my hoard of Malaysian flavors only when I was down or homesick. It was like a quick way to happiness and comfort. My ingredients had already expired by the second year, but thankfully, I never got sick and hey, I’m still alive!
My Dream: Traveling Around Japan and Beyond
With a travel buddy working at the same company, it was easy to sync schedules and quickly travel around Japan anytime. The efficient transportation system allows you a lot of mobility so it’s easy to travel. More notably, sans travel buddy, moving around in Japan is also uniquely easy, efficient, and secure even as a single woman walking around streets late at night. It’s not a privilege you can find in every country.
Through the job I have, I was able to go beyond Japan as I was temporarily stationed in France. I even learned a little French! I was very grateful for that experience, and it really gave me a lot of insight into Japanese culture as I saw how different France was. Japan thrives in a lot of rules that can feel overwhelming at times, but it’s a system that protects you from mistakes. I was able to appreciate this because, in France, you get more leeway and freedom—which can be nice to a point, but it can also make you prone to mistakes you’ll be accountable for.
Fulfilling My Childhood Dream in Japan
When I first went to Japan—my dream was to travel but I felt like I wasn’t a very ambitious person who was going to climb the corporate ladder. Nonetheless, the work environment of excellence caused me to naturally work and perform well to keep up with my peers. This has led me to more opportunities to travel.
But in another way, without me pursuing it directly, the decision to follow my heart ultimately led me to fulfill my first dream in a way as well. Through my company, I was eventually able to transfer to the Healthcare Division’s research and development team. I have worked with hospitals and health practitioners to find ways to make their work easier. I looked into it, and I wouldn’t be able to do what I do in Malaysia as the local medical field works differently and I would be confined to working in the production line. Where I am today enables me, without having to be a doctor myself, to enter the medical field and help people in my own way.
Words of encouragement
There is so much opportunity for Malaysians in Japan. With their talent and edge in language, there’s so much space in Japanese companies looking to globalize.
I hope more Malaysians take advantage of the career opportunities in Japan. Why not? The opportunity with FAST OFFER International—the Japanese job classes, the job matching, the free trip to Japan, and the very thorough mentorship—are all free. Just be ready for the opportunity and grab it when it comes!
