From Motorcycles to a Career: My Connection with Japan
My connection with Japan began with motorcycles. When I was in high school, one of my friends had a motorcycle, and I wanted one too. After talking with my parents, I bought my first bike, a Honda MSX. It was Japanese-made, stylish, small, and easy to handle. Over time, I developed an interest in motorsports and began watching road racing, especially MotoGP. I’ve always supported the Suzuki team because I was captivated by their teamwork and their never-give-up attitude. From that point on, I decided I wanted to learn about car manufacturing and pursue a career in the global automotive industry. As a mechanical engineer, I want to continue learning about cars and contribute to the industry. Working in japan as an engineer fit this dream perfectly. Before signing up with online Japanese classes, I tried learning Japanese on my own.
Gaining Confidence Through FAST OFFER International’s Online Japanese Classes
In terms of learning Japanese, I initially studied on my own. While my pronunciation was fine, I struggled with grammar, and I had only learned N5-level grammar. Luckily, my university professor introduced me to FAST OFFER International’s Japanese classes through a group chat, which gave me the opportunity to improve my Japanese with a clear goal.
Over a year and a half starting in 2022, I took three online courses: JLPT N4, N3, and Business Japanese. The classes were entirely online, but the teacher provided materials in advance and taught both grammar and conversation. All materials included furigana, making them easy to read.
Thanks to these online Japanese classes, I was able to clarify the parts of Japanese I struggled with, as the teacher explained things in a way that made them easy to understand.
Additionally, the opportunity to practice Japanese conversation with friends online boosted my confidence. After reaching N3 level, I got the chance to participate in FAST OFFER International’s interview event.
Tip for Learning Japanese Outside of Online Japanese Classes
For me, the most challenging part of learning Japanese has been kanji. Initially, I only studied hiragana and katakana. When learning a language, I try different methods, like playing games or watching YouTube videos. I believe it’s more efficient to study in a way that aligns with your personal interests. If you want to enjoy learning Japanese more, I recommend trying a variety of methods.
Attending the Interview Event and Securing an Offer After 5 Interviews
The results of my online Japanese classes came fast. In 2024, I participated in both online interviews and a local interview event in Tokyo, attending interviews with five different companies. There were unexpected questions, and I made mistakes with my reverse questions at times, but I did my best to clearly explain my graduation thesis and highlighted my strengths in communication and teamwork. This impressed the interviewers, and I ultimately received an offer. Though it’s called an interview, most of the interviewers were friendly and approachable.
Gradually Building Skills Through a Rich Mentoring Program
Before attending the interview, FAST OFFER International arranged mentoring sessions for me. These sessions felt just as vital as my online Japanese classes. I’m incredible thankful to my assigned mentor. He not only supported me with the basics, like how to answer interview questions, but also coached me on how to present myself during the interview, how to prepare reverse questions, and other crucial details.
Beyond Your Online Japanese Class Lesson: The Importance of “Reverse Questions” in Japanese Job Interviews
One of the most important things I learned from the mentorship was the importance of “Reverse Questions” in Japanese job interviews.
Japanese job interviews, similar to most interviews, often wrap up with some version of “Do you have any questions for us?” As my FAST OFFER International mentor explained to me, this question signifies your last chance to appeal to your interviewers. You can make a good impression when you ask a question that shows that you’ve really thought about this job opportunity and what it means to live and work in Japan. First and last impressions matter a lot so it’s good to think of a question in advance!
Starting a New Life in Japan in April Next Year
Right now, I’ve quit my job and am focusing on studying Japanese full-time. I’m also studying for my driver’s license. Since I have acquaintances from Thailand working in Japan, I’m excited about starting my new life there. In the future, I plan to bring my mother and father to Japan for a trip. Professionally, I want to work as a design engineer, focusing on designing refrigerators and dedicating myself to manufacturing.
