How a Japanese Teacher Sparked My Passion for Language and Culture
My high school had a compulsory third language class where we could choose to study Chinese or Japanese. I chose Japanese because I knew a little Japanese from watching anime. This deepened my interest in the Japanese language and Japan.
During that time, one of my teachers—a young, handsome popular teacher from Japan who was popular with students, pushed me to keep doing well. We became good friends, and he taught me a lot about Japanese culture. Because I was excelling in my Japanese studies and I was so captivated by the language, he even supported me as I took part in Japanese speech contests and won several of them.
After entering university, I was so busy with my undergraduate studies that I had little time to study Japanese. However, I did not forget my Japanese because I constantly watched Japanese anime and YouTube videos to learn and practice how Japanese people talk to each other.
The Challenges of Contract Work in Indonesia and the Pursuit of Job Stability in Japan
After graduating from Jakarta University Negeri, I worked with an Indonesian company. The experience of being a contract worker made me feel “disposable”. Contractual work is what’s widely practiced in Indonesia. As a contract employee, you do not have job stability. For example, if the contract is for three years and the employee quits, they must pay the company equivalent of three months’ salary. You can be fired for multiple reasons outside of your control: company performance, economic conditions, or if they find cheaper labor who can replace tenured expensive workers. Such unstable employment makes it hard to think of building a future, getting married, buying a house, or repaying my mom’s kindness since we lost my father.
I wanted to give my future a chance. Continuing to work in Indonesia didn’t feel like the right thing to do. It only made perfect sense for me to use my Japanese language skills to pursue employment in a country where their corporate culture embraced and valued their employees.
How FAST OFFER International Guided Me to My Dream IT Job in Japan
Initially, I tried to find a job in Japan through my own efforts, but the numerous processes involved overwhelmed me. I found myself clueless as to how to answer the interview questions. Also, I was still working full-time at the Indonesian company then, so I barely had time for job hunting. It was groundbreaking for me when my senior colleague introduced me to FAST OFFER International. I looked up the company on the SNS, website and got a good impression.
FAST OFFER International introduced me to a mentor who taught me a lot of vital tips for Japanese job interviews. Before, I used to have roundabout rambling answers. My mentor advised, “Start with the conclusion and then speak briefly with specific examples.” Applying that tip made such an improvement. When I got the job offer, I was so happy and incredulous! I knew that my mentor’s effort played a big role in my success. I can’t express how grateful I am to my mentor.
Now, I am getting ready to work as a Software Engineer for a Japanese company. There, I’ll be using my university major, get paid a better more satisfying salary, and can get big bonuses. It’s the perfect job and I’m even excited about learning the specific software the company currently uses.
Essential Tips for Securing Employment in Japan as a Foreigner
I’m sure many other Indonesians would want to work in Japan where they can be a valued employee. Here are some things that helped me that can be useful tips for them, too:
- The most important thing is to study Japanese. If you can’t speak Japanese, I don’t think we can talk about it. If you haven’t already, start now! Even after you pass the interview, please do not stop studying Japanese. After all, there’s always room for improvement in everything, so keep that in mind and study hard. Just as engineers strive to keep up with constantly evolving technology, we should think of languages the same way!
- Register with an agency like FAST OFFER International. Aside from being free, they’ll be able to help you in so many ways. You’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain.
- Thoroughly research the company before the interview. It is important to thoroughly research the company’s vision and business activities so you can think about how your own vision can fit with theirs. If the company and your direction match, you will have a better chance of passing the interview. After all, Japanese companies are looking for long-term employees, so they want people with similar long-term goals.
- Never give up! I did not pass the interview on my first try. I interviewed with three companies and passed the very last one. If you fail an interview, don’t be discouraged for too long. Use your failures as lessons to learn from. Examine mistakes you made and make up for them the next time. If you give up, the game ends there, so I hope you will not give up! You can do this!
