Pursuing Mechanical Engineering with a Japanese Dream
Ever since I was a child, I have had a strong interest in Japan. Through the Internet and YouTube, I was fascinated by the cleanliness, serenity, and beautiful scenery of Japan. I wanted to live in a wonderful environment like Japan.
I am also passionate about machines, cars, and motorcycles, and wanted to keep learning about the latest technologies in these fields. I chose mechanical engineering in college to pursue my interests, deepen my expertise, and to have the opportunity to work in Japan. I believe that Japan is a pioneer in innovation and progress in mechanical technology and is the best place to learn in my field.
Furthermore, the Japanese have a culture of treating time with great respect. I too believe that time is precious and that it is important to be strictly punctual. I identify with Japanese culture in this respect.
For these reasons, I was seeking an opportunity to work in Japan. By working for a Japanese company, I aimed to utilize my expertise and become an internationally-minded person.
Achieving Japanese Proficiency: Essential Steps for Career Success
I started studying Japanese on my own when I was a first-year student in college. Initially, I could not give it my all because I also had university classes. However, in my third year, I began to seriously study Japanese by taking online classes. During that year, I learned vocabulary, grammar, words of greeting, etc. up to the N3 level.
After completing the online classes, I joined FAST OFFER International‘s free Japanese classes to further my studies. There, we focused on business Japanese, learning words and expressions needed in business situations. Although some of the content was somewhat challenging, I believed it would be useful in my future workplace.
In addition, we actively watched YouTube videos and listened to podcasts to improve our Japanese language skills. By utilizing these multiple mediums, we were able to develop a more natural understanding of the Japanese language and improve our communication skills.
FAST OFFER International and Job Interview Preparations
I found out about FAST OFFER International by searching the keyword “finding a job in Japan” on LinkedIn. Although my Japanese language skills were not yet up to par, I prepared myself for the corporate interviews by taking the free Japanese language classes offered there.
At first, I had no idea how to handle interviews in Japan, but under the careful guidance of my mentor, I prepared areas such as self-introduction, past experiences, graduation research, and company research. I found the graduation research and company research particularly difficult. My graduation research was written in English, and I had to translate it into Japanese and explain it. There were many technical terms, and it was a challenge to find an accurate way to translate them. On the other hand, for my company research, I followed my mentor’s guidance and gathered information from company websites to prepare.
Fortunately, I had the opportunity to receive job offers from several companies. In the end, I chose a Japanese automobile manufacturer. I had always had a strong interest in automobiles, and it was a field in which I could make use of my major.
Experiencing Japan Firsthand
Last December, I visited Japan for the first time in my life for an interview. I was excited and very nervous. On the first day of activities, I checked into my hotel, took a relaxing shower, and enjoyed ramen, a very Japanese routine. After that, in addition to immersing myself in preparing for the interview, I had a great time visiting Asakusa, Tokyo Tower, and various other tourist attractions.
My favorite among the places I visited is the Asakusa temple. There, I was able to directly experience traditional culture and be enveloped by its unique atmosphere. Also, around the temple, there were plenty of specialty products such as chopsticks, which I bought as souvenirs.
Looking ahead
After joining the company, I will first undergo training to understand the company in terms of its history and products. After that, I plan to start working as a design and development engineer. I am looking forward to it.
Reflecting on my experience in finding a job in Japan, I would like to leave you with the following advice:
- First, make sure to do some basic preparation, such as introducing yourself and researching the company.
- Second, when you have your first interview, it is important to answer the questions calmly and without being nervous.
- Also, if you fail an interview, it may cause you to feel discouraged, but the experience will be a valuable learning experience for the next interview. Therefore, please accept it as a trial and remain positive and do not give up.
