Inspiration Abroad: How a Teacher’s Experience Ignited a Career Path in Japan
As a child, I dreamed of working abroad without a specific country in mind.
My thesis supervisor had studied in Japan and shared various aspects of the country with me, from its advanced science and technology to everyday life, such as part-time jobs.
This sparked my interest in Japan, and I began learning Japanese. The kindness and politeness of the Japanese people made me believe it was a country where I could grow. Gradually, the dream of working in Japan took root in me.
Navigating Japan’s Job Market: How Success Stories Fueled My Journey
When the idea of working in Japan took hold, I found FAST OFFER through a Google search. Keywords like “job hunting in Japan,” “foreign students,” and “free” convinced me it was the right job site, so I clicked on it immediately.
While exploring FAST OFFER’s website, I was particularly intrigued by the “success stories.” Reading about another Indonesian student who had succeeded made me think, “If they can succeed, maybe I can too,” and my interest grew. So, I registered with FAST OFFER and created my profile.
About two weeks later, I had an interview with a Japanese staff member. I submitted my Final Year Project and a video, and the matching with Japanese companies began. This brought my dream of working in Japan closer to reality, and my hopes soared.
Turning Interview Challenges Into Learning Opportunities in Japan
Two months after the interview, I faced my first primary interview with a Japanese company. To prepare, I participated in FAST OFFER‘s mentor sessions and conducted a lot of practice and research on the companies.
During the interview, being my first experience, I was overly nervous, and my speech wasn’t smooth. Although I tried my best to convey my thoughts, speaking Japanese was not easy for me at the time. Therefore, while I would have been happy to pass, I didn’t feel like I had failed. I knew there might be failures in my first attempt, but I believed it was more important to improve my interview skills and Japanese language proficiency in the future. So, I decided to focus more on studying Japanese and preparing for interviews.
Seizing the Moment: The Impact of In-Person Interviews in Japan
In December 2023, I was selected for interviews with four companies and had the opportunity to participate in an in-person interview event in Japan (FAST OFFER’s in-person interview event). When I received the email saying, “You have a chance to visit Japan for free,” I was truly happy. I shared this news with my parents, and my whole family was delighted. I felt that interviewing in Japan was a great opportunity.
For me, preparing for interviews with Japanese companies was challenging, so I needed to be fully prepared. I took notes from each company’s website, searched for information, and conducted research on the companies. I especially made efforts to match my skills and strengths with the abilities and personalities that the companies were looking for.
The most difficult question was “Why do you want to join our company?” I think this question is important because it is a characteristic of Japanese companies to emphasize the reason for applying. Since this question was rarely asked in interviews in Indonesia, I was not used to answering it. In addition, there was also a question, “If you pass our interview, will you join our company? Why?” In response to this, I emphasized that I would choose after determining my suitability and the characteristics of the company.
Securing a Future in Japan: The Journey to a Dream Job Offer
The current job offer is different from the company I initially applied for. However, as I deepened my understanding of the offer, I realized that I would gain new experiences and encounter interesting work, which piqued my interest even more. My major is mechanical engineering, and my previous experiences were also related to engineering. However, the current job offer involves certification work related to management systems. In this job, I can visit various places and communicate with various people. This is different from my previous engineering experiences, and I found it interesting and decided to take on the challenge. When I was told “job offer,” I was truly happy, beyond words.
On the final day of the in-person interview event, I visited the job offer. I learned that the office was spacious, close to Tokyo Station, and had a great view of Tokyo Tower. What was most enjoyable was that I was able to talk for over two hours with my future colleagues and felt that they were really kind people.
Beyond the Job Offer: A Message of Hope and Perseverance for Aspiring Professionals
Receiving a job offer is not the end but a new beginning. Over the next five years, I want to learn various things to get used to my job. There are many difficult kanji characters in the materials I received from the company, and there are still parts I can’t read, so I will focus on studying Japanese.
I was inspired by the success stories of other students, which led me to register with FAST OFFER and receive a job offer. That’s why I want to pass on the energy I received from others to more students and expand the circle of empathy.
Everyone, please do your best without giving up as much as you can. I sincerely support everyone in their job search.
