| COUNTRY |
| United Kingdom |
| EDUCATION |
| Master’s in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Cambridge |
| COMPANY |
| Control / measuring equipment manufacturer |
| SUMMARY |
| A female master’s student in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Cambridge. The research theme is RISC-V Processor Optimization / RISC-V processor optimization. Experienced in research and development in an internship. |
Exploring My Career Options
I have wanted to experience working outside the United Kingdom for several years. However, I always thought that only somewhere in Europe, or another English-speaking country, was realistic. I knew some Japanese from speaking to my mother and taking classes at university. Even so, I didn’t think my level would be high enough to get a job.
As an engineering student, my lecturers always taught us about Japanese technology. And after visiting a year ago, I knew I wanted to start my career in Japan. But this was easier said than done.
How FAST OFFER International Program Helped Me
Japanese jobs are rarely advertised to foreign graduates, making it difficult to find somewhere to apply, let alone secure an interview. I found ASIA to JAPAN‘s FAST OFFER International Program (formerly Study Go Work JAPAN Program) through the University Anglo-Japanese Society and decided to give it a try.
I have felt extremely supported throughout the process. My initial meeting to discuss my application made me nervous as I hadn’t spoken one-on-one with a stranger in Japanese much before, but they gave me a lot of confidence that I had a good chance. I then completed my written essays and video application. It was actually very interesting to write about my research in Japanese, as it introduced me to a lot of vocabulary I wouldn’t learn from normal lessons. I think that even if I hadn’t received an offer, it would have been an invaluable learning experience.
My Experience With Japanese Job Interviews
I was so excited to be invited to interview with a Control/measuring equipment manufacturing company. I hadn’t heard of them before, but the more I researched the company, the more excited I became about the opportunity to work for them.
Before my interview, I had two mentoring sessions, which lasted 1.5 hours each. Again, I was nervous that they would be very intense, but my mentor was so friendly and helped me perfect my answers and presentation. I also appreciated the chance to practice my conversation skills with someone experienced in my field.
I had 3 video interviews with people increasingly senior in the Japanese company, and a test between my first and second interviews. The interviews focused on my motivation for working in Japan and at this specific company, my Master’s research, and my technical skills. This included giving a presentation about some of the research I had done, which I felt much more confident in after working with my mentor. One of the best parts was that after each interview, I got my results within a couple of days, so I didn’t have a long, anxious wait. I will be starting my role at this company in October 2022, and I can’t wait for this new challenge! I know it’s going to be a big change to move across the world, but I’m confident that I’ll be supported along the way, and I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity.
