Gartner Japan
Tussan Steding
Graduated from the School of International Liberal Studies in 2018
Entered Waseda University, admiring ancient Japanese culture
I visited Japan for the first time as a high school exchange student. Old culture and traditions remain in various places, such as buildings and food, and I was deeply moved by this new world, thinking that I never knew there was a country so colorful. Also, when I went to Waseda University’s open campus event, I received from a then-enrolled student a small note saying that everyone is waiting for me at Waseda. The note cheered me up, and that memory encouraged me to research Japanese universities as a career path after returning home, leading to the decision to take the entrance exam for Waseda’s School of International Liberal Studies.
In the School of International Liberal Studies, I studied psychology and international relations, which I had always been interested in. I also like sports, so I joined the equestrian club, the Nipponkempo club, and the martial arts club called Daido Juku Kudo. My student life centered around psychology and sports. In addition, I even worked part-time teaching English at a cram school near the university, because I love children.
Joined a major consulting company even while struggling with Japanese during job hunting
Unlike Japan, most people in Sweden go on to graduate school, but I had no intention to do so. Rather than return to Sweden as a graduated undergraduate, I decided to try working in Japan since I studied at Waseda University.
I started job hunting around the summer or fall of my third year. Although I didn’t have a clear industry preference, stories from my father who worked as a management consultant, and my strong desire to solve problems and help people inclined me toward working in the consulting industry. I focused my research on global consulting firms in the hopes they would utilize my values and potential. I did internships at several companies to get a feel for the gap between the companies’ pitch to students and the reality of working there.
During the selection process, I had a hard time taking the SPI and web tests, especially since I was slotted with Japanese people, rather than with foreigners. It would have been fine if I had gone to the interview and was deemed unsuitable there, but failing at the tests before the interview left me very disappointed. However, the key point in the selection process is clearly after the tests. I think the most important things to talk about are what you want to do at the company and what your goals are. In my case, I explained what I wanted to do after joining the company, saying, “I want to solve the problems faced by the companies I work with.” At the same time, I also worked to acquire IT knowledge in preparation for joining an IT consulting company. As a result, I was successfully offered a job at the major global consulting firm that I had been applying to. However, the reality was different from the image I had before joining the company, and I was not able to work the way I wanted. I stayed there for about three years before changing jobs to Gartner Japan, where I currently work.
A company that gives me discretion helps my growth
Gartner is in its core a research company, and using its wast research, its employees delivers proposals to solve various problems faced by their clients. My main role is as an IT security consultant. We analyze Anu problems or concerns that our client has, think of solutions together, and deliver actionable insight that the client can work with, concluding of anything from security policies to a new governance structure.
In my current job, I find it rewarding to be given discretion to make decisions. After joining the company, I was impressed by how they trusted me not only with my language skills but also with my more essential skill set, and how they respected what I wanted to do and supported me. I really feel that the company is thinking about what they can do to protect their staff and allow them to continue working.
At work, we use English and Japanese about half and half. First, all company reports are in English, and many of the clients who read them are also fluent in it, but if I could go back in time to my student days, I would want to study more of the Japanese used in business. After entering the workforce, I felt that the gap in my Japanese language ability and that of those around me suddenly widened. The Japanese used at university for speaking, reading, and writing is completely different from the Japanese used in actual business.
My hobby is mountain climbing. I like the sense of accomplishment that comes at the end of challenges in climbing, and it is similar to the way I approach work.
A path will open for you if you have confidence and utilize your strengths
It may be difficult, but I want students to have confidence in their skills. Looking back on my job-hunting experience, I couldn’t help but compare myself to Japanese people, and there were times when I felt depressed as my friends were getting jobs one after another. However, it’s only natural not to get very good results when competing in the same applicant pool as Japanese job-seekers. So, first of all, you should have confidence in your skills and do what you want to do, no matter what others say. Undoubtedly, being able to speak Japanese is important, but I recommend that you believe in yourself and focus on the direction you want to move in and the skills you are good at.
Of course, it is necessary to read books and prepare for the selection process, but I would like candidates to show their true selves, rather than just memorize written-down answers and repeat them glibly during the interview. Even if you force yourself to join a company, your happiness is not guaranteed there. Please be relaxed so that you can bring out your true self during the interviews.
