Interviewees who cooperated in the interview：
Caitlin Hale, now with Panasonic Operational Excellence Co., Ltd., graduated from the Graduate School of International Culture and Communication Studies in 2015.
After two exchange programs, I entered Waseda University’s graduate program and looked for a job in Japan.
I became interested in Japan because of my study abroad experience there when I was a high school student. The high school I went to had a sister-school relationship with a Japanese high school, and I participated in the exchange program. When I first came to Japan, I could only speak English, but I found studying Japanese interesting and began to study it in earnest at an American university. My major was Linguistics, which is the study of English or Japanese itself, but rather a field closer to neuroscience or psychology. While studying, I also worked as a tutor for Linguistics, Japanese language, and history classes, and supported English conversation for international students in the US.
I visited Waseda University as an exchange student during my junior year of university. Based on my experience there, I wanted to continue my Linguistics research in Japan. So, after graduating from university, I enrolled in the Graduate School of International Culture and Communication Studies at Waseda University. I felt that I had a fulfilling time in graduate school, not only conducting research but also traveling to various parts of Japan as a hobby.
When thinking about my career after the master’s course, I thought about going on to the doctoral course. However, I thought I could pursue a career as a researcher or a teacher even after I entered the workforce. I started job hunting because I wanted to get a job related to communication that would make use of the Japanese language I had learned so far.
It is important to consider your compatibility with companies while navigating Japan’s unique job-hunting culture.
As I expected, the aspect that I had the most difficulty with during job hunting was the language barrier. I used to watch movies and dramas in Japanese with Japanese subtitles. By doing it, you can develop your listening skills and study kanji at the same time. For my speaking skills, I actively created opportunities to speak Japanese, like talking with friends. Also, there is a lot of vocabulary and business phrases, as well as honorific expressions, that you don’t use in casual conversations, so they can be confusing during job hunting. In addition to getting used to job hunting and interviews, I aimed to get N1 for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT). It’s difficult to achieve N1 at once, so one way to get it in the end is to obtain N2 or other qualifications first. Along with the language barrier, I also had a hard time with the unspoken rules of Japanese job hunting. It took me a while to understand the difference between superficial expression and true meaning, and I didn’t know what the next step was or where to get information. There weren’t many upper-level international students around me, so gathering information was challenging. I prepared myself very carefully, including moving up my master’s thesis to allow time for job hunting and taking a Japanese class that specialized in job hunting.
Another major concern was how much I should emphasize my international status. For example, when I wore a recruitment suit to match other students, some companies told me that they were happy that I adapted myself for Japan while other companies said that I didn’t have to follow the Japanese way. The responses varied. The balance between the expectations placed on international students and the degree to which international status should be showcased was very difficult. However, through the responses I received, I could clearly see the differences in culture and values among companies, and it also helped me judge my compatibility with the companies. In that sense, I think it is important not to forcibly emphasize anything during interviews and so on, but show who you really are.
In my search for a company to work at, I wanted to find a job that would create joy through communication between people and the company. I also wanted an international job where I could use both Japanese and English and have career flexibly on my terms, so I was looking for a company that would work on a wide range of businesses. It was during this search that I encountered the Panasonic Group, where I work now. I was strongly attracted to the wide range of businesses and operations in Japan and overseas, and the attitude of valuing not only profits but also their relationship with society and people based on the philosophy of “public entity of society.” I later realized that all the appliances in the apartment I lived in at that time were made by Panasonic. I might have unconsciously felt that it was a good company. Looking back, I think it was a natural choice for me, as I wanted to do a job that would showcase the appeal of the company.
Aiming to be a company that is liked not only by customers but also by employees.
As of April this year, it will be exactly 9 years since I joined the Panasonic Group. I have been transferred frequently in a relatively short period of time and have had various work experiences in areas like public relations, video production, advertising production, and production and release of recruitment content. I also had the opportunity to work in the personnel department and be in charge of internal and external communications for executives and brand strategy. I am currently in the department that conveys the history of the company and am involved in a wide range of fields within the framework of “corporate communication.” Also, there is an in-house company system in which employees can work in another department for about 20% of their working hours, and I used to be a part of that for a year and a half. It was a good opportunity to get involved in new things every day, such as getting an overview of the entire group from a communicative standpoint and interviewing people to gather info about different people and technology.
It’s personally rewarding to be involved in a job that makes people think “I like this company.” We aim to provide information and messages that satisfy not only customers but also employees and make them feel that they are “glad to be here.” For example, I’ve had people I interviewed feel proud or happy about the experience. Another great aspect of my work is that it enables each employee to develop a desire to take on challenges and to hone the skills and abilities they have developed to the fullest through communication. For example, drawing attention to initiatives that have not received much spotlight in the past can have an unexpected impact. A job that affects hundreds of thousands of people carries great responsibility, but at the same time it feels rewarding and something to be proud of.
Self-analysis to identify your core values and choose the right company.
It is important to have your core values when looking for a job. I had a desire to make people happy and a clear intention to achieve that through communication. Everyone has things that suit them best and their own personal qualities, values and thoughts. That’s why I think it’s very important to face yourself first and make what you want to do the core of your job hunting. What kind of jobs, industries, and job types are there to make it happen? It’s okay to be vague at first, but it is important to analyze yourself by clarifying and organizing the direction you aim at little by little.
Also, it is essential to gather information to judge whether the company is suitable for what you want to do. It is important to get as much information as possible by utilizing seminars held by various companies and contents posted on the Internet. Find out the values and style of the company and look for a place where you can feel good. I think it’s also good to remember and value the idea, “This company may not be suitable for me.” To achieve your goals in a place that works for you, please try to pick companies and gather information without compromising your values.
