Graduate Interview
NTT Data Co., Ltd.
Ayako Tamaki（Graduated the School of Social Sciences in 2017）
Exhibiting my individuality as a “singing guide”
There are four activities that I continued throughout my four years at Waseda: the Chamber Choir, the Politics Circle, a National Diet member internship, and working as a campus tour guide. I decided to become a tour guide after a senior told me I could do a good job because my voice carries so well. After completing training and making my debut as a tour guide, it was all I could do to provide a simple commentary about the campus, and I was worried about the unenthusiastic reaction from tour participants. As I tried various different approaches, I realized that what the participants really wanted to see was some true facet of Waseda students, and so I decided to perform various songs during each tour to impress with my membership of the Chamber Choir. This approach was very received, and I went on to develop my own style as a “singing guide”. I think that we guides, each displaying our own individuality, have been able to convey the diversity of Waseda.
Cherish the human encounters that will help you grow
During the tours, guardians or students preparing for examinations would often ask about such topics as study methods, and I responded by giving the best possible advice based on my own experiences of first failing but then waiting for another chance to take examinations. Sometimes people would return at a later date to tell me they had passed. Through this, I keenly felt the joy of helping people resolve problems, and this established my desire to fi nd a job that would allow me to offer the solutions to problems. In my job seeking activities I also emphasized the potential to come into contact with a wide range of industries and the honing of expertise. I eventually selected the IT industry as I felt it could satisfy all three of these conditions.
I encourage you to make use of the fl ourishing environment at Waseda to actively expand your range of activities, and in doing so fi nd the kind of person who makes you think that you want to be like them. Having a role model is one signpost for developing your future life. Precisely because Waseda is a place where many diverse people learn together, you are sure to encounter many people who will help you grow.
【Encounters at WASEDA】The ability to communicate and the creative abilities I honed as a guide have now become the skills I use in my work
A cast-iron rule I was taught as a tour guide was to explain things in a numbered and systematic manner, moving from large items to small, from visible things to those that can’t be seen. That principle has become a part of my own process, and people tell me that the way I explain things in presentations or at other times is very easy to understand. Other abilities that I acquired through guide work were powers of observation and imagination in discerning from people’s expressions their level of understanding of what is being said. Also, I always strived to achieve interaction based on two-way interchanges, not only talking myself but also learning things from the other party. These skills still prove very useful today in my sales work.
- Research on the themes of automobiles and environment
Out of my interest in economics, I selected environmental and economic studies for my seminar topic. I proceeded to conduct research on automated driving and car sharing from the perspective of reducing the load on the environment.
- Interchanges with students from other schools in open courses
Within the open courses, I was especially stimulated by colleagues with whom I studied in a course involving managing your own project.
- Intern experience also influenced my job choice
Through my National Diet member internship, I encountered adults whom I could respect, and this helped me decide that I wanted to do work that would benefit other people
【Current Job】I’m committed to my job of advancing projects while patiently negotiating with others
I am involved in the sale of air traffic control systems. My proposals must take into account 10 or 20 years into the future, while also considering current international trends in the aviation industry, which means I always need to keep studying and gathering information. The process of developing policy while coordinating with numerous relevant parties is not easy, but there is a great sense of achievement when I become the fulcrum for the advancement of projects. As I look back, my numerous experiences of exchanging opinions and reaching mutually acceptable conclusions in my circle and seminar activities have become real assets today. Although I cater to corporate clients in my work, I too am sometimes an air passenger, and I get a thrill when I think that the safety of my journey is enabled by the very systems that I am involved with.
※This article is reprinted from Future Design Guidebook 2020.
