Waseda WeeklyWaseda Weekly

Students and JFC are on equal footing; interviews are a place to get to know each other.

When job-hunting, what kind of human resources are employers looking for, and what do they look for in students? Also, what do people who have actually joined the company think about the company? This is something that many students will be concerned about. Therefore, this time, SCV (*), a student career volunteer at Career Center, asked the human resources recruitment staff and young employees of Japan Finance Corporation about their questions regarding employment.

This time, we interviewed the Japan Finance Corporation, which, as a policy-based financial institution, plays an important role in procuring funds for small and medium-sized enterprises, micro-enterprises, agriculture, forestry and fisheries businesses, etc. based on national policies. SCV's Masahiro Kobayashi (3rd year, School of Humanities and Social Sciences) was surprised by the breadth of the work, and was impressed by the fact that he focused on the potential of students.

(*) Abbreviation for Student Career Volunteer. Student volunteers at the Waseda University Career Center who are responsible for planning, managing, and disseminating information on events and plans.

Japan Finance Corporation

Human Resources Development Group, Human Resources Development Office, National Life Services Headquarters
Ryuta Tani (Graduated from School of Political Science and Economics in 2007)

National Living Services Gotanda Branch Loan Division 3
Rie Yamada (Graduated from School of Political Science and Economics in 2021)

At the Japan Finance Corporation head office. (From left) Kobayashi-san, Yamada-san, and Tani-san

We would like people to come who sympathize with the role of JFC and want to support business operators.

Kobayashi: Please tell us about the characteristics and corporate culture of your company.

Tani: Japan Finance Corporation (hereinafter referred to as Japan Finance Corporation) is a policy financial institution established in 2008, whose predecessors were the National Consumer Affairs Finance Corporation, the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Finance Corporation, and the Japan Finance Corporation for Small and Medium Enterprises. There are three businesses: business and small business business. Our management policy is tied to national policy, and by providing financial support tailored to businesses in accordance with the policy, we aim to contribute to solving national issues and to the growth and development of the Japanese economy. As a policy-based financial institution, we support businesses with a sense of mission: to "connect" and "support" policies and businesses and regions.

In addition, JFC aims to "supplement the financing provided by general financial institutions" and contribute to improving the lives of the people. JFC has approximately 1.31 million business partners. In fact, this number is one-third of all companies in Japan.

JFC's three businesses

I think the corporate culture is very open-minded. I often hear from young employees that, ``Even when I'm having trouble making a decision, my superiors and seniors provide me with generous support, so I can take the plunge and take on the challenge.''

Kobayashi: What is your company's mission when you compare it with other companies in your industry?

Tani: We are implementing policy financing flexibly using various methods under the national policy. One of the themes that JFC is facing is "fulfilling the safety net function.'' This is also stated in JFC's management policy, and is one of the important roles it must play.

For example, there are times when business is faced with unexpected events that a business cannot do anything about, such as economic crises such as the Lehman Shock, natural disasters such as the Great East Japan Earthquake and heavy rains in western Japan, and the recent spread of the new coronavirus. happen. At times like these, we are keenly aware of the role of policy-based financing, and are working to support business operators' financing by creating a system that can respond to any crisis.

Trends in safety net-related loan performance. You can see how important the role that JFC played in the spread of the new coronavirus infection was.

Another important role that JFC plays is that of "supplementing private financial institutions." We have concluded memorandums of understanding regarding business collaboration and cooperation with private financial institutions across the country, and are also working on creating cooperative financing schemes. There are many cases in which we are consulted by private financial institutions regarding matters such as starting a business or revitalizing a business.

Kobayashi: Please tell us about the businesses you are currently focusing on.

Tani: In line with the government's growth strategy, we are working to provide support in a variety of situations, including business start-ups, new businesses, business succession, business revitalization, social business, overseas expansion, and new developments in the agriculture, forestry and fisheries industries. is. Japan Finance Corporation has three businesses, each of which focuses on different areas, but the National Life Insurance Business, to which I belong, has been in business for more than 70 years since its predecessor, the National Finance Corporation, has been involved in business establishments and startups. We have been working on support.

Business establishment/startup support requires specialized know-how to make loan decisions due to poor sales performance and other reasons. We have the unique know-how to look at and evaluate aspects such as the qualifications of managers, the superiority of business models, and the feasibility of business start-up plans from multiple angles.

Role of JFC

Kobayashi: Please tell us about the training system you provide mainly for new employees.

Tani:Our education system is divided into four parts: internal training, on-the-job training (OJT), external training, and self-development support, and we place special emphasis on training new employees. At the initial stage, through repeated in-house training and on-the-job training, we instruct employees to understand and recognize basic business skills, JFC's social mission and role, and to quickly acquire pride and confidence in their work. . Regarding the necessary examination work, we have established a system in which students acquire the basic skills of the work, and as they accumulate these skills, they can acquire the ability to make autonomous judgments.

The interesting part is that it supports self-development. You can independently learn what you like from about 370 types of courses. In addition, from the perspective of improving consulting skills, we are promoting the acquisition of qualifications as small and medium-sized business consultants. We have established a system in which those who pass the first exam can receive training at an external educational institution for six months through an open recruitment system. The Small and Medium Enterprise Management Consultant qualification is a highly difficult qualification, but it can be used directly in your work.

Kobayashi: Please tell us what you look for in students who apply to your company.

Tani: He is a person who empathizes with the role of JFC and has a strong desire to support business operators. Specialized financial knowledge is not required at the time of the job interview. I believe that having such a passionate desire is proof that you have the potential to learn and grow on your own, so I evaluate this kind of desire during the interview. Even if it's not a flashy anecdote, I'd like to hear a story that shows your personality.

Additionally, I believe that students and JFC are on equal footing. In other words, it is a relationship where both parties choose and choose each other. Many students are unfamiliar with Japan Finance Corporation, and many only learn about it after they begin job hunting. While communicating naturally with recruiters and interviewers, we want them to get to know us, and we also want to get to know you. I hope that you will view the selection process as an opportunity to get to know each other.

The words of gratitude we receive from customers are rewarding.

Kobayashi: Please tell us what kind of job hunting process you went through before joining the company.

Yamada: In 2020, when I was job hunting, due to the spread of the new coronavirus infection, many selections such as briefing sessions and interviews were held online, and there were many differences from job hunting that I had heard from my seniors. There were many things that confused me. Thanks to my friend's influence, I also participated in internships at dozens of companies, and JFC was one of them.

In the winter of my third year at university, I decided that I wanted to pursue a career based on public interest and the ability to help people, and I was considering jobs in the infrastructure industry, such as electricity and gas, and the non-life insurance industry. In the end, I decided to work with Japan Finance Corporation because I thought I could do work that would make more people happy, as small and medium-sized enterprises and micro-enterprises, which account for over 99% of Japanese companies, are eligible for financing.

Also, as I interacted with senior employees during internships and recruitment interviews, it was easy to imagine what I would like to see after joining the company, and one of the reasons I decided to join the company was because I felt that I was on the same wavelength as them.

Kobayashi: Please tell us about the new employee training and OJT programs.

Yamada: The year I joined the company, there was no group training due to the spread of the novel coronavirus, so I was assigned to a branch from my first day and took online training.

At the Gotanda branch, where I belong, there is a person in charge of OJT for each task. There was a lot to remember and I had some trouble, but thanks to the careful guidance from my superiors and senior colleagues, I was able to acquire practical skills quickly.

Kobayashi: What kind of work are you in charge of at your current assignment? Also, how do you work?

 Yamada: I am in charge of loan screening work. We decide whether or not to provide financing for consultations regarding business start-ups, business expansion, etc. In addition to financial support, we also provide core business support such as consulting such as financial diagnosis, business matching to develop sales channels, and introductions to external related organizations.

Currently, we handle financing inquiries from one or two customers a day. In some cases, we visit stores and factories to check on business conditions.

I have two no-overtime days a week, so I often go out to eat with friends or go shopping. Overtime is about 2 hours a day at most.

Kobayashi: What do you find rewarding and what do you find difficult?

Yamada:​ ​I feel it is rewarding when I receive words of gratitude directly from customers, such as, ``Thank you for your support.It was a great help.'' For example, when I hear from a customer who I gave a loan to at the time of their business opening, that ``customers came without incident'' or ``the seats were full,'' I am really glad that I worked hard. .

Since I am in charge of all types of industries, I sometimes conduct reviews of industries in which I do not have deep knowledge. It is difficult to acquire complete knowledge of all industries, but you should always keep your ears open and deepen your knowledge by reading materials, asking senior employees to tell you about their past experiences, and learning from books and media. I am conscious of this. Also, managers are the representatives of the company, and they are also your seniors in life. Even though I am learning on my own, I place great importance on having customers teach me. I have a lot to learn, but I feel like I'm growing every day.

Kobayashi: Do you have any future goals or career plans?

Yamada: I want to be a staff member that my juniors consider to be easy to interact with and a reliable senior. The senior employees at the branch are really kind, reliable, and don't cut corners in their work, so I want to be like them.

In the future, I would like to further improve my consulting skills as well as my loan screening skills. I'm also interested in planning and management, so in the future I would like to be involved in work in the headquarters section that supports branches across the country. No matter what form it takes, I would like to work to support businesses without forgetting my original intention of ``I want to do work that brings joy to as many people as possible.''​

Interview and text: Kimiko Abe
Photographer: Sakae Takahashi

I realized that by taking action, the path will open up.

Masahiro Kobayashi, 3rd year student, School of Humanities and Social Sciences

Japan Finance Corporation has a relaxed atmosphere, without the stress of front-line sales staff or the difficulty of talking or feeling pressured by hierarchical relationships, which can be seen at other financial institutions. I felt that the company's attitude towards nurturing young employees was well reflected in the atmosphere within the company. I was also surprised at the breadth of the work and the importance of the role of individuals when I heard that individuals are responsible for screening a wide range of industries and that they focus on consulting as well as financing.

I was also impressed by Mr. Tani's words, "Students and interviewers have an equal relationship.Even if your company research is not advanced, human resources will bring out the best in you.'' What sticks in my mind is that they evaluate students' potential without assuming financial knowledge, and that they want them to have a spirit of challenge without fear of failure and to "dialogue" with their true selves during interviews. .

After speaking with him this time, I realized that it is important to clarify what you want to do and why you want to work, and then take action on something. I would like to utilize this experience in my future job hunting so that I can interact with many people and become a person who can connect people and businesses.

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