Annarita（Italy）
Business Japanese Class, employed at a premium hotel
Q 1. When did you start job-hunting and when did you get your employment offer?
I started preparing last year (2018) in February, then came to Japan on the student visa in September, and started the real job-hunt as I entered ARC. In November, I got my employment offer.
Q 2. How did you look for job offers?
At first, I got in touch with a recruiting agency online, had a first consultation and was introduced some opening in different companies. When I started preparing back in Italy, I registered on some job-hunting websites and researched online the companies I was interested in, and sent my resume to those with a solid reputation. I also did some video interviews, but I mainly had interviews with the companies I applied to once I got to Japan.
Q 3. How many companies did you send your resume to?
About 25 companies. I applied for jobs in the hospitality industry, apparel and translation.
Q 4. Have you ever taken a written exam?
Only once, and the questions were so easy anyone could have done it, but we were given very little time to solve them: it was hard.
Q 5. What aspects did you use to pay attention to when going into interviews?
I used to make sure I wore my job-hunting suit. I was scared of being late, so I would go to the appointment place about 30 minutes in advance and wait in the area. I also prepared a file on my phone with the most frequently asked questions and my answers, and used the commuting time to revise them.
Q 6. Can you give an example of your regular day when you were job-hunting?
In the morning, I would check the recruiting site and select at least two companies. After lunch, I would prepare the resume for application and other additional information, adapting them for the companies I was going to send them to, then send out my applications. I had my part-time job in the evening.
Q 7. Was the experience from your part-time job useful for job-hunting?
I started working part-time after I got my employment offer, so it was not directly useful, but I got the chance to understand the Japanese working style before engaging full-time, so yes, in the end it was a valuable experience.
Q 8. Among the topics you studied in the Business Japanese Class, what was the most useful in your search?
I think it was the part about self-analysis. The last interview timings of three companies I had applied to were overlapping, and the questions the interviewers were asking me kept getting more difficult. I had the chance to learn in class about self-analysis right when I needed it the most, and thank to it I was able to answer to even rather difficult questions. I will always be very thankful to my teacher.
Q 9. Why do you think you were able to get your employment offer?
I believe one reason was the incredibly good timing, as the company I had applied to was thinking of implementing its foreign workforce. Then, I was also able to make a good impression on the interviewers thanks to the experience earned with all the previous interviews: I knew what to say or do, at what time during the interview, and that gave me confidence.
Q 10. Do you have any advice for other ARC students who are going to start their job-hunt?
First of all, it is important to ask for other people’s advice, gather as much information as possible, and find the most suitable job-hunting styles for yourselves. Then, be willing to dedicate as much time you have to preparations, fore example, reviewing the frequently asked questions or looking up the company information about the firm you applied to. Lastly, the most important is to not give up. Looking for employment in Japan is not easy, but if you are determined and committed, you will surely succeed in the end.