The experience of Ms K about skills up session

My name is K and I am currently in my forth year and studying management at S university. Five years passed by real quickly since I arrived in May 2000.

I left my country for the first time in my life and the life in Japan without my family was really tough for me at the time. My dream was to get a job in Japan and that was the only reason why I was coping with my life in Japan. I assume that the graduate people from 2006 would be running around for job hunting right now, I wonder how they are doing.

I also started job hunting since December and gained job experiences at many different enterprises. When I was attending the recruitment lectures, I felt a strong competitiveness between people. Even before I started job hunting, I already knew that it would be very hard for me to get a job in Japan as I am an international student. However, even though I really wanted to remain in Japan and was ready to face the competition, I could not gain confidence and there were so many things which worried me.

One day I found the advertisement of the SENSEUP Corporation in the newspaper and went to register straightaway. The staff explained to me about their activity and that made me realise that they could support me for my job hunting.

The week after my registration, I started to attend seminars for Japanese business conversation at the SENSEUP. At first, I was just trying to give it a go. When I went there I really liked the contents of the seminars and, till today, I still attend these seminars every Saturday. The contents of seminars include practicing kanji for kanji tests, manners for when you talk on the phone with people, business terminologies and SPI practices. You think you don’t have to attend a seminar to study them, because you were already taught them at school. I was also taught them at school. However, I did not have the chance to use them frequently when I was at school so I eventually forgot most of them. At this seminar, you can revise these things you learnt school and they were necessary qualities if you want to work in the Japanese labour force. Therefore these seminars, which SENSEUP provides us with, were very helpful for me.

There is one thing that I am proud of. Because of these seminars that the SENSEUP provided me with I am working a part-time job at this company which is associated with Chinese business and they promised me full-employment in 2006, since this April. I did not expect to get a job this quick and I was very happy.

People who are struggling to get a job, why don’t you join me at the seminars at SENSEUP? It is very fun and it is something different from high school. Also, how to make yourself appealing is one of the most important things when you are looking for a job.

Dear staff from SENSEUP, thank you so much for all your help, much appreciated. I will work hard to be successful and make you guys proud.

The experience of Ms H about her job

Four years ago, I was studying Japanese at a university in China but decided to resign and move to Japan because I wanted to further my study of Japanese language and management. Living overseas by myself was a great adventure for me as I had never left my family before.

When I entered language school in Japan, several times I cried because I was homesick as I was not used to living alone yet. Fortunately, my friends and teachers were so kind to me and it did not take me long to get used to the lifestyle in Japan. However, there was something that worried me. I was running out of money for living. I decided to find a part-time job but nobody gave me a chance as I could not speak Japanese well enough. I was seeking for part-time jobs which are especially for overseas students.

Luckily, my teacher introduced me this job at the Yakiniku restaurant so I started working there. In the same year, I managed to graduate language school.

After graduation I entered a business school in the city, as I wanted to become more independent. I got a scholarship for the first year from the school and things were going well for me.

In my second year, I had to make a decision whether I was going to keep on studying or get a job. I wanted to get a job but people around me told me to keep studying as I was still young. My friends at another school had a teacher who supported them for their employment, yet at my school my teacher only told me that even the Japanese students are facing the difficulty to get a job and it would be even harder for foreign students like me. I was eager to find out what kind of Japanese enterprises were looking for foreign workers but I did not know how to find the information. Eventually, I decided to find a school which can support me with getting a job in the future and study there for now.

One day I accidentally found an advertisement of the SENSEUP in Chinese newspaper which had a title of “SENSEUP Corporation, we dispatch foreign workers to Japanese enterprises!” I was very excited when I found that advertisement. I might be able to get a job with their help! I straightaway called them up and made an appointment to see them. On the day, kind and friendly staff welcomed me with a big smile on their faces. After the registration, I met Mr. Shirakawa, President of the SENSEUP Corporation and told him how much I wanted to get a job in Japan. He told me the story of many foreign students like me who managed to get a job in Japanese enterprises and what kind workers were needed in these companies. No one ever told me these things at school, and I was really glad to see an expert like him.
　
His story gave me a hope but after I left the company I was still telling myself that it’s still not certain if I can get a full-time job and I was trying to convince myself not to be happy yet as I did not want to be disappointed. I was not expecting a proper job, but just a part-time job which is easier to get.

However, five days later they called me up and asked me that they had got this job offer and if I wanted to try it. I did not expect them to get back to me this early so I couldn’t believe what they were saying…but this was real. They gave me the pamphlet of the company and I decided to apply for it.

Soon after, I got an interview with people from that company. It happened only a week after my registration to SENSEUP. Things were decided quickly after that and two weeks later, I got a call from the company saying that I got a job. It only took three weeks for me to get a job. I still could not believe what happened to me. I appreciate the help the SENSEUP gave me and I am really grateful. They told me all the necessary things for joining the Japanese labour force.
　
SENSEUP is there for any overseas students and they do not charge anyone for anything. I hope people like me will decide to ask them for help to get a job.