Hello, my name is Bau. I am from Hanoi, which is located in the north of Vietnam. I graduated from the Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department of Hanoi University of Technology and have been working in Japan for 10 years. This is my third year as an employee of EXEO Group.

What sparked my interest in Japan was the Japanese anime I watched as a child. I loved watching One Piece, Doraemon, Dragon Ball, and so on. At first I watched them with subtitles, but gradually I wanted to be able to understand them in Japanese without subtitles. Also, the more I watched anime, the more I wondered why Japan was so developed, and the more I wanted to go to Japan someday.

I became interested in working in Japan because I learned through the news and newspapers that Japan was developing very well and I found it very attractive. In order to work for a Japanese company after graduating from college, I continued to study Japanese while watching anime during my college years. I learned Japanese on my own, and now I can use it at work with little difficulty. Last year, I was also able to obtain N1 of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test.

I have been working in Japan for about 10 years now, and compared to 10 years ago, I feel that Japan today is much easier to work in, with better laws and regulations for workers.

What activities did you work on the most during college years?

I wanted to become an electrical engineer, and my first priority at that time was to learn knowledge related to electrical engineering. I studied how electricity works in various fields and in our daily lives, and its architecture.

I wanted to be an electrical engineer because my cousin was also an electrical engineer and I also liked engineering subjects such as mathematics and science!

I also did a lot of reading, soccer, and outdoor activities while studying.

What did you wish you did in university?

I think the most important thing for university students is to think about what career you want to have in the future. What I think is most important for university students is to think carefully about what kind of work they want to do in their future. For example, if you are studying electricity or architecture, you need to think about the workplace you want to be in the future, and what knowledge you need to achieve that. I believe that many people play and study at university, so you should keep your future in mind as you go about your activities.

Also, in the junior and senior year of university, there are job hunting events for Japanese companies. I think it is a good idea to clarify what you want to do while participating in such events.

It is important to think carefully about your strengths and to accumulate knowledge related to the areas in which you have strengths.

It is also a good idea to improve your abilities by participating in various employment events and activities during your college years. While participating in job hunting events, you may receive advice from those around you. I think it is a good idea to make use of such insights in your subsequent job hunting activities.

In addition, I hope that by participating in such events, you will learn the importance of communicating with a variety of people. I myself came to think that communication is important while working for the EXEO Group.

How did you start job hunting in Japan?

During my junior and senior years of university, I actively participated in job fairs and information sessions for new graduates hosted by Japanese companies looking to hire new graduates in Japan. They were generally held every two to three months, and I found a company I was interested in among them. So I applied.

There are also many Japanese companies that have branches in Vietnam, and I actively participated in events and information sessions here.

Did you have any difficulty with job hunting in Japan?

I did not have many difficulties. When you actively participate in job fairs, it is a great plus because you will receive advice or information regarding jobs, and  learn a lot.

What kind of companies were you looking for?

During my job search I applied to a total of 10 companies or so. All of them were in the electrical field.

It was 10 years ago when I first started working in Japan. At that time, there were very few Japanese companies hiring engineers from overseas, and it was not easy to find the position I wanted.

I wanted to work in Japan, so I was always searching and applying for positions that would allow me to work in Japan. I also conducted interviews to see if there was a match between myself and the company. During job hunting, I think it is a good idea to think carefully about whether a company is the one you want to enter or not, why you want to enter it, and what you need to do to enter the company.

The advantage of working in Japan is that the experience of working in a developed country like Japan will help you in your career and life, when you decide to return to your own country in the future. Vietnam is not as developed as Japan, so the experience of working in a developed country like Japan will be a great asset.

First, Japanese is essential. When you go to a new country, it is important to be able to speak the language of that country. It is important to be able to communicate with various people through Japanese, and it is also necessary to study your field of expertise, for example, electrical engineering, in Japanese, and use it at work.

I was studying for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test, and at the same time, I was studying for the electrician's license that I would use at work.

The EXEO Group provides electrical construction supervision (construction management) for public projects and data center construction. We receive orders for projects as the prime contractor and manage the entire project in cooperation with partner companies. The outline of electrical work includes power receiving and distribution equipment, storage battery equipment, emergency generators, and electrical lighting outlets.

I am in charge of construction drawings for electrical work, scheduling and directing the work of workers, safety management, and cost control.

The people we communicate with at work vary from clients to business partner company employees. That is why it is important to have a proactive attitude toward communication. While valuing the unique Japanese culture of “HouRenSou,” it is important to communicate in such a way that if something happens, we immediately consult, discuss, and consider the matter.

In addition to this, I feel that it is important to keep the work site tidy as part of the Japanese working culture. I believe that keeping one's surroundings clean and organizing one's work environment, in addition to knowledge, is an important part of making a good working environment.

Why did you choose EXEO Group?

The thing that attracts me the most is the opportunity to be involved in overseas projects.

Also, since the EXEO Group is a large company, the ability to challenge yourself to do the work you want to do, improve your skills, and aim for advancement is a big attraction. Even after joining the EXEO Group, I can feel the company's support and generosity. The benefits and other programs are very good, and the company has provided support for studying for qualifications and organized study events and training programs to help employees grow. And the seniors around me are also very kind to teach me if I have any questions about work.

Working in Japan for 10 years, I feel that Japanese culture and Vietnamese culture are quite different. In Vietnam, you can quit your job at any time, so it is easy to step up, but in Japan, you cannot quit your company easily. You need to be promoted within the company and step up your career little by little. For this reason, I think the EXEO Group has a very good environment.

What kind of person is a…

Good FIT 合う人

I think this program will suit people who value active communication using Japanese, and people who are actively willing to study the necessary specialized fields.

In particular, it is important to develop your Japanese language skills. Looking at my friends who have also been in Japan for 10 years, I feel that it is important to be able to use Japanese well at work, both at the EXEO Group and at other Japanese companies.

Even if you don't know much Japanese, as long as you are willing, you can use it more and more actively, and you will surely improve through repetition. It is important to actively use the language with this kind of positive attitude.

NOT a good FIT合わない人

If you are not willing to learn and want to maintain the status quo, the EXEO Group is not the right fit for you. Also, here, we value communicating proactively, so if you prefer to work solo without cooperating with others, then this will not be a good fit. 

What are the hardest things in this job?

The most difficult thing was to relearn the technical knowledge I already had in “Japanese”. Not only the language, but you will have to learn new knowledge that applies to another country, which can be different from what you learned in your home country. Depending on the language, sometimes there will be unique culture hidden in the knowledge, so you must understand Japanese culture while relearning your expertise. Even if the content is the same, grammar can be very different, so you must work hard to get used to them. 

Also, if there are strict senior members in the workplace, you could find it difficult to talk to them at times. Now, I have many kind senior members, and I can easily express my opinions. It is important to be surrounded by kind senior members.