【Internal Internship Interview】I want to try something new. Maki Uchida

Hello everyone, I am Maria Phasoulidou and I am currently doing my internship at Tiger Mov (self-introduction article is here ). Even though it is only for a short time, I want to learn more about everyone here! Today I am interviewing Maki I would like to highlight Maki's passion about Tiger Mov and showcase her spirit! 

 

Let's start the interview!

 

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BASIC PROFILE

Name: Maki Uchida

Origin: Chiba, Japan

Family: parents and one sister (23 years old)
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     Her passion to help people developed her desire to study English!

 

WHAT KIND OF PERSON IS MAKI?

 

Picture of Maki with the friends she made while studying in Malaysia.

 

How would you describe your student days? 

I'm studying for International Business Management.

In the first year I visited Malaysia for one month for an English training program and there I realized that I wanted to study English and I wanted to become English friendly. 

The reason for this is because I want to be able to communicate with anyone, even with people who are not from Japan.

 

[How did this interest occur? About wanting to do something international?]

Because in my childhood, I wanted to join an NGO, NPO and help vulnerable people. 

This is why I choose my current major at university. 

So I study how to help develop Asian countries from the economic and educational site so it is very interesting for me.

In order to communicate with someone who is not Japanese I need to be able to speak English .

 

[You had never studied English before?]

I mean like, the answer is yes and no. 

I did have classes but they focused on grammar, reading and listening so I couldn't speak in my high school, I didn't practice speaking or writing.

I took some classes at my university and they were very helpful!

Then I applied for an exchange program in the US and I passed that and I spent there and I studied Business Management, Human Resource Management, Organizational Behavior, Finance.

I really enjoyed my time in US since in my university in Japan each class has over 100 people but in the US each class has around 40 students so it was easy to talk with other students in the US!

 

There are so many people, it is hard to find her!

 

　 She realised that she had to change something about herself.

 

Maybe about yourself or about the differences between Japan and US? [While studying in the US, what was the most striking thing that you noticed?

I was not the person who would speak up first. 

I would wait for other people to say something and then I would share my opinion or share something.

In the US, this kind of behavior was not okay.

If I waited, people might think “Oh this girl doesn't speak English at all, maybe she is not motivated ...”. 

So I realized that I have to be the first person to speak up. 

It changed me.

 

[Can you describe a specific example where you realized that you really have to change this thing about yourself?]

I was taking a Psychology class and during the class the professor wanted us to discuss case studies.

To do this, we had to make groups of 5-6 people. 

At first, I was just waiting for them. 

I didn't have any chance to speak up because they didn't wait for me, they just grouped together.

So then I realized that I have to try and speak up because no one was going to wait for me.

 

Picture of Maki with the precious friends she made in US!

 

[How was your social life in the US? Did you make any friends?]

My university in US had three semesters. 

The first semester there were a lot of exchange students from the Netherlands, Australia, Belgium, Germany .. I could talk with them and we hung out a lot. Most of them stayed only for the first term while I stayed for 9 months.

 

I could make some friends from Asian countries who have been with friends so I have tried to make new friends so I have made friends with Asian people who are really like and I still keep in touch (Chinese, Taiwan, Vietnam, Bangladesh ...).

 

It was a pretty good moment, everyone had different nationalities, background. The opinion of everyone was totally different. It was always interesting to me!

 

Some of them might visit Japan in 2020 because of the Olympics! I might be able to hang out with them again.

 

 　Very busy with her club activities, there was no time left to study!

 

Maki playing drums at one of the activities of her high school club.

 

[You want to know more about your high school years! Were you a member of any clubs?]

I was a member of my high school drums club. 

I was so busy – I did not have time to study or to communicate with my mum. 

It was very very busy club and I didn't have time for myself.

 

[Did you have any time to study?]

Ummm ... Yes and no. If I tried yes, but I didn't try since I was so into my club.

 

[Haha, so interesting! Can you describe what this club's activities were?]

There are 70 students in the club and we always had to audition before playing in front of an audience.

It was very competitive and weird but I enjoyed it a lot. I was very into it.

 

[What are some skills you think you developed from participating in this club?]

I think I developed patience.

I was playing drums in front of many people and I could talk to them after the concert.

They look so happy when they look at us and I realized that I want to work in the future, I want to communicate.

I enjoy speaking with people so maybe I can do that in the future. It may be connected to this Tiger Mov internship.

　 Strong desire to contribute at Tiger Mov and help students!

 

I was about to ask you about Tiger Mov, haha. Why did you choose Tiger Mov and what got you interested in working here?

When I was staying in the US I was searching about internships outside of Japan. 

So I was looking a lot of websites and I found Tiger Mov.

Then I thought that this website looks so interesting. 

At the time, I wanted to do the internship in Malaysia because I've been there before. 

But at some point I was like 'what if I worked there as an intern at this Tiger Mov office'. 

I don't know why I was thinking this.

 

[Were you inspired?]

Maybe I was inspired, it was like a sixth sense thing * laughs *.

I looked at the members' introductions and I was like “wow they are so interesting, I've never seen this kind of people. It might be very interesting if I worked there”

So I just contacted them and I spoke with Eriko by ZOOM and she asked me “what would you want to do you worked in tiger mov”?

Your office looks so interesting, your members, what you do looks so good ”

So she answered me that I can work in Tiger Mov and I can choose what I want to do.

Kandai san helped me understand what I wanted to do at the moment I had no idea. I only had some ideas, like some random ideas and brainstorming stuff.

And he was just talking to me and he described things I might want to do. 

He suggested some things and I was like “wow yes this is exactly what I want to do!”. 

He recommended that I do some inside sales stuff and as I now enjoy it!

 

What are your goals through this internship?

I feel like I was lucky I could find Tiger Mov, which is a company that I really like. 

However, I do not think that many people are going to do an internship abroad or do something that they like for the future. 

They are just thinking “oh I have to get a job, and I have to do this and this ..”. 

So it is not like they want or they like what they are going to do in the future.

I am thinking, if I help them to find something they like, I think that it is exactly what I want to do. Now I think that I can do this while working at Tiger Mov. 

I can help them. 

It is my goal and mission through this internship.

 

Tiger Mov team is just so full of life and energy!

 

So inspiring! So, what is important to you while working here?

The important things to try is as many ideas as I can from the students I call because it is bet be helpful for Rika san or Kanae san-they might introduce or offer some internship. 

The time I talk to someone is just very important to me .

 

When I describe to my friends what I am doing in my internship they might reply “oh that's kind of boring!”. 

But actually it is not. 

It's because I have a vision about this internship and this is why I do not think it's boring. 

It is very interesting and inspiring for me and I really enjoy it.

 

How is your first day here? So now tell me, what is your opinion about Tiger Mov?

I really for lunch with Kandai san and Tomoya san and I was so nervous. But actually they werere on My first day at Tiger Mov I was surprised about how friendly everyone was and it was so easy to talk to them! very chill and it was so easy to talk to them.

 

　 "Every time I come here, I can find something I didn't know. It is very inspiring for me!"

 

[Did you expect it?]

So I expected it but I was still surprised at how friendly everyone was. I had talked with Kandai san before and he looked so kind and friendly.

When I talked to them kind of deeply about some missions or what they want to do in the future or what they are trying to do now for this company – they think a lot

I am the person who can't think in the future, I just focus on the present. It is kind of difficult for me to see the future when I am doing something.

So they are like “I am doing this because in the future I want to do this”. 

I was so inspired.

Everyone can do a different job. 

For example, Eriko does this and Kandai san does something different different-that's very different.

If they trade their tasks, I don't think they can complete them. 

It's because they are so specialized and experienced and passionate. 

I want to be like that!

I am trying it. For example, my level is like this * shows low * and their level is like that * shows high * so I have to improve.

So every time I come here, I can find something I didn't know. 

It is very inspiring. Not only for this internship but also for my career and my personality. I can get some knowledge or some ideas.

FROM NOW ON

 

What do you want to say yourself in the future? 

In the future, I want to try something new every day. It might be helpful if I find some ideas or something new about anything!

 

If I continue doing that habit for several months, or for a few years, I might become a different person. 

 

In 9 months, I could change a bit. I want to improve myself in something new or kind of hard.

I should try something interesting, new to me.

 

Maki at USA! I see you also like Ryan Gosling, haha.

 

Do you have a personal motto?

My professor says “get out of your comfort zone”. 

This is my motto.

I feel like this is very important to me.

 

This means that I want to try something new or something that I don't know. It will guide me in the future. 

 

I don't think I am a talented person but I think that if I study hard or if I work hard then I can become the person I want to be.

 

I will try my best to be the best version of myself.

 

I like that, so inspiring! 

Thank you for the interview, I really enjoyed it!

　 After the interview-my personal comments

I realise that everyone here in Tiger Mov has a passion for what they do, their eyes sparkle. I could see this when talking with the other members saw it in Maki's eyes. 

 

In the interview, Maki mentions that she is not good at thinking about her future only after her interview, I think that she is already working towards her long-term goals and that is to help people. She is a very inspiring person.