Interview with Gustavo Diniz da Corte of Cash Tree, Japan

Video Interview with Gustavo

Transcript of The Video

Ryoko: Thanks, Gustavo, for becoming a member of in the present day with us at EJable. I’m very joyful to listen to your story and so that you can share about your expertise right here in Japan. And I’m certain by means of this interview, our viewers can even have loads to study out of your expertise. So. Might you start by giving us a bit little bit of your introduction 😊?

Gustavo: Certain. Properly, thanks for receiving me.

I’m Gustavo, and I’m from Brazil. I had studied in Brazil. I additionally spent one 12 months in Korea, additionally finding out there. Then, I returned to Brazil and completed my research. After I was in Brazil, I began working within the IT area earlier than I moved to Japan. After coming to Japan, I continued working in the identical area.

Ryoko: OK. Superb. Then, can I ask why you selected to return to Japan to work in IT and your first interplay with Japan?

Gustavo: My first interplay was throughout my research after I was in South Korea. I visited Japan in an change program, and I like this place loads. Since I used to be a child, I all the time wished I wished to know Japan. I wished to return right here sometime. And I noticed that dream throughout that journey.

However then, I didn’t precisely select Japan to return and work right here. It was only a coincidence. A good friend of mine noticed a job opening on an internet site, and he was speaking about it in a gaggle chat. I requested him to ship me the hyperlink. I simply utilized for that job. I acquired the interview request. All the things went effectively and, truly, higher than what I anticipated. Ultimately, they accepted me. They stated they’d like to have me working with them right here. And that’s how I got here to Japan.

Ryoko: Wow, OK, so it was completely a coincidence, and mainly, you simply took the prospect and despatched emails.

Gustavo: I despatched one e-mail to them. I didn’t ship emails to another firms. It simply occurred that I had a really particular ability that they wanted, they usually couldn’t discover that in Japan that simply.

Ryoko: Proper. OK. Wow. That’s wow. That’s an enormous coincidence. Then, earlier than coming to Japan, did you may have any Japanese language abilities?

Gustavo: Sure, I studied a bit little bit of Japanese after I was in Brazil.

Nonetheless, I needed to cease studying Japanese after I joined the college. So, it was simply a few years that I realized Japanese. However my Japanese abilities have been very fundamental 😊.

Ryoko: OK. Hmm. I see. Then, would you may have some recommendation about studying Japanese for individuals who come from overseas to Japan to work right here?

Gustavo: Undoubtedly, as a result of it helps loads, particularly in every day life. Like, if you go to the grocery store, should you can at the very least learn one thing, it already helps, proper? And so, studying at the very least some fundamental Kanji, Hiragana, and Katakana is what I’d recommend.

Ryoko: OK. So, at your office, is it obligatory to talk in Japanese, or do you do most of your work utilizing English?

Gustavo: I do all of my work in English, and we’re not required to talk Japanese at any degree.

Ryoko: OK, superb. So, I assume there are quite a lot of worldwide employees in your working atmosphere.

Gustavo: Sure, truly, in my workforce, we don’t have quite a lot of Japanese individuals. We have now quite a lot of Japanese all through the corporate, however all of them have to talk English, so all of them can communicate in English. English is the official language of the corporate. It was based by some foreigners who dwell in Japan. That’s why English is part of the tradition.

Ryoko: Proper. Hmm, I see. OK then, I assume throughout your work, you aren’t uncovered a lot to the standard conventional Japanese work tradition. However was there one thing that you just needed to adapt to or type of study to work in Japan over the previous three years of your being right here in Japan?

Gustavo: Properly, Yeah, particularly as a result of I’ve been to some firms which can be very conventional Japanese. And effectively, the working type is that you just often should put in a couple of additional hours. They don’t inform you that. However it goes with out saying that you just’re going to remain for a while after the common workplace hours. It’s all the time seen by the higher administration. Additionally they encourage you to remain on the workplace as a result of they often do a couple of issues after workplace hours, like having meals or issues like that. In order that’s one of many largest issues that I, yeah, I needed to change.

Ryoko: Was it one thing that you just had difficulties with, or was it OK with you to spend that point studying in regards to the Japanese working tradition?

Gustavo: It was largely OK. I used to be anticipating some type of shock at how they work in another way, proper? However ultimately, it was totally totally different. Like everyone, in addition they get to work on time and attempt to go away work on the regular time as effectively.

Ryoko: Proper. Then, by way of the venture execution types, do you see something totally different from working in a Brazilian firm to working in a Japanese firm?

Gustavo: It’s exhausting to distinguish between Brazilian and Japanese firms as a result of, from my expertise, even inside Japan, we’ve quite a lot of totally different processes occurring. And it’s very exhausting to investigate between the 2 nations as a result of, in Brazil, there are some firms which can be very organized and a few that aren’t. And the identical goes for Japan. Like one of many firms I labored at they weren’t the best-organized firm, and the tasks have been often a bit bit late.

Ryoko: Proper.

Gustavo: I had the identical experiences in Brazil. I’ve expertise with better-organized the place the whole lot goes flawlessly. I believe it’s it actually relies on the individuals.

Ryoko: Proper. OK. Then, can I ask what you want about your present place at Cash Tree?

Gustavo: Yeah, certain. Properly, they’re very versatile. They usually deal with their staff very effectively. I actually like that they provide some excellent advantages reminiscent of 20 days paid go away and 10 days go away a 12 months. In order that’s very totally different from many conventional Japanese firms, the place paid leaves begin with 10 if you begin working after which go up, and often you don’t get sick leaves.

So, Cash Tree takes additional care of the workers, which is sweet. They don’t encourage additional time work so long as you end your work, which can be excellent. For those who can handle your workload and your time, why do you need to keep again? Simply return house.

Ryoko: Is it a hybrid working type that you’ve got?

Gustavo: It’s totally distant. The corporate is distant first. They don’t care about the place you’re in Japan so long as you’re in Japan.

Ryoko: Oh, Wow. OK. Then, how do you want working remotely, particularly in Japan? I really feel there are some professionals reminiscent of that you just don’t should undergo the push hour in the course of the mornings and evenings on these trains. However I additionally really feel that working remotely myself, I do miss a little bit of the human connections. Is it one thing that you just additionally really feel, or in no way?

Gustavo: I just like the human connection a part of the work, possibly not with the identical depth. I are likely to choose a hybrid office the place we’d have one or two, at most two days per week, within the workplace to work together with individuals to have the social a part of the work carried out. However. I actually like distant work, particularly since you don’t should take rush-hour trains and spend over one-hour commuting. Surprisingly sufficient, it doesn’t matter the place you reside in Tokyo, it should take at the very least half-hour to get from one place to a different.

Ryoko: Honest sufficient. Yeah. OK. Then, transferring on, do you may have any recommendation for individuals interviewing with a Japanese firm? It might be a really conventional or internationally diversified Japanese firm. Do you may have any ideas or recommendation on how they need to current themselves within the interview, or something you may advise?

Gustavo: Properly, I can solely give recommendation on what I often do in my very own interviews. What I often do is be fully sincere with them. If I don’t know one thing, I inform them immediately that I don’t know. That, that’s and in addition just like the ether is to study new issues. Make sure to show that you just actually know in regards to the factor, and to not showcase should you don’t, as a result of typically such issues can chunk you again.

Ryoko: Proper. So, be sincere in interviews, proper?

Gustavo: Yeah, I believe that is essential.

Ryoko: Nice. Thanks for the recommendation. Then, transferring on to the social facet, outdoors of the work facet of residing in Japan. Particularly since you’re working remotely full-time, what do you love to do in your free time?

Gustavo: Properly, now I’m making an attempt to go to the health club extra typically. I in all probability ought to be stricter with myself as a result of I’m failing miserably 😊 and effectively like I’ve, I’d like to look at some Netflix, play some video video games, or go to close by locations like parks to take a stroll there. On the weekends, typically I’m going for mountaineering as effectively.

Ryoko: Good. Superb. Which mountain have you ever been to that you just like essentially the most for mountaineering?

Gustavo: I imply, there are a couple of mountains, however truly, it’s just about the identical. I imply, it doesn’t change that a lot. In any case, it’s about climbing a mountain 😊.

Ryoko: Proper. Proper 😊.

Gustavo: However there are some locations which can be particularly stunning in the course of the Sakura season, the cherry blossom season. After I was residing within the countryside, there was this Yama Park. It’s not precisely a brilliant hike, however it’s, uh, it takes a short while to go up the mountain. Nonetheless, on the high, there are a number of cherry bushes, and it’s fairly intensive. So, it’s fairly cool to stroll there. And on the base, there’s a tremendous Ramen place that I actually like.

Ryoko: Oh, good, I ought to strive going there. Then, there have been some folks that I talked to by means of these interviews, they usually advised me that making pals in Japan, particularly with the native Japanese individuals, is tough as a foreigner. Is it one thing that you just additionally really feel, or have you ever already discovered your neighborhood and your folks fairly simply?

Gustavo: Most of my pals are foreigners. There may be type of a stigma. I believe having Japanese pals is tough. Japanese individuals are very open to attending to know you. However there’s a clear line of separation between attending to know you and being your good friend. So, it’s very tough to cross that line. They’re very desperate to know you, however it’s very tough for them to wish to be actually your good friend. For those who discover a extra, uh, any person who can communicate English, then it’s means simpler, that’s for certain.

Ryoko: OK.

Gustavo: However particularly for Japanese, that don’t communicate English, it’s very exhausting to cross that that line.

Ryoko: Proper. Yeah, for certain, particularly with the language barrier. I can think about how exhausting it’s. Do you may have any tips about how yow will discover pals or join with different foreigners in Japan?

Gustavo: Properly, in my case, I reached out by means of some Brazilian communities. I made some pals there. I met individuals by simply going out. And there are meetups, and I met some superb individuals there. Nonetheless, a few of my finest pals are folks that I labored with earlier than. We crossed paths at work. After which, similar to, received that synergy occurring. We continued speaking after I left these firms, and we continued to be pals.

Ryoko: Proper. That’s superb.

Gustavo: it’s very exhausting, however should you simply wish to meet individuals, meet-ups are the perfect to know quite a lot of strangers.

Ryoko: OK. And do you discover these meet-ups by means of a web-based platform, I assume?

Gustavo: Sure, and the platform is named Meetup as effectively.

Ryoko: OK. Superb. Nice. Then, what points of Japan or Japanese tradition do you want or don’t like?

Gustavo: Properly, in regards to the Japanese tradition. I just like the Japanese society itself. I like the very fact it’s very secure. You may stroll right here with out being afraid of something, and you’ll open your pockets wherever; no one’s going to bat a watch or attempt to steal it from you. It’s a really totally different kind from another locations. That’s one thing that I like.

One thing that I don’t like is that often, more often than not, individuals are very methodical. They’re very bent upon a technique of doing issues. They’re very reluctant to vary that means. I noticed that Japanese firms, particularly conventional firms, are very strict about their methods of doing issues and really reluctant to strive newer issues.

Ryoko: Yeah, I can think about that. And, yeah, I’d not like being in such firms both.

Uh, do you presently dwell in Tokyo?

Gustavo: Sure, I presently dwell in Tokyo.

Ryoko: OK. Do you want how busy it’s in Tokyo? It’s a small metropolitan metropolis however with a big inhabitants and in the summertime in every single place you go, like on trains, it might be actually sizzling and humid, and uncomfortable, for me personally. Do you thoughts the busyness and the way sizzling it’s in the course of the summer season and the environment of Tokyo in itself?

Gustavo: Throughout summer season, it’s not nice. I need to say, it’s very humid certainly. However I just like the environment as a result of yow will discover just about something right here.

Ryoko: That’s true.

Gustavo: So. if you wish to strive one thing new, you’ll be able to in all probability discover it in Tokyo. If there’s something from one other nation you wish to strive or do, you’ll be able to in all probability discover one thing near what you’re searching for. In order that’s the good factor. It’s alive. There are lots of people, like, relying on the place you go, yow will discover out and meet many individuals. However yeah, the climate is just not the perfect in summer season.

Ryoko: Yeah, I agree, sure. OK. Then, transferring on to my final query, do you may have any common recommendation for individuals who are searching for work within the IT area in Japan and can be coming to work in Japan?

Gustavo: Properly, should you’re already coming to Japan, good luck. There’s not a lot else for the recommendation. For those who’re planning to take action, have a look at firms, have a look at LinkedIn, recruiters. They know quite a lot of firms to allow them to provide help to. You could discover one thing which may not be the perfect for you, however it’s going to be one thing to get you began.

Ryoko: Proper. Sure. Nice. Thanks for the recommendation, and thanks in your time in the present day. It was nice to have this speak with you. And yeah, thanks, and good luck in your future in Japan.

Gustavo: Thanks. Thanks very a lot.