Nanaho, Interdisciplinary Arts major with a focus on literature, is an iCLA graduate of Spring 2023! Currently, Nanaho is employed at Chateraise Co.,Ltd., a Yamanashi-based confectionery company that is a household name in Japan. Chateraise has over 800 stores in Japan nationwide, and 180 stores overseas.
Nanaho was a Student Ambassador during her time at iCLA, chatting with students interested in enrolling at iCLA and making numerous contributions in social media posts, blogs, videos, which have been an invaluable source of information for many.
Read on for our Alumni Spotlight Interview with Nanaho:
Where are you currently employed?
Chateraise Co.,Ltd.
Can you tell me a little bit about your job position and your work responsibilities?
I recently joined the international product planning division, and our job is to plan and manage products which we bring to overseas.
What was your motivation to enter your field of work?
Since the company is growing, there are many opportunities and I believe I can gain various skills through working in this company.
What kind of skills did you gain in iCLA that has been beneficial in your work?
I would say, the skill to think from various perspectives has been helping me a lot in the workplace, because we often need to consider different perspectives, such as customers, store staff, factories, and the company as a whole – not just the department I’m in.
Looking back at your time at iCLA, what was something you enjoyed most as a student?
I still think back to my study abroad and the time I spent with my friends, so those are things I enjoyed in my student life.
Of course going on study abroad is special, and I guess most students who go on study abroad think the same thing. It’s difficult to explain, but living in a different country brings you joy with a little bit of nervousness, and gives you opportunities to learn about the world, yourself, and more. And maybe it’s so special because it becomes difficult to go to abroad for a few months as I start working full time.
Also, it’s a small part of my daily life at iCLA compared to going on study abroad, but I really enjoyed spending time with my friends. We studied, survived exams, procrastinated and lazed around, explored, messed around to release our stress… together. Those small things meant so much to me.
What was the most difficult thing you experienced when searching for a job and how did you overcome it?
I would say, searching for a job was the most difficult thing. I didn’t have a clear idea of what I wanted to do, so it was very hard to search and decide which job to apply for. More and more I searched, more and more I got anxious. I overcame it by reassessing what I was looking for, so that I won’t feel anxious for no reason.
What is your job-hunting/career advice for iCLA students?
My advice would be, be honest with what you want. Through my job hunting, I learned that being honest is the key for finding what you want with your job, and being successful with your resume and interview.
Please give us your message to new iCLA students.
It doesn’t sound like it is related to career, but enjoy your student life as much as you can! Things you learn, time you spend, everything and anything will help you in the future. Don’t spend all of your time thinking about the future, and have fun with your student life.