Customer interaction coordinator

"When I went to university, I decided to study Asian languages because I believed they would provide a competitive advantage in my future career.

"Many people think that 'language' is something they can learn apart from their major. And though I agree that there are many opportunities to learn different languages, I think you should be mindful that it is important to learn not only the language but also the culture and literature of the people who use that language. This provides a great  advantage in your language development and also impresses people, providing you with the opportunity to be in their group, rather than being treated as a 'foreigner'. My undergraduate programme contained classes in all of this – languages, literatures and culture –in three years.

"After completing my BA majoring in Japanese and Chinese, I decided to work in Tokyo to utilise my language skills. Finding a job in a Japanese company was a challenge because I was competing with local Japanese university graduates. So when I was successful in gaining a position, it gave me a great sense of accomplishment.

"Currently, I work as a Customer Interaction Coordinator for the Japan and Korea markets at Fonterra Cooperative, Ltd. I mainly manage orders from Japan and Korea and also act as the main point of contact coordinating between the Japan/Korea office and the Auckland head office. Speaking fluent Japanese and Korean was mandatory for this role, but my understanding of the business market and the culture has been of almost equal benefit.

"Of course, my studies at The University of Auckland have been the precious source of my success so far."