皆さんおはようございます

It's been a long time since I last wrote here, hasn't it?

久しぶりのブログを書きます

For the last three years I've worked hard at improving my physical health and fitness. Going to the gym and eating healthy foods can really improve your quality of life. 
 

Sadly, I never considered my mind's health and fitness. Without the proper stimulation, exercies, and support, your mind can also suffer from exhaustion and even illness!

While some people consider my career a mental workout, I was still lacking the other two components.

So for stimulation I adopted non-computer related hobbies: reading and sketching.

And for support, I started meditating again and found the perfect therapist.

人生は難しいから一人で歩む理由はない

I know the topic of therapy can be rather taboo overseas, but don't believe the stigma!
Therapy is nothing more than having someone unrelated and truly unbiased to talk/vent to.
 

So the next time you feel exhausted, consider changing your mental habits as well.

As always, thank you for reading!

以上です 読んできてくれてありがとうございます。

Monday has officially come to a close! I hope you all had a (somewhat) productive start of the week, but if you didn't, that's okay too. 

Due to the pandemic and it's effects, we find ourselves in the midsts of an intense hiring season both here in America and in Japan. 

While we often wish the process would end at the application step, it ultimately ends with at least one interview. But as nerve-wracking as they are, I'm here to shed some alleviating light on interviews and those who conduct them: Interviewers are your friends.

Now I don't mean it's okay to address them informally or make fun of them.  

   ...though I'm sure some could use a laugh.

( 敬語以外で話さないでください )

I mean most interviewers are there to help. It's quite understandable for a candidate to be nervous or forget bits of information during an interview. 

そして, you'll find interviewers won't mind providing hints during assessments or skipping certain questions altogether. So much of the information we need to do our jobs are readily available online, and they know this.
 

So on your next assessment, consider your interviewer less like an enemy and more like an ally. Face it - these job hunts / interviews can really feel like a battle, and battles are better fought in numbers.

That is all for now, folks!

以上です 読んできてくれてありがとうございます。

As Friday comes to an end, it's worth reflecting on what took place during the week. Do you often retrospectively analyze your weeks?

In my case, an otherwise bland week fostered possibly the most fruitful realization I have had in years: specialization is important.

Let's cut to the chase. You could get by with general knowledge in your field. After all, mastering the basics is crucial for being consistent and reliable in any profession. There are, however, a few aspects to professional life that general knowledge does not bring; namely higher salaries, authority, and job security.

But if it were only as easy as flipping a switch, right? For over a decade, I danced between specializations fearing I may commit to the wrong niche. And when I would make considerable progress within one, the grass would start looking greener in another. Feelings of insecurity would flood my mind, making me question my decision once more. 

So what's the secret to overcoming this dilemma?

Your specialization can't limit your interests.

- Ex-supervisor, Jeff

In a nutshell: the decision fatigue and commitment anxiety we experience when choosing a specialization is nothing more than a fear of limitation. We must realize that specializing doesn't hinder us from participating in other sub-cultures. If anything it offers a fresh perspective from which we can experience them.

When you escape the anxiety and firmly decide on a specialization, you access a previously hidden sub-world within your field. The niche knowledge you now posses is less common among your fellow job applicants, drastically increasing your worth to companies. In addition, becoming an authority figure within the niche boosts your professional and societal confidence! 

If you're a mechanical engineer, consider a closer look at mopeds. Maybe your beautician friend should become a balayage expert. Plumber? start that Instagram page dedicated to shower heads. You can always revisit your other options while maintaining a specialization.

That is all for now, folks!

以上です 読んできてくれてありがとうございます。


Raff