Special Interviews

A desire to enjoy competing against the very best

Koji Uehara played for the Yomiuri Giants and the Boston Red Sox in Major League Baseball, said goodbye to his 21-year career in 2019. In 2013, he became the first Japanese pitcher to win a World Series in the majors, and he continued to be at the forefront of the game until his retirement at the age of 44. What was the driving force behind his continued success in a different environment, and how did he continue to evolve until his retirement?

Face yourself, find your inclination and keep challenging

We sat down with Nobuko Nakano, who specialises in the mechanisms of human cognition, to hear her thoughts on what kind of work and challenges make people feel happier, comparing it to the values that we uphold at Robert Walters. 

Achieving goals begins with small successes

Toshiaki Hirose, former captain of the Japanese National Rugby Team, visited Robert Walters Japan to share his approach to leadership and taking on challenges to win in the global stage.

Jeremy Sampson, Managing Director, spoke with him about the importance of leadership and team management that brings together a diverse group to strive towards a shared goal.

“Extra preparation and a reliable guide” are essentials

Yoichi Watanabe, a famed war photographer, continually works to provide information about global current affairs.

He shared his experiences and opinions about taking on new challenges he feels passionate about with Jeremy Sampson, Managing Director at Robert Walters Japan, a topic that has many aspects in common with changing to a job in a global environment.

How a global perspective changed my view of work

Mayu Yamaguchi, a New York lawyer and frequent guest on Japanese TV, shared her experience of studying in the United States and the impact it had on how she viewed her career and work style. What is the difference between traditional Japanese work and the rest of the world? She spoke with Jeremy Sampson, Robert Walters Japan President, about the Japanese way of working in the midst of major changes.  

Get down from your chair

Professional golfer Shigeki Maruyama quickly became one of the leading players on the Japan Golf Tour and established himself as the top player in Japan in 2000. With 3 PGA Tour victories under his belt, Maruyama turned away from fame within Japan to face new challenges and to compete with foreign competition. With an action that reflects attitudes on career advancement, Jeremy Sampson, Robert Walters Japan Director, spoke with Maruyama about his decision to compete abroad and his unyielding desire to expand his horizons and realise his dreams. 

Overcoming the fear of challenge and opening the door to new opportunity

Overcoming the fear of challenge and opening the door to new opportunity

Robert Walters was founded in the United Kingdom in 1985 and has since developed into a global business, operating in 31 countries worldwide. Robert Walters Japan, since opening its first office in Tokyo in 2000 and its second in Osaka in 2007, has been supporting career change in Japan for the past 19 years.

Today, foreign-affiliated companies are looking to hire increasing numbers of global talent, but what exactly is “global talent?” Jeremy Sampson, Managing Director of Robert Walters Japan, was asked what this phrase implies and the value in taking on new challenges in our lives.

Overseas experience and having an MBA are not necessary requirements

So where can such global talent be found?

Jeremy Sampson jovially responds: “If we knew the perfect answer to that, our work would be much easier. So much of our business relies on sourcing and finding new candidates and we utilize a lot of diverse methods to achieve finding such talent. Any company or any department can have these people, it depends more on the individual personalities and mindsets than a specific place.”

Jeremy Sampson moves on to the topic of candidates having experience abroad: “Overseas experience can be beneficial but it is not essential for a global professional. Although it can provide many perspectives, technical abilities and skills that an individual can bring to a company, we have supported many people who have no overseas experience who can still conduct business globally.”

Managing Director, Jeremy Sampson, also emphasises that an MBA or other graduate-level education is not the most important factor in becoming global talent.

“What you can do is more important than what you know and what you have studied. Going to graduate school is not necessarily beneficial for your career. There is a tendency to view an MBA as a guaranteed elevator to greater success. While academia gives you greater knowledge and insight, and a broader perspective on business, going to graduate school does not provide automatic progression in your career, except perhaps in more technical areas such as science, technology and engineering”.

Global talent is more than English ability. It is a combination of English, specialised skills and personality. This type of personality can be identified by how the individual views their job and the work they are doing.

“Taking on a challenge” is to overcome the fear in your mind

If the challenge of changing jobs demands such large adjustments in life, is it the right decision? Managing Director, Jeremy Sampson, points out the benefits of changing jobs and how “taking on a challenge is to overcome fear”.

“Changing jobs could result in a better work environment for the candidate, they may be working on something they are passionate about and proud of. It could bring increased salary or faster career progression and the opportunity to realise goals. These are all tangible benefits, but the sense of challenge brings with it the sense of achievement. People always learn something new when taking on a challenge, and they can add a new dimension to their capabilities. By taking on a new challenge and succeeding, you can gain more experience and overcome your fears about change.”

“Taking on a challenge can be a source of happiness and fulfilment. The curiosity that comes with taking on a challenge changes your mindset and puts you in a different place, physically, mentally, and emotionally, which is how you grow as an individual. For those who are not satisfied with the status quo, taking on new challenges may be the answer.”

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Japanese Legendary Golfer Shigeki Maruyama

speaks with Robert Walters Japan Managing Director Jeremy Sampson

Get down from your chair

Professional golfer Shigeki Maruyama has won many tournaments in Japan, establishing himself as the leading golfer in the country. In 2000, he went on to fulfil his childhood dreams of participating in tours abroad. He has been quite successful, including finishing at the top of the leaderboard at PGA Tour events for three consecutive years. Just as he stepped away from fame in Japan to face stronger competition abroad, people are also advancing their careers with an unyielding desire to expand their horizons. Jeremy Sampson, Managing Director at Robert Walters Japan, spoke to Maruyama about taking on challenges.

The importance of taking on challenges to make your dreams a reality

Maruyama had secured a successful future for himself within Japan. However, he decided to move abroad where he would have to start climbing the ladder all over again. This endeavour was fuelled by his childhood dream of walking on the green while basking in the glory of a Masters victory.

"For me, the idea of a 'challenge' is deeply connected with my dreams. I joined tours in order to win on the global stage and to fulfil my dreams. These tours were more than simple tournaments for me. I continued taking on new challenges because I had a lofty goal that I had dreamt of achieving since I was a child. In this sense, I think it is ideal for everyone to keep hold of a dream to achieve something big."

"I feel as if I have been living out a fantasy ever since I was young. I was not quite able to become the best in the world, but I have achieved almost everything I wanted. When talking about fantasies, you can dream about anything, and it can be as grand as visiting all the countries in the world or owning a million-pound house. When people with dreams speak, their words carry a certain weight. They send out strong messages and accomplish significant tasks. I think that people who can reach [the top] in any field are able to do so because they have continually strived to achieve their dreams."

Maruyama says that he will always continue to take on new challenges as long as he cherishes his dreams.

"I lost my ambition for a short period following my injury, but I now have a new dream to chase after. It might be smaller in scale than when I joined the regular tours, but I now have a dream to succeed in the senior tour. This gives me a completely renewed drive to work harder. I feel that I am working towards this dream as I stay up late doing sit-ups and squats."

Sampson agrees that it is often important to engage in challenges to fulfil one's dreams within the world of business as well.

"Dreams are not simply about economic success. Some people may want to stay in a comfortable place and may not necessarily desire to become number one. However, when I ask people in the younger generation, many tell me that they want to be the very best they can be."

"I have tackled many challenges in my life, and I believe that people grow by taking on challenges. We need to depart from our comfort zones in order to achieve this, and my coming to Japan is one example of this. I cherished my own dreams when coming over, and my current position is a result of my efforts that were fuelled by these dreams."

Achieve growth by stepping out of your comfort zone

Maruyama has gained success on a global scale as a result of his daring efforts. Drawing from his own experience, he advises that young golfers should endeavour to participate in top-ranking competitions from an early age.

"[Taking on challenges like these] may not manifest noticeable changes when looking from the outside, but the effort will certainly bring about significant change within you. All experience proves worthwhile in the end, and therefore, you can always take pride in retelling your experiences to anyone."

"Let me tell you the two happiest events in my life. The first was in Japan, when I was able to play golf with Jumbo Ozaki, a superstar golfer in Japan during the nineties. The second was when I played with the global superstar Tiger Woods. The latter event is one that I particularly treasure, and I am proud of it. I was only able to experience these two events because I decided to take on new challenges. I would not have reached such heights if I had remained in Japan. For this reason, I want the younger generation to similarly take on challenges."

Sampson echoed this sentiment. "I came to Japan in my early twenties, and I saw progressive developments in my career within this country. People grow by taking on challenges, and they must step out of their comfort zones to achieve such growth."

Maruyama described the significance of this viewpoint by using a metaphor of getting down from a chair.

"Once you get to sit in a chair in Japan, it is very difficult to get down from it again. It is not an easy feat for someone serving as a section manager in Japan to start all over again in America as a regular employee, for example. I was ready to get down from my chair in Japan in order to get another chair that I could sit on. I could not have achieved success outside if I had not taken on this challenge."

Anyone with a dream they want to achieve must undertake new challenges in a harsher environment, without feeling content in their current position.

Be a specialist and have initiative: what should people do to prepare for achieving worldwide success as global talent?

Maruyama says that he carried out all preparations perfectly in terms of golf but reveals that the language barrier was the only area that he could not completely overcome. With that in mind, he stressed the importance of language study. "If I were fluent [in English], I would be able to snack on crisps with Tiger Woods at his house. That is how close I think we would have been."

Sampson recognises the necessity of improving one's linguistic ability, though he notes that "there is something more important than that" for business professionals.

"I do not think that you need to be perfectly bilingual to succeed in business. However, I do feel that communication skills are vital. It is great to be able to convey your message to people by stringing all the right words together."

"Being a specialist is just as important as speaking English, if not more so. Japanese companies have a strong tendency to look for generalists, but foreign-owned companies want specialists. It is also important to take the initiative, proactively set goals and achieve them. In that sense, you are a specialist who acts with initiative, aren't you, Mr. Maruyama?"

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New York Lawyer and TV Commentator Mayu Yamaguchi

speaks with Robert Walters Japan Managing Director Jeremy Sampson

How a global perspective changed my view of work

Mayu Yamaguchi, a New York lawyer and occasional TV commentator, visited Robert Walters Japan to share her career path. She believes that her time studying in the United States encouraged her to fundamentally rethink her outlook on her own career as well as on work in general. After leaving the Ministry of Finance and encountering more global perspectives, Yamaguchi came to appreciate the importance of considering her career on her own. She reveals the differences that she has identified between Japan's traditional views on work and global attitudes. Jeremy Sampson, Managing Director at Robert Walters Japan, spoke with her about working styles within Japan, and the significant changes that they are going through.

Disillusionment with a "family-like" organisation

Yamaguchi went into more detail about what this "family-like" workplace environment was, focusing on two aspects: care and control.

"In terms of care, there was a policy of looking after new recruits for a very long time, someone was always ready to lend me a helping hand without me having to ask. On the other hand, there was a strong sense of control throughout the organisation, where our future direction was determined solely by the organisation itself. There was a strong sentiment that those in junior positions had to comply and act in a certain way because their superiors were always looking after them. I felt that I would lose control over my own life if I stayed there too long."

"The values and mindset at the organisation worked to gradually shift people's own personal values and beliefs. This process was not achieved by barking directives; the structure of relationships at the workplace encouraged people to cooperate and move in line because 'we are a family.' This can be pleasant in some ways, but it is also unnerving. Also, I noticed that organisations in Japan have an attitude of exclusionism, where employees working a second job or belonging to a separate community were ostracised and treated different. Because you belong to the 'family,' there is a general sentiment that everyone needs to dedicate their all to the family— they need to offer 100% or even 200% commitment. Within this environment, your life becomes entirely entwined with the company before you know it."

Sampson also noted some differences between work styles at traditional organisations in Japan as compared to global companies.

"Japanese people are dedicated to their work and have a strong sense of loyalty. As such, they often tend to take care of the people and things around them. While companies ask employees for their loyalty, it is equally important to be loyal to yourself and to your family. In this way, loyalty is not solely about the company that you work for. I think that it is not right to put your company's needs before your own."

This description of a "family-like" organisation holds true in many ways for a large number of traditional companies in Japan. After feeling slightly out of place in this structure and rethinking what she wanted to do, Yamaguchi resigned from the Ministry of Finance. She began working as a lawyer by making use of the legal credentials she gained while attending university.

Encountering barriers while studying in America

One significant factor that spurred Yamaguchi to rethink her career was her time studying at Harvard Law School in the United States. The biggest struggle Yamaguchi faced was not the language barrier per se; rather, it was the difference in the communication style.

Yamaguchi looked back to the start of her studies abroad. She recalls that her preoccupation with her English ability made her unable to talk at all. Feeling that she could not go on like this, she wrote an essay describing her situation and handed it to her lecturer.

"My lecturer told me that it was concerning at first whether I was actually engaged with the things around me. It was because I did not say anything, and that was a relief to see that I had been thinking seriously about things. My lecturer's response made me realise that everyone has his or her own way of expressing themselves, and that I should communicate in a way that suits me. Japanese people often correct their own grammar as they speak, but I decided that I would not get all flustered if I forgot to put an 's' at the end of a verb like 'she talks.' I would just keep the conversation going."

Yamaguchi recounts that it was at this point when she appreciated the importance of conveying the message about the skills she has, no matter how she did it.
"In communication, our responsibility is to ensure that our message is delivered to the recipient. For example, I have my own beliefs, experiences and history, but I cannot expect everyone around me to understand my background if I remain silent. I began to understand the need to express myself so that other people could understand what I had to say."

Sampson also noted that he has met some Japanese people who wished to change jobs and work at a global company, but who had difficulties with communication. He emphasised that "in terms of communication skills, there are definitely ways of expressing yourself that are not dependent on your level of English ability."

Considering changing jobs allows you to "get in touch with yourself"

Yamaguchi remarked, "In today's society, we have begun to depart from the idea that achieving job security is only possible by staying in one company until retirement. When employees advance in age, there will be a big difference between people who seriously considered and took action to gain expertise and people who paid no thought to their future in this regard."

Sampson expressed his agreement, noting that he also senses significant changes in the recent state of Japanese companies as well as the style of work conducted within them. As such, he emphasised that "there is one vital thing to remember and enact, whatever organisation you may belong to."

"It is crucial to be passionate about what you want to do, to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and to strive towards your goals." This requires a lifestyle and attitude of taking a bold step forward and taking on new challenges with a strong awareness of what you want to do. As opposed to a passive stance of waiting for things to come to you.

As Japanese society undergoes significant changes, talented people with a global outlook who can act with initiative enjoy ever-expanding horizons for achieving success.

Sampson expressed his thoughts on the current climate. "Many Japanese people have a chance to shine, yet they do not consider global approaches. I hope that more people become aware of the wide range of opportunities for them to succeed." He added that he and his team at Robert Walters Japan work to support people with strong capabilities in searching for what they truly want to do.

Yamaguchi agreed, stating that the process of considering changing jobs involves clarifying who you really are, as well as other important aspects about yourself. "When writing and revising your CV, you may come to realise what you truly seek to achieve in the future. Or you may conceive ways to organise the history and future course of your career in a convincing way. In this way, a change of job gives you the chance to think about your story in life, and it is important to think of this process as an opportunity to better get in touch with yourself."

In closing, Sampson offered words of encouragement to all people who never surrender to the limit of their own possibilities.

"Believe in your own capabilities, aim high, take initiative, and above all, take on new challenges. If you act daringly in ways that push you to strive further, you are sure to attain growth in the future."

Submit your CV to Robert Walters

Famed War Photographer Yoichi Watanabe

speaks with Robert Walters Japan Managing Director Jeremy Sampson

“Extra preparation and a reliable guide” are essentials

As a war photographer, Yoichi Watanabe is always standing at the forefront of world events, and continually works to provide information about global current affairs. Despite severe conditions, he travels across numerous locations around the world and continues to undertake new challenges in a wide range of different environments. In his work, he always takes care to maintain respect for his subjects and make adequate preparations. Jeremy Sampson, Managing Director at Robert Walters Japan, spoke to him about taking on challenges in an area that you are passionate about— a topic that has much in common with changing to a job in a global environment.

Respect is key for building trust

Describing what drives him to visit locations around the globe, Watanabe says, "The more places I travel to, the more I encounter differences in religion, ethnicity, lifestyle habits, and other areas. These differences leave a shocking impression that deeply affects me, and they fuel my desire to keep working."

"I was slightly nervous with excitement about speaking to you today, knowing that you come from Australia. I have the impression that Australia is at the forefront when it comes to diversity. Would you agree?"

Managing Director Jeremy Sampson spoke about his own experiences as he answered Watanabe's question.

"People in Australia come from a wide range of ethnicities and may hold different values. In Australia, you cannot tell someone's nationality from their looks alone. I speak with people from many backgrounds as part of my work. I always make sure to relate to each person as an individual, rather than classifying them based on their country of origin. Similarly, when Japanese people go to work at foreign-owned companies, it is vital to build a relationship of trust that goes beyond differences in nationality or culture. In order to achieve this, it is important to be open-minded and to have no fixed preconceptions."

"Here at the Tokyo office of Robert Walters, we have people of over 40 different nationalities all working together. All of them are individual and unique, but they are also equals. They respect one another as they carry out their work. In order to achieve seamless progress when working within a multilingual and multicultural environment, we need to approach each other with sincerity as we work with honesty. It is also vital for everyone to hold respect for each other's cultures."
Watanabe agreed, replying, "I think the most important word there is 'respect'." He continued by describing his own philosophy.

"One core aspect in my approach to taking photographs, whatever country I am in, is to have respect. Whenever I go to another country, I make sure to follow that country's rules and customs when taking pictures. Rather than starting to shoot as soon as I reach the location, I take my time and make sure to spend awhile living there while I take photographs. I do not simply barge in. Whatever the region, I always pay respect and make sure to be humble as I am coming in from outside in order to take these pictures."

Sampson expressed his agreement: "When working on the global stage, it is necessary not to have any fixed ideas, and relate to others as human beings while maintaining respect for their values and culture."

The secret to success is 80% planning and 20% technique

Yoichi Watanabe's work constantly involves risks and presents situations that require him to make difficult decisions. He emphasised the importance of preparing in advance, saying about 80% of his work in war reporting involves crisis management.

"I need to check and double-check the information that I have gathered, maintain close communication with contacts on site, and secure multiple evacuation routes in case of an emergency. I spend about 80% of my effort and funds on crisis management. The remaining 20% goes towards photography and interviewing techniques when I arrive at the location, as well as methods for getting around on site. All in all, it is 80% planning and 20% technique. This is how I divide my resources when working to cover conflicts." Watanabe also spoke about how he could become injured or even die if he does not prepare sufficiently.

"When interviewing and taking photographs, it is extremely important to carry out crisis management, and construct plans in order to prevent such situations from happening. I would never just dive into a location on my own. On the front lines, I need local war-zone guides and interpreters who can speak the language with the correct regional accent, as well as security in case something goes wrong. When working and moving around, I always assemble a team with a minimum of four people. If the guide tells me that I should not go any further, I make sure to listen and not take a step further. Even if I had been in that area over 50 times before and was sure that I could take a quick photo, I would never move ahead if my guide advised me to stop. I always pay particular attention to following advice from people who come from the area when covering war zones, and especially when going to the front lines."

Sampson noted: "It is also crucial to prepare when changing jobs. We work as a team to support people looking for new positions, and in this way, we have a role that resembles the guides that accompany photographers."

"You spoke about the need for preparing in advance, setting priorities, and working according to a rigorous plan in order to achieve goals. This also holds true for people considering changing jobs. It is vital to thoroughly research and assess the characteristics of the company and workplace environment before taking up the challenge."

"Changing jobs involves an undertaking within a new environment, and so you need to make many choices based on many kinds of information and a wide variety of options. We offer help in finding the way during that process. To reduce the risk of making an incorrect decision or spoiling an interview with your ideal company due to a lack of preparation, we offer suitable information and advice to guide people."

Long-term relationships lead to success

Watanabe explains that he places most consideration towards the relationship with his guides during preparations for visiting conflict areas.

"You cannot expect to go into the country and immediately be able to team up with that person. Whether I am in Iraq or Lebanon, if I come across individuals who I am interested in working with, I will visit them in their home. As I come to see them several times, I begin to get a feeling from how they behave towards their family. I make the decision on whether it is suitable to work with them based on these interactions."

"If I feel that I can respect an individual or that they are a wonderful person, then I will almost always ask them to join my team. When you form a team with these kinds of people, they will be able to work with you again if you go to cover the area after one year, five years, or fifteen years— not just on a one-off basis. At the start when I was in Lebanon, I was single and so was my guide. He later got married and became a father. By staying together for a long time in this environment, my guide felt like more than just a partner in my work; he became a friend who truly felt like as family."

Sampson pointed out similarities with his field. "Our work is to guide people who are looking to take on challenges at a new job, and we also need to build long-term relationships in our work as well."

"You could say that the fostering of long-term relationships is a vital aspect for success in any industry. People thinking about a new job who come to visit Robert Walters are always greeted with hospitality, as if we are inviting them to our own home. We take a long time to discuss a wide range of topics, such as their background, what inspires them, their interests in terms of career options, and their concerns or worries. Through this process, we work to build a relationship of trust between us. We have maintained extremely long-lasting connections with some people who have come to seek advice. We have even kept in contact with a few individuals for 10 or 15 years. Furthermore, we meet these people and engage with them on a personal level by offering counselling that caters to each person's needs and background."

"Go on a journey": be prepared and set off to take on new challenges

Yoichi Watanabe strives to make careful preparations and build strong relationships of trust before he starts working to take photographs and conduct interviews. He told Jeremy Sampson about the importance of trusting his own instincts and taking on challenges with a motto of going for opportunities rather than being indecisive.

"It does not matter if you do not achieve anything after going; the important thing is that you have tried. This process works to develop new connections. It is important to head out to see and listen to things, even if you cannot actively speak out or do something."

Watanabe continues to take on new challenges around the world. He chose the phrase "Go on a journey" as a message for people looking to build their future lifetime careers.

"Go on a journey. I hope that this phrase can help people come across new, far-reaching opportunities. Taking on a challenge in something out of the ordinary is like going on a journey. Similarly, engaging in a job that you feel passion for is also a kind of journey. I am confident that my future journeys will bring me more strength from here on out."

Sampson expressed similar sentiments. "If someone is standing at a crossroads in life and is wondering whether to remain in the same place or to take a challenge on a new path, I think that it is better to choose the latter option. As demonstrated by how you have discovered surprising and exciting things as you travel around the world, I am convinced that the world and our lives are filled with many possibilities. We will work as partners and lend an ear to anyone seeking to challenge their horizons in a new job. 'Go on a journey.' I couldn't think of a better phrase for it."

Submit your CV to Robert Walters

Famed Rugby Player Toshiaki Hirose

speaks with Robert Walters Japan Managing Director Jeremy Sampson

Submit your CV to Robert Walters

Former Major Leaguer Koji Uehara

speaks with Robert Walters Japan Managing Director Jeremy Sampson (Part 1)

Former Major Leaguer Koji Uehara's Outlook on Work (Part 2)

Former Major Leaguer Koji Uehara
speaks with Robert Walters Japan Managing Director Jeremy Sampson (Part 2)

Former Major Leaguer Koji Uehara's Outlook on Work (Part 1)

For important life decisions, neuroscientist Nobuko Nakano takes the following approach: “When faced with two choices, I always choose less predictable one. Do you really want to watch a movie that you know the synopsis of? If I had to choose, I'd rather watch the movie with the story I’m unfamiliar with.”

We sat down with Nobuko Nakano, who specialises in the mechanisms of human cognition, to hear her thoughts on what kind of work and challenges make people feel happier, comparing it to the values that we uphold at Robert Walters.