Shang Zeyu

Company name /: Nestlé Ltd.
Job type /: Food Industry(foreign company)
Countries & Regions /: China

Job
Description
Why
I work in Kobe
Life in Kobe
Message
From
the company

Job Description

My main work is to analyze profit and sales making use of my knowledge from the finance major when I was a student

I’m currently in my third year at the company and have worked in various departments since then. Now I’m working on online orders in the controller team of the E-Commerce Division. It has to do specifically with finance and data creation. For example, the main work is profit and sales analysis. Although it could be challenging, it’s intriguing to see the money flow and state of the products, see the trend, and conduct detailed analysis simultaneously. I'm always learning new things every day. I can use what I learned from majoring in finances when I was a student.
Nestle is an international company headquartered in Switzerland. It has a very open atmosphere and a diverse environment. There are times when the job can be challenging if I work on it based only on my experience, since the pace of e-commerce market expansion is fast. I try to advance the job I’m in charge of referring to the opinions and knowledge of members of various nationalities in my department. Nestle has branch offices in many countries. It offers a workplace where you can see different communication methods of different countries. It’s also been great that my work has to do with coffee and tea, which I love.

Why I work in Kobe

I came to Kobe to continue my studies after finishing my master's degree in France

I’ve lived in Kobe since I came to Japan. I went to a university in Kobe and decided to work here.
I’m from the northeastern region of China. I was born in 1993 and studied abroad in France after graduating from a university in China. I then came to Japan after completing my master's degree. I studied Japanese on my own after becoming interested in Japan after watching a TV drama in my early 20s. The purpose of my first visit to Japan was to continue my financial studies under a professor specializing in venture capital at Kobe University.
Although I wanted to continue my studies, I decided to start job hunting in 2018 because I also wanted to start working. As I was a little nervous about working only speaking Japanese, I focused on foreign companies rather than Japanese companies
where I could speak English when I needed to. I considered several foreign companies in Kobe as candidates. I registered at Nestle since I like food and could join the company as an intern. I really liked the corporate culture and decided to work here as an employee.

Life in Kobe

Kobe is a city where you can experience Japanese culture while living at your own pace

I believe people around the world see Japan as a beautiful country. Kobe is no exception. I feel that Kobe has the perfect population size than big cities like Tokyo or Osaka since I don't like places that are too crowded. I'm sure that even people who came to Japan for the first time can live in Japan, maintaining their pace of life while enjoying sceneries of the sea and mountains. It is also close to other cities such as Kyoto and Osaka, where guests can enjoy their holidays. The experience of dropping my money and credit card at the station deeply touched me while living in Kobe. A lady nearby kindly told me that I’d also dropped some money when I only picked up the credit card but tried to keep walking without realizing I’d also dropped money. When I went to eat out with my colleagues, we also talked about how you could get your wallet back even if you’d forgotten it somewhere. I was really impressed. I think Japan is the only country in the world that something like this could happen.

Message

You can experience Japanese culture that only can take place through working

I really enjoy my life here in Kobe. Although I tend to spend a lot of time at home watching dramas recently due to COVID-19, I go on trips or visit different cities on my days off. I often go to Kyoto to visit temples with my colleagues and friends, and I feel quite content with my life here.
I’m not sure if there are things you can only experience in Japan in your work since I’ve never worked in China. There are many things you can learn about by being greatly exposed to Japanese culture.
In my case, I’d also like to work in other countries in the same field if I have the opportunity.
The Japanese language could be challenging in my work, especially the Kansai dialect, since I live in Kobe. There are also many expressions, such as honorifics in Japanese. Even when I want to ask for something, I use the expression "Can't you do it?" in Japanese. Although I couldn't understand it at first, I believe even these linguistic expressions can only be experienced as you work in Japan.
I hope that you will work in Japan and have a more in-depth experience with Japanese culture.

From the company

We hire human resources needed in areas instead of hiring you simply because you’re a non-Japanese citizen

Nestle does not hire someone simply because they’re non-Japanese citizens. We maintain a style of hiring people who match the position open. Using this prerequisite, we promote a culture of diversity and inclusion, including nationalities, gender, and ages.
There are benefits in hiring non-Japanese citizens that inevitably boost the English level within the company as well. In addition to employees who joined the company through recruitment in Japan, there are some from the different markets of Nestle. English language skill is essential as our company develops globally.
As the environment of a department becomes where English must be used as non-Japanese citizens join, the human resource department will better evaluate the employee’s English skills. That non-Japanese citizens who grow up in a different culture bring us different ways of thinking is also beneficial.
I expect to gain new ways of thinking and see things from different perspectives by non-Japanese citizens working with us. I believe we have been able to realize this.
If you are considering working in Japan, I would like to invite you to bring new ideas and perspectives to Nestle.
(Maneger Human Resources and General Affairs Division HR Business Partners　Tamaki Wakamatsu)