＼ Career Path ／
Q1What I Studied
I started playing hard court tennis when I was just 3. My mother had talent—she'd even been selected for Japan's national team—but when it came to me, the apple fell a bit far from the tree. I attended a high school with a strong tennis program, and I even played at a national tournament, but in the end, I just wasn't good enough to go pro. I figured, however, my years of tennis experience might grant me a chance to study abroad, and I became a student-athlete at a college in the U.S. The college was a bit out of the way, so there were no other Japanese people there at all. When I first arrived, I had no friends, lacked English ability, and struggled to keep up with tennis. My time studying abroad was one challenge after another.
Q2Why I Joined SEGA
When I was a kid, I was super into this SEGA arcade game called Love and Berry: Dress Up and Dance! I collected cards and merchandise. Since then, SEGA felt like part of my life, so that's one reason I wanted to work here. Another is that when I was studying abroad, I came to appreciate how wonderful some of the stuff from Japan is. When I talked to my teammates, a lot of times the conversation would revolve around Japanese pop culture, and Sonic is super popular over there. When I got an offer from SEGA at the Boston Career Forum, my friends in the U.S. got even more excited than me!
Q3My First Assignments at SEGA
I started out as a recruiter by learning about the work done by each department and their staffing needs. After 3 months on the job, I gradually began conducting interviews. At first, I struggled to draw out candidates' life experiences, values, and aspirations within the limited time available. I wasn't much older than the students I was interviewing, but I didn't want to make excuses—the outcome could have a major impact on their lives. So instead of letting my lack of experience hold me back, I worked as hard as I could to get up to speed.
Q4Biggest Surprise After Joining SEGA
I'd heard that SEGA was a place where you could challenge yourself, but I was still surprised by how much responsibility junior employees could take on. I experienced this firsthand when one of my proposals was accepted and I got the opportunity to see it through, with support along the way. I was also pleasantly surprised to see how passionate everyone here is about their interests. Our conversations usually revolve around entertainment—like anime, games, or idols—and I secretly enjoy hearing everyone talk about the things they love.
A.O. appearing as a speaker on SEGA's YouTube channel for recruitment, highlighting different roles
Q5Current Duties
I mostly focus on recruitment for business support and game designer positions. More specifically, my responsibilities include coordinating with relevant departments to develop detailed hiring plans, running company info sessions, interacting with applicants, conducting interviews, and supporting successful candidates. I also manage our relationships with universities, participate in external career fairs, and create and share recruitment materials. Recently, I've also been making some appearances on SEGA's recruitment YouTube channel. I regularly fly around Japan for college visits and recruitment events, and even get opportunities to travel overseas—I'll be participating in the next Boston Career Forum as a company representative instead of a student. My role is vital for finding the students who'll be the best fit for SEGA, since I meet them one-on-one and explain the positives of working here.
