Hai
Entry date…joined Rakuten Group mid-career in August 2023
Department…Global Ad Technology Department (GATD)
Position…Application Engineer
Origin…Hanoi, Vietnam
Hobby…running, swimmingHi, everyone. This is R-Hack editorial office.
Hai is from Hanoi, Vietnam. He applied for a full-time position at Rakuten Group but was not selected, so he worked as a temporary staff for a year and a half before becoming a full-time employee.
What does Hai, who also has experience working for other Japanese companies, think are the appeals of working at Rakuten Group? We interviewed him about his work environment, what he finds rewarding about his job, and future vision.
INDEX
✔Becoming a full-time employee after a year and a half of steady work as a temporary staff
✔Learning the latest technology in an environment different from traditional Japanese companies
Becoming a full-time employee after a year and a half of steady work as a temporary staff
--Can you start by introducing yourself?
Hi, everyone. My name is Hai, and I'm from Hanoi, Vietnam. Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam, known for its vibrant markets. It’s famous for its street food, where you can walk around and enjoy many delicious dishes. If you visit Hanoi, don't miss trying dishes like 'Pho', 'Bun Cha', or egg coffee.
My hobbies are running and swimming. On my days off, I often go swimming or spend time at home.
--Please tell us about your career before joining Rakuten Group.
After studying computer science at university, I came to Japan in 2016 to learn Japanese. After that, I began working at the Japanese branch of a Vietnamese company as a software engineer. There, I participated in multiple projects focused on digital transformation for various Japanese companies. This allowed me to gain insights into diverse industries and Japanese work culture and customs.
One of the aspects I appreciated was the chance to work in different parts of Japan, such as Narita, Hiroshima, Tokyo, and Osaka. It helped me deepen my understanding of Japanese culture.
--How did you decide changing jobs to Rakuten Group?
After working at traditional Japanese companies for a while, I wanted to try working in a Japanese company where English was commonly used. I had heard that English was the official language in Rakuten Group, and its international reputation and focus on innovation were particularly appealing to me.
I initially applied for a full-time position but was not accepted, so I worked as a temporary staff for a year and a half. From the beginning, I had hoped to eventually become a full-time employee. After actually working here, I found the long-term career development opportunities within Rakuten Group to be appealing. So, I decided to settle down here and accepted the offer to become a full-time employee after a year and a half.
--Could you tell us about the process of transitioning from a temporary employee to a full-time one?
Actually, there wasn’t anything special about it. After joining Rakuten Group, I focused on completing the tasks assigned to me, and if I found areas for improvement in the system, I consulted with my manager to make improvements.
I am grateful to the managers of both the Japanese and Singapore teams for their continued support from my time as a temporary staff. The first person I met in Rakuten Group was my mentor, Apar. I had a problem with the computer that was provided to me, but he helped me fix it quickly to my relief. He helped me create an environment where I could focus on my work.
Learning the latest technology in an environment different from traditional Japanese companies
--Please tell us about the work and tasks your team is currently handling at Rakuten Group.
I'm currently part of a team developing a campaign management platform. This tool helps merchants showcase their products more effectively to customers.
Our team is spread across different countries like Singapore, Japan, China, and India, giving us a diverse mix of cultures and languages.
--What are your thoughts and impressions after actually joining the company and starting work?
Rakuten Group has many foreign employees and has an active, global vibe. We mostly use English in the office, so I’ve found myself using less Japanese. I’m making full use of my English communication skills.
What’s great about Rakuten Group is that they care about helping us grow. They offer lots of internal and external online learning courses, seminars, and platforms. It's been helpful for my development since joining the company.
--Would you recommend a job change to Rakuten Group to someone in your home country, Vietnam?
Yes. Communication is mainly in English, and there are many Vietnamese seniors, so I think it is easy to work here. If you have any questions, they will support you.
It’s also nice that I get to have Vietnamese food for lunch from time to time.
--You mentioned that the members in your team are from various nationalities. What do you pay attention to when communicating with them?
With members of different nationalities, there are differences not only in language but also in culture. For this reason, I try to be careful in my choice of words and expressions.
However, I feel that having members of different nationalities on a team has many benefits. When members with different perspectives and experiences work together, it’s easier to come up with more creative and flexible solutions. When we implemented Scrum, which is one of the frameworks of Agile development, the addition of foreign members to the Japanese team brought new perspectives. Instead of sticking to the traditional methods when new issues arose, new suggestions like 'It would be better to do it this way' emerged.
--Can you share with us your future career plans and what you would like to accomplish at Rakuten Group?
Rakuten Group offers a variety of services. I’d like to shift towards working in the delivery service field in the future. Right now, I will focus on my assigned mission, management service, and hone my skills in this area. By doing so, I believe that I will have the opportunity to shift to the delivery service field.
In addition, I want to practice my Japanese since I'd like to join the Japanese speaking team. Rakuten Group has Japanese classes for foreign employees, but they are for beginners. After discussing this with my manager, he suggested us using Japanese during our 1 on 1 meetings.
--Lastly, please give a message to those who are considering changing jobs to Rakuten Group.
Rakuten Group is one of the largest e-commerce companies in Japan. With English as the official language and diverse teams working in a global environment, it’s quite different from traditional Japanese companies.
Rakuten Group is also at the forefront of applying the latest technology to its services. If you're an open-source enthusiast like me, you’ll be fascinated to see how open-source is applied to real-life services here.
Joining Rakuten Group could be an exciting journey for anyone seeking a diverse environment and wishing to advance their careers with the latest technology. Let’s work together!
Come work with us!
Global Ad Technology Department (GATD) is looking for colleagues to join our team in developing new services, performing daily operations, and making improvements! Recruitment is open for a wide range of positions, including engineers and product managers. We look forward to your application.
