どうも。
それでは行きます。
Interview 2
Kailene Falls
毎週金曜日は各界で活躍するプロフェッショナルのインタビューを取り上げます。関連語彙を習得しながら英語力を向上させ、さまざまな話題に対応できる教養を身につけていきましょう。
パート1
今月来月のゲストは、イラストレーターのケイリーン・フォールズさんです。アメリカ出身のケイリーンさんは、ミネソタ大学の日本語学部とデザイン学部を卒業後、2017年に東京のデザイン会社に勤務するために来日。大手企業のデザインにかかわりながら腕を磨き、2018年にフリーランスのイラストレーターとして独立。現在は日本のおいしいものを描きつつ、バイリンガルレポーター、声優など幅広く活躍中です。今日は日本の会社に就職した時のエピソードを伺います。
Listening point
Why was it difficult for Kaylene to find a job?
なぜケイリーンさんにとって就職活動は難しかったのでしょうか?
ではこの点を意識しながらインタビューを聞いてみてください。
Okay, let's listen to today's interview!
Shibata: Kaylene Falls, welcome to our program. It's a great pleasure to have you with us here today.
Kaylene Falls: I'm very happy to be here today. Thank you.
Shibata: So, you studied graphic design and Japanese at the university without any prior connections or work experience. Finding a job in Japan right after university must have presented some challenges, right?
Kaylene Falls: It was really difficult. Umm, I wasn't really aware of the job searching system in Japan, where students usually use the last year of university to heavily look for jobs. And my plan had been to graduate American University and then send my portfolio off to a number of different Japanese companies. And unfortunately, I kept getting the same response ― it wasn't the hiring season. So, the first half a year I was still interning at an American fashion boutique doing their graphic design while trying to find a job in Japan?
And I tweeted about my troubles saying that I cannot find a job in Japan. And somebody responded saying, "Have you looked at any job hunting sites (転職サイト)"? And I had not heard of the term before and so they gave me a few to try and I was just very fortunate to find a company whose president liked American design and was interested in hiring somebody that had an American background because of the upcoming Olympics. I spoke Japanese to a certain extent at that point, and I had an American design education and I was able to use that in finding my job. And I got my visa and I moved to Japan in January of 2014. So, yeah, a little over 10 years ago.
Shibata: Wow. That must have been a stressful process.
Kaylene Falls: It was stressful, but it was exciting because I had decided that I wanted to move to Japan when I was maybe 15 or so. And so, a seven-year dream was finally becoming realized.
I had studied Japanese in university, but there was a lot of specific vocabulary in the design field that I didn't know. And I hadn't quite gotten the skill of understanding which parts of a sentence I 100% need to understand and what parts I can sort of ignore. I think that a very important thing in language learning is realizing that you don't need to know 100% of what the partner is saying. But you need to know the primary concepts and understand the rest from context.
WORDS AND PHRASES
send off ～を送る、～を送り出す
In this case, to send off or send something off means to send it to the relevant people; to mail or submit something. Send and send something off are very similar, but phrases like send something off or send in sound more specific and have the nuance of sounding like the task has been completed. For example, "I sent my resume off to the company” sounds more like the applicant have finished their part and are waiting for an answer. But, "I sent my resume to the company" makes the listener feel they may need more information.
intern インターンとして働く
term 用語
upcoming (ある出来事や時期が)やってくる
Coming soon, approaching like a deadline. Something that you're expecting to happen soon. Something that is upcoming describes something that is about to happen. For example, "I have to study for my upcoming test" means I have to study for a test that I'll have soon.
to a certain extent ある程度
In a way, to a degree, not completely. Kaylin said that at the time, she spoke Japanese to a certain extent, meaning that she could speak Japanese but wasn't completely fluent. Here's another example.” I can help you to a certain extent, but you'll have to finish the project on your own".
Listening pointの答え
Why was it difficult for Kaylene to find a job?
なぜケイリーンさんにとって就職活動は難しかったのでしょうか?
Because she wasn't really aware of the job searching system in Japan.
日本の就職活動のシステムをよく知らなかったからです。
ENHANCE YOUR VOCABULARY
今日のインタビューはケイリーンさんの就活が主なテーマでした。アメリカと日本の違いに戸惑ったようですね。
今回は就活や転職の場面に役立つ自分をアピールする語彙を見ていきましょう。
adaptable 適応力のある
I'm highly motivated and adaptable with a strong passion for marketing.
私はとても魅力的で適応力が高く、マーケティングに強い情熱を持っています。
自分の強みについて述べた一文です。
adaptableはadapt(適応する)の形容詞。組織にとって適応力adaptabilityは大切ですね。
motivated、passionといった単語も覚えておきましょう。
hit the ground running すぐに全力で取り掛かる
I'm confident that I can hit the ground running and make an immediate impact on your team.
私はすぐに動き出し、チームに即座に影響を与えることができる自信があります。
即戦力になることをピーアールしています。
hit the ground runningは地面に着いたらすぐ走っている。つまり、新しいことにすぐに全力で取り組むという意味になります。
その結果、make an immediate impact(すぐに影響を与える)というわけですね。
bring energy and enthusiasm 情熱を注ぐ
I'm excited about the opportunity to bring my energy and enthusiasm to this role.
私はこの役割に情熱を注ぐ機会を楽しみにしています。
やる気をアピールするコメントです。
energyとenthusiasmは共にやる気熱意を示す単語ですね。熟語ではありませんが、ゴロがいいこともあって良くセットで使われます。
YOUR TURN
次の日本語を英語にしてみましょう。
私の対人スキルは御社にとって大きな財産になると信じています。
One example is:
I believe my interpersonal skills will be a great asset to your company.
「大きな財産」の「財産」はasset(資産)という単語がよく使われます。貴重な資産・財産というニュアンスです。
「対人スキル」はinterpersonal skillsといいます。
いかがでしたか?いくらなんでも自信過剰なんじゃない?と思われても仕方がないような文ばかりですね。でもこれがグローバルスタンダードなのです。照れ笑いせずに大きな声で堂々と言えるようになるまで声に出して練習しましょう。
今日の言葉
インタビューの中から印象に残った言葉を紹介します。
A very important thing in language learning is realizing that you don't need to know 100% of what the partner is saying.
言語を学ぶ上で重要なのは、相手の言っていることを完全に理解する必要はないと気づくことです。
相手の言わんとしていることを理解する。これはとても重要なポイントです。このマインドセットを持っていると、次第に相手のポイントを把握する勘が養われていくのです。