This blog post introduces how to effectively showcase the competencies and practical experience suitable for production technology roles in your resume, based on the design and production experience accumulated as a mechanical engineering major.
Growth Process
“Growing Up Understanding the Value of Time”
I spent more time with my grandparents than my parents during my childhood, naturally forming a closer bond with them. Both my parents were busy with their careers, so my grandparents, who had relatively more time for me, were always there to support me. Even when I brought friends home from school to play, my grandparents would warmly welcome them. I had a particularly special relationship with my grandmother. Grandma warmly listened to my daily life and worries, always offering sincere advice. I relied on her constantly and tried hard to behave politely.
But the precious time I had with Grandma wasn’t as long as I’d hoped. After I entered high school, Grandma’s health deteriorated rapidly. She was hospitalized and eventually passed away. Struggling to accept this sudden farewell, I sank into deep sorrow and depression. For a while, I wandered in denial, refusing to face reality. But as time passed, I gradually learned to accept her absence and find ways to mourn. I often visited the riverbank where her ashes were scattered, calming my mind and striving to gradually gather the pieces of my inner grief.
Going through this process, I came to deeply understand the meaning of ‘time’. I realized that while I am still growing, the people around me won’t always wait for me. The time of life never stops; it flows swiftly. A resolve took root in my heart: to live each moment meaningfully, so as not to let that time slip away in vain. From that point on, I worked to build a stronger foundation for my life. Reflecting on my grandmother’s constant advice, “You must develop your own skill,” I dedicated myself to my studies and began to solidify my career path.
From my high school years to becoming a university student, I always reminded myself that my grandmother was watching over me from above. I believed that daily effort and growth were ultimately the way to carry on my longing for her and the path to becoming a better person myself. Now, having passed through that painful time, I am gradually growing into an adult who understands the preciousness of time. And going forward, I intend to live a meaningful life with cherished people within the time given, never forgetting that heart.
Strengths and Weaknesses of Personality
I fundamentally possess a very calm personality and am often told by those around me that I have “charisma.” Honestly, I don’t really feel that I have charisma myself, but people say they sense a gentle charisma from my quiet demeanor and serious attitude. In reality, I am not very talkative and prefer activities where I can deeply immerse myself in one thing rather than dabbling in many different things. I value focusing and immersing myself in meaningful work over wasting time. In that process, I always strive to remain calm and avoid actions that merely kill time.
Even when socializing, I prefer a relatively quiet atmosphere. When meeting someone, I enjoy calm cafes for conversation or watching meaningful movies together over noisy, crowded places. I rarely attend gatherings just to pass the time, and even when I do, my personality tends to keep me on the quieter side rather than making me the center of attention. For this reason, I also don’t go to drinking parties very often. If I do drink, I prefer meeting one-on-one with a close friend for deep conversation over a large group gathering.
Perhaps because of this, people around me sometimes say things like “you’re hard to read” or “you never let your guard down.” To some, I might seem a bit dull or stiff, and I’m well aware that my personality isn’t particularly cheerful or outgoing. Of course, being able to mingle with many people and liven up the atmosphere is a valuable skill, but I don’t think everyone needs to be that way. Everyone has a different personality, and everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses.
While I have the weakness of being somewhat quiet and awkward around strangers, I have the strength of being able to have deep conversations and communicate sincerely with those close to me. Thanks to this tendency, I rarely let my guard down or make mistakes in most situations, and I tend to have a sense of stability that allows me to handle unexpected situations calmly. This composure can sometimes be a significant strength and forms an important foundation of my personality.
School Days
During my university years, I majored in Plant Engineering, focusing on learning the production technologies essential for urban design. I studied diligently to broaden my understanding of fundamental plant systems and approached my major courses with thorough dedication, ensuring I had no gaps in my knowledge. I also managed my grades systematically, so classmates often approached me with academic questions or sought study advice. I willingly shared my notes, explained learning strategies, and helped my peers.
However, as a science student, my relative weakness was ‘English’. I particularly struggled with TOEIC preparation. Despite diligent efforts, there was a period of frustration when my score wouldn’t exceed 600 points. That period prompted me to start formulating a plan to systematically improve my English skills. Coincidentally, among the friends I usually discussed grade management with, there were some who excelled at English. Naturally, I teamed up with them for group projects (Team Project) and sought tips and advice on studying English.
While I was relatively strong at memorizing English vocabulary, I definitely had weaknesses in reading comprehension and grammar. To address these weaknesses, I asked my peers and seniors for effective study methods and tried various approaches. As a result, after focusing intensely on reading comprehension and grammar for six months, my TOEIC score surpassed 700 points. Subsequently, I also worked on improving my listening skills. Six months later, I achieved a score above 800 points, reaching a level where I could confidently apply to various companies, even as a science major.
This experience taught me to acknowledge my shortcomings and actively seek help to improve. I learned firsthand that rather than simply worrying alone and giving up, I could leverage resources around me and accept feedback to grow. Thus, in any field, if I find an area lacking, I don’t hesitate to seek solutions and consistently strive to achieve my goals.
Career Experience
Previously, while working at a general IT company, I was responsible for designing CPE (Customer Premises Equipment), which is essential in the production process of IT devices. After graduating from university, I joined as a new graduate employee and participated in drafting and operational design tasks as part of the design team. Through this process, I steadily built the fundamental skills necessary for practical work. My goal at the time extended beyond merely adapting to the job; I aimed to foster collaboration with team members, enhance my coordination skills, and achieve meaningful growth within the organization. Ultimately, I set my sights on advancing to a deputy manager position within the design team, and I succeeded in achieving that goal to a certain extent.
As I became more familiar with the work, I gradually gained the ability to perform structural calculations for CPE products and conduct stress and fatigue analyses using FEA (Finite Element Analysis). As my practical skills improved, my adaptability within the company naturally increased, leading to my promotion to assistant manager. Unlike simply participating in the design process as a regular employee, working as an assistant manager brought more complex responsibilities. For instance, my role included managing junior staff, and I was responsible for document-related tasks such as drawing reviews and creating purchasing specifications.
Furthermore, as my position advanced, opportunities for external communication increased. I frequently communicated directly with client companies purchasing products and collaborated often with specialized engineering firms. In these external engagements, I was often designated as the PM (Project Manager). Performing production management tasks on a project basis in this manner allowed me to accumulate over three years of experience.
Above all, I realized that tasks involving communication and management with people suited me better than purely design work. Consequently, when considering future career moves, I prioritized reflecting this inclination, naturally leading me to focus my applications on roles demanding diverse managerial responsibilities. Looking back now, I believe that experience—starting in design practice and gradually expanding into communication, coordination, and management tasks—became a crucial benchmark for my subsequent career decisions.
Motivation for Application and Aspirations
“I will grow into a manager of production technology.”
Regarding my background for applying to your company, I would like to express my confidence based on the experience I have accumulated over a long period within my previous organization. Previously, I worked as an Assistant Manager in the CPE Design Team, handling various management tasks. This experience provided me with a broad understanding of the CPE field, laying the foundation for me to take on this challenge at your company. Specifically, I am applying for the CPE Manufacturing Division, and I am fully prepared to fulfill the role of a manager in the production technology field.
If your company were to ask, “Why did you change your application field from design to manufacturing?”, I would explain that the difference stems not merely from a shift in technical domain, but from the difference in the satisfaction and fulfillment derived from the work itself. While design work is also very important, manufacturing work—participating directly in the production process, managing it, and seeing the final product with my own eyes—has provided me with greater motivation. In fact, observing the CPE manufacturing process cultivated my interest and sense of responsibility for this work, and I consistently held the aspiration to work in this field someday.
Based on your job posting, I understand the role involves maintaining and managing equipment and facilities for CPE production, requiring broad managerial capabilities such as planning the entire manufacturing process, coordinating schedules, and conducting quality reviews. Furthermore, within this complex job structure that encompasses not only the overall production flow but also human resource management, collaboration with partners, and safety management, I am confident I possess the capabilities to excel. Specifically, I have a solid understanding of basic welding techniques and practical experience, coupled with the diligence required for planning and review as a manager.
Based on these systematic management abilities, I aspire to play a pivotal role in your company’s production technology division. I harbor a strong desire not merely to be satisfied with my current capabilities, but to grow into a manager who can shoulder greater responsibilities and contribute to the organization in the future. This aspiration is not a mere expectation, but a realistic goal grounded in practical preparation and experience. I wish to grow alongside your company and build a better tomorrow.
