I am mainly involved in the accounting at Taishin. My tasks include: managing the accounts receivable, accounts payable, inventory, recording and reporting cash flow transactions, creating invoices and financial statements. Since most of these tasks are computerized, I spend most of the day in the office facing the computer.

Every 10 days, I create the invoices, check the deposits and payments to and from Taishin and then create the trial balance sheet of the month. In addition to this monthly routine, I also identify and resolve issues with any new deals or irregular transactions.

The Administrative Department not only monitors the accuracy of the financial transactions but also ensures that each transaction is contributing to the growth of the company. Everyone here is always willing to think harder, voice their opinions, suggest new ideas and work harder to make the company even better.

“Where do you see yourself in 3 years?”
I remember being asked this at my interview with Taishin.
And my response was along the lines of,
“I hope to be teaching and leading my subordinates.”
8 years have flown by since that interview. I have not only taught my subordinates,
but those I taught are now teaching their own subordinates. Overhearing their conversations across the table, I feel proud to have created such a reliable team and to be surrounded by teammates that are helping each other and are confident to face minor issues by themselves.

It is these moments like this when I reflect back and feel that I myself have grown professionally in my career at Taishin.

The Administrative Department works on shifts, so it is fairly easy to take days off during the week. Since we work as a team, it is also possible to plan in advance and take longer breaks ‒even trips abroad during the off-peak season! (That being said, I have yet to fly out of Japan. I never have in my life but many of my active colleagues have)

Also, it is worth noting that we rarely work overtime. Unlike many Japanese firms, here at Taishin, we believe that when the work is done, it is best to leave the office and have time for yourself. This does not mean that we lack strong bonds. We all put in our team efforts to finish the work in time in a collaborative, friendly way and maintain our own private hours at the same time.

Some of you may be hesitant about working with seafood, and I totally understand that. But think about it this way: the products just happen to be seafood.

Your intentions for becoming a part of the team can be anything: I love fish more than beef. I am interested in fish farming. I want to sell good products. I want to be involved in accounting. I want to work near the Tokyo Tower. Once you join, you will naturally see yourself pushing your shopping cart and taking a peek of the seafood section.

I am sure that you are putting in a lot of energy in finding yourself and researching each company during the job hunting process, but getting a job should not be the final goal. Continue this process and keep discovering new possibilities even after the start of your new career.

I believe one of the keys in life that applies to any job is to work hard, think and act for yourself and to continue to challenge and improve.