Belle's Career Journey: From a Shepherd on the Mongolian Steppes to SPeak Inc
JPort by SPeak corp.
Your Guide To Career and Life in Japan Instagram and Facebook: JPort Japan
Hello, my name is Batnasan Tsevelmaa (Belle), and I joined SPeak on November 1st!
After graduating from the Faculty of Law at the National University of Mongolia, I completed my master’s degree at Nagoya University’s Graduate School of Law. Following that, I worked in the sales department of an automotive parts manufacturer and then in the legal department of a foreign consulting firm. Now, I’ve joined SPeak as a community marketer. In this article, I’d like to share a bit about my background and why I decided to join SPeak as we look for new team members to work with us.
Self-Introduction
I’m from the vast plains of Mongolia, in a place called Shine-Ider in Khuvsgul Province. You might be thinking, ‘Where is that...?’ It’s in northern Mongolia, near Russia. Winters there are really cold—about minus 30 degrees Celsius! I was born as the oldest daughter in a nomadic family, the Batnasan family.
In Mongolia, we don’t have family names like in other countries. Instead, Batnasan is my father’s name, which we use in our full names. A full Mongolian name is usually 'father’s name + child’s name.' Also, my father’s name, Batnasan, has ‘-san’ at the end, which is usually added when people refer to him formally. But most people just say Batnasan without the ‘-san,’ and that’s fine with me!
Although my parents were nomads when I was born, they have since changed careers. When people hear the word “nomad,” it might sound like a relaxed life of herding animals, but in reality, it’s hard work—like herding sheep in minus 30-degree weather. In Mongolia, people often joke, “If I lose my job, I’ll become a nomad,” but it’s not something that someone used to the comfort of an office could handle. My father now works as a banker.
Encounter with Japan
After graduating from high school in Khuvsgul Province, I entered the Faculty of Law at the National University of Mongolia. There, I joined the Japanese Language and Japanese Law Research Center, which ended up having a big impact on my life. As part of Japan's legal support program for Asian countries, Nagoya University established centers in several countries, including Vietnam, Uzbekistan, and Mongolia, offering the chance to study Japanese law in Japanese. There have been three choices in my life that have significantly changed my path, and joining this center was the first.
When people ask me, “Why Japan?” honestly, I’m not entirely sure. My knowledge of Japan at the time was limited to a drama called Otoko! Abarenbo Hacchaku that aired on Mongolian TV, and the song Yume no Shizuku by Takako Matsu. Also, since I was studying law, I would have to study Mongolian law regardless of my interest in it. But when asked if I wanted to study Japanese language and Japanese law in addition, I felt like I’d be missing out if I said no, so I applied. It was like attending two universities at the same time. Until my third year, I was only getting about three hours of sleep each night. Still, I never once thought about quitting, thanks to my love for the Japanese language, the professors of Japanese law, and my friends, seniors, and juniors who were also studying Japanese.
Struggles with Job Hunting in Japan
I entered the Graduate School of Law at Nagoya University in September 2019, just before COVID-19 hit. I graduated in September 2021, but since most of my time in Japan was during the pandemic, I couldn’t fully enjoy my experience here. This led to the second major choice that changed my life—I decided to find a job in Japan.
However, my job-hunting process was a complete failure. Even though I had passed the JLPT N1 level, my Japanese proficiency wasn’t enough. I believe timing is crucial, both in job hunting and in relationships. I started looking for a job right after submitting my thesis in July 2021, but naturally, that was too late. I had only two months left before my visa expired... Thinking back, it’s scary, and I’m sure other international students struggle with similar issues. Some of it may come down to a lack of planning or responsibility on the part of each individual. But personally, I always wondered if it was okay for me, as a government-sponsored scholarship recipient here to study, to spend time job hunting instead of focusing on my studies. Since graduate school is only two years, maybe I should have started job hunting as soon as I arrived. But at that time, I hadn’t even decided how long I would stay in Japan.
First Job in the Sales Department of an Automotive Parts Manufacturer
During this time, I was incredibly lucky to receive a job offer from Somic Ishikawa. The manufacturing industry in Mongolia is not very developed. I realized during the pandemic that we couldn’t continue to rely on imports from other countries forever, as we didn’t have the capability to produce things ourselves. I wanted to learn about Japan’s manufacturing industry, so I applied. I’m truly grateful to this day that they hired me despite my lack of work experience. For 1 year and 7 months, I worked in the sales department, representing the company, and was in charge of important clients. The reason I left my first job was that I wanted to work in a field related to my university major, law.
Career change to the legal department of a foreign consulting firm
This was also a stroke of great luck. Because I could speak a little English, I was contacted by an agent who specializes in bilingual talent and was given the opportunity to interview. I don’t think it’s easy for someone to entrust a Mongolian with reviewing Japanese contracts, but I am truly grateful for the trust they placed in me. I loved working at Accenture. Of course, I was able to learn a lot through the work, but what made me happiest was meeting such wonderful people. I felt proud to be a part of the company.
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Encounter with SPeak
So why did I decide to join SPeak?
The biggest reason was that I finally understood what value my daily work would have for me personally, as Batnasan Tsevelmaa. The first time Hiromi-san contacted me directly on LinkedIn, I visited the JPort Journal website. There, I saw the words, “No more feeling lost in job hunting. You are not alone.” It said, “We’re here for you~.”
I cried at that moment. I remembered the days when I didn’t know how to use job-hunting tools and received rejection emails saying, "Unfortunately, we will not be moving forward with your application." If someone had told me during my job search, “You’re not alone,” I think I would have cried a lot.
And now, I could be that person for someone...?
I was an international student. I went through job hunting. I also changed jobs. I felt that my background and experience were a perfect match for this, and I was excited.
However, the hiring process wasn’t easy. Especially for jobs in the humanities or business fields, there are often no written tests or practical exams, and decisions are usually made based on interviews. But at SPeak, after the interview, there was a 20-hour pre-work assignment. I had to come up with a strategy and plan to acquire target users. This was the first time I had ever had to think about something like this. Honestly, I was in a panic. Despite thinking, “This is the perfect career for me,” when it came time to actually do it, I had no idea where to start. I tried Googling ideas and thought about holding seminars or promoting through social media, but none of it seemed realistic or interesting, and I didn't find any of them convincing.
So, halfway through the pre-work, I changed my strategy. Instead of trying to do many things halfway with limited resources, I decided to focus on just one thing and think about how it could contribute to the company’s growth while also providing value to the international students. I then presented the content of a workshop I wanted to hold and the flow of the event for the final presentation. Until that presentation, I truly believed I would be rejected. But somehow, I managed to receive the job offer just in time.
Why I Joined SPeak
As I mentioned above, the main reason I decided to join SPeak was the job itself, but there were many other factors that influenced my decision. The company’s past achievements, the very thoughtful offer letter, the warm words of welcome from the team members (which made up an offer letter of 5 pages), the interactions with Hiromi-san and Nicole, and more. Ultimately, though, the biggest factor was trusting my gut.
SPeak has been around for less than five years. Yet, despite that, they have already developed a rich and valuable lineup of content for international students and built a community with senpais. I am the fourth full-time employee. The results and impact the company has achieved in such a short time with such a small team and limited resources are truly remarkable. I became convinced that, through the “JPort” brand, SPeak can do great work and help both international students and Japanese companies seeking international talent to succeed.
That said, I know there will be many challenges ahead. However, with Hiromi-san, Nicole-san, Shogo-san, the interns who believe in “JPort,” and the supportive people around us, I feel that we can overcome any tough times together. This was the feeling I had, and that’s why I chose to make this third big life decision and join SPeak as its fourth full-time employee.
SPeak has a great team work culture. We genuinely care for each other. No need to read the air and pretend to be someone you're not. If you want to bring a significant change toward building a Borderless Society, please join us!
We’re looking for people to work with us at SPeak.
If you are interested, please feel free to apply through the recruitment page or application form below!