FULLCAST INTERVIEW
It is important to respect one's country and culture when interacting with someone.
An interview with Mr. Hiranowho created a staffing company that has expanded its annual business to 90 billion Yen within 15 years and owns a baseball stadium.
【Interviewer】
China: Hui-Min Zhao
Japan: Manami Saito
China: Hui-Min Zhao
Japan: Manami Saito
Among students, Fullcast is a company that is well-known as a company that introduces part-time jobs. As a matter of fact, it is an excellent company that has evolved into an enterprise with annual business of 90 billion Yen only within its first 15 years of establishment. We interviewed Mr. Hirano who is the facilitator behind this rapid growth.
An interview with Mr. Hirano
【Interview】
Zhao: At a staffing company, dealing with people is thought to be important. Is there such a thing as the technique that facilitates smooth relationships with others?
Mr. Hirano: I would say thinking about the other person's feelings is the key. That is, be considerate of the other person's feelings whether at work or in your personal life. In order to smoothen the relationship, opening one's heart to each other is important.
Zhao: How do we build relationships with others and relationships of mutual trust especially when we come from different national origins?
Mr. Hirano: I think a relationship of mutual trust is something which is built upon ideas such as keeping promises, for example, that are common in all countries. Being punctual and so on are really basic things. The more different the culture is, the more you should try to find and praise good things about the differences instead of looking disapprovingly at bad things.
Zhao: You mentioned that improving humanity is an important thing. To be more concrete, how can we do so?
Mr. Hirano: Through experiencing. You should try to see and do different things, go to various countries, and meet different people. Humans can only think within the horizon of what they have experienced in their life. I also think according to the accumulation of experiences from meeting different people, things, and places. Therefore, the more experiences you have, the broader your vision becomes.
Saito: I just entered university this year. I understand that gaining experience is an important thing, but I don't know where to start.
What should I do?
Mr. Hirano: There are many forms of experience. In any case, I think no matter what form it is in, it is crucial for coping with the difficulties we face in the battlefield of life. When talking about battlefield, you would probably associate it with life and death, but that's not what I mean. What I mean by battlefield is the situations in daily life such as the relationship with friends, at work or when you're studying, where you have to think and make judgments and decisions. Being the leader of a seminar or the executive of a club is also an example. You have to think about things such as how much to charge, where it should be held, how to let everyone know about it, and so on. Being under that kind of pressure and accumulating such experiences are important. I think it is crucial that you try to encounter situations where you have to think, make judgments, and lead people.
Saito: I am thinking about getting a part-time job this year. All of my friends are working at chain stores, but an acquaintance of mine said that there isn't anything you can learn from those jobs.
Mr. Hirano: Even at McDonalds or Mos Burger, for example, you can develop your skills. There is no job that does not allow you to gain any experience. Even if you work as a waitress, you get the opportunity to think about how to satisfy all the customers that come into the store from various backgrounds. By doing so, you can gain experience beyond your wage. People who think "if I work for 1 hour I can get 1000 Yen" do not learn anything because they think they are just selling their time and the easier the job and the higher the wage, the better it is. The important thing is to think "what should I do so I can gain how much" not "how much for 1 hour".
Zhao: What should international students pay attention to when they participate in recruiting activities?
Mr. Hirano: First of all, as humans, we do not differentiate between Japanese and foreigners. Besides the procedures required by laws and so on, the underlying idea is "We are all Asian and people that live on earth". But if I were to give advice on the basis of that, I would say be proud of your country when you look for a job and try to convey that. There are things that you can do because you are an international student. Try to convey the advantages of being an international student such as your ability to bridge the language and cultural gaps between your culture and the Japanese culture. I think as an executive, he/she will want to hire whoever can turn that into a positive thing.
Zhao: It is said that Japanese people work too much. You just mentioned that keeping one's body in shape is also important. How can we find a balance?
Mr. Hirano: In my case, my hobby is to play sports so it's not such a difficult thing (laugh). But don't you think people who can do everything with 100% of their energy are great? It seems like there used to be a saying "Dedicate 100% of your energy to work!". But whoever puts 100% of his/her energy into work also dedicate 100% of his/her energy when playing. People who work smartly also play smartly. If you look at how they use their time, you can understand that right away. You cannot say which one is good or which one is bad. People like that are really good at managing.
Zhao: What's the goal of your company?
Mr. Hirano: Our goal is to create a company that is loved the most in the world. I hope Fullcast can become a company in which the employees feel good about working here. For instance, when asked by other friends "Which staffing company is good?", they can say "Fullcast" with confidence. I hope Fullcast can become a company that cares about people's feelings and a company where the employees can shine.
Zhao: Mr. Hirano, what's your motto?
Mr. Hirano: It is "You shall not forget your first intent". The initial feelings and ambitions are gradually forgotten as time goes by and as changes take place. I think it is important to always remember the feelings that you had when you first started the business or the job.
Zhao: At a staffing company, dealing with people is thought to be important. Is there such a thing as the technique that facilitates smooth relationships with others?
Mr. Hirano: I would say thinking about the other person's feelings is the key. That is, be considerate of the other person's feelings whether at work or in your personal life. In order to smoothen the relationship, opening one's heart to each other is important.
Zhao: How do we build relationships with others and relationships of mutual trust especially when we come from different national origins?
Mr. Hirano: I think a relationship of mutual trust is something which is built upon ideas such as keeping promises, for example, that are common in all countries. Being punctual and so on are really basic things. The more different the culture is, the more you should try to find and praise good things about the differences instead of looking disapprovingly at bad things.
Zhao: You mentioned that improving humanity is an important thing. To be more concrete, how can we do so?
Mr. Hirano: Through experiencing. You should try to see and do different things, go to various countries, and meet different people. Humans can only think within the horizon of what they have experienced in their life. I also think according to the accumulation of experiences from meeting different people, things, and places. Therefore, the more experiences you have, the broader your vision becomes.
Saito: I just entered university this year. I understand that gaining experience is an important thing, but I don't know where to start.
What should I do?
Mr. Hirano: There are many forms of experience. In any case, I think no matter what form it is in, it is crucial for coping with the difficulties we face in the battlefield of life. When talking about battlefield, you would probably associate it with life and death, but that's not what I mean. What I mean by battlefield is the situations in daily life such as the relationship with friends, at work or when you're studying, where you have to think and make judgments and decisions. Being the leader of a seminar or the executive of a club is also an example. You have to think about things such as how much to charge, where it should be held, how to let everyone know about it, and so on. Being under that kind of pressure and accumulating such experiences are important. I think it is crucial that you try to encounter situations where you have to think, make judgments, and lead people.
Saito: I am thinking about getting a part-time job this year. All of my friends are working at chain stores, but an acquaintance of mine said that there isn't anything you can learn from those jobs.
Mr. Hirano: Even at McDonalds or Mos Burger, for example, you can develop your skills. There is no job that does not allow you to gain any experience. Even if you work as a waitress, you get the opportunity to think about how to satisfy all the customers that come into the store from various backgrounds. By doing so, you can gain experience beyond your wage. People who think "if I work for 1 hour I can get 1000 Yen" do not learn anything because they think they are just selling their time and the easier the job and the higher the wage, the better it is. The important thing is to think "what should I do so I can gain how much" not "how much for 1 hour".
Zhao: What should international students pay attention to when they participate in recruiting activities?
Mr. Hirano: First of all, as humans, we do not differentiate between Japanese and foreigners. Besides the procedures required by laws and so on, the underlying idea is "We are all Asian and people that live on earth". But if I were to give advice on the basis of that, I would say be proud of your country when you look for a job and try to convey that. There are things that you can do because you are an international student. Try to convey the advantages of being an international student such as your ability to bridge the language and cultural gaps between your culture and the Japanese culture. I think as an executive, he/she will want to hire whoever can turn that into a positive thing.
Zhao: It is said that Japanese people work too much. You just mentioned that keeping one's body in shape is also important. How can we find a balance?
Mr. Hirano: In my case, my hobby is to play sports so it's not such a difficult thing (laugh). But don't you think people who can do everything with 100% of their energy are great? It seems like there used to be a saying "Dedicate 100% of your energy to work!". But whoever puts 100% of his/her energy into work also dedicate 100% of his/her energy when playing. People who work smartly also play smartly. If you look at how they use their time, you can understand that right away. You cannot say which one is good or which one is bad. People like that are really good at managing.
Zhao: What's the goal of your company?
Mr. Hirano: Our goal is to create a company that is loved the most in the world. I hope Fullcast can become a company in which the employees feel good about working here. For instance, when asked by other friends "Which staffing company is good?", they can say "Fullcast" with confidence. I hope Fullcast can become a company that cares about people's feelings and a company where the employees can shine.
Zhao: Mr. Hirano, what's your motto?
Mr. Hirano: It is "You shall not forget your first intent". The initial feelings and ambitions are gradually forgotten as time goes by and as changes take place. I think it is important to always remember the feelings that you had when you first started the business or the job.
【Impressions】
Zhao: I was so nervous!
Saito: Me too. But it was such a good opportunity to be able to talk to such a great person right after entering university. I will try my best to actively play a responsible role through part-time jobs and so on as Mr. Hirano pointed out.
Zhao: I have been participating in recruiting activities recently, and the advice was really helpful. I think it is definitely true that "The basis of communication is to be considerate of the other person". After all, job hunting is also about communicating with the companies.
Saito: That's true. I have no clue about that, but it really is a difficult thing to convey yourself to someone else. I was worried about making friends as I just entered university, but I'm more comfortable now.
Zhao: I see. Through this interview, we were also able to get to know each other. It has become a cherished memory. Thank you so much!
Zhao: I was so nervous!
Saito: Me too. But it was such a good opportunity to be able to talk to such a great person right after entering university. I will try my best to actively play a responsible role through part-time jobs and so on as Mr. Hirano pointed out.
Zhao: I have been participating in recruiting activities recently, and the advice was really helpful. I think it is definitely true that "The basis of communication is to be considerate of the other person". After all, job hunting is also about communicating with the companies.
Saito: That's true. I have no clue about that, but it really is a difficult thing to convey yourself to someone else. I was worried about making friends as I just entered university, but I'm more comfortable now.
Zhao: I see. Through this interview, we were also able to get to know each other. It has become a cherished memory. Thank you so much!
Mr. Takehito Hirano
【Profile】Mr. Takehito HiranoCEO of Fullcast GroupBorn in 1961 in Kanagawa prefectureAfter graduating from Kanagawa University Faculty of Economics, he started working at a financial company. In 1987, he established a tutor-dispatching company. In 1990, he started outsourcing business in the area of light work. In 2005, he got the right to name prefecture-owned Miyagi Stadium and he named it "Fullcast Stadium Miyagi". Fullcast is now a big company that holds 17 companies.