Saori Yokoyama graduated from the University of Oregon in spring 2004 with a degree in economics and international studies. During her studies she wrote an honors thesis that won the award for “Best Undergraduate Research Paper” from the economics department – an impressive accomplishment for a non-native speaker!
Originally from Japan, Saori’s plans were to return to Japan to acquire work after graduating from the University of Oregon. Her initial goal was to work for a non-profit organization, such as Japan’s equivalent of the Peace Corp, or for the government of Japan. However, she quickly realized from her interviews with these organizations that while they valued her academic experience, they wanted a significant amount of work experience as well. So Saori then knew she needed to start job hunting in the corporate sector first and then think about these options in a few years.
After a few job applications, Saori realized her economics studies were a great advantage for her. She was a unique candidate for a variety of positions, not just in economics, as employers look for potential employee development, not just what you currently know now. One indicator was the written exams the Japanese firms gave before interviews, which she did well on and felt her analytical training in economics prepared her well. She also found that the time and energy to write the honors thesis paid off. Potential employers recognized it took a self-motivated student who could think “outside the box” to complete such a project. Her advice to those who choose to take on the task is to seek the advice of the professionals and not try to do it alone.
Saori searched for employment for over two months and received two job offers of interest. One was a position in finance and the other in engineering. After much consideration of the positions and consulting with her UO advisers she chose the engineering position. Though the job in finance would have been a good position, the engineering job offered a greater challenge and more potential for experience and growth. Saori is currently employed with Fullcast Technologies Inc., in Tokyo, Japan, as an Electrical Engineer. Down the road, her economics will come into play as she interfaces with clients that require representatives that know the markets as well as the engineering behind the products.
Profile by Anna Strong (2004)