Event Overview

“Build Your Elevator Pitch With Confidence to Future Employers” is a workshop focused on career-development and networking designed for international students at Tohoku University who are interested in pursuing careers in IT and technology industries regardless of their academic major or level of technical specialization.

The event is designed to give students a practical opportunity to learn directly from professionals who have developed careers in the IT and technology industry. 

The first part of the event focuses on career stories, allowing students to listen about different professional pathways and understand the experiences, skills, and decisions that contributed to the panelists' careers. This is followed by a practical workshop in which students use their own experiences and skills to create a resumé summary and develop a 30-second self-introduction for a potential employer. Students can then practice presenting themselves and receive direct feedback from professionals and mentors.

The event also responds to the importance of creating connections between international students and the IT industry outside Japan's major metropolitan areas. By bringing professionals working in Sendai together with Tohoku University students, the event aims to make these connections more accessible and help students become more aware of career possibilities within the local and broader Japanese IT industry.

The tools and connections through this event can help students for their future job-hunting and job interviews and further develop their career paths.

Timetable

Meet Mentors

Charlene Chang, Partner Growth Manager, Square K.K.
Charlene Chang currently works as Partner Growth Manager at Square Japan, the work is building and growing meaningful partnerships for the Square ecosystem, including system integration and channel collaborations. Her career began at Sony Computer Entertainment Taiwan (now Sony Interactive Entertainment), managing channel sales and product marketing for PlayStation products in the Taiwan market. Later on, Charlene joined ID TECH as Overseas Sales Manager, looking after Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Australia etc, sourcing new opportunities and delivering custom payment hardware for clients. She moved from Taiwan to Tokyo in 2020 following her partner’s job transfer, and then in 2022 moved to Sendai for its natural beauty, abundant outdoor activities, delicious food, and convenient access to both Tokyo and Taiwan. Now she is loving life in Sendai with family and 2 cats.

Congqin Chen, Founder & CEO, alliz
Congqin is an entrepreneur and career mentor passionate about bridging the gap between academia and industry. As the founder of alliz, she supports students in navigating their professional journeys early-on. Before alliz, Congqin had 12 years working experience at global technology and consulting firms specialized in business intelligence and data analytics.

Organizer

alliz
Established in 2024 in Tokyo, alliz is a member-led career mentorship community dedicated to helping students and early-career professionals with career design and development in Japan. Through events, mentorship, and shared learning, we foster connections that inspire personal growth, skill development, and long-term success in the tech industry.