Professional association

Professional association for real estate industry in Japan.

 JARES is focus on providing education and networking among the realtors in Japan. Therefore, it could be useful to meet other realtor to exchange information with other realtors.

The real Estate Companies Association of Japan is more focus on making connection among many different industries. Therefore, I might be able to use this association to build a networking with other industries.

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Japan Association for Real Estate Sciences (JARES)

JARES' misson is below:

This association aims to contribute to the promotion of scientific activities and to the improvement of people's life by enhancing inter-disciplinary research and education on real estate and by providing the results to society.

This association sponsors following activities:

1  Gathering and Lectures

2  Publication of academic bulletins and others

3  Research and investigation

4  Promotion of research and public recognition of research achievement

5  International exchange of knowledge and experience on real estate

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

The Real Estate Companies Association of Japan.

The mission is below:

The Real Estate Companies Association of Japan aims to contribute to improving the national economy and lifestyle of Japan by contributing to the real-estate industry as a whole, as well as the healthy developement of real-estate related businesses such as the supply of housing and urban development.

 

1	Studies and research on the supply and development of a good stock of housing, office facilities, etc.
2	Studies and research concerning the promotion of urban development including urban regeneration
3	Studies and research concerning the promotion of real-estate securitization and other businesses
4	Submission of proposals and opinions based on the above studies and research
5	Compilation and preparation of various real-estate statistics and materials such as the supply of condominiums, stand-alone housing, etc.
6	Provision of information, dissemination of knowledge and public relations activities related to real estate and the real-estate business
7	Contracting of studies, research and work, including the preparation of materials related to real estate and the real-estate business
8	Provision of information, execution of training and such for the promotion of member activities
9	Other oparations necessary to achieve the mission of our Association

Link of Linkdin

Here is my Linkdin's linik
http://www.linkedin.com/profile/edit?trk=hb_tab_pro_top

Informational interview

     I checked 3 website to learn informational interview such as Stanford University, Harvard University, UCLA.  What they say is almost the same. The purpose of informational interview is to gather information, not a job, and to build networking. They also mention, a matter of course, we have to be nice to the person or the company we will contact and have to be well prepared about the question we will ask.

There are the links of web site and brief summary below.
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stanford University

http://studentaffairs.stanford.edu/cdc/networking/informational-int

     According to Career Development Center of Stanford University, informational interview is not job interview. The purpose of informational interview is to get an advice and information from a person who is working in an industry or a company which we are thinking.


     There are some steps for informational interview. Before the meeting, We have to set up the meeting. To set up the meeting, we can phone or send an email asking for a meeting. We need to think about the best time to call or call back again to the person.

     When you call, we need to introduce ourselves briefly, and explain we are researching the field and asking them an advice, not a job. The time we ask should me 20-30. We can also offer to buy coffee or lunch to them, but usually, to ask them a informational interview in their work place is the best solution.


     During the meeting, we need to introduce ourselves briefly, and explain why we want to the advice, such as the reason why we are thinking to get in the industry, how our current major or experience connect to the industry, when are graduate from school, and we can even mention we are looking for a summer internship if we want to. In the end of the meeting, we can also ask them to introduce someone who could be helpful for us to find more possibilities. Be nice for the person in the end of the meeting.


     After the meeting, we really need to send a thank you letter.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Harvard University
http://www.ocs.fas.harvard.edu/students/undecided/infointerviewing.htm

     The difference about definition of informational interview between Stanford and Harvard is 
Harvard thinks it is also networking building. Other information in Harvard university is pretty mush the same with the Stanford.  It said : we need to research the industry and think about the questions we will ask such as how they feel about working in the industry, what kind of skills and experiences we have to have to get in the industry.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


UCLA
http://career.ucla.edu/students/ExploreCareers/WhatIsAnInformationalInterview.aspx

     Here is also almost the same: The purpose of informational interview is gathering information to understand the industry more, be well prepared before the interview, be nice during the interview, and send the thank you letter after the inter view.

Quotations from chapter 3

Quotation 01
"Your mind can take you anywhere or nowhere"

     It is right. We cannot go anywhere else with our our mind. We have to know where we want to go to arrive there.

Quotation 02
"Good mind will help you change how you interpret a situation."

     This is also right, I believe meaning of things and situation is based on how we see them. Many people say hardship is also chance. I totally agree with it. Therefore, I love this sentence to make myself to be open-minded.

Quotation 03
"You are thinking all the time, and the thoughts you choose can propel you forward or hold you back"

     It says it is totally up to you to go forward, or to hole back. Either way is fine as a life, but when we think about our ideal life, there is no way back. I wish I can keep myself to be open-minded and go forward forever.

Quotations from Chapter 2

Quotation 01
     "Creativity is connecting the unconnected"
It is hard to define what creativity is, and how we can use our creativity. Most of the time, we do not know how to use our creativity to think about our life planning, and we do not even know what our creativity. As the book said, our experiences are often separated each other. However, once we notice that, we can think how we can connect them.

Quotation 02
     "What new connection can you make?"
I love these kind of question. I always ask myself like What can I innovate by doing that" "Is it really new?" for my ideas, and even for my private life. Why I ask these kind of question is that I love to innovate things, and find new aspect and connection between things. Therefore, I believe these kind of questions are one of the most vital questions to make our life active.

Quotation 03
     "Sometimes your themes can reveal what's important to you"
Some people always change their mind, and their sense of value, and some people do not. I do not know which one is better way of thinking as a human being. However, when I think about my life, it has been all about change. There has been many changes and it lead me to the new path of life. Therefore, I love this sentence too.

INTJ:Masterminds

     The test told me I am INTJ(introvert, intuitive, thinking, judging, ): Masterminds.

http://keirsey.com/4temps/mastermind.aspx

I am not sure if I am a really masterminds type of person. However I love to find a new solution for a complex situation, and love to spend my time to research all the alternatives. I look for and check all the possibilities, and try to find the best way. I did not think I was one of these kind of people, but I think this result is pretty much collect. In the past one year, these many things happened in my life and it change myself and even my way of thinking. I thought I was totally opposite side of person before I took the test. However because of the change which I got in the past one year, I got this result.

Way of writing cover letters

     3 different websites for writing cover letter. I found some useful websites, but I think the 3 websites below shows us the easiest way to understand how to write cover letter. Simply speaking, cover letter is to motive the employer to read our resume carefully, and to to that, we have to put our information, experience, skills, knowledge, and personality which the employer seek. If we could effectively put them in right order, we could make our employer feel we are the "best-fit". 

------------------------------------------------------------------------

01 About.com 
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/coverletters/a/aa030401a.ht

     According to the website, there are 3 different types of cover letter.
3 types of cover letter.

1. The application letter which responds to a known job opening.
2. The prospecting letter which inquires about possible positions.
3. The networking letter which requests information and assistance in your job search.

     Our cover letter should be designed for each different job and position which we seek. Effective cover letter contains the reasons why we have interest for the specific job and organization, and identify how our skill and experience could be used. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
02 Stanford University 
http://studentaffairs.stanford.edu/cdc/resumes/cover-ltr

     Stanford University defines cover letters as a letter which could be an opportunity which the employer can observe the overall quality of our written communication. Therefore, Our cover letter should contain about 3 paragraphs and should also contain introduction of ourselves, statement of our objective, personalized resume, and highlighted information that addresses the needs and interests of the employer.

     Stanford says we should contain, the position we are seeking, and the reason why we are interested in the organization and anything you know about their product or service in the first paragraph.
     Second Paragraph should contain ,our qualifications, skills, activities, and accomplishments, based on background that would be of greatest interest to the organization. So, simply speaking, we have to highlight how our knowledge, skill, experience, personality, and motivation fit for the organization in this paragraph.
     Third paragraph is for finishing the cover letter. To finish cover letter, we have to state that we would like to discuss details about the opportunity and the position we are applying for, and we can also mention other information with the individual and that we will call or email to follow up on our letter.
     There are one more useful section in the website: Don'ts.

Don’ts

1. Don’t use a weak ending such as "I look forward to your reply" or "Please call me at your earliest convenience"
2. Don’t use the pronoun "I" to start every sentence
3. Don’t clutter your letter with fancy fonts or elaborate formatting
   • business letters should look conservative and professional
4. Don’t mark letters "personal and confidential" unless there is a solid reason why a secretary or an administrative assistant can’t open them

------------------------------------------------------------------------

03 New York University
http://www.nyu.edu/careerdevelopment/students/resumes.php

     Description on NYU's website is very simple and easy to understand. The purpose of cover letter is to motivate the employer to read your resume. If we write well, our resume will be read carefully, and if we don't, our resume never gets read. For start, we should contain what position we are applying for, how we heard about the opportunity, what our major and degree is/was, and what our graduation date is/was. In the body of our cover letter, we should describe our strengths such as specific skills, personal attributes, experience, and need to relate them to the requirements of the position. Use our specific examples from our academic or work experience which make the employer's interests and make them feel we are "good-fit".

------------------------------------------------------------------------

HW01 3Quotes from Chapter 01

Quote 01 "In the twenty-first century, a college education is wide open to many individuals regardless od gender, race, or career goal."

     When I think about Education, I always feel that it is totally wrong that students have to major specific major for our career plan. In other words, a system and situation which force student to complete a very specific major to be something which they really want to be. I believe college should exist to help students to have skill and knowledge to realize what they really need for their life, but not for their career.

Quote 02 "Unplanned events and emerging conditions changed this individual's circumstances."

     I have an experience which changes my career plan and basic direction of my life. I went to Thailand as a tourist about one year ago. I had been aiming to be a photographer in New York almost for 3 years until then. However, when I saw Thailand one year ago, I could see a lot of possibilities which we can do something we could not expect for our life. I felt something in my mind changed into totally new direction. Therefore I decided to move to Thailand and to be an entrepreneur there, because I believe changing our direction is really a matter of course to enjoy our life.

Quote 03 "We make better decisions when we look at the big picture, stay open-minded, and consider a variety of perspectives."

     I totally agree with this idea. Everything changes so rapidly that we cannot catch up nowadays. Theory which we believes and definition of important factor for our life such as definition of self-satisfaction, joy, work, life, and family also changes very quickly. When I think about myself, even myself changes very quickly and a lot. Therefore, I think to stay open-minded and consider a variety of perspectives, is one of the most important things we have to always remember.

About self assessment.

According to the test, I put values on creativity, way of Life, intellectual stimulation, esthetics, independence and variety. It means, I would like to do something challenging, new, beneficial for others or the world in a variety of fields by my own and I would also like to have good way of living. It must be something most of the people love to have. I think the result is made for the reason that I would like to be an entrepreneur which is based on a real-estate business and which challenges all the possibilities and opportunities that can make others' life and society to be better, in Asian countries such as Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar. Therefore, I could say it was close to my expectation.