Interviewing Australian people working in Japan-related enterprises Interview: Jennifer Schroeder (Information Officer, Information and Culture Section, Consulate-General of Japan, Sydney)  Jennifer Schroeder spent seven years in Japan and has been working at the Consulate-General of Japan in Sydney for six-and-a-half years. Variety and ability to maintain contact with Japanese people, culture and current affairs are the major aspects Jennifer Schroeder enjoys about her job as an information officer in the information and culture section at the Consulate-General. "I really enjoy the element of variety here. This year has been particularly busy because it's the Japan-Australia year of exchange but I always enjoy learning new things by searching for information to help in answering queries", she said. Ms Schroeder described her role as primarily supporting the two Japanese consuls (consulate officials) in her section, where she works with two other Australians. "It's my responsibility to publish the consulate's quarterly newsletter called Japan Reports and run our school visit program. I visit schools along with a consul to give presentations about Japan to school children and answer their questions. I also supervise the administration of entries received by the consulate for the annual Australia-Japan relations essay contest." Asked about her impressions of the consulate's work culture, Ms Schroeder said: "Although the office structure is more Japanese than Australian and Japanese practices have a strong presence here, the Japanese members of staff are generally well-travelled individuals who are used to dealing with people from different backgrounds. "Communicating and interacting effectively with people is also very applicable in achieving business aims. In Australia, with people from so many backgrounds, it's generally applicable here too!" When working with Japanese people, Ms Schroeder believes it is important to recognise that people are different and to communicate with them as individuals without falling into the trap of thinking in stereotypes. "One of the things I've learnt is that you can't make assumptions based on how you think Japanese people act or react. Although it's often thought that individuality is not important in Japan, individual differences of personality do affect the way you interact with your colleagues," she said. "In my time here I have encountered many Japanese staff members and consuls. Although their work methodologies appear to be typically Japanese, I can honestly say that each person's personality, management style and the ways in which they interact with others have all been very different. These individual differences are always there, even if they go unnoticed at first. "I think it's important to understand people's cultural backgrounds but to also treat them as individuals." Jennifer helping with a kimono demonstration in Cowra's Japanese gardens, NSW. Interview: Tony Geraghty (International Sales Executive, Outbound Division, Japan Travel Bureau, Melbourne)  For international tourism sales executive Tony Geraghty, the five years he spent working in Japan was a catalyst in his life. "It was a life-changing experience; one that I enjoyed immensely and would recommend any young person doing," he said. It was during this time in Tokyo that the Australian inquired at the Japan Travel Bureauﾕs head office there about the possibility of working for them in Auckland. That was in the late ﾔ80s and, after two years in New Zealand, Mr Geraghty decided to move to Australia. He applied for, and obtained, a position at JTBﾕs Melbourne Airport office and eventually moved to the outbound division, where he now works. As for his attraction to the tourism industry, Mr Geraghty said he had always been a keen traveller, fascinated in visiting foreign countries and learning about different cultures. He describes the most exciting aspect of his work as the complexities and challenges it brings. "Every day we are faced with new rules and regulations, new air fares and new requests from clients. "My work at JTB Melbourne involves preparing itineraries and quotes for clients, either on an individual or a group basis. Some groups are very specialised and require detailed research into different cultural activities or areas of Japan." Mr Geraghty makes bookings for air and land arrangements, completes all the detailed work, including invoices and payments. Heﾕs also involved with company advertising and the publication of the annual brochure, which embraces design, layout, writing and editing. As if that isnﾕt time-consuming enough, heﾕs also a committee member of the Council of Australian Tour Operators (CATO), in which capacity he escorts a small group of travel agents to Japan every year "to give them an insight into tourism in Japan and how JTB operates." And have his personal work ethics or philosophy changed in his time with JTB? "To work successfully for a Japanese company with Japanese managers in Australia means working with a knowledge and understanding of both cultures. "In our office work is carried out in both Japanese and Western styles and when dealing with our offices in Japan we have to accept the rules they make, even though they may be very different from the way we conduct business here in Australia. "I find it easy to work with the Japanese staff in my department. We all give 110 per cent to make sure the office runs smoothly and that we understand and overcome any cultural differences." Mr Geraghty's outside interests are - you guessed it - travelling and, just for something completely different, breeding Gouldian finches and playing and watching tennis. Tony with a group of travel agents he took to Japan last year in Hida-Takayama, Gifu Prefecture.