July 2022 TOMODACHI Career Talks – Sayumi Koizumi, PR Manager at Prudential Life Insurance

”If you dream it, you can do it”: Prudential Life Insurance PR Manager Sayumi Koizumi Shares the Importance of Resilience and Ownership with the TOMODACHI Alumni Community

On July 19, 2022, Japan Time, Sayumi Koizumi, PR Manager at Prudential Life Insurance, shared her career journey with the TOMODACHI community as the guest speaker for July 2022 TOMODACHI Career Talks.

She started her presentation by introducing her university life and her value in job hunting. She chose to work for the insurance industry because it’s aligned with her value of providing support to people during difficult times. The highlight was when Ms. Koizumi shared her tips for working: to work with purpose and ownership in each task. She explained that she tried to find a way to effectively get things done in shorter amounts of time and always tried to see foreseeable outcomes. She said that this way, you can find the joy and meaning of each task so that you can take more ownership of your work and be more acknowledged by your team.

She also shared the importance of making the most out of all opportunities that come your way. When she was suddenly asked to go to New York for a business trip and fill in for another coworker, she initially hesitated but jumped right in and did everything she could do, such as all the preparation during the flight and trying to anticipate the following steps to deal with each task calmly. This opportunity won many’s trusts and eventually allowed her to be in charge of other important tasks.

She also talked about her colleague who advised her to be self-reliant and self-sufficient and encouraged her to make a ten-year career plan. Ms. Koizumi shared her screen during the presentation to show the audience her ten-year plan.

During the Q&A session, Sarina Noma, an intern for the U.S.-Japan Council’s Japanese American Storytelling Program, asked, “Was it a challenge to have people older than you working under your supervision as a manager?” Ms. Koizumi answered, “In terms of positioning, I am the Manager, but all the people I worked with, are experienced in life. I am always mindful of being humble and respectful to them. I also try to work hard to produce the best outcome so that I can be acknowledged as a younger manager.”

Ms. Koizumi concluded her talk by introducing the saying, “if you can dream it, you can do it.” She encouraged TOMODACHI alumni to pursue their dreams and treasure the community they belong to.

Prudential was nominated as one of the great places to work in March 2022, selected by Great Place to Work Japan.

Prudential has generously supported the TOMODACHI Alumni Leadership Program since 2014.