{"id":8319,"date":"2026-05-29T18:33:13","date_gmt":"2026-05-29T09:33:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mirai-works.co.jp\/consulnext\/?post_type=column&p=8319"},"modified":"2026-05-29T18:33:14","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T09:33:14","slug":"%e3%80%90a-day-in-the-life-of-manager-akimasa-shoji%e3%80%91practicing-supportive-mentorship-for-junior-staff-watching-others-grow-is-his-greatest-source-of-fulfillment","status":"publish","type":"column","link":"https:\/\/mirai-works.co.jp\/consulnext\/en\/column\/8319\/","title":{"rendered":"\u3010A Day in the Life of Manager Akimasa Shoji\u3011Practicing Supportive Mentorship for Junior Staff \u2014 Watching Others Grow Is His Greatest Source of Fulfillment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Consultants are “overworked.” Many people hold this impression. So what does an actual day look like? This time, we closely followed a day in the life of Manager Akimasa Shoji, a consultant at ZEIN. We asked him about what he finds fulfilling and challenging about working as a consultant.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Profile<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Akimasa Shoji<\/strong>
ZEIN Co., Ltd. \u2014 Manager<\/strong>
While in university, he experienced an internship as an engineer at a venture company. After graduation, he joined the company where he had interned as a new hire. He handled a wide range of work as an engineer, from planning through development and operations. He subsequently joined ZEIN. Since joining in 2018, he has been involved in IT consulting projects for system development and DX promotion. Currently, as a manager, he leads project advancement and team management, and also focuses on developing junior staff.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

A Sample Day in Mr. Shoji’s Schedule<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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6:30<\/strong>
On remote work days he sometimes wakes up a bit later, but when heading to the client’s office he generally wakes up around 6:30 a.m. While riding the bus just after 7 a.m., he checks economics news apps on his smartphone. He grasps the latest industry trends and the latest information on DX and AI while inputting information related to projects.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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9:00<\/strong>
Morning meeting with clients and members. Recent progress and challenges are shared, and tasks to be done today are clarified. Particularly in system development projects, schedule management up to release is important, so thorough detailed progress confirmation and risk identification are conducted. Care is taken to proceed carefully, as what is shared influences the flow of subsequent work.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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10:00<\/strong>
1-on-1 meeting with project members. Rather than simply confirming progress, care is taken to also talk about whether there are any struggles, and what kind of growth they want to aim for in the future. In addition, advice is given on document creation and client correspondence, and the background of the project is explained in detail with the aim of having them understand the meaning of their work.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Someone<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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11:00<\/strong>
Internal meeting. Aligning understanding on materials to be reported to the client. Since these are materials connected to important project decision-making, the way things are communicated and the story composition are carefully checked. Sometimes referring to past success cases, adjustments are made so as to be able to present more convincing proposals.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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12:00<\/strong>
Lunch. Many members eat at the office, but he often goes out to eat for a change of pace. Since remote work has increased, on days when he comes into the office he makes a point of valuing communication during lunchtime.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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13:00<\/strong>
Brushing up reporting materials for the client based on the results of the internal meeting. Opinions from the meeting are reflected and organized more logically. In particular, care is taken to summarize key points concisely and to convey things visually using graphs and diagrams so that it is easy for the client to make decisions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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15:00<\/strong>
For a meeting on a separate project, a conference room is borrowed and participation in the meeting is done remotely. Since there are currently multiple projects progressing in parallel, meetings are scheduled at optimal times while adjusting schedules. Since the challenges and objectives differ by client, care is taken to switch mindsets when approaching each one.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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16:00<\/strong>
Creating materials for the meeting. Rather than simply making slides, the composition is thought through while being conscious of “how to convince the client.” Care is also taken to simulate the flow of the presentation and organize how things will be explained and which points should be emphasized.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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18:00<\/strong>
Client correspondence complete, and final check of materials also finished. Today’s tasks are done and he leaves the office.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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19:00<\/strong>
After returning home, time is spent playing with the children, giving baths, and putting them to bed. Stepping away from work mode for a while and valuing family time provides refreshment. After the children go to sleep, he often spends time chatting with his wife in the living room or watching recorded dramas and YouTube.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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23:00<\/strong>
Before going to sleep, he thinks about what needs to be done tomorrow. He lightly reviews the content of meetings with clients and progress confirmations, and organizes the schedule for the next day. As necessary, he checks industry news on his smartphone to grasp the latest trends. On weekdays, he prepares for the next day while being mindful of the balance between work and home.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n