ZENKEN PLACEMENT 2024:

Preparation Handbook

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 OVERALL FLOW: REGISTRATION TO OFFER

If you are shortlisted, we will guide you After offer is given, you and your parents
before interviews! get a chance to speak to the company!

College placement will announce You/your parents can ask questions about
Complete these to be eligible for placement!
shortlist, 1 week before event! Japan, the company, the offer, etc.
Fill in your profile! Please note, guidance will only go to the This helps make everybody more relieved
Submit the consent form! shortlisted candidates. about accepting the offer.

Then, make sure to write the ZENKEN TEST!!
Apply to Jobs
(2-3 weeks before event)
If you are shortlisted, we will have this
session to help prepare you! ACCEPT OFFER!
(within 10 days of event)
Placement Event
(1~2 day event in total)

Final Registration & Pre-Placement Session Parents Meeting

Zenken Test for Shortlisted Students
(Conducted and done by July)
Read carefully and apply if interested!
JD/company information will be shared
through college placement
Each company will have different
instructions for application, BE CAREFUL!
(2~3 days after event)
(3~4 days before event)
It is a one-day event with offer
announcement at the end of the day!
Leave it to the Zenken team, we will
guide you throughout the day.
Schedules and company side
participants will be shared beforehand.

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 OVERALL FLOW: REGISTRATION TO OFFER
WE ARE We will continue to explain the following:
HERE!

ACCEPT OFFER!
(within 10 days of event)
Apply to Jobs Placement Event
(2-3 weeks before event) (1~2 day event in total)

Final Registration & Pre-Placement Session Parents Meeting

(2~3 days after event)
Zenken Test for Shortlisted Students
(Conducted and done by July) (3~4 days before event)

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I’VE RECEIVED A JOB APPLICATION EMAIL!
NOW WHAT?
★ Check Job Description to make sure you are REALLY okay with…
○ Job description, salary, job location, tech stack, required skills

★ Check the company profile and make sure you are REALLY okay with…
○ Business they are in charge of (is it an owned product? A consultation
development service? etc)
○ Values and mission of the company

※Check the JD PDF shared by Zenken, as well as the Borderless Career page and company website
※Google the company and see what information comes up; use the Google Translate tool to figure out what is written
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I’VE RECEIVED A JOB APPLICATION EMAIL!
NOW WHAT?
★ Fill out the application! Make sure to answer in as much detail as possible.
○ Make it personal, make it relevant to the company!
○ Convince them why they should hire you, in your own words!

★ Take the Zenken Test/Submit Consent Form/Fill out Yaaay

Freshers Profile if you haven’t already!

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SCHEDULE ON THE DAY (OFFLINE)
Only one on one interview
Group interview included

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SCHEDULE ON THE DAY (ONLINE)
Only one on one interview
Group interview included

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 Congratulations!
I’M SHORTLISTED! NOW WHAT? You’re halfway there!

★ Practice your interview answers for predictable questions

○ Most Japanese companies will want to know about “Why you want to work for
their company” as well as “Why you want to work in Japan”
○ Prepare YOUR HONEST ANSWERS for these questions
*Do you really want to give fake answers, and get placed in a company that does not match you, resulting in misery…?

○ Do your research; Google “commonly asked interview questions” to get a better

understanding of what might be asked

↓↓↓↓CHECK THIS!↓↓↓↓ More advice on how to crack Japanese interviews

CLICK ON THIS LINK HERE!

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I’M SHORTLISTED! NOW WHAT?
You MUST check the below, to do final preparations for placement day:

★ Check Job Description again and make sure you are REALLY okay with…
○ Job description, salary, job location, tech stack, required skills

★ Check if you have active backlogs!

○ You are not able to apply if you have active backlogs. We will be checking with
your placement team to double check…

★ Check the company profile and make sure you are REALLY okay with…
○ Business they are in charge of (is it an owned product? A consultation
development service? etc)
○ Values and mission of the company
※Check the JD PDF shared by Zenken, as well as the Borderless Career page and company website
※Google the company and see what information comes up; use the Google Translate tool to figure out what is written

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I’M SHORTLISTED! NOW WHAT?
★ List up questions to ask the company before the event
○ Asking questions shows you are interested in them; people remember you more
○ Make sure to list up anything you want to know about the company
○ There will be a Q&A section during the event, to ask such questions!

★ Have your project ready to present, just in case

○ SOME COMPANIES may want to see your project
○ Make sure to look through the projects you have, and pick up a couple
○ Pick up projects that are relevant to the company, or those that you are most
proud of
○ Be ready to show them the code/deployed product/screenshots

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ANYTHING I NEED TO BE CAREFUL OF,
SPECIFICALLY FOR JAPANESE PLACEMENT?
★ DO NOT be late, even one minute delay will make a bad impression.
★ DO NOT talk too much too long, be CRISP WITH YOUR RESPONSES
★ DO NOT cut in while the company side is speaking
These may be small things, but all of the above added up will lead to lost chance.

★ DO take notes during the company presentation, to show your interest through
behaviour
★ DO speak slowly, and speak clearly
★ DO listen carefully to the question and really ANSWER WHAT IS ASKED
★ Do smile and be friendly, they just want to get to know you!
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CHECK (AGAIN!) WITH YOUR PARENTS
● Check with your parents AGAIN, to see if they fully support your
decision to sit for Japanese company placement!
● If you are given an offer, we will host a PARENTS MEETING

WHAT IS A PARENTS MEETING:

● a meeting with your parents/company/Zenken
● Purpose is to clarify questions before accepting offer, and a chance for
your parents to meet your future employers!

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ENVIRONMENT AND ATTIRE
★ Wear professional clothing and look clean

★ Bright, clean background is best, no distractions!!

★ Face the camera straight on, face visible.

★ Shine light from the front, NOT behind.

★ Smile and articulate!

★ CHECK FOR STABLE INTERNET! Have a backup

device just in case.
*Biggest reason for not passing interviews: not being able to have a
conversation due to network issues.

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APPENDIX: FAQ
Q. Will the salary be enough to live comfortably in Japan?
A. YES! Japanese freshers also live comfortably with the same salary amount that
will be provided to you. If they can do it, you can too!

Q. What is the general cost of living in Japan?

A. IT DEPENDS ON THE LOCATION! There are slight differences between Tokyo,
Osaka and other more suburban areas. Tokyo is the highest, but still very
affordable. Please refer to the next page, for an example in Tokyo.

Q. Is our salary different from that of Japanese people?

A. NO! Your companies will provide the SAME amount as Japanese freshers.

Q. Will we have to do our visa process by ourselves?

A. NO! Your company and Zenken will support you!
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 Commute Typical Supermarket

Average Tokyo Expenses

(one month, fresher)

IN HAND SALARY +1,80,000 JPY Commute 2 Typical Apartment

RENT －50,000 JPY
PHONE/WIFI/GAS/ELECTRICITY/WATER BILLS －25,000 JPY
TRANSPORTATION FEES －5,000 JPY
FOOD+DAILY GOODS －38,000 JPY
*optional* ALLOWANCE/PERSONAL SPENDING －20,000 JPY

_______________________________________________________________ Typical Apartment 2

OVERALL EXPENSES -118,000～138,000 JPY
SAVINGS +42,000～62,000 JPY
（25-35% of in hand salary）
(BONUS ONCE～TWICE YEAR IN ADDITION TO SAVINGS)

*Japan’s inflation is almost <1%

**Average package for freshers introduced through Zenken: 226,000 JPY/mo
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 ALL THE BEST!

Zenken is here to support you!

Now let’s go get job offers!!

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