INTERVIEW PREPARATION

~For Japanese Companies~

INTRODUCTION
Firstly, congratulations to proceed interview process
we are really grad to be able to support your first
step.

In order to make fruitful time for the interview with our

clients, we would like to recommend make “interview
preparation” about yourself.

Basically, Japanese companies tend to ask “the

reason” in your career. Without preparation, it will be
supposed to make you difficult to appeal yourself.

Hence, we would like to guide you “how to prepare”

for the interview with Japanese companies in this
document. Please refer our methodology and face
yourself

I hope that it can support your success after joining.

PREPARATION OVERALL

1 Understanding about company

2 Understanding about yourself

3 Making long term career plan

4 Why did you apply this company?

5 Manner in interview
1. Understanding about company
Please prepare some points briefly based on “Market”, “Company”, “Position”
and “Environment” to explain the reason why the company you applied is
attractive for you.

Business • Please check Market information on internet.

Market • (e.g.) Competitor, Market trend, News etc.

Company • Please check company web site.

Business • (e.g.) Revenue size, Business model etc.

Recruiting • You can recheck job description. Moreover, you

Position • can ask any support from us.

• You can check philosophy and pictures to image

Environment • what kind of company culture there is.
2. Understanding about yourself
In order to explain well and briefly about yourself, and create for your career
path, please summarize and analyze yourself with the following points,

1. Skill Tag for myself (Business skill, Management skill etc.)

2. Career Story (Please refer the following format)

No Company Name Position Mission Accomplishment

1 　 　 　 　

2 　 　 　 　

3 　 　 　 　

4 　 　 　 　

*It’s better to make sure the reason why candidate changed the job in each of time.
2. Understanding about yourself

3. Accomplishment story (Please refer the following format)

Success story Fail story

Plan 　 　

Do 　 　

Check 　 　

Action 　 　

Result 　 　

4. Personality (Good/Bad points)

*It’s better to mention with other’s opinion such as friends, parents etc.
3. Making long term career plan
In order to think about it, please connect with self-understanding (Previous part)
and try to make it as much as concretely. Please refer the following points;

(1) What kind of mission will you want to take in 10 years later? (and why?)

(2) What kind of accomplishment will you want to create at that time in? (and why?)

(3) What is the gap comparing with current situation to hit (1) and (2)?

(4) In order to fill in the gap, what kind of skill and experience you need?

(5) Please try to make timeline (milestone) for 3 years later, 6 years later.

*Please refer the tips to make it https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/smart-goals.htm

4. Why did you apply this company?
After summarizing all of information with previous part, please try to connect with
the reason why you want to apply with the bellow points;

- How to make use of your experience in the company.

Þ Please connect with Self-understanding

- What do you want to do in the company in short & long term

Þ Please connect with your Long term career plan

- Why not other companies?

=> Please connect with Company-understanding

*Please be careful when interviewer ask some questions for these points, try to explain shortly.
It’s better to explain within 1~2 minutes for each of points.
Manner in interview
There are some typical Japanese manner for interview with company, such as
clothing, communication way etc. It’s not very important point but if you would
know it in advance, it’s one of the good point to give interviewers good image.

[Communication way]
- When you answer or explain for something, please tell the conclusion first.
- Please don’t talk a lot, make it shorter as much as possible.
- Please don’t hesitate to share any fault in your career, important point is
process with intention. (Based on PDCA, KAIZEN)
- It’s better not to talk a lot for the detail point about salary, allowance and
benefits etc. We agree that this is one of the important point, but more
important point is to avoid miss matching/understanding for career first.
 Manner in interview
Male Female
[Appearance in interview]

- Please wear the formal closing as much as

possible. (No sandals, No T-shirt, No Beard)
- When you talk with interviewer, please look at
interviewer’s eyes, and please don’t forget
active listening with respect.
- It’s better to have bag with memo, pen and
your CV when you go to interview place.
- If interviewer give you his/her business card,
please keep putting on the table.
*Business card represents that person in Japanese culture
This is typical Japanese formal style.
And finally
The purpose of interview is “selling about yourself”
and “understanding about company and job more
clearly”.
We have to say that It’s definitely difficult to judge
everything for each other even interview time is
just only 30~60 minutes basically.
Therefore, Preparation for the interview is really
important to make meaningful and fruitful time for
each other.
If you have any concern or questions, please
kindly let us know. we are willing to support you for
the preparation.
We believe that this preparation will support you
for not only the interview, but also for your career.