Once you pass the document screening, the next step is the interview.
- First interview: Recruiter or HR staff
- Second interview: Department manager or business leader
- Final interview: Executive officer or company president
Many companies conduct several rounds of interviews in this way.
Companies that hire many new graduates may conduct group interviews in the early stages. After several rounds of interviews, if the company decides to hire you, they will issue a job offer, known in Japanese as naitei.
Is There a Difference Between an Interview and a Casual Interview?
Some Japanese companies use both formal interviews and casual interviews.
A formal interview is used for hiring decisions. A casual interview is a meeting to help both sides get to know each other.
- Interview（面接）: Used to evaluate whether to hire the applicant. Companies assess personality, motivation, and suitability.
- Casual interview（面談）: Used for mutual understanding between the applicant and the company. It is often a chance to learn about the company culture before formally applying.
If a company offers casual interviews, it is a good idea to participate. It can help you better understand Japanese companies.
Online or In Person?
This depends on the company. Many companies I know use both online and in-person interviews.
- First interview: Often online, especially to handle applicants from across Japan.
- Second interview: May be online or in person, depending on the applicant’s situation.
- Final interview: Often conducted in person.
Common online tools include Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet.
For online interviews, pay attention to your background, microphone, camera position, and internet connection. A poor connection can interrupt the conversation and waste time for both sides.
Are There Aptitude Tests or Written Exams?
Some companies overseas also use personality tests, but in Japan, aptitude tests and written exams are often conducted relatively early in the selection process.
Large companies often combine personality tests with aptitude tests such as SPI. Some companies also conduct general knowledge tests, original written exams, or short essays.
Main types of aptitude tests include:
- SPI: A broad test covering language, non-language, and personality. Used by many companies and job types.
- CAB: A test that measures programming aptitude and logical thinking. Often used for IT-related positions.
- GAB: A test that measures intellectual ability, logical thinking, and potential as a business leader. Often used by trading companies, securities firms, and financial companies.
- Tamatebako: A web-based test similar to GAB. Used by many companies and job types.
Japan has many tests. Before applying, research what kind of tests your target companies use.
What Are Japanese Interview Manners?
Japan can be surprisingly strict about appearance and interview manners.
At many companies, applicants are expected to wear a typical recruitment suit. However, some companies may say “casual attire” or “business casual is acceptable.” In that case, choose clean, calm, and professional clothing.
If your shirt is untucked or your appearance looks sloppy, it can leave a negative impression. Arriving at the last minute or being late without a clear reason also creates a bad impression.
Try to arrive at least five minutes early.
Clothing
Recruiters observe your personality. Your clothing and belongings strongly affect your first impression.
In general, choose a suit in a calm color. A white shirt is a safe choice. Avoid shirts with a low neckline or thin, see-through fabric.
For shoes, choose leather shoes or pumps in a calm color that matches your suit. Check for dirt and worn heels.
A tie is not always required, but wearing a tie that matches your suit can improve your first impression.
Reference: Mynavi Tenshoku, “Choosing Clothes for Job Interviews: Suits, Bags, Hairstyles, and Casual Dress”
Entering, Leaving, and Bowing
How you enter and leave the interview room depends on the company. Sometimes an interviewer will guide you into the room. Sometimes the interviewer will already be waiting inside.
If you are guided into the room, say “Shitsurei itashimasu” before entering and sit in the seat indicated to you. When the interviewer enters the room, stand beside your chair and say, “Honjitsu wa yoroshiku onegai itashimasu,” then bow.
When the interviewer says “Dozo,” bow lightly and sit down.
If the interviewer is already waiting in the room, knock on the door two or three times. When you hear “Dozo,” say “Shitsurei itashimasu” and enter. When closing the door, turn toward the door and close it quietly.
Then face the interviewer, say “Honjitsu wa yoroshiku onegai itashimasu,” and bow. When asked to sit, bow lightly and sit down.
When the interviewer ends the interview, say, “Honjitsu wa ojikan wo itadaki, arigato gozaimashita,” and bow. Stand beside your chair, bow again, and then say “Shitsurei itashimasu” at the door before leaving. Open and close the door quietly.
If the interviewer walks you to the elevator or entrance, follow their guidance. Before the elevator door closes, say “Shitsurei itashimasu” and bow. If you are leaving through the company entrance, turn toward the interviewer before leaving, say “Shitsurei itashimasu,” and bow.
Recruiters often notice whether applicants can greet others properly and show consideration in small actions such as opening and closing doors.
Recruiters may also notice unexpected behavior before the interview begins.
Here are examples I personally experienced before interviews that created a negative impression:
- At the reception phone, the applicant only said their name nervously without explaining why they had come.
- Before checking in at reception, the applicant silently used the company restroom without asking.
What Do Interviewers Look For?
What do interviewers actually look at? What determines whether you are hired?
There is no single correct answer. It depends on the industry and company culture.
Your technical skills and work history can be evaluated through your application documents. At the interview stage, interviewers observe your personality and motivation.
Interviewers are in a position to decide whether to hire you. However, they are also in a position to be chosen by you. Applicants are also evaluating whether they want to work for the company.
For this reason, good interviewers try to have a careful conversation to judge whether you can work comfortably after joining without feeling a major gap.
Interviewers often ask questions such as:
- Please introduce yourself.
- Why do you want to work in Japan?
- Why our company?
- What are your strengths?
- Tell us about a failure.
These questions are meant to understand your true thoughts. Interviewers are not looking for answers copied from interview manuals.
When I was responsible for recruitment at a small company with about 50 employees, I used these questions to draw out applicants’ honest thoughts. I wanted to understand whether we could work together for a long time.
Here are the points I kept in mind during interviews.
Does the Person Fit the Company’s Philosophy and Culture?
This is often where the biggest gap appears after joining a company.
To prevent misunderstandings such as “I didn’t expect this company to be so top-down,” I sometimes told applicants about the company’s weaknesses. I always kept in mind that the company is also being chosen by the applicant.
Can the Person Overcome Difficulties and Failures?
Every company has problems. Every person makes mistakes.
What matters is how you have overcome them.
That is why I often asked about past failures. I once interviewed a person who had taken a one-year leave due to mental health issues but had overcome that experience and applied again. I valued that courage and hired the person.
Can the Person Listen to Others and Work Well with a Team?
Some applicants did not really listen to my questions or explanations and only talked about their abilities.
Listening skills are extremely important in business communication. In sales especially, you cannot provide a good solution unless you can listen deeply to the customer’s true needs.
I also asked questions such as whether they would be comfortable having a younger colleague as their supervisor, to see whether they had teamwork and flexibility.
Can the Person Speak in Their Own Words?
Answers copied from manuals and safe, generic responses are easy to recognize in conversation.
From the recruiter’s perspective, surface-level information can already be read in a resume or career history sheet.
That is why I wanted applicants to speak in their own words.
Words that come from your own thoughts have energy. When that energy was strong, I often evaluated the applicant positively, even if their skills were not perfect.
Does the Person Take Notes?
Taking notes helps organize the conversation and deepen mutual understanding.
When an applicant carefully took notes about what I explained, I felt that they were sincerely listening.
At the end of an interview, I often asked, “Do you have any questions?” Some applicants had nothing to ask. In many cases, those applicants had not taken notes.
Not taking notes does not mean you will fail. However, taking notes can make it easier for the interviewer to feel that you are listening carefully and seriously.
The most important thing in an interview is not perfect Japanese.
What matters is your personality, your fit with the team, how you face failure, your future potential, and your motivation.
What Should You Do If You Need to Decline or Reschedule an Interview?
Recruiters are busy handling multiple interviews, so it is generally best to contact them by email if you need to decline an interview or reschedule.
However, if the interview is very soon, such as the next day, the recruiter may not check email in time. In that case, calling by phone is recommended.
If you decide to decline because you received an offer from another company, be honest and add a polite apology such as:
“I sincerely apologize, despite the valuable time you have given me.”
Example email for declining an interview:
株式会社YJC
人事部 Saito様お世話になっております。
本日〇月〇日〇時より〇次面接の案内をいただいております、〇〇〇〇です。
先ほどお電話を差し上げましたが、ご不在でしたので、メールにて失礼いたします。
当日のご連絡になり大変申し訳ありませんが、このたびは面接を辞退させていただきたく、ご連絡いたしました。
別の企業から昨日内定をいただき、自分の適性や将来を十分に検討した結果、そちらの企業への入社を決めたためです。
お忙しいところ貴重なお時間をいただいたにもかかわらず、このような結果となり、申し訳ございません。
身勝手なお願いで大変恐れ入りますが、何卒ご理解、ご容赦くださいますようお願い申し上げます。本来直接おわびすべきですが、メールでのご連絡となりましたことを重ねておわび申し上げます。
末筆ながら、貴社の益々のご発展を心よりお祈り申し上げます。
If you need to reschedule, contact the company several days in advance whenever possible, unless it is due to sudden illness or an accident.
Summary
An interview is not a place to give “correct answers.”
It is a conversation where the company and applicant understand each other and confirm whether they can work together.
Recruiters meet you as representatives of the company.
They try to meet many people and have meaningful conversations. That is why they hope you will speak honestly in your own words.
Your Japanese does not need to be perfect.
What matters most is expressing your experiences and thoughts in your own words.
By Hajime Saito
X: @hajimesaitoYJC
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