Correct behavior begins before you even enter the interview room.

Here is the full play-by-play

of how to behave when first arriving for your interview:

1. Knock on the door three times and say:

Shitsurei shimasu (失礼します / しつれいします) — Excuse me

2. Wait. Do not enter the room until you hear the interviewer say:
Douzo (どうぞ) — Please
3. Enter the room, close the door, face the interview panel and say shitsurei shimasu again.
Bow.

4. Walk to your chair, stand beside it and say:

“______to moushimasu. Douzo yoroshiku onegai shimasu”

(と申します。どうぞ宜しくお願いします/ともうします。どうぞよろしくおねがいします).

“My name is_____, it is a pleasure to meet you,”

5. Bow again. As you will need to bow, it is best to have your arms out at your sides rather than
placed behind your back.

6. The interviewer will then invite you to sit down by saying:

“Douzo suwatte kudasai“ (どうぞ、座って下さい/ どうぞ、すわってください) — “Please sit down,”

7. Once you hear this, you may sit.

Knowledge about the company

Typically an interview will begin with you explaining what you know about the company. You
might well be asked:

 “What do you know about our company?”

(Company name) ni tsuite nani wo shitte imasu ka? (Company name について何を知っています
か/についてなにをしっていますか).

The key vocabulary to listen out for is the company’s name, 何 and 知っています, and then with
the research you have done you should give a brief summary of what you know about the
company – for example: company history, products, customers, competitors, etc.
 Alternatively, you may also be asked:

 “What does our company make? What kind of products are there?”
(Company name) ga dono youna seihin wo tsukutteiru ka, donna seihin ni tsukawareteiru ka
gozonji desu ka? (Company name がどの様な製品を作っているか、どんな製品に使われているか
ご存知ですか/company name がどのようなせいひんをつくっているか、どんなせいひんにつかわれてい
るか ごぞんじですか).

This question is asking what kinds of products the company is making and what products they
currently have. The key vocabulary is the company name, 製品 and the verb forms 作っている or
使われている. Once you hear those words, you know that you need to talk about the company’s
products.

How do you fit the job?

Of course, a good part of the interview will be about you, the job and the requirements of the job.
One of the first questions you may hear is:

 “Regarding the position that you have applied for, what do you know about it?”
konkai omoushikomi no pojishon ni tsuite, dou rikai shiteimasu ka?
(今回お申し込みのポジションについて、どう理解していますか / こんかいおもうしこみのぽじしょんにつ
いて、どうりかいしていますか)

which means they are asking you about your application for this position and what you
understand about this job role. The key words to listen out for are お申し込み, ポジション and 理
解. You need to discuss the job role and I would also include why you applied, and try to show
how your experience matches the job role.

Why did you apply for this job?

Quite often an interviewer will want to ask why you have applied for the position. Generally, the
question is in a fairly simple format. They might ask you:

 “Please tell us about why you applied,”

oubodouki wo oshiete kudasai (応募動機を教えて下さい/おうぼどうきをおしえてください).

Instead of 応募動機, the interviewer could also possibly ask:

shiboudouki, oubo shita riyuu, (志望動機、応募した理由 / しぼうどうき、おうぼしたりゆう),

ouboshita kikkake (応募したきっかけ / おうぼしたきっかけ)
or shibouriyuu (志望理由 / しぼうりゆう)
 These all have a similar meaning. Again, I would recommend that in your answer you highlight
the experiences and skills that you have which fit the job role.

Other possible questions

A possible question that you might hear – and which can trip people up – is:

 “Why do you want to leave your current job?”

ima no shigoto wo kaetai riyuu ha nan desu ka (今の仕事を替えたい理由は何ですか/いまのしご
とをかえたいりゆうはなんですか).

This means that they are asking about your reasons for changing your job, but just by listening
out for the key vocabulary it is easy to mistake this question for the interviewer asking about
your current job.

It is really important to answer correctly, and of course—as in any interview—when answering

this kind of question you must be sure not to criticize the previous role you had or the company
you worked for.

You may also be asked the following:

 “If you were placed in this position, please tell us about what you would like to achieve” or:
anata ga moshi kono oshigoto ni saiyou saretara, okonaitai koto wo oshiete kudasai (あなたが
もしこのお仕事に採用されたら、行いたいことを教えて下さい/あなたがもし このおしごとにさいようされ
たら、おこないたいことをおしえてください).

This question is basically asking what you would like to achieve if you gained this position. In
order to answer you really need to know what this job is about and be able to provide a feasible
possible target that you would like to aim for.

One of the main purposes of the interview is to find out about yo. If you are currently employed,
then they may ask about your current job. One question you may expect to hear is:

 “Please tell us about your current job,”

genzai no shigoto naiyou wo oshiete kudasai (現在の仕事内容を教えて下さい/げんざいのしごと
ないようをおしえてください).
This is an opportunity to highlight important skills that you have and the kind of work that you
do. The key word in this sentence is 仕事内容 (within a job), so be sure to talk about what you
actually do in your current position, rather than just chatting about work in general. Discuss the
 value you bring to your current employer. It is also a good opportunity to show how your
experience matches the position you have applied for.
Your relevant background.

However, the interviewer will also want to dig deeper about any experience you mention and ask
for more specific examples. Let’s say that it was a sales position. In this case, they might ask:

 “Please tell us about your experience in sales.”

ima made okonatta seerusu katsudou ni tsuite oshiete kudasai (今まで行ったセールス活動につい
て教えて下さい/いままでおこなった せーるすかつどうについておしえてください).
This question is quite typical, and you can interchange the word of sales with other kinds of
skills, abilities or experiences. It is important to listen out for the word 活動 as they are asking
for actual activities. And if you want to improve your listening, be sure to check out this post.

In order to see what you are like, especially in regards to working under pressure, the interviewer
will ask you the following:

 “How do you deal with pressure? Please explain exactly how you would cope,” or:
puresshaa ni dou taiou shimasu ka, puresshaa ni taisho suru houhou wo oshiete kudasai. (プレ
ッシャーにどう対応しますか。プレッシャーに対処する方法を教えて下さい/ぷれっしゃーにどうたいおうし
ますか。ぷれっしゃーにたいしょするほうほうをおしえてください).

Both questions are asking how you would handle pressure. The actual word pressure itself is
easy to understand, so you just need to be aware of the verbs 対応します and 対処する.

What gets you up in the morning and excited about work.

The interviewer will also want to explore a little into your motivation, asking:

 “What kind of work is particularly motivating for you?”

dono youna shigoto ga anata no yaruki wo soushitsu sasemasu ka? (どのような仕事があなたの
やる気を喪失させますか/どのようなしごとがあなたのやるきをそうしつさせますか).

This question is also indirectly asking what kind of work discourages you, so be sure not to say
anything which is very different to the job role you have applied for!

How you manage troubleshooting at work.

Troubleshooting questions are perhaps the type of question that everyone dreads most, as they
can be hard to anticipate. In particular, the interviewer may give you a tricky scenario in which
you must decide on a solution. At a basic level you may get questions like these:

 “What do you do if you can’t make a deadline?”

 Shimekiri ga mamorenasasouna toki ha dou shimasu ka. (締め切りが守れなさそうな時はどうし
ますか/しめきりがまもれなさそうなときはどうしますか).
 “If you can’t manage your workload well, what would you do?”
Shigotojou taimu maneejimento ga umaku ikanai baai, dono youni taisho shimasu ka. (仕事
上タイムマネジメントが上手くいかない場合、どのように対処しますか/しごとじょう たいむまねーじめん
とがうまくいかないばあい、どのようにたいしょしますか).

These two questions are quite similar; the first one is asking about if you can’t keep to a deadline
(締め切り) so you have to think of an appropriate answer for what you would do in this situation.
The second question is a little bit more focused on how you deal with (対処) time management
problems. It is always best to prepare several examples as responses prior to your interview. The
following question also asks you to explore a hypothetical situation:

 “If you come across a problem during work, how would you resolve it?”
Shigotojou mondai ga hassei shitara, dou kaiketsu shimasu ka.”(仕事上問題が発生したら、ど
う解決しますか/しごとじょう もんだいがはっせいしたら、どうかいけつしますか).

This question is asking how you would resolve (解決) a problem that has developed (発生し
た). It is best to prepare specific examples which you can easily talk about and go into more
detail about if prompted.

 “At work there is someone that you don’t get along with well. What would you do to get along
with them?”
Shokuba de umaku tsukiaenai hito ha donna hito desu ka. Mata, sono kata to dou yatte
umaku tsukiaimasu ka. (職場で上手く付き合えない人はどんな人ですか。また、その方とどうやって
上手くつきあいますか/しょくばで うまくつきあえないひとは どんなひとですか。また、そのかたとどうやっ
て うまくつきあいますか).

This is dealing with more interpersonal issues, like what kind of person you don’t get along with
and what you would do in that situation. I would really highlight in your answer that there isn’t a
specific type of person that you don’t get along with, but if there was you would use your
communication skills to overcome this kind of issue.

 “If you have a work colleague you don’t agree with how would you approach this situation?
How would you come to an understanding?”
Shigotojou, iken no awanai douryou ni dou sesshi, taiou shimasu ka (仕事上、意見の合わない
同僚にどう接し、対応しますか/しごとじょう いけんのあわないどうりょうに どうせっし、たいおうしますか).

This question is asking if you have a difference of opinion with a work colleague, 同僚, again I
would highlight communication skills in your answer and try to make it clear that you get along
with people quite well.
 “How do you deal with difficult people?”
Atsukai no muzukashii hito ni tai shite, dono youni taisho shimasu ka (扱いの難しい人に対して
どのように対処しますか/あつかいのむずかしいひとにたいして どのようにたいしょしますか).

This is similar to the previous question but the interviewer is asking more directly what you
would do if another person was difficult. You can think in terms of difficult customers rather
than difficult colleagues.

Your applicable experiences and skills.

An essential part of the interview is about your strengths, but the interviewer may also ask about
your weaknesses:

 “Can you tell us about your strengths/weaknesses?”

Anata no chousho/tansho wo oshiete kudasai (あなたの長所・短所を教えて下さい/あなたのちょう
しょ・たんしょをおしえてください).

If you hear 長所, then you need to give examples of your strengths. If you are asked about your
短所 then you need to provide examples of your weaknesses. As a rule of thumb, you should
prepare three examples of strengths prior to any interview. For anything you are not good at, you
should also include an explanation of how you are overcoming it.

Alternatively, the interviewer may go straight into asking you about your experience. For
example:

 “How do you think your experience matches the position?”

“anata no keiken kara donna koto wo heisha de ikaseru to omoimasu ka?“ (あなたの経験から
どんなことを弊社で生かせると思いますか/あなたのけいけんから どんなことをへいしゃで いかせるとお
もいますか).

Important vocabulary to listen out for would be 経験, 弊社に and 生かせる. It is vital that in your
answer that you don’t just talk about your experience but actually answer the question. For
example, you can talk about specific job roles that you have had which make you a suitable
match for the job you are interviewing for. 弊社 refers to the company where you have applied
for a job, it is best to keep an ear out for this word.

A similar question, but in regards to skills, would be:

 “How do you think your skills match the position?”

“anata no sukiru no donna koto wo ikaseru to omoimasu ka” (あなたのスキルのどんなことを生か
せると思いますか/あなたのすきるのどんなことをいかせるとおもいますか). 生かせる is an important
word to remember as it can be used quite often.
 Another way to find out more about you is to ask:

 “If you compare yourself to someone else, how would you do work differently?”
“hoka no hito to kurabete, anata ha dou chigatte oshigoto ga dekimasu ka” (他の人と比べて、
あなたはどう違ってお仕事が出来ますか/ほかのひととくらべて、あなたはどうちがっておしごとができま
すか).

This can be a hard question to answer, but you can highlight your personal qualities. For many
jobs the interviewer will be curious about how your communication skills rank as one of your
personal qualities or strengths, so they may well ask:

 “If you think of a new idea, how would you convince your superior about it?”
“atarashii aidia ga detekita toki, dou joushi ni settoku shi, nattoku shite moraimasu ka.” (新し
いアイディアが出てきた時、どう上司に説得し、納得してもらいますか/あたらしい あいでぃあがでてきた
とき、どう じょうしにせっとくし、なっとくしてもらいますか).

The key parts of this question are アイディアが出てきた時 and 上司に説得し、納得して, which
indicate to you that it’s about having an idea and how you would persuade people about it. It is
helpful to think of a past example to include in your answer.

A particular interview question that can catch many people off guard is:

 “What are your merits? How would they be beneficial to the company?”
“anata no benefitto ha nan desu ka. Sore wo dono youni kaisha ni kangen dekimasu ka” (あな
たのベネフィットは何ですか。それをどのように会社に還元出来ますか/あなたの べねふぃっと はなんで
すか。それをどのように かいしゃに かんげんできますか).

The problem is with the word benefit which might lead you to think this question is about job
benefits, but in fact actually they want to know how you would be a benefit for the company.

Finally, as a foreigner they may be interested in knowing more about your Japanese skills by
asking:

 “Please tell us about your Japanese level.”

“anata no nihongo no reberu wo oshiete kudasai“ (あなたの日本語のレベルを教えて下さい/あな
たの にほんごのれべるをおしえてください).

You can answer this with information about your Japanese studies, any JLPT exams you have
taken as well as any relevant experiences. Of course, the best way to knock it out of the park is to
speak great Japanese throughout the interview!

Your achievements
 The interviewers may also want to know more about any achievements you have listed in your
application or mentioned during the course of the interview. You’ll then hear this question:

 “Please tell us about something that you achieved? How did you achieve it?”
“ima made no shigoto de tassei shita koto wo oshiete kudasai. Mata, sono purosesu wo oshiete
kudasai” (今までの仕事で達成したことを教えて下さい。また、そのプロセスを教えて下さい/いままで
のしごとで たっせいしたことをおしえてください。また、そのぷろせすをおしえてください).

This question means up until now what have you achieved, and what was the process to achieve
those things. It’s very important to have prepared specific answers. For example, you can talk
about how you supervised a team which achieved its sales targets – but you must also specify
what those targets were, how they were achieved, and the importance of teamwork throughout
the process. The key word to remember here is 達成 as you may also hear this word if the
interviewer wants to ask about other kinds of achievements.

Personal questions

The interviewer may finish with some questions that are a bit more general and personal, such
as:

 “What are your thoughts about your career? What kind of job do you want to have?”
“kongo no kyaria wo dou kangaete imasu ka? Kongo dono youna pojishon de, dou itta shigoto
ga shitaidesu ka” (今後のキャリアをどう考えていますか。今後どのようなポジションで、どういった仕
事がしたいですか/こんごのきゃりあをどうかんがえていますか。こんご どのような ぽじしょんで、どういった
しごとがしたいですか).

In this case they are asking you what you think about your career and what kind of position you
would ideally like to do. It is best to align your answer with the expectations of the position you
have applied for.

They may also ask for a little information about your hobbies:

 “What is your hobby?”

“shumi ha nan desu ka“ (趣味は何ですか/しゅみはなんですか).

The word to listen out for is 趣味 and you can answer with anything relevant about yourself and
your hobbies.
 Asking the interviewer questions

It is best to ask at least a couple of questions at the end of an interview, such as asking why the
position become vacant, what kind of person would be successful in the job and to ask for more
details about the position. You need to ensure that you use polite language while asking any and
all questions.

When the interview has ended, you need to stand once more, place yourself next to your chair
and say a simple:

 “Thank you very much.”

“doumo arigatou gozaimashita” (どうもありがとうございました)

You then bow, walk to the door, turn around and say “失礼します /しつれいします” while bowing.
After you have gone through the door, you should bow one more time just before you close the
door. Congratulations, you’ve made it in and out of the room without anyone, and you have
successfully tackled an interview in Japanese!

1. Thank you for taking the time to meet with me today.

本日はお時間をいただき、ありがとうございます。
Kyo wa o-jikan o itadaki, arigato gozaimasu.

2. I’m a quick learner.

仕事を覚えるのは早い方だと思います。
Oshigoto o oboeru no wa hayai katada to omoimasu.

3. I’ve worked in this field for many years.

この分野なら、長年の経験があります。
Kono Bun-ya nara, naganen no keiken ga arimasu.

4. I’ve brought my portfolio, if you’d like to see it.

これまでの実績をまとめた資料を持参しました。こちらです。
Kore made no jisseki o matometa shiryo o jisan shimashita. Kochira desu.
5. My skills include copyediting and proofreading

原稿の整理や校正もできます。
Genko no seiri ya kosei mo dekimasu.

6. I’m looking for a real challenge.

やりがいのある仕事を求めています。
Yarigai no aru shigoto o motomete imasu.

7. I believe in developing a strong team spirit.

チームワークを育てることがとても重要だと考えています。
chi-mu wa-ku o sodateru kotoga totemo juyo da to kangaete imasu.

8. I can start immediately.

今すぐ、始められます。
Ima sugu, hajimeraremasu.

9. I’m ready and willing to Improve my Japanese.

日本語が上達するよう努力を続けてまいります。
Nihongo ga jotatsu suru yo doryoku o tsudukete mairimasu.

10. I plan to live in Japan for the next several years.

当面は日本にいるつもりです。
Tomen wa Nihon ni iru tsumori desu.

1. “Please introduce yourself”

かんたん おし
Interviewer: これまでやってきたことを 簡 単 に 教 えてください

The best way to introduce yourself is with a short monologue of your work history and
why you came to Japan. Japanese companies like to hear that their employees are
enthusiastic about Japan so try to give a few key points about what drew you to working
in Japan. Avoid going on to talk about your personal achievements unless the
interviewer employer specifically asked for it. This can come off as arrogant for some,
which is the last impression you’d like to leave on your interviewer before walking out of
the interview room.

Since this is a common question that will be asked at most interviews it is a good idea to
practice your answers in advance with a native Japanese speaker. We also offer full
training for job interview preparation through our Business Japanese Course.

2. “Why do you want to work here?”

かいしゃ はたら
Interviewer: どうしてうちの 会 社 で 働 きたいんですか

This is your chance to show that you have done research on the company. Your
answers should demonstrate that not only would you be a good fit for the role but that
the company can also benefit from your career objectives. Mentioning some recent
updates about the company is also a good strategy to show that you can keep up with
Japanese news.

The key here would be to try and draw a connection between how the company is
performing versus how the economy is performing. From there, offer them some ways in
which you can value-add onto their company.

Japanese companies do not like to see large gaps in your work history. They also don’t
like to see that you have switched companies frequently. If you do have large gaps
between jobs or haven’t been able to keep a job for very long, prepare for some very
good explanations in Japanese.

This would be since you would come off as someone who lacks commitment or wouldn’t
want to commit to a job for very long. In turn, the interviewers may get turned off by the
fact that you may not be able to last very long as an employee in their firm either.

3. “Why did you leave your last company?”

 まえ かいしゃ やめ
Interviewer: どうして 前 の 会 社 を 辞 めたんですか

This is not a time to bad mouth your previous employer, even if you did leave on
undesirable terms. Also, try to avoid lying about your performance or adaptability in the
previous company. Your interviewers can simply conduct a background check on you by
contacting the previous company and this can make you look bad as an interviewee in
general, so keep that in mind!

A better strategy, however, would be to use this question to talk positively about the
company that you are interviewing with. A safe answer would be that you enjoyed your
time at your previous company and learned a lot but you feel that you are ready for your
next step in your career and that the new company can offer much more opportunities.

Once again remember that it isn’t so much about what you say but how you say it. If you
deliver your answer smoothly and with confidence, the less likely your interviewer
would be to ask you more detailed questions.

4. “What do you want to do in your future?”

しょうらい しごと
Interviewer: 将 来 どんな 仕 事 をしてきたいですか

This question is best answered by showing that your future career goals are something
that you can build within the company.

For example, if you are a back-end engineer, your goal might be towards becoming a full
stack engineer and this is something that you can accomplish within the company you
are interviewing for. Think of answers that can demonstrate that over time, by
developing your skills and becoming a more valuable employee to the company. In short,
try to keep your goals specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-based.

Quick List of 29 Keigo Words/Phrases

Casual Japanese Appropriate Keigo words for work

Tomorrow: 明日（あした） 明日（あす）

After tomorrow: 明後日（あさって） 明後日（みょうごにち）

Last night: 昨日の夜 昨夜 （さくや）

Tomorrow morning: 明日の朝 明朝 （みょうちょう）

From tomorrow: 明日以降 後日 （ごじつ）

This year: 今年 本年 （ほんねん）

The other day: この間 先日 （せんじつ）

On that day: その日 当日 （とうじつ）

Last year: 去年（きょねん） 去年（さくねん）

Year before last: 一昨年（おととし） 一昨年（いっさくねん）

Soon, shortly: もうすぐ まもなく

Now: いま ただいま

Earlier: 前に 以前 （いぜん）

Later: あとで 後ほど （あとほど）

Immediately: すぐに さっそく

This time, now: 今度 このたび

Just now: さっき 先ほど （さきほど）

Just a minute: ちょっと 少々 （しょうしょう）

Very, terribly:とても 大変 （たいへん）

Very, greatly: すごく 非常に （ひじょうに）

How many, how much:どのくらい いかほど

A few, a little: 少し 些少（さしょう）

Considerable: 多い 多大 （ただい）

About, approximately: ～ぐらい ～ほど

 Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) –Zairyu Shikaku Nintei Shomeisho – (在留資格認定証明書)

 Tax Payment Certificate – Kazei Shoumeisho – (課税証明書)
 Tax Calculation Certificate – Nouzei Shoumeisho – (納税証明書)
 Residence Certificate – Juminhyo – (住民票)
 Tax Withholding Certificate – Kyūyo Shotoku Genzenchōshū-hyō – (給与所得源泉徴収票)
 City Office – Shi-yakusho – (市役所)
 Revenue Stamp – Shunyu Inshi – (収入印紙)
 Application for Extension of Period of Stay – Zairyū kikan kōshin kyoka shinsei-sho – (在留
期間更新許可申請書)
 Application for Change of Status of Residence – Zairyū shikaku henkō kyoka shinsei-sho –
(在留資格変更許可申請書)
 Application for Permanent Residence – Eijū kyoka shinsei-sho – (永住許可申請書)
 Apply for a visa. – Biza o toru – (ビザをとる)
 For a Japanese visa to expire – Biza ga kireru – (ビザが切れる)
 To update your visa – Biza o koshin suru – (ビザを更新する)
 To apply for your visa – Biza o shinseisuru – (ビザを申請する)
 Period of Extension – Kikan o encho suru – (期間を延長する)

You may need to ask your manager to take a half-day off when you visit the Tokyo Immigration
Office. The Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau is only open Weekdays during regular business
hours. This means that you will have to leave work or take time off.
Here is an example dialogue that will teach you how to ask your manager in Japanese for a
half-day off to visit Immigration.

Example Dialogue – (While at work speaking with a colleague about the Immigration Office):

A：もうすぐビザが切れちゃうから、また入管に更新に行かないといけない。

Mōsugu biza ga kire chaukara, mata nyūkan ni kōshin ni ikanaito ikenai.

My visa will expire soon – so I will have to visit immigration to update it.

B: じゃあ、部長に言って半休とった方がいいよ。すごく込むから朝早く行った方がいいって、ジョンさんが言ってた.

Jā, buchō ni itte hankyū totta kata ga ī yo. Sugoku komukara asa hayaku itta ho ga ītte, Jon-san
ga itteta.
Well then, you better ask your manager for half-day off. John was saying that its better to get there
really early because it gets very crowded.

A: うん、そうする。部長になんて言ったらいいかな。

Un,-sō suru. Buchō ni nante ittara ī ka na.

I will do that. What is the best way to ask the director?

B: 「すみません、入管にビザ更新の手続きをしに行かないといけないので、来週半休をいただいてもいいでしょうか。」

Sumimasen, nyūkan ni biza kōshin no tetsudzuki o shi ni ikanaito ikenainode, raishū hankyū o
itadaite mo īdeshou ka.
“I’m sorry I have to visit the immigration office to apply for a visa renewal, so may I have a half-day
off next week?”

A: ありがとう！

Arigatou!
Thanks!