Nagoya –

You’ve arrived in Japan on holiday and, wow, it’s beautiful. You think to yourself, “Hey, I might want to live here!”

So, your job search begins. What’s the first thing you’ll need? A 履歴書 (rirekishō, resume). The hyper-specificity and rigidity of the Japanese resume format can be intimidating at first glance. But that template is what makes it quite easy to follow — so long as you have the necessary Japanese skills.

Whether you’re embarking on 就職 (shūshoku, job hunting) or 転職 (tenshoku, job transfer), here is a simple guide to putting together the best possible 履歴書 to nab that all-important 面接 (mensetsu, interview).

First, get ready to fill out a resume by downloading a Japanese resume template online and preparing a headshot. Japanese resumes have a marked place to attach a photograph, which you can take at a 証明写真機 (shōmei shashin-ki, photo booth for IDs). You can usually find them at your local train station. The booths have a 履歴書 button to print a photo in the correct size for resumes — just make sure to dress in business formal for the occasion.

With the necessary components in hand, the writing process can now begin. The basic personal information section at the beginning has entries for 名前 (namae, name), 生年月日 (seinengappi, date of birth), 性別 (seibetsu, sex), 現在住所 (genzai jyūshō, current address) and 電話番号 (denwa bangō, phone number). That’s the easy part.

The next sections are for 学歴 (gakureki, education) and 職歴 (shokureki, work experience). For 学歴, you’ll need to fill out the date of your 入学 (nyūgaku, entry into school) and your 卒業 (sotsugyō, graduation) in the 月 (tsuki, month) and 年 (toshi, year) fields (the 年 field may specify the need for either 和暦 [wareki, Japanese year] or 西暦 [seireki, Western year]). Then write out the name of the school followed by 入学 or 卒業 respectively.

The 職歴 section works in the same way. You write the year and month for 入社 (nyūsha, joining the company) and 退職 (taishoku, leaving the company). In the main box, write the name of the company and basic details of your position: 部 (bu, department) and 役職名 (yakushokumei, job title). For example: 営業部、営業担当 (eigyōbu, eigyō tantō, sales department, sales representative). Then you can add a brief description of your job responsibilities, such as 広報研究による提案営業を行う (kōhō kenkyū ni yoru teian eigyō o okonau, propose sales based on publicity research). For 昇進 (shōshin, promotions) or 転勤 (tenkin, intra-company transfers), enter the year and month of the change followed by information regarding the new position.

For these simple descriptions of job responsibilities, the verb 行う (okonau, to implement) comes in handy. It tends to be more professional to use 行う on a resume as opposed to simply using する (suru, to do). For example, rather than writing 同行営業をする (dōkō eigyō o suru, to do joint sales), the construction 同行営業を行う (dōkō eigyō o okonau, conduct joint sales) is preferable.

You’re also expected to provide a reason for leaving a company, which can feel awkward. But this is where the useful and generic phrase 一身上の都合により退職 (isshinjō no tsugō ni yori taishoku, left the company for personal reasons) comes in handy. If you’re still working for your most recent company, you write 現在に至る (genzai ni itaru, to the present). When you’re finished with these sections, write 以上 (ijō, over/nothing else) and skip over any remaining rows.

A section follows on 免許・資格 (menkyo/shikaku, licenses and qualifications), where you can add items like 運転免許 (unten menkyo, driver’s license) or 日本語能力試験 (Nihongo nōryoku shiken, Japanese-Language Proficiency Test).

After that comes the hardest section: 自己PR (jiko pī aru, self-introduction) or 志望動機 (shibō dōki, reason for applying), which is like the Japanese equivalent of a cover letter or personal statement. In any case, you’ll need to write several sentences that describe how your skills and experience make you a desirable employee at your prospective company. A few sound Japanese sentence formulations can make this simple.

To start off, it’s worth identifying your 強み (tsuyomi, strengths) or 長所 (chōshō, strong points). Whether it’s your 適切な経験 (tekisetsuna keiken, relevant experience), 勤勉な態度 (kinbenna taido, hardworking attitude), 決断力 (ketsudanryoku, decision-making ability) or your 分野における豊かな知識 (bunya ni okeru yutakana chishiki, deep knowledge in the field), make sure to detail your greatest strengths in these sections. A couple of other useful terms include: 決意 (ketsui, determination), 分析力 (bunsekiryoku, analytical skills), コミュニケーション能力 (komyūnikēshon nōryoku, communication skills) and 積極的な考え方 (sekkyokuteki na kangaekata, proactive way of thinking).

You’ll also want to connect the dots to show how your 長所 will lead to success at the company. Try using the term 活かせる (ikaseru, to put to use). For example: 分析力を活かすことで、貴社で売上増加に貢献したいと考えております(Bunsekiryoku o ikasu koto de, kisha de uriage zōka ni kōken shitai to kangaete-orimasu, by putting to use my analytical skills, I would like to contribute to sales growth at your company). 考えております (Kangaete-orimasu) translates more literally as “I’m thinking to,” and it’s a form of polite, formal speech that softens your opinions. This construction is more desirable than saying, 貢献したいです (kōken shitai desu, I want to contribute) without modification. While in foreign countries, directness can be preferable, polite speech will serve you well in Japan.

As for expressing why you’re interested in the company you’re applying for, terms like 印象的 (inshōteki, impressionable [in a good way]), 憧れていました (akogarete-imashita, was longing for) and 興味を持ちました (kyōmi o mochimashita, took an interest in) are all useful options. For example, 経費精算業務を通して経理の仕事に興味を持つようになりました (Keihi seisan gyōmu o tōshite keiri no shigoto ni kyōmi o motsu yō ni narimashita, I became interested in accounting through my work experience calculating expenses).

ようになりました is a construction used to express something that you became able to do, equally useful for a new interest as it is for a new ability, like, プログラミング言語を使えるようになりました (purogramingu gengo o tsukaeru yō ni narimashita, I became able to use programming languages).

The final section has a space to write personal requests, or 本人希望記入欄 (honnin kibō kinyū ran). You can use this to write in desired conditions such as 収入 (shūnyū, salary) or 勤務地 (kinmuchi, work location). But it’s most common to simply write, 貴社規定に従います (Kisha kitei ni shitagaimasu, I will abide by your company regulations).

And with that, you’ve filled out your Japanese resume. The process isn’t over yet, however — 面接を頑張ってください (mensetsu o ganbatte kudasai, best of luck on your interview)!