Flow of interview | Work in Japan Advice Board

2. Flow of interview

• Self-introduction
• Explanation of career background
• Description of motivation
• Questions and answers

(1) Self-introduction

Sit upright, face the interviewer and begin by introduing yourself by your full name. Briefly talk about your job experience that can be used in the position that you are applying for (30 seconds to 1 minute). The interviewer will ask in more detail about your work history later in the interview so no need to go into detail during this introduction.

This is also a good opportunity to check the compability between you and the company. Your expression and tone of voice will also be looked at.

(2) Explanation of your career background

Summarize your work and skills that you have acquired until now. Among them, talk about specific numbers and achievements, to convey your particular strengths. Focus on the skills and experience that will be used in the new position. Avoid discussing skills or experience irrelevant to the organization or position.

The interviewers are trying to get to know more about you and your skills that can be utilized in their company.

(3) Describing your motivations

This is the place to talk about why you would like to work for this specific company. It is important to look at yourself fro the company's perspective.
To prepare for this part, look up information about the company you are applying for by reading the company's official pages and related articles.
Keep in mind the flow of your responses such as "I want to use my previous XX experience to help your company, specialing in XX by working as a XX."

This is where your career plans, strenghts and thoughts on the company are made clear.

(4) Questions and answers

Here we discuss the questions that are often asked by interviewers. If you want to ask about the questions you prepared beforehand, do it when the interviewvers give you the space. Specific questions and sample answers will be introduced on the next page “(3) Interview questions and sample answers”.

Strengths and weaknesses

In order to put atention mainly on your strenghts, it is good to use more time to talk about them and try to make the interviewers remember them. For example: In my former job, I succeeded in a new project.
"Refrain from talking too much about your weaknesses that could negatively effect you in the position that you are applying for. It is important to convey that you are willing to improve your weak areas: "I had trouble managing tasks and deadlines, therefore I have been learning new techniques to better manage time and ensure that I improve in this area."

This question is asked to determine whether your weaknesses might interfere with the work and to check your problem-solving skills.

Career Plan

Be aware of what kind or people the company is looking for and answer this question while imagining yourself working in the company. If your desired career path is not inline with what is possible with the company, it could indicate that you are not an appropriate candidate.

People who do not have a strong career plan tend to quit more easily, when facing any troubles at work. It is also important to confirm whether the career plan can be realized at the company you are applying for.

About dissatisfaction with your current position

Be aware that harsh expressions or poor speech may raise questions about your communication abilities and adaptability. If you express your dissatisfaction with some factors of your previous company that are also present in the company you are applying for, it might make it difficult for them to hire you. Make sure to thoroughly research the company that you are applying for before making any negative comments about your previous workplace.

This question is to determine your problem-solving skills and positive attitude. Your expression and the language you use will also be examined.