How to write the perfect CV 履歴書(rirekisho) Resume in Japanese : A look into all of the information, techniques, tips and tricks you need to write the perfect CV in Japanese to land a job in Japan.
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How to write the perfect CV 履歴書(rirekisho) Resume in Japanese
So, you think you are about ready to get a job in Japan? Great news, but you’re going to need a CV, or in Japanese, 履歴書-りれきしょ-Rirekisho. In today’s online Japanese lesson we are going to build a CV from scratch and look at all the information you need. Of course you only really need a Japanese CV if you are going to be working in a company in which you are required to communicate in Japanese.
If you are just looking for a teaching job or somewhere that is using English as the main form of communication, odds are that an English CV will do the Job.
- Basic information(Name, sex address…)
- Your education & work history
- Licenses or certificates
- The reason why you are applying for the job
- hopes and dreams
But wait, even if you think you don’t need a Japanese CV right now, stick around and find out how to build one anyway as this will really help you in the future should you want to pursue a career with a Japanese company. Plus, you’re going to learn some great new vocab anyway. Let’s jump in now so you can take the next step towards your dream job.
Now you know the main elements for putting together a killer CV in Japanese, let’s look at some of the vocabulary you will come across.
Vocabulary for writing a Japanese resume(rirekisho)
| 業界 | gyoukai | industry |
| 分野 | bunya | field |
| 現住所 | genjuusho | current address |
| 連絡先 | renrakusaki | contact address |
| 学歴 | gakureki | academic background |
| 職歴 | shokureki | work experience |
| 免許 | menkyo | license; permit |
| 資格 | shikaku | qualification |
| 特技 | tokugi | special skill |
| 知識 | chishiki | knowledge |
| 能力 | nouryoku | ability |
| 履歴書 | rirekisho | resume |
| 氏名 | shimei | full name |
| 生年月日 | seinengappi | date of birth |
Japan’s CV’s in general are very different to the traditional CV you are probably used to. The first major difference is that a picture is a necessity to be included on your CV. Formal business attire is a must for these pictures and you should be sure that you are looking your best.
It’s important to note as well that Japan also has 2 main hiring seasons, the end of summer and the beginning of spring so make sure you time it just right, it’s never too early to prep and work on your perfect CV.
Now there are lots of templates available online and they are all essentially very similar in terms of the information you are required to input. We suggest finding one of these and putting it to work as it will make the process a lot easier.
Rirekisho 1: Start with basic information
You should start with basic information, name, hanko (name stamp), date of birth, phone number and address. When it comes to writing your name, Katakana is acceptable for foreigners and it’s a good idea to write your name in Romaji too.
When giving your age you must conform to the traditional imperial method. This method is based on the era’s of Japan 昭和,平成 and so forth. You simply have to find the dates of which the era spans and select the year from that era which correlates to your birthday. It seems complicated but there are also lots of converters online that can achieve that for you too.
Rirekisho 2:Education and work history section
You will then need to fill in your education and work history section. Unlike what you are probably used to, you don’t need to write how your work and education has prepared you for the role you are searching for, you simply need to state the facts of when and where in chronological order.
Once you have finished your education and job history section, use 以上 to show that you are finished with that company or school, however if you are still currently in a position, you should use 現在に至る to indicate that fact.
Rirekisho 3:Certificates of licenses
In the next section you need to input any certificates of licenses that you have to prove to your employer that you are worthy of the task at hand. This could be a driver’s license, teacher qualification, fork lifting qualification etc.
Rirekisho 4:The reason as to which you are applying for the job
We now come to possibly the most important section of your CV which is the reason as to which you are applying for the job. Talk about your interest, skills and why you are the perfect person for that role. You will then need to consider things like commute time, marital status etc.
Rirekisho 5:Hopes and dreams
The last and final section covers hopes and dreams and it is also very common place to write down the type of salary you are looking for too so don’t be shy about that.
We would definitely recommend showing your CV to a Japanese friend just to give it a once over before sending your CV out to potential employers.
Thanks for reading today’s online lesson about creating the perfect CV in Japanese. As always, keep pushing yourself and striving to learn every single day. Until next time everyone, またね。
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