This is Living in Peace (LIP) Refugee Project.

After interviewing HR professionals from many industries, we've put together some  Q&A that job hunters may be interested in.
Please take a look.

◆What is the recruiting schedule like?

Most companies’ hiring schedule is in accordance with the job hunting schedule indicated by Keidanren (*).

*Japan Federation of Economic Organizations (Nippon Kei zai Dan tai Ren go kai)", a general economic organization formed by the merger of "Business Federation" and "Japan Employers’ Federation".

We asked the hiring managers about their schedule in detail.

Specialized trading company:
3rd year at university, June: Company releases recruitment information.
↓
3rd year at university, July to December: Company starts PR activities (events, company information sessions, etc.)
↓
4th year of university, February: Company provide internships to students
↓
4th year of university, April: screening process
↓ 
4th year of university, May: Company interviews for main career-track jobs (generalist employees with relocation )
↓
4th year of university, June: Company starts interviews for jobs of general office work (area limited employees).
↓
4th year of university, Until August: Company presents offers to candidates
↓
4th year of university, October: Company holds the job offer ceremony

Japanese car manufacturers:
Offer internships for science major students from the summer of their 3rd year at university until the start of recruitment(their 4th year at university).

IT company, website development:
For venture companies, there are companies that start to hold information sessions from January.

◆Why do some job offers take so long?

Foreign company / recruiter:
It takes time for a company to select if there are other strong candidates. Or perhaps the company is adjusting its recruitment criteria.

1.If the skills of the candidates are slightly different from what the company is looking for, the company might consider changing its selection criteria to hire them or not.

2.In the case of a foreign company, the position(headcount) of the headquarter in the home country may be under review and there may be a period of time when it is not clear whether the position is available or not.

General trading company/Human Resources:
Because we have a recruitment plan and if the number of hires is lower, we give priority to applicants and contact them in order.

Also, there are companies which don’t admit waiting-lists, or companies only notify students of offers according to a pre-announced schedule, so make sure to check what kind of company you are applying during the job hunting.

◆Will handwritten documents bring advantages to the hiring process?

It depends on the company, but nowadays most entry sheets do not need to be handwritten, they can also be submitted online.

◆What is the best way to behave at an information session or meeting?

It is important to ask questions to clarify your concerns about the company.
Asking questions with substantive content is even better, because it helps HR to imagine you speaking up in meetings as a member of the company.

Companies that conduct interviews or questionnaires during/after the meeting may check your answers, so don't be bothered and fill them in thoroughly.

◆Do companies check your clothes?

Foreign Company/Recruiter:
You don't need to wear a suit if you're only looking for a job in foreign IT companies, but you should be dressed neatly at least. A collared, wrinkle-free shirt or jacket is a safe bet.

Japanese car manufacturers:
We don't really care what you wear as long as it's appropriate. If you are dressed inappropriately for the occasion, you will be deducted points.

Specialized trading company/Human Resources:
It is ok as long as you are dressed appropriately for the occasion.

Now we know that as long as the clothes match the occasion, there is no problem. Dress neatly and go for your job hunt!

◆How to behave during an interview

The interviewer will check if you are able to greet people and answer questions logically.
Also, being able to analyze yourself without rote memorization, a clear understanding of the company, and a good fit to the company's culture are valued.

If you are required to speak Japanese and English, your language skills will also be taken into account.

It is important to analyze the company and yourself thoroughly.

◆Would an internship give you advantages in the selection process?

We recommend interning because it helps you to analyze the company.
You may also be able to show a different side of yourself to the company than you would in an interview, so be proactive!

Besides, recently there have been new developments regarding internships.

On 18 April 2022, a report on human resources development was compiled by the Industry-Academia Council, which is made up of the Keidanren and National, public& private universities. Discussions are now underway to revise the rules, with the aim of putting them into practice by the end of FY2022.

Until now, the government had stated that companies "basically cannot use information of students obtained through internships before the start of recruitment activities for PR and selection activities," but in reality, this had already become a mere formality. Many companies, including foreign companies, have substantially linked internships with recruitment.
The revised rule targets undergraduate and graduate students who will graduate in 2024 or later. The evaluation of interns who participated after the summer of third year will be reflected in the subsequent selection process.

◆Do companies check the background of students?

(*Background: family background, parents' occupation, etc.)

It seems that there are certain companies that do background checks, but for new graduates, there is often no such check, only self-reporting.
If you want the company to know about your circumstances, you should inform them.

◆Is it bad if I haven't received a job offer by May/June?

As the time gets later, the recruitment pool gets smaller and the competition is more intense, so chances decrease.
In addition, students who have received offers early are considered to be highly qualified by other companies, which may give employers a sense of reassurance.
However, if you have your own reasons (studying abroad, busy with your research, etc.), it won't affect your chances of getting a job.

◆Can I decline a job offer?

There is no law that restricts you from declining a job offer, so it is possible.
However, the later you decline, the more likely the company is prepared to take you, so it is better to avoid this.

Declining a job offer may harm your relationship with the company in the future, and you may not be able to re-apply to the same company (e.g. a job change in future).
If you are unsure about whether to accept a job offer, you can speak to the company's HR manager before accepting it.

There are also cases where a company takes advantage of students who are in a vulnerable situation, to force students to accept its offers or decline other companies’ interviews unreasonably. So make sure you have someone to talk to, such as your university's "employment counseling service"!

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With the above opinions in mind, make preparations before the hiring process begins in earnest.

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Author: Haruka Satomi

Translation: Qianyun Guan

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Here are the past posts on Job Hunting Guide for International Students (in Japanese) :