Hey all! I have an upcoming interview for an ESL instructor position with a university in Japan. Does anyone who has been through this before have any pointers or important things to know that I may not be aware of? Like any differences between US and Japan interview style, or questions that get asked frequently? I’ve done plenty of interviews in the US but this is my first for a Japan-based job.
The interview is in English via zoom. Thanks for any tips! がんばれます 😊
4 comments
Is it with Westgate?
1. “Please introduce yourself”
Interviewer: これまでやってきたことを簡単かんたんに教おしえてください
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?”
Interviewer: どうしてうちの会社かいしゃで働はたらきたいんですか
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?”
Interviewer: どうして前まえの会社かいしゃを辞やめめたんですか
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 many 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?”
Interviewer: 将来しょうらいどんな仕事しごと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.
Universities usually don’t give a whole lot of interviews for a given position, so you have probably already passed a fair amount of internal screening. If you make it to an interview, you can rest assured that there were no deal breakers on your résumé, and that any qualifications you think you are missing aren’t necessarily a problem. So don’t worry about trying to overcompensate for anything. In the interview really the main thing to do is present yourself as a likeable person who will work hard and be committed. Sounds obvious, but in the end that’s what nearly all employers want no matter what the job level.
Be positive and proactive, and give a cheerful, enthusiastic “yes“ when they ask you about how you feel about taking on various other responsibilities, such as a conversation hour with students, etc.
The main thing a lot of people are wondering when deciding whether or not to hire someone is, “do they really want this job? Are they going to be enthusiastic about it, be a team player, help out whenever possible, etc.? Or are they taking it half heartedly and will wind up complaining about everything they have to do and generally just be a burden?”
About research: if you don’t have any, don’t bullshit. If there are professors in there they will see right through you. just be open and honest about what you want to do, and what you know about the topic so far, and how you plan to go about it. But be open to suggestions.
Surely an EFL position?
(sorry, that is my pet peeve and it’s like nails dragging down my soul every time I see it)