What is asked in a job interview in Japan? We list the most common questions in the Japanese language, translate them into Portuguese and present tips for good answers. Check it out in this special report by Job & Baitos.
Text: Eder Hashizume
Photos: Playback
Unlike Brazil, job interview questions follow an almost sacred pattern where it is possible to know in advance what will be asked. The six most common questions asked candidates revolve around professional training and even positive and negative aspects of the interviewees' personalities. In addition, questions can be based on the curriculum vitae.
1-自己紹介をお願いします。（じこしょうかい を おねがいします。）
(jikoshyoukai o onegaishimasu)
"Present yourself". State your name, education, skills and make a brief account of your professional experience. It is also necessary to talk about the positive and negative aspects of their occupational training, emphasizing that they will strive to overcome the difficulties that will arise in the new job.
2-志望動機を教えてください。（しぼうどうき を おしえてください。）
(shiboudouki o oshietekudasai)
“What were your reasons for choosing this company?” It is the second most common question asked by evaluators. To answer this question, first try to find out about the company's history and the area in which it will operate. Sometimes recruiters don't even ask this question because they understand that the answer will come along with the self-introduction. Attention: this question should be answered in a direct, brief and easy-to-understand manner. For example: “I chose this company because it leads the book sales segment for the Asian market”.
3-この会社で何をしたい。（この 会社で なに を したい。）
(kono kaisha de nani or shitai)
“What do you want to do at this company?” What recruiters really want to know is, “How would your skills benefit our company?” The Japanese don't ask such explicit questions. Beforehand, see if you really have the ideal profile for the vacancy.
4-スキルにつぃてを教えてください。（すきる に ついて を おしえてください。）
(sukiru ni tsuite o oshietekudasai)
"Talk about your skills." The answer to be given should, once again, take into account whether your profile fits with the company's characteristics. If the company leads the book sales segment for the Asian market, it would be interesting, for example, to master several languages such as Chinese and Korean.
5-経験につぃてを教えてください。（けいけん に ついて を おしえてください。）
(keiken ni tsuite o oshietekudasai)
“Talk about your work experience.” Try to remember facts from your professional life that are linked to the profile desired by the hiring company. Following the aforementioned example, even without having experience in book sales, the fact of having participated in work projects that required contact with sellers and the general public, will count in favor during the interview.
6-性格と人格について（長所と短所）を教えてください。
（せいかくとじんかく に ついて（ちょうしょ と たんしょ） を おしえてください。）
(seikaku to jinkaku ni tsuite [tioushiou to tanshiou] o oshietekudasai)
“Talk about your personality and character (positive and negative points)”. Recruiters want to imagine, for example, in times of stress at work how the candidate will behave. Of course, everything will just be based on the answers. Evaluators really want to get some sense of who they're hiring.
In addition to these six questions, interviewers will ask other questions based on the curriculum vitae. Mount one that leaves no room for doubt. Try to imagine what questions might arise according to the curriculum that was delivered to the evaluators.
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