PLACEMENT GUIDEInternational Student Placement Guide

Doshisha University Career Center
Cover image provided by Doshisha University

1 Job Search Overview
Getting readyWe'd like to work for a
Japanese company
after we graduate.

This guide
will help!

The Job Search Process (Standard Schedule)

You should begin your job search well in advance.
Start out by familiarizing yourself with the job search process.

job searching begins during the third year for undergraduate students,
and during the ﬁrst year for graduate students.

Apr. May Jun. Jul. Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May. Jun. Jul. Aug. Sep. Oct.

ent
cem
Pla uideG

March graduateserCareer Cent’ ve
You a bet
got dingdki

September graduates

This is Japan's

I thought it'dbe a breeze...

B3 ／ M1

B4 ／ M2
B4 ／ M2

employment
system?

Internships
Etc.

CultureB3 ／ M1

SocialsystemLanguageability

This looks a lot harderthan our system backhome.

Placement guidanceOn-campus seminars begin
Request materials(preregistration)

On-campus Company
Information Sessions
Employment fairs begin

Me too!

Still, I'd really like towork in Japan.
I'd better start studying
this guide.

Applications/screening tests
Unoﬃcial informal
oﬀers begin
Informal oﬀer ceremony

Interviews (multiple)(Oﬃcial informal oﬀers)

Remember!
Each country’s employment systemsociety is based on that country's
living standards and culture. Japan's
corporate system and the way job
searches are carried out diﬀer greatly
from other countries. An awareness of
those diﬀerences will help you in yoursearch for work in Japan.

Document screening
Written tests

What do I have to do?

Create a life plan.

Know yourself.

Clarify your reasons for working
in Japan.

Will you work inJapan, return to yourcountry, or go on tograduate school?
Grad
?
Work
School?

Analyze your strengths
and weaknesses.
Consider how to employ
your strengths andchange your weaknesses.
Consider which ﬁelds areright for you.

Why will you work in Japan?
Why did you choose this ﬁeld?
Why do you want to join thiscompany?
Why do you want to do this
work?

ome?

Go H

Prepare for your job search.
Practice ﬁlling out applications.
Drill yourself with SPI and“common knowledge(ippan
jōshiki)” study guides.
Prepare for interviews

It is important to analyze yourself and your reasons for seeking employment when searching for jobs.
1

Some employers may start the recruitment process at a diﬀerent time.

2

Job Searching in Japan ‒ Preparation

What companies want

What Japanese companies look for in international students
Companies rely on international students to...
Companies around the world share the desire to hire

① provide talent regardless of nationality.

employees with talent, regardless of nationality. The most② help globalize operations.

important skill sought when hiring international students is③ eﬀect innovative changes within the company
through diversity.

their language ability. Proﬁciency in Japanese is crucial tocommunicate meaningfully with Japanese coworkers.

Companies seek the following qualities in international students:① A high degree of Japanese proﬁciency

BJT Business Japanese Proficiency Test

② A high degree of basic academic skills

https://www.kanken.or.jp/bjt/③ A high degree of cultural adaptability

what Japanese businesses seek in international students and preparing
Preparing for your job search: Understanding
well in advance will signiﬁcantly increase your chances of getting hired.

Remember!
Each company in Japan has its own
corporate culture and operates

Take Japanese Language/Japanese Sutudies courses

Japanese Aﬀairs

Internships and work experience

We recommend that you take as many Japanese
Language/Japanese Studies courses as possible.
Almost all Japanese companies look forinternational students withsuperior Japanese language
abilities when hiring.

When hiring many companies look forinternational students who are culturally
adaptable . It is important, therefore, to be
open-minded and ﬂexible, familiarizing yourself
with Japanese communication styles andbusiness practices. Doshisha University oﬀers
many courses in Japanese business, literature,philosophy, religion, law, politics, society, andculture. Enrolling in these courses will help you
to become immersed in Japan.

Internships are short-term work experiences oﬀered to
students. Beginning a career in Japan can be daunting.
Internships help alleviate the anxieties by providing
students with hands-on experience leading to anunderstanding of the corporate environment and the tasks
involved. For the international student, they also provide
an excellent opportunity to become better accustomed tobusiness practices in Japan. Many diﬀerent styles ofinternships are available, ranging in duration from one day
to one month. Keep an eye out for internshipopportunities, advertised at Doshisha and also search out
internships on your own.

according to practices unique not
only to Japan, but to the organization,
too. To succeed in this environment

1
el N
Lev neseaJap

you will need to exhibit anunderstanding of cultural
diﬀerences and actively strive toblend in. Many companies also hope
to incorporate foreign values andSkills sought diﬀer for arts and sciences !

may look to you to eﬀect innovativechanges within their ﬁrms. For thesereasons, businesses consider
cultural adaptability whenevaluating foreign applicants!

Sciencestudents

Superior expertise＋

Advanced Japanese language proﬁciency

The skill sought in international students are listed only as astarting point. Human resource needs diﬀer from corporation tocorporation, and may diﬀer from year to year within the same

Arts
students

2

High basic academic skills + cooperativeness＋

Advanced Japanese language proﬁciency

company depending on changes in business strategies ormarket ﬂuctuations. Be sure to research both trends in yourparticular ﬁeld as well as in the companies to which you are
applying in order to determine what skills are in demand most.

3 Job Searching in Japanにほん

Job Searching in Japan ‒ Searching

しゅう

しょく

かつ

どう

かつ

どう

へん

Job Search Process

1

STEP

GatherInformation‒ Searching

The job search process for international students is nearly identical to the process for Japanese students,
meaning that much eﬀort is required on your part.

Register at employment information sites.

Preparation

review process.

The actual job search begins with the submission of the entry sheet.

industry, company, and job research as soon as possible. It is best if you can do this by
February. During this time, you should try to participate in the seminars held by the Career
Center.

The entry sheet is used to notify companies of your interestin working for them. Companies you submit an entry sheet
to will send you helpful information and employment
guides. The entry sheet is used to convey the thoughts andactivities of applicants, and serves as the initial step in the
documentation screening process. For this reason, greatcare should be taken
when submitting an
ES.Entry Sheets are
generally submitted
from December toJanuary or February
during students’ thirdyear.

Research what types of industries can be found in Japan, andlearn their attributes. Take note of industry trends, growthpotential, and international developments. (See page 5)

Know Japanese companies
Each company has its own corporate environment and corporate philosophy. Consider
which company best matches your personality in order to avoid a mismatch and ensure
work goes smoothly for both you and your employer.

Remember!

Prepare for the document

In March, the pre-entry stage of the employment information sites will oﬃcially open. Withpre-entry, you will get information and announcements from recruiting companies. In order
to ﬁnd the company that is best for you, however, we recommend that you get started on

Know Japanese industries

Japanese companies are noted for hiring all
new university graduates at the same time ofyear. University students decide which
company to work for before they graduate,
and simultaneously begin their new career
upon graduation. As a result, job searching
begins during the third year for undergraduate
students, and during the ﬁrst year for graduate
students.

2

STEP
Document

Create an Entry Sheet (ES)Know job types in Japan

Write your resume

Many Japanese companies oﬀer identical occupations, but some positions are uniqueto certain ﬁelds or certain companies. Search for the speciﬁc type of job you want .
(See page 5)

In general, after applicants submit an
Entry Sheet, companies send theapplicants a preliminary selection noticewhereupon the applicants often must
submit their resumes in person. Notethat Japanese resumes diﬀer fromEnglish resumes both in format and in
the way addressees are written.

Be sure to conduct your own employment information
investigation.
Reference Books
Industry
Research・Nikkei Gyokai Chizu・Nikkei Shushoku Navi “Gyokai Map”

Company
Research・Kaisha Shikiho・Shushoku Shikiho

・Business magazines

Major job hunt websites include Rikunabi, MyNavi, andCareer-tasu Shukatsu

・Company websites

3Advice from Alumni

3

STEP
Screening

Take advantage of opportunities to meet recruiters from companies.
Practice for written exams and interviews.

【Male/Chinese/28/Graduate School of Commerce, IT device manufacturer】“The written exam was hard even with level N1 Japanese
language proﬁciency. Be sure to brush up on your Japanese.
Study the study guide, especially math. Start the process early.
The most important thing is to have a clear outlook on life anda sense of purpose.”

Attend employment fairs
Employment fairs are excellent opportunities to hear ﬁrst-hand from recruiters
about their company or organization’s business policy, achievements, future plans
and more. Be sure to attend the information sessions of companies you areinterested in.

【Female/Chinese/26/Graduate School of Commerce, Major retailer】“Start as early as possible. Mastery of the Japanese language isthe most important factor (the JLPT focuses on reading &writing, but is weak in listening/speaking skills). Many of myentry sheets were rejected. Try to write one that stands out. I
was always asked about my employment period at interviews.”●On-campus company information sessions organized by Doshisha University●Joint company job fairs●International student job fairs●Regional company job fairs●Individual company job fairs

Doshisha University graduates are an excellent
source of information. Take advantage of seminars,
group activities, or international networks to speakwith alumni and learn about their jobs, thecorporate environment, and other practicalinformation in order to help form a realistic image of thecompanies you are interested in. Some graduates of Doshisha
University oﬀered the following advice, which may help you inyour job search.

【Male/28/Brazilian/Graduate School of Commerce, Steel manufacturer】“You need to start preparing early. It’s good to go ahead andmake a template for general things like ‘Things I worked hardon as a student’ and ‘Self-promotion’ on the entry sheet. Also,
if you train with the study guide for the SPI and written tests
and get used to them, it will help you get a higher score. If you
don’t do enough industry and company research, you will
have a hard time showing your work attitude, and you will
come across as lacking passion.”

Take written exams
Several types of written exams are given, including aptitude tests (SPI and others),“common knowledge” ( ippan jōshiki ) tests and essays. These tests allow
companies to gauge the basic academic skills and common knowledge ofapplicants while assessing their personalities, aptitudes and qualities. Use practicedrills to prepare for these examinations.

Secure an interview【Female/Chinese/24/Faculty of Commerce, Real estate】
You need a higher level of Japanese proﬁciency than level N1.
Earn points on the SPI with English and math. As for yourmentality, analyze yourself and showcase your strengths. Begin
your job search as soon as possible.”Interviews comprise the ﬁnal stage in the hiring process. Companies interview
applicants to ﬁnd out what kind of people they are and to assess their personality
and character. Applicants generally undergo three or four interviews prior toreceiving an informal oﬀer. As a foreigner, companies will most likely also useinterviews to assess whether you can adapt to the Japanese corporate environment
and work well together with Japanese co-workers. The best approach to interviews
is to be yourself, expressing your opinions clearly and with conﬁdence andhighlighting your abilities.

4

（Reference）List of Industries◆Japanese Business Industries
Category

Industry

Sub Category
Agriculture, Forestry,
Fishing, Mining
Construction/Civil Engineering

Category

Government-related Financial Institutions

Forestry/Hunting

Securities

Fishing/Aquaculture
MiningConstruction/Civil Engineering

TextilesChemical Fertilizer/Chemical Industrial Products/Paint Manufacturing
Petroleum Products/Coal Product Manufacturing
Manufacturing
Rubber Product Manufacturing
Ceramics/Stone & Clay Product Manufacturing［Materials］
Iron & SteelNon-ferrous Metal Products
Metal Product Manufacturing
General Machinery & Instrument Manufacturing
Manufacturing
Electric/Information-Communication Machinery & Instrument Manufacturing
Manufacturing
Electric Parts/Device Manufacturing［Manufacturing & Assembly］ Transport Machinery & Instrument Manufacturing
Precision Machinery & Instrument Manufacturing

Finance

Services
Advertising, Tourism,
Hotels,Other Lifestyle-related

Lumber/Wooden Products/Furniture & Equipment Manufacturing
Pulp/Paper/Paper Processed Product Manufacturing
Cosmetic/Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

Service

Other Products
Various Product Wholesaling
Food Product Wholesaling

WholesaleTextile Product Wholesaling

RetailTextile/Clothing/Accessory Retailing
Food & Drink Product Retailing

Medical/Welfare
Public/Other

Transport

Civil Services

Automobile/Bicycle Retailing
Other Retailing

FinanceFinance/Insurance

Restaurants/Inns/Hotels, etc.
Advertising
Tourism/Leisure
Other Services
Post Oﬃce/Cooperatives

Specialized Services
Post Oﬃce,
Accounting/Law Firms,
Research Institutes,
NPO, etc.
Real Estate, Rental Goods

Other Wholesaling
Various Product Retailing

Career Center Support

Law Firm/Judicial Scrivener
Accounting Firm/Construction Oﬃce, etc.
Academic/Research & Development Institutions
Non-Proﬁt Organizations
Religios Institutions

Construction Material, Mineral/Metal Material, etc. Wholesaling
Machinery & Instrument Product Wholesaling

Distributing

Commodities
Insurance

Other FinanceCommunications
Broadcasting (Including Movies)
InformationCommunications
Newspapers/PublishingMedia and ［Communications, Media］ Video/Audio Information Production
communications
Software Services
InformationCommunications
Internet-based Services［IT, Software, Other］ Other Information-Communications
Public School Teacher/Staﬀ
Private School Teacher/Staﬀ
Education/
Education/
Various
Schools/Special Training Schools, etc.
Study Support
Study Support
Social Education/Private Preparatory Schools, etc.
Other Education/Study Support

Clothing/Other Textile Product Manufacturing［Daily Necessities, etc.］ Printing/Printing-related

Finance/Insurance

4 Center

Moneylending/Credit Cards

Food Products/Tobacco Manufacturing

Manufacturing

Industry

Sub Category

Agriculture

Real Estate
Rental Goods
Medical/HealthSocial Insurance/Social Welfare/Nursing, etc.
Transport/Post Service
National Government Employee
Local Government Employee

Electric/Gas/Heating Supply/Water Electric/Gas/Water/Heating Supply

Banking

Other

Unclassiﬁable

Credit Association/Credit Union /Labor Credit Association, etc.

◆Japanese Corporate Job Positions
MarketingMarketing (For Individuals/For Organizations), MR (Medical Representative), Merchandising (Store Retailing/Nonstore Retailing/Direct Selling), Technology Sales/System Sales, etc.)

Administration & Planning

General Aﬀairs, Personnel, Labor, Administrative Aﬀairs, Accounting, Legal/Patents, Sales Promotion, Public Relations, Advertising, Marketing, Planning/Product Development, etc.

Technology/
Research

Production/Manufacturing Technology, Quality/Production Management/Maintenance, Applied Research/Technology Development, Machine/Electronic Instrument Design,
Systems Engineer, Network Engineer, Programmer, Customer Engineer, etc.

Specialized Skills

Librarian, Teacher, Secretary, Reporter, Cabin Attendant, Announcer, Welfare Oﬃcer/Caregiver/Nurse/Preschool Teacher/Nutritionist, Lawyer, Patent Attorney, Certiﬁed Public Accountant, Tax Accountant, Real-estate Appraiser, etc.

5

Remember!
Employment is not the sum or goal ofyour life as a student, but rather thestart of your life as a member ofsociety. We at Doshisha University
hope our students recognize what itmeans to “work,” and construct a
future plan based on the knowledge
and interests you have cultivatedduring your time here. Armed withyour own self-created life plan, we
hope you will take the initiative andactively seek out the job you desire.

Support Helping students embark on their careers after graduation.
Seminars

Doshisha University invites extramural lecturers, alumni andcorporate oﬃcials to oﬀer guidance and career formulation
workshops and seminars.
We also hold guidance seminars for international students(bottom right). By participating in these seminars you can gain
knowledge on how best to prepare to work in Japan.

Main Guidance Seminars● Career guidance● Self-analysis seminars● Entry Sheet seminars● Seminars on how to ﬁnd a work

● Industry research seminars● Business etiquette andJapanese language coursesthat suits you● Symposiums with senior students

https://career-center.doshisha.ac.jp/subject/international_student.html

Job Search Program for International Students (FY2021)
Apr. to Sep.

*Held online.
*There is an international student employment support program
beyond the boundaries of the university for those who wish tolearn business Japanese & communication.
*Please check the detailed schedule for each year from "e-career"or the website.

Oct. to Feb.

Business Etiquette andJapanese Seminar● Interview seminars

Individual Counseling

The Career Center gives notiﬁcations (e.g., on events) through its
website, "e-career," e-mails and leaﬂets.
Career Center Website: For International Students

The Career Center provides the latest information on companies, job
search stories from alumni and other information from the "e-career"
career support system.In addition, it discloses job vacancy informationand internship information to enrolled students through the Job Vacancy
and Internship Information Search Site. There is also an “International
Student Corner” in the reference room that provides employment
information and publications catered to international students. Be sure to
make use of these resources.
You can view "e-career" and the Job Vacancy and Internship Information
Search Site from the website of the Career Center(https://career-center.doshisha.ac.jp/).

who have a job oﬀer

● Other seminars

Program Information

Information Gathering

Sep.

Career
Guidance

Career
Guidance

May・How to carry out job searching activities
・Advice from successful recruits(Mar. only)

Industry Research Seminar
Oct.

Interview Seminar
Dec. to Mar.

Oct.

Business Etiquette andJapanese Seminar
Feb.

Everyone’s job search is unique. Why do you want to work inJapan? What kind of work do you want to do? What does yourlifelong career plan look like? The answers to these questions
diﬀer from person to person. In light of this, the Career Center
oﬀers individual counseling to students. We have staﬀ in charge ofinternational students to provide support according to yourindividual circumstances in addition to general counseling.

On-campus Company
Information Sessions
Global Career Fair

Entry sheet seminar

Jul. to Sep.

Nov.
Jan.

Freshmanorientation
Sep.

Mar.

(These are also for non-international students)

Freshman
Orientation
Mar.

6

5 Miscellaneous Information
Visa Don't forget to change your Japan residency visa!

Hankyu

These forms arecomplicated!

This is how you
ﬁll in this part...

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Umeda Square Bldg.

Osaka Ekimae Osaka Ekimae
Dai-Ichi Bldg. Dai-Ni Bldg. Osaka Ekimae
Dai-San Bldg.
Kitashinchi

JR Tozai Linesuji LMido

Doshisha University

I’ve got all

There sure area lot of seminars andthe materials
I need.

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https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/

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Osaka Umeda Hankyu
Dpt. Store

Yotsubashisuji

Website of the Immigration Services Agency of Japan

en

D
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Sta

Hoiton Osaka
Osaka Maru Bldg.

Yotsubashi Line

temporarily continue searching for work in Japan after you
graduate by obtaining a visa for “designated activities”(tokutei
katsudō visa). You can also perform part-time work by obtaining
permission to engage in activity other than that permitted under
the status of residence previously granted.

Umed

JR

※ If you cannot ﬁnd a job by the time you graduate, you can

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GRAND FRONTOSAKA

Find out the conditions necessary to change yourresidence status, and prepare the necessary documents.

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Hanshida LineRt. 11 Ike

The procedures to change your status of residence aredescribed on the websites of the Immigration Services
Agency of Japan and the Employment Service Center for
Foreigners.

N

Nishiumeda

To work in Japan, you must change your residence statusfrom “College Student (ryūgaku visa)” to a status for which
work is permitted. If your hiring conditions do not meetthose stipulated in the Immigration Control and Refugee
Recognition Act, you will not be permitted to work, so be
sure to consult with the hiring ﬁrm and prepare in advance.

Job search support bases in Osaka & Tokyo

employment fairs.

堂島川

Support Campus
Osaka Satellite Osaka Placement
大江橋

https://www.studykyoto.jp/ja/work/
HATARAKU International Student Employment Support Matching Site https://hataraku.city.kyoto.lg.jp/

Doshisha University Career Center e-mail : ji-shshk@mail.doshisha.ac.jp【Imadegawa Campus】(Kambaikan Bldg. 2F)
103 Gosho hachiman-cho, Kamidachiuri-sagaru, Karasuma-dori,
Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602-0023

TEL.075-251-3310

FAX.075-251-3067【Kyotanabe Campus】(Shigyokan Bldg. 1F)
1-3 Tatara miyakodani, Kyotanabe 610-0394

TEL.0774-65-7016

FAX.0774-65-7017

Students in the faculty of Science and Engineering and the faculty of Life and Medical
Sciences can contact the employment committee office as well (including graduate students).

ute

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Inner

Toei

We oﬀer individual guidancecounseling as well.
We even have specialized
staﬀ for international students.

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Kyobashi

Kyobashi East Building

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TakarachoInternational Student Study Kyoto Network (an association that supports international students in Kyoto)

JR To

https://jsite.mhlw.go.jp/osaka-foreigner/Tokyo Employment Service Center for Foreigners https://jsite.mhlw.go.jp/tokyo-foreigner/
Japan Student Services Organization https://www.jasso.go.jp/ryugaku/after_study_j/job/index.html
Kyoto Prefectural International Center https://www.kpic.or.jp/ryugaku/soudan.html
Osaka Employment Service Center for Foreigners

Yaesu
Chuo
Exit

Major non-university information sources The following sites provide valuable information for international students

阪中之530-0001
Square Bldg. 1-12-17 Umeda, Kita-ku,京Osaka
17F Umeda
島線
なに
渡辺橋
わ橋
TEL: 06-4799-3255
土佐堀川

Doshisha University Tokyo satellite campus

3F Kyobashi East Bldg. 2-7-19 Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
TEL: 03-6228-7260

Bye

Good luck on your job
search. We’re rooting
for you!

https://career-center.doshisha.ac.jp/
erOﬃce hours: Mon. ‒ Fri. 9:00 ‒ 17:00(consultation hours: Mon.-Fri. 9:00 ‒ 17:30)-Individual counselling is by appointment only. Please make a reservation from "e-career."
Please contact us at career-ryugk@mail.doshisha.ac.jp if you would like to talkwith a member of our international student support staff.
-The office is closed on Saturdays, Sundays, national holidays and designateduniversity holidays.
-The office is closed during the summer break (the third week of August).

7

Career Cent

Remember!
The career center serves to help
students achieve their dream career.
We will provide all the support we canto assist international students with
their job search. Feel free to drop in
anytime, as many times as you like.
We look forward to your visit!