How to pass the document screening

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In this lesson, you can learn how to pass the document screening.

In fact, just by changing the perspective of your motivation for applying, you can pass the document screening and move on to the interview.

How to change this is to write your motivation from the company’s perspective, rather than from your own perspective.

In your written statement outlining your motivation for applying and self-promotion, explain how you can utilize your skills and experience to contribute to the company.

We will explain in detail how to write a motivation statement that will make the interviewer think, “I want to meet this person!” so be sure to incorporate these points into your motivation statement.

Think about your motivation for applying from the company’s perspective.

However, most people end up expressing their motivation from their own perspective, as follows:

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with writing a motivation for applying from your own perspective, but you should convey that at the end.

This is because the reason for applying is a question that conveys why you want to work for this company and not another company, and is not a good place to express your own opinion.

What does a motivation for applying from the company’s perspective mean? It means conveying how you will be able to solve the problems the company faces if you join the company.

If an applicant who does not know the company’s internal affairs knows its problems, the interviewer will wonder, “How does he know about the company’s worries?”

Furthermore, if he can propose a solution to those problems, the interviewer will definitely want to meet you.

By doing this, you will be more likely to pass the document screening.

If you were a recruiter and came across an applicant like this, wouldn’t you want to meet him/her?

Job hunting is like sales.

It’s important to propose how you can use your skills and experience to solve the other party’s problems and communicate the benefits.

To research a company, check out company review sites.

The reason you should check company review sites is because they contain a lot of honest reviews written by current and former employees of the company.

You can get information that only employees who work at that company would know, such as the company’s strengths and weaknesses, and the problems employees are having.

You can also refer to the company’s website, but because the website is created to convey the good points of the company, it only contains information such as the company’s management philosophy and business operations, and does not include employees’ worries, honest opinions, or complaints.

So it is not very useful.

Worries, honest opinions, and complaints are the most useful information, and that is where the issues are hidden.

Assuming you are a systems development engineer applying, search for these two pieces of information in particular on review sites.

Let’s say that on a review site, employees working at the company have complained that “the approval process is paper-based, so it takes a long time to get approval.”

In that case, in your motivation for applying, you should write that you can develop a tool that can process approvals systematically.

Don’t just introduce the tool, but also write about what functions it has and how using it will contribute to the company.

Let’s say that on review sites, many employees working at that company left because “there is a lot of overtime, and sometimes they have to work until the last train.”

In that case, in your motivation for applying, write that you would like to promote IT within the company, increase the work efficiency of all employees, and increase employee productivity.

Similarly, don’t just convey your feelings, but also write about how you can contribute.

If you write like this, the company will think, “Can you improve my biggest problem right now?!” and will be more likely to want to meet you.

Just because you propose how you would like to contribute in your application documents doesn’t mean that you have to do that work after being hired, but you should avoid writing anything that is unrealistic/overly exaggerated.

If your reason for wanting to work is not realistic, the company will think that you “don’t understand our company very well!” and you will be rejected during the document screening process.

So I’ll give you some suggestions based on my experience so far.

In your motivation for applying, be sure to clearly convey what you would like to do if you join the company, and your enthusiasm for how you would improve the company if you become a part of it.

As the words “honne” (true feelings) and “tatemae” (formal feelings) say, the real reasons for changing jobs are reasons like these.

I am quitting my current company and applying for a new job because I am dissatisfied.

The interviewer will understand that.

In reality, you are applying for the job because you have complaints, but you should emphasize the contribution you will be able to make to the company once you are hired.

Also, when you explain your motivation for applying and how you want to promote yourself, try to think from the company’s perspective, that you want to join the company because you can contribute to the company, rather than a self-centered reason like wanting to advance your career.

By doing so, you will have a higher chance of passing the document screening and moving on to the interview.