Watch the YouTube video for this article
In this video, we will introduce how foreigners can create a self-promotional statement that will be highly evaluated in a Japanese interview, along with many example sentences.
Please use this as a reference whether you are having an interview in Japan for the first time or are considering changing jobs.
Even if you can make a good impression on your resume and work history, if you can’t speak well in an interview, it won’t lead to employment. Among these, “self-promotion” is particularly important.
In Japanese interviews, you will almost always be asked to “sell yourself.”
This question is designed to find out how you can organize and communicate your strengths and characteristics, and how you can contribute to the company.
\ Check jobs you can apply for from overseas /
Why self-promotion is important in Japanese interviews
Self-promotion means “selling your strengths and experience to a company.”
In Japanese interviews, you will be asked questions for the following purposes:
What skills and strengths do you have?
They look to see if you are a valuable asset to the company.
How to use your experience
We value not just the skills, but also the experience of actually achieving results.
How can you contribute to the company? It’s important to demonstrate an attitude that is not self-centered, but that contributes to the growth of the company and the success of the team.
In particular, for foreigners, “ability to express oneself in Japanese” and “ability to understand different cultures” are also points of evaluation.
\ Watch the interview preparation video /
Three steps to creating your own promotion
Next, we will explain the three steps to creating a self-promotional statement. If you follow these steps, you will be able to create a solid self-promotional statement.
Step 1: Identify your strengths
First, think about your strengths. There are three main types of strengths.
Skills:
IT skills, sales skills, language skills, specialized knowledge, etc.
Personality:
Responsibility, flexibility, cooperation, tenacity, etc.
Experience:
Overseas experience, study abroad or part-time work experience in Japan, cross-cultural interaction, etc.
Step 2: Add specific anecdotes
Saying “I’m serious” or “I’m a hard worker” isn’t convincing.
The interviewer wants to know “in what situations your strengths have been useful,” so prepare an example that supports your strengths.
It’s easier to understand if you tell the story in the order of “challenge → action → result.”
(Problem) A system malfunction occurred in university research.
(Action) I investigated the cause and proposed ways to improve it.
(Results) As a result, the project proceeded as planned and was highly praised by the teacher.
Step 3: Tell them how you can help the company
It is important to conclude your self-promotion with, “This is why I can be of use to your company.” In a Japanese interview, be sure to show how your strengths will be beneficial to the company.
Example:
“I believe I can utilize this problem-solving ability to contribute to resolving issues in your development project.”
\ Tips on how to get a job in Japan can be found here /
Model Answer Examples
Now, this video will be the main part, where I will show you a model answer. You can use the sentences as they are, so please do so.
You will be asked questions like this in the interview.
For IT engineers
例文
私の強みは新しい技術を学ぶスピードです。大学時代に独学でPythonを勉強し、研究プロジェクトでデータ処理の自動化を行いました。その結果、作業時間を半分に短縮できました。御社のシステム開発でも、新しい技術を積極的に学び、効率化に貢献したいと考えています。
My strength is my speed at learning new technologies. I self-taught myself Python during my university days and automated data processing for a research project. As a result, I was able to cut my work time in half. I would like to actively learn new technologies and contribute to improving the efficiency of your company’s system development.
例文
問題解決力が私の強みです。前職でサーバー障害が発生した際に、原因を素早く特定し、代替策を提案しました。システムを短時間で復旧でき、チームから信頼を得ました。この経験を活かし、御社の安定したサービス提供に貢献します。
My strength is problem-solving ability. When a server failure occurred at my previous job, I quickly identified the cause and proposed an alternative solution. I was able to restore the system in a short time, which earned me the trust of my team. I will use this experience to contribute to your company’s stable service provision.
For hospitality and service industries
例文
私の強みはコミュニケーション能力です。日本でのアルバイトで、英語が苦手なお客様にもジェスチャーや簡単な日本語を使って接客し、感謝の言葉をいただきました。この経験を活かして、多国籍のお客様が来られる御社の店舗でも役立てたいと考えています。
My strength is my communication skills. During my part- time job in Japan, I was able to serve customers who were not good at English using gestures and simple Japanese, and they thanked me. I would like to use this experience to help me at your store, which is frequented by customers from various countries.
例文
笑顔と丁寧な対応が私の強みです。レストランで働いていたとき、忙しい時間でも笑顔で接客し、常連のお客様から名前を覚えていただきました。御社でも『また来たい』と思っていただけるサービスを提供します。
My strengths are a smile and polite service. When I worked at a restaurant, I always served customers with a smile even during busy times, and regular customers remembered my name. I will provide the same service at your company that will make them want to come back.
For office workers
例文
正確さとスピードが私の強みです。アルバイトでデータ入力を担当したとき、入力ミスを減らしながら効率を上げる工夫をしました。その結果、作業量が増えても正確に処理できました。御社の事務作業でも、正確性と効率化に貢献します。
My strengths are accuracy and speed. When I was working part-time as a data entry specialist, I devised ways to reduce input errors and increase efficiency. As a result, I was able to process the data accurately even when the workload increased. I will contribute to the accuracy and efficiency of your company’s administrative work.
例文
私はチームをサポートする力に自信があります。前職で上司のスケジュール調整を任された際、細かい確認を怠らず、トラブルを防ぐことができました。御社の事務職でも、縁の下の力持ちとしてサポートします。
I’m confident in my ability to support my team. When I was in charge of coordinating my boss’s schedule at my previous job, I paid close attention to the details and was able to prevent any issues. I’ll be a behind-the-scenes supporter in your office work, too.
Leveraging the unique strengths of foreigners
例文
私の強みは異文化対応力です。大学で日本人と外国人が混ざったチームで活動した経験があり、文化の違いを理解しながら意見をまとめることができました。御社の国際プロジェクトでも、この経験を活かせると考えています。
My strength is my ability to deal with different cultures. I had experience working in a team with both Japanese and foreigners at university, which allowed me to understand cultural differences and reach consensus. I believe I can utilize this experience in your international projects.
例文
私の強みは挑戦する姿勢です。日本に留学したとき、言葉や文化の違いに苦労しましたが、積極的に行動して乗り越えました。この経験から、未知の環境でも柔軟に適応できる自信があります。御社の新しい取り組みにも挑戦したいです。
My strength is my willingness to take on challenges. When I studied abroad in Japan, I struggled with the language and cultural differences, but I overcame them by taking proactive action. This experience has given me confidence that I can adapt flexibly to unfamiliar environments. I would also like to take on new challenges at your company.
For general employees and sales staff
例文
コミュニケーション能力が強みです。前職で新規顧客を担当した際、お客様の要望を丁寧に聞き取り、提案内容を工夫しました。その結果、契約につながりました。御社の営業でも、お客様に信頼される存在を目指します。
My strength is my communication skills. When I was in charge of a new client in my previous job, I carefully listened to their requests and devised a proposal. This resulted in a contract. In my role as a salesperson at your company, I aim to be a trusted presence for your clients.
例文
私の強みは粘り強さです。以前、営業でなかなか契約が取れませんでしたが、諦めずに何度も提案し、最終的に大きな契約につながりました。御社でも成果を出すために粘り強く努力します。
My strength is perseverance. In the past, I struggled to secure a contract in sales, but I didn’t give up and kept making proposals, which eventually led to a major contract. I will continue to work hard to achieve results at your company.
The basic structure of self-promotion is to structure it in the following order: strengths → anecdotes → contributions to the company.
We have prepared many example sentences for each job type and characteristic so that you can use them according to the situation.
summary
Let’s review the points that foreigners should emphasize when promoting themselves. It is effective to highlight the strengths that are unique to foreigners.
Language skills:
Multilingual ability, such as Japanese + native language + English, is a powerful weapon.
Ability to deal with different cultures
Highly rated in international workplaces and companies with many foreign customers.
The determination to work in Japan is perceived positively .
Flexibility:
Communicating your experience adapting to new environments is persuasive.
The key to promoting yourself in a Japanese interview is to present your strengths, specific examples, and contributions to the company.
If you are a foreigner, you have the opportunity to highlight strengths that Japanese people don’t have, such as language ability, cross-cultural experience, and a spirit of challenge. Practice in advance and prepare so you can speak in 1-2 minutes.
Self-promotion is a self-introduction that says, “This is who I am,” and also a promise that “That’s why I can be successful at your company.” If you prepare it correctly, it can be a powerful tool.
To ensure your success in finding employment or changing jobs in Japan, please use this video as a reference when creating your self-promotion.
\ Check jobs you can apply for from overseas /