Watch Out! 3 Tips to Avoid Needlessly Lowering Your Entry Sheet Score in Japanese Job Hunting
What should you be careful about when preparing a resume (rirekisho) or an entry sheet (ES, the application form many Japanese companies require)?
The content, such as your self-introduction, what you put effort into during university (known as "gakuchika"), and your reason for applying, is of course important. To get your strengths across fully, you'll also want to leave out anything that could count against you.
In this article, we introduce 3 key points to keep in mind so you don't lose out on your ES!
They're all small details, but they really matter. Stay sharp!
Contents
- Points to Avoid Needlessly Lowering Your ES Score
1. A clean, neat look and a bright ID photo
2. Typos and missing words
3. Sentence length - Summary
Points to Avoid Needlessly Lowering Your ES Score
1. A clean, neat look and a bright ID photo
Choose an ID photo that is bright and has a clean, neat finish so your face is easy to see.
We recommend a studio that specializes in job-hunting ID photos. They can give you tips on a clean, professional appearance and shoot with lighting that makes your face look bright.
We cover grooming and appearance tips for your ID photo shoot in the articles below. Please take a look!
[Job Hunting Basics] What to Wear for Your ID Photo (Men's Edition) | 19Studio Shinjuku Job-Hunting Photos: Same-Day Booking OK, Lowest Price
Not sure what to wear for your job-hunting ID photo? Check out this article! It also includes advice on how to wear a recruit suit (the standard dark suit worn for job hunting in Japan).
19Studio Shinjuku Job-Hunting Photos: Same-Day Booking OK, Lowest Price 
[Job Hunting Basics] What to Wear for Your ID Photo (Women's Edition) | 19Studio Shinjuku Job-Hunting Photos: Same-Day Booking OK, Lowest Price
Not sure what to wear for your job-hunting ID photo? Check out this article! Women's suits come with a wide variety of shirt styles. We also explain how each one changes your impression…
Also, if the company asks you to submit your photo as a digital file, it's best to use a photo that was digital from the start rather than scanning a printed one.
A scanned printed photo tends to show lower image quality and look darker, which could leave a negative impression.
2. Typos and missing words
Typos and missing words in entry sheets are surprisingly common.
Even if what you wrote is good, they can give the impression that you're careless. They may even cause your message to be misunderstood.
After you finish writing, clear your head for a while, then check your text as if you were reading it for the first time.
3. Sentence length
Do you tend to cram too much into a single sentence? Your writing will be easier to read if you keep each sentence short and concise.
If you notice connectors like "~node" (because) or "~daga" (but) repeated again and again before the period, your sentence has very likely become long and rambling. Try to cut back on them on purpose!
Summary
In this article, we introduced the key points for not needlessly lowering your score on an entry sheet!
They're all very basic, aren't they? Yet many job seekers overlook them.
Imagine there are two equally appealing entry sheets, but the company can't hire any more people.
If you were the HR person, how would you decide who to pass and who to reject?
Thinking about it that way, you can see how important it is to pay attention even to the small details.
Write your entry sheet carefully so you can show your strengths to the fullest!
- I love writing and I'm currently studying copywriting. I turn the questions our guests often ask and the things I notice in the studio into easy-to-read articles about job-hunting and ID photos, so that even first-timers can understand them.
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