[Class of 2028] 4 Steps to Prepare for a Japanese Internship: Key Points That Lead to a Job Offer

“Where do I even start preparing for an internship?”
“I applied on a whim, but is it okay to just show up?”

If you're a student graduating in 2027 or 2028 (the “Class of 2027/2028”) and feeling this way, you're not alone.
In Japanese job hunting (shukatsu), an internship is not just “work experience.”
At many companies, how you perform during an internship is directly tied to early selection and, ultimately, a job offer.

This guide covers what to bring and how to dress, and it shares tips for preparing your ID photo (shomei shashin), which can make a big difference in whether you pass the screening.

Prepare well and go into your internship with confidence!

STEP 1. Self-analysis: Start by understanding yourself

The most important thing at the start of job hunting is to “understand yourself better.”
Sort out the points below so you can talk about them in your own words.

• Purpose: Why do you want to do an internship?
• Interests: Which industries and job types interest you?
• Experience: What did you learn from your past experiences (gakuchika, meaning what you put effort into during university)?
• Values: What do you want to prioritize in your future work (sense of fulfillment, work environment, and so on)?

Use self-analysis tools too, and build a foundation for making persuasive points in your entry sheets (ES, the application forms Japanese companies use) and interviews!

STEP 2. Learn basic business etiquette

Even as an intern, you'll be expected to act as a member of the company.
Make sure you have these basic manners down at a minimum!

• Greetings and language: Cheerful greetings and correct honorific Japanese (keigo)
• Writing emails: Clear subject lines, proper signatures, and so on
• Appearance: Wearing your suit properly and a neat, clean hairstyle

Getting the “basics” right as a working professional goes a long way toward earning trust.

STEP 3. Entry sheets and interview prep: Research the company thoroughly

At popular companies, internship screening can be just as competitive as regular full-time hiring.

Beyond researching the industry, check the company's website, news articles, and social media to understand its “strengths” and “how it differs from competitors.”

Tips for entry sheets:

• State your conclusion first
• Include a specific episode that leads into your reason for applying
• Keep it concise and stay within the character limit

Tips for interview prep:

• Be ready to answer common questions (gakuchika, your reason for applying, your strengths and weaknesses)
• Ask an older student or your university's career center to run a mock interview with you

STEP 4. Get a proper ID photo

The quality of your ID photo is an important factor in the first impression you make, though it's easy to overlook.
A photo alone will almost never decide whether you pass or fail, but it is a very important way for companies to “check that you have basic manners and common sense,”
and it gets checked even in online applications.

Since photos are often reviewed even in online applications, prepare a proper ID photo rather than a casual snapshot from an instant photo booth!

If you haven't dyed your hair black yet, or you don't have a suit ready in time, don't worry.

At 19Studio, we offer free hair-color correction to black and natural-looking suit compositing (optional).
With professional retouching, you can get a photo you'll be confident submitting!

We've gathered the questions job-hunting students ask us most often when they come in for a shoot, so please take a look as well! ↓

Job-Hunting ID Photo Q&A | Answers from a Job-Hunting Photo Studio

Getting an ID photo taken in Tokyo? We recommend 19Studio!

The quality of ID photo booths varies a lot by model: older ones have weak lighting that makes your face look dark, and some can't give you the photo as digital data.
If you want consistently high-quality ID photos, we recommend having them taken at a studio.

19Studio in Shinjuku accepts same-day reservations, so it's a great choice if you need an ID photo in a hurry.
We also offer suit compositing as an option, so you can have your photo taken even without a suit!

Summary: Starting early is the shortcut to an offer you're happy with

For the Class of 2027 and 2028, success depends on how early you start treating “internship = screening.”

Here are the 4 things to prepare before your internship!

Clear these 4 steps one at a time, and win a place in the internship at the company you want!

Ami

Joined 19Studio as a new business of an IT company; works in advertising and marketingI'm involved in 19Studio as a new business of an IT company, and my day job is advertising and marketing. I'm good at thinking about how to get the right information to the people who need it, and I work on making our prices, services and booking as clear and easy as possible.

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