Finding Full-Time Work in Japan: A Newcomer's Job-Search Guide
Updated: 2026-08-25
Quick answer
Hi, I'm Miya, and if you've moved to Japan hoping to build a career — a full-time role, what people here call a seishain (正社員) position — let me lay out how the hunt actually works. This is a different journey from a student's part-time arubaito. The search leans heavily on two written documents, it often runs through a recruitment agency as much as through direct applications, and it usually involves a few rounds of interviews rather than one quick chat.
Think of it as a plan with four moving parts: making sure your status of residence covers the kind of work you want, preparing your paperwork in the Japanese style, choosing between agencies and applying directly, and then handling the interviews. I'll walk through each one gently. This is general orientation rather than legal or career advice, so please confirm anything about your own visa and eligibility with the relevant office.
How the full-time search works
The first thing to settle isn't which company to apply to — it's whether your status of residence lets you take the role you have in mind. Japan's work-related residence statuses are tied to categories of activity, so a job usually needs to match the kind of work your status permits, and changing employers or fields can involve notifying or applying to immigration. Sorting this out early saves you from falling for a role you can't actually accept, so check your specific situation with immigration before you get too far in.
Once that groundwork is clear, the search itself is a marathon rather than a sprint. People typically browse online job platforms, register with one or more agencies, and sometimes apply straight through a company's own careers page. It's normal for the whole process — from first application to a signed offer — to stretch over several weeks or a couple of months, so pace yourself, keep a simple list of where you've applied, and don't be discouraged by a slow reply.
The two documents: rirekisho and shokumu-keirekisho
Full-time applications in Japan usually ask for two separate papers, and knowing the difference matters. The first is the rirekisho (履歴書), a standardized personal-history résumé with your basic details, education, and work timeline, filled into a fixed template you can buy at a stationery shop or complete digitally. It's formal and concise, and a plain photo is generally expected. Neatness and consistency count for a lot here.
The second is the shokumu-keirekisho (職務経歴書), a work-history or career-summary document that has no fixed form. This is where you describe what you actually did in each role — your responsibilities, projects, and results — in your own structure. Think of the rirekisho as the snapshot and the shokumu-keirekisho as the story. Many roles for experienced hires weigh the second document heavily, so it's worth drafting carefully and tailoring it to each application.
Agencies versus applying directly
You have two broad routes, and plenty of people use both at once. Recruitment agencies (jinzai-shōkai) assign you a consultant who introduces you to openings, helps polish your documents, and coordinates interview scheduling on your behalf. For a newcomer still learning the local norms, that support can be genuinely reassuring, and some agencies specialize in roles open to non-Japanese candidates or in particular industries.
Applying directly — through a company's careers page or a general job platform — gives you more control and a wider view of what's out there, though you'll manage the scheduling and follow-ups yourself. Neither path is better in the abstract; it depends on your field, your language comfort, and how much hand-holding you'd like. Whichever you choose, keep your two documents ready to send at short notice, because good openings can move quickly.
What the interviews are like
Full-time hiring here usually means more than one interview. It's common to go through two or three rounds — perhaps an initial screening, a meeting with the team or hiring manager, and a final conversation with someone more senior. Each round tends to be polite and fairly structured, with questions about your experience, why you want this particular role, and how you see yourself fitting in. Arriving a few minutes early and dressing on the formal side are safe defaults.
Logistics vary by employer: some rounds happen online while later ones are in person, and the whole sequence can span a couple of weeks. This is where being reachable really matters, because the agency or company will contact you between rounds to arrange the next step. Expectations around Japanese language differ a lot by role and industry, so ask honestly about what the job needs rather than guessing, and confirm the specifics of any offer in writing before you decide.
The quiet prerequisite: a reachable Japanese number
Here's the practical thread running through everything above. Job platforms and agency portals almost always verify your account by sending a code over SMS, so without a Japanese mobile number you can stall at the very first sign-up screen. And this is Japan — recruiters and hiring coordinators still love to reach candidates by phone to schedule interviews and confirm the next round, which can move fast. A missed call can quietly cost you a role you were perfect for.
So once your residence card and address are in place, getting a Japanese number sorted before you start applying makes the whole search smoother. With Rakuten Mobile you can apply online using your residence card, and if your phone supports eSIM you're often set up the same day without visiting a store — just check the official page for current terms. Get that in place, and every verification code, every recruiter call, and every 'can you come in Tuesday?' message reaches you the moment it's sent.
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