Write a Conclusion (What You Want to Present) and Explain in Depth

It is common for international students to write short sentences on their resumes that lack explanation. Recruiters will not want to meet you then. It is important to write in a way that makes them want to meet you in person.

In each section of your resume, write what you want to say first (the conclusion), and then provide a detailed explanation to make it easier to understand.

In the explanation, write about your specific experiences. For example, if you want to convey that you can overcome difficulties and make efforts (conclusion), you should write about your past experiences of overcoming difficulties and making efforts.

Do Not Just Write about Your Weaknesses

Everyone has their weaknesses. However, do not just put your weaknesses on your resume. What the company wants to know is how you have improved on them After you join a company, you will encounter many challenges that you cannot overcome. The company wants to know if you have the determination to handle those challenges.

In the weaknesses section, write down examples of how you overcame the challenges and weaknesses.

The Basics of Writing a Resume

If you are an international student looking for a job in Japan, you will not be invited to an interview unless you pass the document screening process, including your resume. So, how should you write your resume? Let’s take a look at some important points.

Examples of Resume Writing

Let’s take a look at some examples of what senior international students have written on their resumes.

Things you focused on other than your studies during your school days

• Original text

I am in charge of the cash register at the supermarket. When I first started the job, I made many mistakes. From the next day, I read the manual before going to work and practiced inside my head remembering how to operate the cash register, and I tried to read it many times so that I could do it quickly by myself. At the end of each day, I listed all the things I did well and all the things I failed to do and reflected on them, calmly thinking of ways to improve. I decided to write it down in my journal so that I would not repeat the same mistakes. There is nothing that I cannot do. I realized that it is important to make an effort to be able to do it.

• Points for improvement

It would be easier to understand if you write the conclusion first, which is “I have learned to make the effort to not repeat my mistakes”. Let’s brush up the above text.

• Example of a revision

Through my part-time job, I developed the habit of writing down my mistakes and using them to make improvements in the future. I have been working as a cashier at a supermarket for the past three years. In the beginning, there were many things I did not understand. For example, I did not know how to respond to a customer’s request for a partial return of a product after the cashier had finished. At that time, I called my supervisor to help me, apologized to the customer for making him wait, and made a note of it that day so that I could handle it myself next time. After that, I continued to write down my mistakes, successes, and how I handled them. After a few months, I did not have any more questions. I passed on the contents of my notes to my junior staff, and some of them were also reflected in the store’s manual.

Resume Examples and Explanations / KOKORO

Job Hunting Schedule for International Students

How can international students find jobs in Japan? Looking for a job in Japan is called Shukatsu (job hunting). Some schools explain that job hunting starts in April, but many students start preparing before that. Here is the schedule of job hunting.