Japanese for Job Interviews: Self-Introduction, Motivation & Common Questions (essential for Japanese-company interviews) [JLPT N2]

Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026

“御社を志望した理由は〜,” “私の長所は〜,” “入社後は〜したいと思います” — 20 core interview phrases

「本日はよろしくお願いいたします」 — at a Japanese-company interview, your first words must land

Walk into a Japanese company's interview room, and the first line 「本日はどうぞよろしくお願いいたします」 sets the impression. Japanese interviews prize honorifics, set phrases, and fitting humility — self-introduction, motivation, common questions each have “the right thing to say.” This guide organizes the key phrases and honorific pitfalls of interview Japanese for Japanese and Japanese-affiliated companies. (For fuller honorific levels, see 〈register switching〉.)

Core: three interview scenes ＋ honorifics throughout

The key to interview Japanese is “use the right honorifics, apply the right phrases,” across three scenes:

• ① Self-introduction: name, background, a brief close, using humble language (〜と申します).
• ② Motivation (志望動機): why you want to join this company, calling their company 「御社」.
• ③ Q&A: strengths, weaknesses, future plans — answered concretely, humbly, positively.

Use polite ＋ honorific language (です・ます ＋ respectful/humble) throughout; never plain form (タメ口). Call their company 「御社（おんしゃ）」 (spoken) / 「貴社（きしゃ）」 (written), call your own company 「弊社（へいしゃ）」.

The self-introduction template

Motivation・common-question templates

⚠️ Where learners slip up

① Don't reverse 「御社」 (their company) and 「弊社」 (your company). In an interview, call their company (the one you're applying to) 「御社（おんしゃ）」 (spoken) (御社を志望いたしました); call your (current/former) company 「弊社（へいしゃ）」 (humble). Reversing them (calling theirs 弊社) is very rude. In writing (résumé, letter) their company is 「貴社（きしゃ）」. Remember: 御社／貴社 = raise them, 弊社 = humble yourself.

② Don't reverse respectful (their actions) and humble (your actions). For your own actions use humble language (申します・いたします・伺います・拝見します); for the interviewer's actions use respectful language (おっしゃる・ご覧になる・いらっしゃる). The commonest error is using respectful for yourself (×私が伺われます). Interviews mostly involve talking about yourself (I did …, I think …), so humble language is used most (〜と申します、〜してまいりました、〜と考えております).

③ Never use plain form (タメ口) or colloquial contractions. Throughout the interview you must use です・ます ＋ honorifics, never plain form (〜だ・〜だよ) or colloquial contractions (〜ちゃう・〜てる・〜じゃないですか). Don't say 「思います」 as 「思うんですけど」, don't contract 「〜しています」 to 「〜してる」. Under stress, colloquialisms slip out — take special care to keep the formal polite register.

💡 Quick takeaway

For Japanese-company interview Japanese, remember “use the right honorifics, apply the right phrases”: ① self-introduction (〜と申します ＋ background ＋ よろしくお願いいたします, concise and humble); ② motivation (use 「御社」 ＋ concretely state the draw and your contribution); ③ Q&A (concrete strength, weakness ＋ improvement, positive future, often with 〜ております). Three key pitfalls: ① 「御社」 raises them, 「弊社」 humbles you — don't reverse; ② humble language for yourself, respectful for them — don't reverse the direction (interviews mostly involve yourself, so humble language dominates); ③ です・ます ＋ honorifics throughout, never タメ口 or colloquial contractions. Memorize the set phrases of the three scenes and your interview Japanese is solid. (For full honorific levels, see 〈register switching〉.)

❓ FAQ

Q: When referring to a ‘company' in an interview, how do 「御社」「貴社」「弊社」 differ?

The commonest naming trap in interviews; remember the two axes “raise them vs humble yourself” and “spoken vs written”:

① 御社（おんしゃ）= their company (spoken): in a spoken interview, call “your company (the one I'm applying to)” 「御社」 — 御社を志望いたしました (I applied to your company); 御社の製品に興味があります (I'm interested in your products). It raises the other party, a must in spoken interviews.

② 貴社（きしゃ）= their company (written): in a résumé, cover letter, or email, call their company 「貴社」 — 貴社の益々のご発展をお祈り申し上げます (wishing your company ever-greater prosperity). Written uses 貴社, spoken uses 御社; both raise the other, differing only in medium.

③ 弊社（へいしゃ）／当社 = your own company (humble): for “my (current or former) company” use 「弊社」 (humble) or 「当社」 (neutral) — 前職では、弊社の営業を担当しておりました (in my previous job, I handled sales for my company).

So: their company → spoken 「御社」, written 「貴社」; your company → 「弊社」. The commonest error under stress is calling theirs 「弊社」 (humbling the other party — very rude). Memory aid: 御・貴 = respect (raise them), 弊 = humility (lower yourself).

Q: In a self-introduction, do I give my name with 「〜です」 or 「〜と申します」?

Give your name with 「〜と申します」 — more fitting and humble than 「〜です」. 「〜と申します」 = my name is 〜 (humble language, formal, modest): 田中と申します (my name is Tanaka). 「申します」 is the humble form of 「言います」, humbling the act of “saying (my name),” ideal for the formal setting of an interview or first meeting, giving a polite, professional impression. 「〜です」 = I'm 〜 (polite language, courteous but plain): 田中です (I'm Tanaka). Though 「です」 is polite, in a formal setting like an interview, giving your name with only 「です」 seems not humble or formal enough. So: interviews, business first meetings → 「〜と申します」; general everyday self-introduction → 「〜です」 suffices. A full interview opener: 「○○大学の田中太郎と申します。本日はよろしくお願いいたします。」 Likewise, for your own actions in an interview, use humble language to raise formality: studied → 「学んでまいりました」, think → 「考えております」, handled → 「担当しておりました」. These humble expressions make your interview Japanese sound mature and fitting.

🖊️ Practice Questions (5)

Q1. When giving a self-introduction in an interview, 自分の名前を言う適切な表現は？

(A) 私は田中太郎と言います

(B) 田中太郎と申します

(C) 田中太郎です

(D) 田中太郎って言います

Q2. 「御社を志望した理由」で「御社」はどういう意味？

(A) 私の会社

(B) 貴方の会社 (an honorific for the company you're interviewing with)

(C) この業界

(D) 同業他社

Q3. In an interview, what is the appropriate way to say 「わかりました」?

(A) わかった　(B) そうですね　(C) 承知いたしました　(D) オーケーです

Q4. In an interview, how do you say 「思います」in humble language?

(A) 思っております　(B) 考えております・存じます　(C) 思いますよ　(D) 思ってます

Q5. 志望動機の回答の理想的な構造は？

(A) 結論→根拠→展望（PREP法則）

(B) 詳しい説明を先にして、最後に結論

(C) 自分の趣味から始める

(D) 給与について最初に話す

Answer Explanations

1. (B) 田中太郎と申します ── Self-introduction in an interview: 「〜と申します」(humble form) is the humble version of 「〜と言います」, essential in interviews. 「〜と言います」(A) is slightly less formal, 「〜です」(C) too brief, and 「〜って言います」(D) is colloquial.

2. (B) 貴方の会社 (an honorific for the company you're interviewing with) ── 「御社」(おんしゃ) is the honorific for 'your company (the interviewing company)' used in interviews. Written documents use 「貴社」(きしゃ), while spoken interviews use 「御社」. ✗ Never say 「あなたの会社」.

3. (C) 承知いたしました ── In an interview, 「わかりました」= 「承知いたしました」(humble language). 「わかった」(A) is too colloquial, and 「そうですね」(B) is a noncommittal response, unsuited to confirming understanding.

4. (B) 考えております・存じます ── The humble form of 「思います」: 「考えております」(humble for 'consider/think') or 「存じます」(humble for 'know/think'). 「思っております」(A) is also acceptable but a bit weak; in interviews 「考えております」is the top choice.

5. (A) 結論→根拠→展望（PREP法則） ── The most effective structure for interview answers: ① state the conclusion first (your reason for applying) → ② give the grounds (concrete experience) → ③ state your outlook (what you want to do after joining). PREP (Point → Reason → Example → Point) applies to Japanese interviews too.

🎯 「Japanese for Interviews: 自己紹介・志望」N2 key exam points: