Translating Your CV into Japanese: Rirekisho, Shokumu Keirekisho and What Changes
A Japanese employer usually won’t want a straight translation of your English CV. Most Japanese companies expect two documents: a 履歴書 (rirekisho), a standard-format résumé with your personal details, education and work history, and a 職務経歴書 (shokumu keirekisho), a fuller summary of your work experience and achievements. Translating your CV into Japanese really means adapting it: moving the content into these formats, using natural business Japanese, converting dates and job titles, and leaving out things Japanese readers don’t expect. Foreign-owned companies in Japan may accept an English CV, so check the job ad first.
English CV vs Japanese documents
| English CV | Japanese documents | |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Free format, your design | 履歴書 follows a standard template; 職務経歴書 is freer but conventional |
| Order | Usually most recent first | 履歴書 lists education and jobs oldest first |
| Personal details | Minimal | Name with furigana, date of birth, address and often a photo |
| Achievements | Bullet points throughout | Mostly in the 職務経歴書, with a short summary and project details |
| Motivation | Cover letter | A 志望動機 section and a 自己PR |
For each document in detail, see how to write a rirekisho, how to write a shokumu keirekisho, how to write a shibō dōki and how to write a jiko PR.
What changes in translation
- Your name. Usually written in katakana, sometimes with the original spelling too. See your name in Japanese.
- Dates. Year and month, often in the Japanese era on a 履歴書; be consistent throughout.
- Job titles. Titles don’t map neatly; describe the level and responsibility rather than copying a word like “manager”. See Japanese job titles and hierarchy.
- Schools and qualifications. Give the official name, a short explanation if it isn’t known in Japan, and your JLPT level if you have one.
- Tone. Japanese application documents are modest and factual. Strong self-promotion that works in English can read as boastful.
- Numbers and results. These translate well and Japanese recruiters value them.
Common mistakes
- Running the CV through machine translation; recruiters notice unnatural Japanese at once. See machine translation for Japanese.
- Mixing polite and plain styles in the same document.
- Leaving English-only explanations of companies or products the reader won’t know.
- Sending only a 履歴書 when the employer also expects a 職務経歴書.
- Writing a Japanese CV your Japanese level can’t support in the interview. Be honest about your level.
Translate it yourself, or get help?
If your Japanese is around N2 or above, drafting it yourself and having a native speaker check it is good practice for interviews too. See Japanese proofreading. If you’re applying with lower Japanese for an English-speaking role, or the stakes are high, a translation by a native Japanese speaker saves time. Either way, read the final version carefully so you can talk about everything in it.
How Hanabuddies can help
We translate and adapt English CVs into a Japanese 履歴書 and 職務経歴書, and proofread documents you’ve drafted yourself. Our tutors can then help you practise talking through it in a Japanese interview; see the Japanese job interview guide. Our translations are uncertified, and we’re not a recruitment agency, so we don’t place candidates or promise results.