How to Email Your Rirekisho in Japan (With a Template)

Many part-time and full-time roles now ask you to email your rirekisho as a PDF. The email itself is part of the impression you make, and Japanese business email follows a clear pattern. Get it right and you look professional before anyone opens the attachment.

The essentials

• Subject: state your purpose and name, e.g. 「アルバイト応募の件／○○○○」.
• Attachment: a PDF named clearly, such as 履歴書_氏名.pdf. Keep it under a few MB.
• Body: greeting, who you are, why you are writing, a mention of the attachment, and a polite close.
• Signature: your name, phone number, and email at the bottom.

Copy-paste template

件名：アルバイト応募の件／○○○○

株式会社○○
採用ご担当者さま

はじめまして。○○○○と申します。
このたび、貴店のアルバイト募集を拝見し、応募させていただきたくご連絡いたしました。
履歴書を添付いたしますので、ご確認のほどよろしくお願いいたします。
ご面接の機会をいただけますと幸いです。何卒よろしくお願い申し上げます。

──────────
氏名：○○○○
電話：090-0000-0000
メール：you@example.com
──────────

English translation

(Subject: Re: part-time application / [Name]. “Hello, my name is ___. I saw your part-time job posting and would like to apply. I have attached my resume; please take a look. I would be grateful for the chance of an interview. Thank you very much.” Followed by your name, phone, and email.)

Subject lines for other situations

• Full-time role: 「正社員応募の件（営業職）／○○○○」
• Sending documents you were asked for: 「応募書類送付の件／○○○○」
• Through a referral: 「○○様のご紹介による応募の件／○○○○」
• Replying to the employer: keep their subject line and the 「Re:」 so your message stays in their thread.

Put your full name in every subject line. Hiring staff often search their inbox by applicant name, and a vague subject such as 「よろしくお願いします」 gets lost or looks like spam.

Attachments: plain PDF, no password ZIP

For years Japanese companies sent files as password-protected ZIP archives, followed by a second email with the password. Japan's central government dropped this practice in 2020 and many companies followed, because it adds little security and many mail systems now block ZIP files. Unless the job ad asks for it, attach a plain PDF. If you send more than one document — a rirekisho and a 職務経歴書, for example — attach two clearly named PDFs (履歴書_山田太郎.pdf, 職務経歴書_山田太郎.pdf) rather than one combined file.

If you do not hear back

Wait three business days (not counting weekends or public holidays) before following up. Reply to your own sent email so the history is visible, and keep the tone light:

先日、アルバイト応募の件でご連絡いたしました○○○○です。
お忙しいところ恐れ入りますが、応募書類がお手元に届いておりますでしょうか。
ご確認いただけますと幸いです。よろしくお願いいたします。

(“I contacted you the other day about the part-time position. I'm sorry to trouble you while you are busy, but could you confirm whether my application arrived?”) If a second week passes, a short phone call to the store or office is normal for part-time jobs. See our phone script for the words to use.

Replying to the employer

When they reply with an interview time, answer the same day if you can. Confirm the date, time, and place in your reply so there is no misunderstanding: 「○月○日（○）14時に貴店へ伺います。」 If none of the offered times work, give two or three alternatives instead of a bare “no”. Keep the signature block on every reply, even short ones.

Small things that matter

• Send from a sensible email address, not a joke handle.
• Send during business hours where you can.
• Attach a PDF, not a Word file or a photo of the paper.
• Re-read once for typos before sending — it signals care.

Need the PDF to attach? Build it free in the editor, and if it is a part-time role, start from the part-time template.