How to Write 志望動機 (Reason for Applying) — Structure and Examples by Job

The 志望動機 (shibō dōki, “reason for applying”) is the box that tells an employer why you chose them. Together with the 自己PR it is the part of the rirekisho a manager actually reads, and it is the part most applicants copy from the internet. That is exactly why a specific, honest 志望動機 stands out: it shows you looked at this workplace and imagined yourself in it.

The three-part structure

• Why this field or job — what draws you to this kind of work.
• Why this employer — something specific about this store or company: its location, its customers, its products, how staff are trained, something you noticed as a customer.
• What you will contribute — how your strengths or experience will help here, and what you want to learn.

Three or four sentences that follow this order are enough for a part-time resume. For a full-time position, expand each part to two sentences and add one concrete example.

Examples by type of job

Each example is written for a foreign applicant. Change the specifics — a 志望動機 that could be sent to any store is not doing its job.

Convenience store (コンビニ)

毎日利用している貴店で、スタッフの皆さんが忙しい時間帯でも丁寧に接客されている姿を見て、私もこのお店で働きたいと思いました。レジや品出しの仕事を通して日本語での接客を学び、地域のお客様に信頼されるスタッフになりたいと考えております。

(“I use your store every day and saw how politely the staff serve customers even at busy times, and I wanted to work here too. Through the register and stocking work I want to learn customer service in Japanese and become someone local customers trust.”)

Restaurant or izakaya (飲食店)

母国でも家族の飲食店を手伝っており、料理を通してお客様に喜んでいただけることにやりがいを感じてきました。貴店はチームワークを大切にされていると伺い、ホールでもキッチンでも、周りと協力しながら早く仕事を覚えたいと考えております。

(“I helped in my family's restaurant at home and found it rewarding to make customers happy through food. I heard you value teamwork, and I want to learn the work quickly, cooperating with others in the hall or the kitchen.”)

Hotel (ホテル)

英語・日本語・ネパール語の3か国語を話せることを活かし、海外からのお客様が多い貴ホテルで、安心して滞在していただけるお手伝いをしたいと考え応募いたしました。フロント業務を通じて、日本のおもてなしを学びたいと思っております。

(“I speak English, Japanese and Nepali, and I applied because I want to use that to help guests from overseas — of whom you have many — feel at ease. Through front-desk work I want to learn Japanese hospitality.”)

Office work (事務)

前職では3年間、貿易会社で受発注と書類作成を担当し、正確さとスピードを両立させることを心がけてまいりました。海外との取引を拡大されている貴社で、語学力と事務経験を活かし、業務の効率化に貢献したいと考えております。

(“In my last job I handled orders and documents at a trading company for three years, aiming for both accuracy and speed. Your company is expanding its overseas business, and I want to use my languages and office experience to help make operations more efficient.”)

Care work (介護)

祖母の介護を手伝った経験から、高齢の方の生活を支える仕事に関心を持ちました。貴施設が利用者様一人ひとりとの会話を大切にされていると知り、日本語を学びながら、利用者様に笑顔で過ごしていただけるよう努めたいと考えております。

(“Helping care for my grandmother made me interested in supporting older people's daily lives. I learned that your facility values conversation with each resident, and while improving my Japanese I want to help residents spend their days smiling.”)

Factory or warehouse (工場・倉庫)

決められた手順を正確に繰り返す作業が得意で、前のアルバイトでも検品作業でミスなく作業を続けてまいりました。安全と品質を大切にされている貴社で、長く安定して働きたいと考えております。

(“I am good at repeating set procedures accurately, and in my last part-time job I did inspection work without errors. I want to work steadily and for a long time at a company that values safety and quality, as yours does.”)

Finding the “why this employer” detail

This is the sentence most applicants skip, and the one that makes a 志望動機 feel real. A few places to find it:

• Visit the store as a customer and notice something: the staff, the cleanliness, the regulars.
• Read the job advert carefully — what the employer emphasises is what they want to hear back.
• Look at the company website for its message (企業理念) or a recent new product or branch.
• Think about location: being close to your home or school is a genuine, valued reason for part-time work.

Mistakes that send a resume to the bottom of the pile

• Only talking about yourself: “I want to improve my Japanese” is fine as one part, but if it is the whole answer the employer hears “I want free lessons”.
• Conditions as the reason: “The pay is good” or “the hours are short” may be true, but they are not reasons the employer wants to read.
• A copied template: managers have read the popular examples many times.
• Wrong company name: when reusing text, double-check the name. Use 貴社 for companies and 貴店 for shops in writing (御社・御店 when speaking).
• Over-long text: the box usually fits about 150–250 characters. Stay inside it.

Be ready to say it aloud

「志望動機を教えてください」 is one of the first questions in almost every interview. The interviewer will have your resume in front of them, so your spoken answer should match the written one — the same reason, in natural words, in about 30 seconds. Practising it a few times is the easiest way to sound confident. See our interview questions guide for the other common questions, and the 自己PR guide so the two boxes do not repeat each other.

More questions, answered

• How long should a 志望動機 be? Three or four sentences, about 150–250 Japanese characters, or whatever fits the box on your form. For a full-time 職務経歴書 it can be a little longer.
• Can I use the same 志望動機 for several stores of one chain? Mostly, yes — but add a detail about the specific branch, such as its location or its customers.
• Is it acceptable to say I want to practise Japanese? Yes, as one part of the answer. Pair it with what you will give the employer, so it does not sound one-sided.

A template to fill in

私は【この仕事に興味を持った理由】から、【職種】の仕事に関心を持ちました。中でも貴店（貴社）は【具体的な特徴】であり、ぜひここで働きたいと考え応募いたしました。【自分の経験・強み】を活かし、【貢献したいこと】に取り組みたいと考えております。

Replace each 【】 with your own words, then read the result and remove anything that sounds like a template. If a sentence could be sent to any employer unchanged, it needs a more specific detail.

Writing it in Japanese when Japanese is not your first language

Decide the content first, in any language: the three parts and the one specific detail. Then write simple Japanese sentences — short, polite sentences in です・ます form are better than long ones you are unsure about. ResumeJP's translate feature can give you a first draft from English or Nepali, and the examples page has more model answers. Ask a Japanese friend or teacher to read the final version once; small fixes make a big difference. When it is ready, add it in the editor.