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Company research for a job change in Japan: a 45-minute method that produces better questions
Research a prospective employer beyond its mission statement: business model, team problem, role scope, and the questions that verify fit.
What you can use right away
- Research the business problem before the company values.
- Separate public facts from assumptions you must verify.
- Leave each session with three role-specific questions, not a pile of tabs.
Research in four passes, not one unfocused search
Use 15 minutes each for the company’s customer and revenue model, its recent product or hiring news, the team or function behind the role, and the exact job description. Note facts only: who pays, what changed recently, why the role may exist, and which outcomes the role owns.
This is enough to form a hypothesis, not enough to pretend you know the company. Label every inference “confirm in interview.” That discipline prevents a 志望動機 built on an outdated press release.
Try this checklist
- Write one sentence each for customer, revenue source, current change, and role problem.
- Highlight three repeated nouns or outcomes in the job description.
- Mark uncertain claims with a question mark rather than treating them as facts.
Turn findings into a fit test
For every fact, connect one relevant experience from your career and one question. If the company is expanding an enterprise product, identify your closest enterprise, reliability, or stakeholder story — then ask what changes when the team scales. This creates a concrete 志望動機 without flattery.
Also write one reason not to apply or continue. Good research is decision-making, not a case for liking every company. A role without the scope, conditions, or manager access you need is useful information.
Record the result while it is still comparable
After each session, save five lines: why now, strongest evidence of fit, open risk, three questions, and your next action. Use the same template for every company; otherwise a polished brand page can overpower the quieter facts.
InterviewTrail AI keeps those notes with the application and its interview rounds, so your company research becomes a source for tailored preparation and a record for deciding after several parallel processes.