Retail, Ecommerce, and Consumer

How to Get a Job at Rakuten

Rakuten hires across business, engineering, creative, and corporate roles, but the process varies by track and posting. This guide shows how to tailor your application, prepare for interviews, and align with Rakuten’s global, team-oriented culture.

Verified August 26, 20262,067 words16 public sources

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Quick answer

To get a job at Rakuten, apply through the specific role track, tailor your resume to the posting, and prepare for role-specific interviews rather than a single universal process. Rakuten’s public career pages show business, engineering, creative, and corporate hiring, with requirements that vary by role, experience level, and location. Confirm the latest steps on the official careers site before applying.

About Rakuten

Rakuten is a global company recruiting across business, engineering, creative, and corporate functions. Its careers content emphasizes international collaboration, continuous learning, and a “Get Things Done” mindset, with role-specific recruiting pages for mid-career and new graduate candidates. Public career pages also show that openings and selection steps vary by track and posting.

Who may be a strong fit

Rakuten may fit candidates who want a large, global organization with cross-functional work, mobility across business lines, and a strong emphasis on teamwork, learning, and immediate contribution. It can be a good match if you can show relevant skills, adapt your application to the exact role, and are comfortable with role-specific selection processes.

Roles and departments

Business roles

Rakuten publicly recruits for business positions that include sales, consulting, planning, marketing, and related commercial work across its businesses.

SalesConsultingPlanningMarketing

Engineering roles

Rakuten recruits engineers and technical specialists across programming, product development, research, security/privacy, and technology management.

Software EngineerProduct ManagerResearch ScientistSecurity/Privacy Engineer

Creative roles

Rakuten lists creative positions and course-based recruiting tracks that may involve portfolio-oriented work and role-specific selection steps.

DesignerCreative StrategistContent/Brand Creative

Corporate roles

Rakuten recruits for corporate functions such as HR, general affairs, legal, accounting, finance, and related business support work.

The best way to get hired at Rakuten is to apply through the correct recruiting track and make your materials match the exact role. The company’s public pages show different expectations for business, engineering, creative, and corporate hiring, so a generic application is less effective than a targeted one.

Application steps

Choose the track that best fits your experience: business, engineering, creative, or corporate.
Read the specific role page and requirements before submitting anything.
Tailor your resume to emphasize outcomes, tools, and skills that match the posting.
If the role asks for language ability, academic detail, or test results, be prepared to provide them.
Apply through the official careers site and use the role-specific instructions on the posting.

Resume tips

Use a role-specific headline or summary that matches the function you are applying for.
Show measurable impact: revenue, conversion, efficiency, delivery speed, product quality, or customer outcomes.
For engineering roles, list languages, frameworks, systems, cloud tools, and product ownership clearly.
For business roles, highlight sales targets, market analysis, partnerships, planning, marketing campaigns, or client work.
For corporate roles, emphasize process improvement, compliance, finance accuracy, HR programs, or policy work.
For creative roles, include a portfolio link and describe the business problem each project solved.

Useful resume keywords

Use only the terms that truthfully match your experience and the live job description.

business developmentsalesconsultingplanningmarketingproduct managementsoftware engineeringprogrammingresearchsecurityprivacytechnology managementfinanceaccountinglegalHRgeneral affairsportfolioJapanese languageTOEIC

Networking tips

Use Rakuten’s employee stories to understand how employees describe their work and culture, then reflect those themes naturally in outreach.
If you know current or former employees, ask about the team’s work style, collaboration model, and what the role values most.
Keep networking messages short and specific: mention the team or function, why it fits your background, and one concrete question.
Focus on learning about the role and business area rather than asking for a shortcut or guaranteed referral.

Interview preparation

Rakuten’s public materials show a role-specific process, so interview prep should be based on the exact posting, your level, and the track you are applying for. Build a story for why you fit the role, what you can contribute quickly, and how your background supports cross-functional teamwork in a global environment.

Themes to prepare

Relevant experience and immediate contribution
Cross-functional collaboration and teamwork
Global communication and adaptability
Learning mindset and growth potential
Role-specific technical, business, or creative depth
Alignment with Rakuten’s “Get Things Done” and continuous improvement culture

Preparation tips

Use the job description as your study guide and prepare examples that match its priorities.
Bring 2-3 strong stories with metrics, context, actions, and outcomes.
If you are applying for business or creative new-graduate tracks, be ready for possible academic or TOEIC-related review where relevant to the posting.
For engineering roles, be prepared to explain technical decisions, tradeoffs, and product impact.
Keep answers concise and practical; show how you solve problems, not just what your title was.

Practice questions

1Tell me about a project or achievement that is most relevant to this role.
2How have you contributed to a team working across functions, countries, or stakeholders?
3What makes you a strong fit for this business, engineering, creative, or corporate position?
4Describe a time you had to learn something quickly to deliver results.
5Walk me through how you would approach this role’s main challenge.
6What is one example of measurable impact from your recent work?

Your 30-day application plan

Days 1-7

Identify the right Rakuten role and gather evidence that matches it.

Review the official careers hub and choose the correct track.
Read 5-10 relevant postings to spot repeated requirements.
List your most relevant achievements, tools, and metrics.
Check whether the role mentions Japanese, TOEIC, education, portfolio, or other specific requirements.

Days 8-14

Build a targeted application package.

Rewrite your resume summary and bullets for the chosen role family.
Create a tailored cover letter or application note if the posting allows it.
Prepare a portfolio or project list if you are applying for creative or technical roles.
Use a resume checker or analyzer to compare your draft against a live job description.

Days 15-21

Prepare for interviews and networking.

Draft 6-8 stories using the STAR format.
Practice explaining your impact, collaboration style, and why Rakuten fits your goals.
Do informational outreach to current or former employees if available.
Run a mock interview focused on business, technical, or behavioral questions.

Days 22-30

Apply, follow up, and refine.

Submit applications to the most relevant roles first.
Track each application, posting link, and required materials.
Review responses and refine your resume for the next role if needed.
Recheck the careers site for new openings and any updated instructions.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best way to apply to Rakuten?+

Apply through the official Rakuten careers site and choose the track that matches your background, such as business, engineering, creative, or corporate. Then tailor your application to the specific role page because Rakuten’s selection steps vary by posting.

Does Rakuten use the same interview process for every job?+

No. Rakuten’s public pages say that interview format and selection steps can vary by role, course, and circumstances. Always check the specific posting or program page for the actual process.

What does Rakuten look for in mid-career candidates?+

Rakuten’s mid-career FAQ says candidates are generally expected to bring relevant skills and the ability to contribute quickly, although some roles may be open to different backgrounds or no prior experience.

Are new graduates eligible if they already worked before?+

For business roles, Rakuten’s new graduate FAQ says candidates with less than three years of work experience may apply for new graduate or entry-level positions.

Do Rakuten jobs require Japanese language skills?+

Some do. Rakuten’s comprehensive business course page says business-level or higher Japanese is required for that track, but language requirements can vary by role.

Can academic records or TOEIC scores matter at Rakuten?+

For some business and creative new-graduate tracks, yes. Public pages note that academic records may be reviewed and that candidates below a TOEIC threshold may be asked to take the exam during selection.

What should I highlight on my resume for Rakuten?+

Focus on the skills and outcomes that match the job: business impact, technical ability, product or project ownership, collaboration, or portfolio work. Rakuten’s public pages emphasize relevant skills and immediate contribution.

Does Rakuten offer remote work or flex time everywhere?+

Rakuten’s public pages do not show one universal work-from-home policy for all roles. For mid-career roles, work location is listed in the posting or offer letter, and some positions may allow flex time.

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Sources and methodology

This guide is based on Rakuten’s public careers pages and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Rakuten. Hiring details can change; always verify the latest role requirements and application steps on the official careers site before applying.

If you want to get hired at Rakuten, focus on fit to the exact role, not just the brand name. Choose the correct track, tailor your resume to the posting, prepare role-specific stories, and verify the latest process on the official careers site because openings and requirements can change.

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