I applied from France for the new grads business position. I didn't pass the first step which consists in filling an application form with the basics. I also had to write a small paragraph in English about one of five Shugi of Rakuten. The paragraph can't be more than 5 lines so basically, it's quite hard to develop an idea. Anyway, I was not taken for the next steps. I tried to have a feedback about what went wrong but they can't give further information...
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
No specific question except for the paragraphe about the Shugi
I saw them at the LA Career Forum and really loved their presentation and thought I could contribute to this rapidly growing company. I opted to be interviewed as a walk-in immediately after the presentation. The interview was the day after with a young HR staff and we had a nice talk. She was very nice. We related by having similar background--we are both trilingual.
For those of you moved on further in the process, the booth next door with a sign saying "second round" interview had a different aura to it-multiple staff members (HR managers perhaps?) interviewing a candidate in Japanese, with questions roughly translating to "what is the most important thing as a member of society, as a Rakuten employee?" They sounded bossy and overbearing even to me waiting right outside the curtains of the booth.
I could not access the web assessment test just as I was about to ask them, I received a generic email saying they are not interested in pursuing my candidacy. Since I haven't taken the aptitude test I presume they didn't see me as a good fit--I don't have a strong business background/experience.
I applied online. I interviewed at Rakuten (Boston, MA) in Oct 2014
Interview
Apply online get automated email to take aptitude test. It was really tough, not the questions but the time limit. Don't read instructions, just do the problems. After that automated email to tell you to set up Skype interview. Did that. Failed 1st interview. Was applying for more interviews at the career forum so the process was all done in under a week. Super quick.