Handwritten vs. Printed Rirekisho for Baito: Which Do Employers Prefer?
Should you handwrite or print your part-time rirekisho? The honest answer for 2026, when handwriting still helps, when printed is perfectly fine, and how to do each one well.
For decades, conventional wisdom in Japan was that a serious rirekisho should be handwritten. That has changed — but not everywhere. Here is how to decide for a part-time (arubaito) application.
The short answer
For most arubaito today — convenience stores, cafes, restaurants, retail, delivery, warehouses — a cleanly printed rirekisho is completely acceptable, and often preferred because it is easy to read. Typed resumes are the norm for any company that does its hiring online or asks you to email documents.
When handwriting still helps
- Small, traditional, family-run businesses where the owner is older may still read neat handwriting as a sign of sincerity and effort.
- A few job ads explicitly say 手書き希望 (handwriting preferred). If it is written, follow it.
- If your typed Japanese might contain conversion errors you cannot check, careful handwriting can actually be safer.
When printed is the better choice
- You are applying online or by email (most modern baito platforms).
- Your handwriting in Japanese is not yet confident or even.
- You are applying to several stores and want a consistent, fast-to-update document.
- The role is at a chain, a modern company, or anything tech/web related.
If you handwrite
- Use black ink, write slowly and evenly, and never use correction fluid.
- If you make a mistake, start the sheet again — crossed-out text looks unprofessional.
- Keep character sizes consistent and stay inside the lines.
If you print
- Export a clean PDF at the correct size and print it at a convenience store.
- Use plain white paper; the traditional layout prints on A3 folded, or two A4 pages.
- Sign or stamp where required, and double-check the photo printed sharply.
The fastest reliable route is to build it once and export a print-ready PDF — pick a layout on the templates page or start straight away in the editor. Either way, the content matters far more than the medium: accurate dates, a clear shift grid, and a short honest 志望動機.