How to Write "Genzai ni Itaru" on a Japanese Resume | Meaning and Correct Usage
When you look at sample Japanese resumes, you'll notice the phrase "genzai ni itaru" (現在に至る / "continuing to the present") at the end of the work history section. "Do I have to write this?" "Where exactly should it go, and how?" Many people in their 20s and second-career starters get stuck on these questions.
This article gives a thorough, beginner-friendly explanation of the correct meaning and usage of "genzai ni itaru," complete with visual examples. We cover the difference from "ijo" (以上 / "end of record") and "zaishokuchu" (在職中 / "currently employed"), how to write it when a resignation date has been confirmed, and what to do when space runs out — so by the end, you'll be able to write it confidently.
"Genzai ni itaru" means "a state that has continued from a past point in time up to the present." When written at the end of the work history section of a Japanese resume, it signals "I am still employed at the company and department written immediately above."
For example, if you write "April 20XX: Joined ○○ Co., Ltd., assigned to Sales Department, Sales Division 1" and put "genzai ni itaru" on the next line, the reader understands that you are still currently employed in Sales Division 1 of ○○ Co., Ltd.
"Genzai ni itaru" is only used by people who are still employed at a company at the time of writing the resume. People who have already resigned and are between jobs do not use it. If you are between jobs, write "Month X, Year 20XX: Resigned for personal reasons" and then write "ijo" (以上 / "end of record") below.
As a rule, "genzai ni itaru" is only used in the work history section, never in the education history section. If you are still in school, write "○○ University, Faculty of ○○, Department of ○○, currently enrolled," or if you are about to graduate, write "expected to graduate."
After writing "genzai ni itaru," the standard etiquette is to write "ijo" (以上) right-aligned on the next line. "Ijo" signals "there is no further education or work history beyond this point" and is a basic rule of Japanese business writing.
Whether you are currently employed or between jobs, the formal way to close the work history section is with "ijo." Without it, the hiring manager might suspect that something was left out, so make sure not to forget it.
There are placement rules for "genzai ni itaru" and "ijo" too. Once you understand the basics, you can apply them to any resume format.
"Genzai ni itaru" goes one line below the last work history entry, left-aligned. On the line directly below that, write "ijo" right-aligned. Splitting the alignment between left and right makes it visually clear where the section ends.
As an example, here is how a currently employed second-career starter would fill in this section. After finishing the education history, write "Work History" centered on a line, then list jobs chronologically.
April 20XX Joined ○○ Co., Ltd.
Assigned to Sales Department, Sales Division 1
Continuing to the present (genzai ni itaru)
End of record (ijo)
As shown, "genzai ni itaru" is left-aligned, and "ijo" sits one line below, right-aligned.
If you have already resigned, do not use "genzai ni itaru." Instead, after writing the resignation year, month, and reason, go to the next line and write "ijo" right-aligned.
April 20XX Joined ○○ Co., Ltd.
Month X, 20XX Resigned for personal reasons
End of record (ijo)
For the resignation reason, write "resigned for personal reasons" if it was your decision, or "resigned due to company circumstances" if it was the employer's. For more on company-driven resignations, see our article "What Is Company-Driven Resignation? Differences from Personal Resignation, Unemployment Benefits, and Procedures Explained."
Besides "genzai ni itaru," another way to indicate current employment is "zaishokuchu" (在職中 / "currently employed"). Both mean the same thing, but the contexts and styling differ slightly.
"Genzai ni itaru" is generally placed on the line below the last work entry, left-aligned. It's the standard style when the work history section has room to spare and gives a more formal impression.
When using "zaishokuchu," place it on the right side of the same line as your current company and department name. For example: "April 20XX: Joined ○○ Co., Ltd., assigned to Sales Department, Sales Division 1 (zaishokuchu)." The note is added in parentheses at the end.
Even when using "zaishokuchu," you still write "ijo" right-aligned on the line below. This style suits cases where you want to save space or convey information concisely.
Whichever you use, it won't affect a hiring manager's evaluation. Choose whichever is easier to write or fits your format better. If you're job-hunting in your 20s and unsure which to pick, "genzai ni itaru" gives a slightly more polished impression and is a safe default.
If you have already given notice at your current job and your resignation date is confirmed, include that information on your resume. "When can this person start?" is a key piece of information for the hiring company.
On the line below "genzai ni itaru," left-align a note such as "Note: Scheduled to resign on Month X, Day X, 20XX." On the line below that, write "ijo" right-aligned.
April 20XX Joined ○○ Co., Ltd.
Continuing to the present (genzai ni itaru)
Note: Scheduled to resign on Month X, Day X, 20XX
End of record (ijo)
If you haven't given notice yet, or your resignation date isn't confirmed, you don't need to force a date onto the resume. Closing with just "genzai ni itaru" and "ijo" is fine.
That said, you'll almost certainly be asked "When can you start?" in interviews. Check your employer's notice period requirements and handover timeline so you can give a realistic estimate. For tips on negotiating your resignation, see "How to Resign Smoothly | Timing and Example Phrases for Telling Your Boss."
Even if you are using up paid leave before your resignation date, you are still officially employed. So in the resume, write "genzai ni itaru" or "zaishokuchu." There's no need to explicitly mention that you are on paid leave.
Most younger applicants and second-career starters in their 20s have shorter work histories, so this isn't usually a problem. But if you've worked at multiple companies in your late 20s or are using a resume format with many fields, you may run out of space for "genzai ni itaru" and "ijo."
If only one line is left, you can place "genzai ni itaru" left-aligned and "ijo" right-aligned on the same line.
Continuing to the present End of record
It looks a little tight, but it's not a breach of etiquette. Many resume guides accept this style.
If even one extra line isn't available, append "genzai ni itaru" and "ijo" to the line of your last work entry. Leave about two character widths of space after the entry, write "genzai ni itaru," then leave another space and place "ijo" at the right edge.
If your work history is just too long, consolidating entries to reduce the line count is another option. For example, if you have multiple internal department transfers within the same company, you can compress them into one line: "worked in ○○ Department, △△ Department, and □□ Department."
Detailed work history can be covered separately in the resume's companion document, the shokumu-keirekisho (職務経歴書 / career-history document). For more on writing it, see "Complete Manual for Writing the Shokumu-Keirekisho | Templates and Examples by Job Type."
Different formats — JIS standard, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare format, and various transfer-oriented formats — allocate different amounts of space to the work history section. If you have a lot to write, choose a format with a larger section so you have room to breathe.
If your education and work history span two pages, avoid placing "genzai ni itaru" and "ijo" alone on the second page while the last work entry sits on the first page. Try to keep the final entry and these closing phrases together on the same page.
"Genzai ni itaru" is a short phrase, but writing it incorrectly can pass the wrong information to the hiring manager. Here are three common pitfalls to avoid in your 20s.
"Genzai ni itaru" only makes sense if the entry directly above it actually matches your current employer, department, and role. People who create resumes on a computer and apply to multiple companies often forget to update the last entry after a transfer or promotion happens during their job search.
Before submitting, double-check that the last entry matches your current department and responsibilities. If a recent transfer isn't reflected, mismatches will surface in interviews and damage your credibility.
Writing only "genzai ni itaru" and forgetting "ijo" is a common mistake. Without "ijo," the end of the document is unclear, and hiring managers may wonder, "Did they leave something out?"
Forgetting "ijo" alone almost never causes a rejection, but make it a habit to always include it as basic Japanese business document etiquette. For overall resume writing tips, see "Complete Guide to Writing a Japanese Resume | Etiquette and Field-by-Field Answers [For 20s & Second-Career Starters]."
Writing "genzai ni itaru" when you've already resigned and are between jobs is incorrect. On the flip side, if you are still employed but forget to write it, the hiring manager may misread the situation and assume "They've already left, so they can start right away."
Companies often care about your start-date schedule, so make sure your current employment status is conveyed accurately and avoid both omissions and incorrect uses.
Job changes in your 20s sometimes don't fit the typical full-time employee model. Here is how to handle "genzai ni itaru" for various situations.
If you are still working as a dispatch worker, write the dispatching agency name and the assignment company, then add "genzai ni itaru." For example: "Month X, 20XX: Joined ○○ Co., Ltd. (dispatching agency), assigned to △△ Co., Ltd. (placement) in the △△ Department." Make sure both the agency and the placement company are clear. The same applies to contract workers — write your current job, then "genzai ni itaru."
Freelancers and sole proprietors who are still active also use "genzai ni itaru." Write "Month X, 20XX: Became independent as a sole proprietor; engaged in ○○ work," then on a new line write "genzai ni itaru," followed by "ijo" below.
If you have already closed your business, do not use "genzai ni itaru." Instead, write "Month X, 20XX: Closed sole proprietorship" and finish with "ijo." If you submitted a kaigyo-todoke (business opening notification), writing the business open date — "Month X, 20XX: Opened sole proprietorship" — makes your activity period clear.
If you are a second-career starter without full-time employment history, or you have a part-time job that's directly relevant to the role you're applying for, you may want to include the part-time work. If you are still employed there, you can use "genzai ni itaru." Make sure to specify it as a part-time role: "Month X, 20XX: Joined ○○ Co., Ltd. as a part-time employee."
As a rule, students don't include part-time jobs in the work history section. However, if you have a long-term part-time role that's relevant to the position you're applying for, you may include it. In your education section, write "○○ University, Faculty of ○○, currently enrolled," then in the work history write "Month X, 20XX: Joined ○○ Co., Ltd. as a part-time employee, genzai ni itaru."
No. "Present" refers to the moment the hiring manager is reading your resume, so a specific date is unnecessary. Adding one would feel redundant. Just write "genzai ni itaru" alone.
Forgetting "genzai ni itaru" alone almost never causes you to fail the document screening. However, if it's not clear that you're still employed, the hiring company may miscalculate your possible start date. They might assume "this person should be able to start right away" and propose a tighter onboarding schedule than expected, so include it whenever possible.
On a resume, the correct form is the conclusive "genzai ni itaru." The continuative form "genzai ni itari" isn't used. If you are writing by hand, write carefully so the characters aren't misread.
Yes — on your shokumu-keirekisho (career history document) too, write "genzai ni itaru" or "zaishokuchu" at the end of the section about your current job. Although the format of a shokumu-keirekisho is more flexible than a resume, it's standard to close the document with "ijo" right-aligned at the very end.
Yes. While on maternity or parental leave, you are still officially employed, so "genzai ni itaru" applies. A polished way to write it is to use one line for the leave: "Month X, 20XX: Began maternity leave" or "Month X, 20XX: Began parental leave," then follow it with "genzai ni itaru." Adding your expected return-to-work timing in the personal preferences section helps the hiring company plan onboarding.
"Genzai ni itaru" is a tiny phrase in the work history section, but it plays a significant role in conveying your current employment status accurately to hiring managers. Once you understand the rules, anyone can write it confidently.
Three takeaways from this article. First, it is used only by people who are currently employed, on the line below the last work entry, left-aligned. Second, it must always be paired with "ijo," placed right-aligned one line below. Third, if a resignation date has been confirmed, include it; if space runs out, putting both phrases on the same line is acceptable.
For overall resume writing, see "Complete Guide to Writing a Japanese Resume | Etiquette and Field-by-Field Answers [For 20s & Second-Career Starters]." For the shokumu-keirekisho, see "Complete Manual for Writing the Shokumu-Keirekisho | Templates and Examples by Job Type." In your 20s and as a second-career starter, mastering basic Japanese business etiquette is one of the best ways to compensate for less experience. Use this article to deliver a flawless application and clear the document screening.
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