> Does the branch I use have to be the same as the location where I attend the interview?
The branch you’re registered with is automatically determined by your current address. If the address on your ID is in Nagoya, you’ll be registered with the Nagoya branch even if you interview in Tokyo.
You’re free to choose any interview location. So even if you live in Nagoya, you can interview in Osaka if you prefer.
However, unlike a while ago, each branch now operates as its own unit, and the staff at the branch where you interviewed will also handle your arrangements.
So if you’ll be registered in Nagoya, it may be better to interview there. That way, if someone from Nagoya contacts the staff, they might say, “This woman was great.”
On the other hand, they might also say, “She was late for her interview that day,” so it could work against you as well.
Also, Osaka has two branches and Tokyo has four, but even when the branches are different, they’re grouped together under “Osaka” or “Tokyo.” As long as you interview within the same city group, you’ll be treated the same.
> Would it be considered unreasonable to ask for an interview today, or could it affect whether I pass?
It won’t affect you at all. They sometimes accept same-day interview bookings.
There’s a blog by the department that handles interview applications, and based on that, calling seems to be the best option if you’re not worried about phone charges.
In your case especially, it sounds like you’ve already applied, so calling may be the easiest approach. One advantage is that you’ll immediately know whether all the appointments for today are already filled.
Phone → quickest, but you’ll have to pay for the call
Email → open the website, fill out the form, and apply
LINE → open the website, add them as a LINE friend, and send a message
Chat → open the website and contact them via chat
Twitter → simply contact them from your own account to request an interview
https://universe-club.jp/staffblog/yaguchi0904/
By the way, in Tokyo, Shinjuku may be fully booked while Shibuya or Ikebukuro still has availability. So it might be worth asking about the other locations—you may still be able to interview today.
The two things that seem to have an impact are:
- Canceling after making a reservation (the number of cancellations is recorded)
- Being late (lateness for the interview also affects your evaluation)
So I recommend choosing a time you can definitely make without being late.
For the first part, I think the link in Kazu’s answer should clear things up.
As for the latter part, if they have availability, it may actually make the interview process more efficient. And if you seem like someone who’s likely to become popular, Universe would probably want to get you registered quickly, so I don’t think it would be a bother or unreasonable at all.
Regarding the timing:
https://universe-club.jp/help/questions/view/13903
If the staff are available, I don’t think it would necessarily be a problem even on the same day. That said, I doubt they’d have any availability in the first place.
If you yourself feel it would be unreasonable, I think it’s best not to do it.
