95.9% of University Students Secure 'Employment Before Graduation'... The Story of Japanese Job Hunting 'Sh?katsu' [Nichiy?bi Culture]

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When talking with my Japanese friends, the biggest cultural difference I notice is about employment. This is mainly because most of them have their job placements decided before graduation. Although there have been recent talks about how difficult it is to find a job in Japan, it is quite different from Korea, where students often delay graduation to jump into the job market. Today, I will share a story about Japanese university students' job preparation, called 'Sh?katsu (就活)'.

This week, NHK announced the job placement rate for those graduating in 2025. For fourth-year students graduating next February, an impressive 95.9% already have their jobs secured. This is 3.9 percentage points higher than last year. In October, most companies hold a 'Naiseishiki' ceremony to welcome these students and hope they do not change their minds before joining.

Job seekers from Japan gathered at the job fair. (Photo by FREETONSHA Blog)

This year, 90.1% of Naiseishiki ceremonies were held offline, while only 8.3% were online. NHK reported, "Since it is a candidate-favored job market, companies seem to want to communicate clearly to prevent candidates from withdrawing their acceptance." Due to the severe labor shortage, every new hire is precious, so companies are eager to hold on tightly.

Unlike Korea, where students start job hunting in their final semester, sometimes delaying graduation or continuing job preparation after graduating, Japan has a different culture. For four-year universities, job hunting usually begins in the third year, one year before graduation. This job hunting activity is abbreviated as 'Sh?katsu (就活)'.

A distinctive feature of Sh?katsu is that most recruitment happens simultaneously around the same time. Unlike Korea’s staggered hiring periods such as first half, second half, or rolling recruitment, all companies conduct hiring concurrently. The schedule may vary slightly depending on whether the company is foreign-affiliated or a member of the Keidanren (Japan Business Federation), but generally, the timing is similar.

Let's assume you are a third-year university student. In March, most companies announce their recruitment plans and hold information sessions. Students, dressed in suits with natural hair color, decide on their desired field and analyze companies or industries by May. Interviews start in June, and after going through several selection stages, successful candidates receive a job offer letter on October 1. When the student submits a letter of acceptance to the company, the job hunting process ends. Then, they spend their fourth year well, graduate, and start working immediately. Companies even hold Naiseishiki ceremonies to welcome them. This atmosphere is quite different from Korea, where some companies do not hire new employees for two or three years depending on the situation.

This seems to be due to the labor shortage faced by Japanese companies. With Japan’s early onset of low birth rates and aging population, the number of university students is decreasing, creating a job market favorable to job seekers. Job seekers have the upper hand over companies. Since some candidates apply to multiple places and choose among offers, there are cases where they give up an offer and move to another company.

ALSOK, a Japanese company, internal appointment ceremony. (Photo by NHK)

Because of this, more companies in Japan are now confirming with parents. This process is called 'Oyakaku,' combining 'Oya' (parent) and 'Kakunin' (confirmation). According to a survey conducted by the employment information company Mynavi in February targeting 851 parents of soon-to-be-employed children, 52.4% reported receiving contact from the company to confirm the parents' intentions. The strategy is to secure the support of parents, who are the closest seniors in social life. Companies send materials explaining the company to parents and even invite them to the Naiseishiki ceremony.

I used to envy my Japanese friends who find jobs quickly, but they say their memories of the third year are mostly about job hunting. Instead, in the fourth year, they have enough time to work part-time, travel, and enjoy themselves before entering society.

However, even in Japan, there is criticism that Japanese job hunting lacks individuality. As seen in the simultaneous recruitment, everyone starts job hunting at the same time, dressed similarly. They dye their hair back to black and wear formal suits. A Japanese job hunting website states, "No matter how flashy your appearance was before, you must change your look to fit job hunting," and "In Japan, where maintaining harmony is important, showing individuality makes it difficult to secure a job," which is a significant problem.