#Japan #Tokyo #Job Offers #student surveys #career trends

Trends in Job Hunting for 2026 Graduates

As the job market evolves, it's crucial to understand the current landscape for upcoming graduates. A recent survey conducted by Career Tasu in Tokyo focused on university seniors set to graduate in March 2026, including graduate students in STEM fields. The survey, which took place from July 1 to July 7, 2025, garnered responses from 1,073 students, providing valuable insights into their job search experiences.

Job Offer Rate

On July 1, the overall job offer rate stood at a commendable 87.3%, slightly lower than the previous year’s rate of 89.7%. This suggests that while opportunities remain abundant, there is a subtle decline in offers compared to last year. Moreover, 74.8% of respondents reported they had completed their job search activities, leaving 25.2% still seeking opportunities, categorized into those with offers and those without.

Decline in Job Application Efforts

Interestingly, the volume of job applications submitted has also decreased. On average, students reported submitting applications to 12.0 companies, down from 13.8 the previous year. This declining trend is mirrored in the number of interviews and written test engagements, both of which saw a drop compared to last year.

Current Candidates’ Status

For those students who continue their job search, the average number of companies currently being considered is about 3.2. Specifically, they continue to engage with approximately 1.7 companies already in selection processes and are planning to apply to around 1.5 additional firms. Students expressed a desire to reconsider their targeted industries, job types, and company sizes, with 29.1% reflecting on their preferred industries and 24.8% on job types.

Trends in Secured Job Offers

Among those who secured job offers, the most favored industry was the information and software sector. For STEM graduates, the electronics and electrical sector shared the top position in terms of job offer acceptance.

Group Recruitment Gatherings

In this survey cycle, 41.2% of respondents reported attending group recruitment sessions, a slight uptick from the previous year’s 41.0%. The preferred format for these sessions remained predominantly in-person, with 75.3% attending face-to-face meetings compared to 24.7% participating online.

Student Perception of Job Market

The survey also shed light on students' perspectives regarding the current job market environment. Notably, 56.6% of respondents feel that it is a job-seeker's market, marking three consecutive years where this perception has exceeded half of the surveyed students.

Conclusion

As the job landscape continues to shift, understanding these trends is essential for stakeholders in employment services and educational institutions. The findings from this survey provide a clearer picture of where students stand in their career-seeking journeys and how they can better navigate the future job market.

For a more detailed report on this survey, please visit Career Tasu Report.

Survey Overview

• - Target Group: Final-year university students graduating in March 2026, including graduate students in STEM disciplines.
• - Participants: 1,073 (comprising 207 male liberal arts students, 476 female liberal arts students, 249 male STEM students, and 141 female STEM students).
• - Methodology: Internet-based survey
• - Period: July 1-7, 2025
• - Conducted by: Career Tasu Research Company