#Japan #job hunting #Machida #Strobolights #Akikoma

A Revolutionary Job Hunting Service for Students: Akikoma Shukatsu

In an era where job hunting can feel overwhelming for students, Strobolights Co., Ltd., headquartered in Machida City, Tokyo, is stepping up to the challenge with a new initiative: Akikoma Shukatsu. This innovative video distribution service, set to launch on October 31, 2025, aims to maximize students’ gaps in their schedules—known as ‘akikoma’—by allowing them to conveniently attend corporate presentations.

Background of the Service Development

The new graduate recruitment market is fraught with challenges for numerous companies, such as:

• - Difficulty in connecting with a larger pool of students and forming a candidate group.
• - Limited recruitment staff, making it hard to increase the frequency of recruitment presentations.
• - Explanatory videos produced are not resulting in sufficient views from students.

However, a recent survey conducted by Strobolights in July 2025, involving 95 university students, revealed that a staggering 80% of job-seeking students are actively job hunting during their akikoma, and of these, 90% expressed a desire to attend corporate presentations or job hunting lectures during these free periods. Additionally, approximately 80% reported having had to forgo participation in presentations or internships due to scheduling conflicts with classes, part-time jobs, and club activities. This underlines the necessity for a system like Akikoma Shukatsu, which is designed to address both students’ and employers’ needs.

Understanding ‘Akikoma’

What is Akikoma?

The term ‘akikoma’ refers to the gaps that exist between lecture periods in university class schedules. Our company’s research found that roughly 30% of students have akikoma on over half of their weeks, while about 50% have these gaps only 1-2 times a week. This indicates that such free periods are commonplace among students.

Overview of the Service

Akikoma Shukatsu is a video platform that allows companies to distribute pre-recorded 20-minute explanatory videos during students' akikoma.

Features of the Service:

• - Utilizing Unconventional Time Slots: Recruitment efforts can be made during unique akikoma time slots, fostering greater connections with students.
• - Reduced Burden on Recruitment Staff: Instead of live streaming, pre-recorded videos can be aired, significantly lessening the workload on the day of broadcasting and allowing for repeats.
• - Student-Friendly Participation: With features like ‘camera off’, ‘microphone off’, and the possibility for anonymous attendance, students can feel comfortable engaging. The short duration of about 20 minutes and multiple scheduling options lower barriers for participation. Data on viewing rates and time spent, along with contact information of interested students from post-event surveys, will also be provided to employers.

Feedback from Early Participants

Between August and September 2025, a pre-launch event was conducted, attracting 107 students with a participation rate of 72% and a retention rate of 88%. Feedback from student participants included:

• - “I learned what I wanted to know in that short 20-minute session.”
• - “I appreciate the option to choose from various time slots.”
• - “It was great to be able to ask questions informally via chat.”

Campaign Information

Akikoma Shukatsu will target students graduating in 2027, aiming to facilitate greater encounters between students and companies. To celebrate the service’s launch, a limited-time promotional rate is available. Interested recruitment officers are encouraged to reach out for more information.

About Strobolights Co., Ltd.

Strobolights, established on May 20, 2020, operates under the philosophy of ‘wanting to free individuals from constraints’. The company engages in various initiatives including content planning, event management, and recruitment branding focused on career and job hunting.

Example Services:

• - Career support site for university students: Machikado Career Lab (

link)

• - Innovative joint company presentation without preconceived notions: Companies’ unnamed joint briefing
• - Business contest for university students: CAREER ROOKIES

Company Name: Strobolights Co., Ltd.
Headquarters: Machida City, Tokyo
Website: Strobolights