Shift to online recruitment sees Japanese students spend less on job hunting

Students spent an average of about ¥29,000 on job hunting between March and May, about a third of last year’s amount, as the move to online recruitment amid the coronavirus pandemic cut their related transport and accommodation expenses, a survey has showed.

Conducted by recruitment services provider Mynavi Corp., the poll revealed 94.7 percent of job interviews in May were conducted online as companies switched to the virtual world during the national state of emergency and the government’s stay-at-home requests.

A total of 2,202 undergraduate and postgraduate students due to graduate in 2021 responded to the online survey, carried out from May 25 to 31.

They spent an average of ¥28,930 on job hunting during the three months, against ¥89,415 last year, as their outlay on related travel and accommodation tumbled more than ¥50,000.

During the state of emergency in April and May, people were advised to refrain from going out, and nonessential businesses were asked to temporarily close.

“Both students and recruiters know the advantages of online interviews, so they will continue to be adopted to some extent,” a Mynavi employee said.

They added that some companies have suspended recruitment due to the economic fallout from the pandemic and warned students could face a tough future if they are unable to swiftly secure a job.

In Japan, a large number of companies annually hire new graduates in bulk, and university students apply for jobs about a year before their scheduled graduation.