[circusAGENT] Number of New Graduate Job Offer Acceptances More Than Doubles Year-on-Year: Job Hunting Support Only Possible Through Mid-Career Recruitment Agents

circus Inc. (Location: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Takashi Yabe) is pleased to announce that the number of new graduate job offer acceptances through its recruitment platform, 'circusAGENT,' reached 714 (as of March 30, 2026) for the 2026 graduating class (2025 fiscal year results), representing more than double the figure from the previous year. Structural Changes and Challenges in New Graduate Recruitment In recent years, the new graduate recruitment market has seen an acceleration in job hunting activities. As of March 1, the job offer retention rate for university students graduating in 2027 reached a record high of 51.7% (*1). While the overall job opening-to-applicant ratio for the new graduate market is 1.66, it jumps to 8.98 (*2) for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with fewer than 300 employees, leading to a 'severe recruitment crisis' as students concentrate on large, popular companies. In this 'super seller's market,' it has become common for students to receive numerous scouting offers from companies, shifting them toward 'passive job hunting' where they receive many options without needing to act proactively. However, faced with a vast array of choices, many students struggle to objectively determine which career path is best for them, which can paradoxically narrow their perspective. Consequently, utilizing agents who can stand between companies and students to propose 'choices that look toward future careers' has become a powerful option. Furthermore, by acting as a 'third party' who can grasp honest feelings and hesitations that are difficult to disclose to companies during the long period from selection to joining, these agents play a role in preventing declined offers and mismatches just before employment. *1: DISCO Corp. (CareerTas) 'Job Offer Status for 2027 Graduates as of March 1' *2: 'The 42nd Works Graduate Job Opening-to-Applicant Ratio Survey (2026 Graduates),' Recruit Works Institute Three Features of New Graduate Recruitment Provided by circusAGENT The number of job offer acceptances for the 2026 graduating class (2025 fiscal year) via circusAGENT reached 714 (as of March 30, 2026), more than double the previous year. Behind this rapid increase in successful placements are the platform's unique features, which differ from traditional new graduate-specialized agencies. 1. Over Half are 'Companies with 300 or Fewer Employees' with High Recruitment Difficulty More than half of the new graduate job postings on circusAGENT are from SMEs with 300 or fewer employees. By providing an efficient matching venue through the platform for these small and medium-sized companies—which face an extremely high job opening-to-applicant ratio of 8.98—we enable successful recruitment that does not rely on brand name recognition. 2. Support for a Wide Range of Industries/Occupations and Suitability for 'Job-Based Recruitment' In the 2025 fiscal year, new graduate job postings across 107 industries and 155 occupations (*3) were listed. Rather than general 'bulk hiring' for comprehensive positions, we have achieved job offer acceptances in highly specialized fields that meet the needs for 'occupation-specific recruitment' with clear initial assignments. - IT Engineers - Mechanical, Electrical, Electronic, and Semiconductor Engineers - Construction and Real Estate Specialists - Consultants and Licensed Professionals - Sales and Customer Support - Administrative/Clerical - Sales and Service, etc. *3: Calculated from new graduate job postings listed on circusAGENT between April 2025 and March 2026. *4: Extracted from new graduate job postings that resulted in offer acceptances on circusAGENT between April 2025 and March 2026. 3. Applying Specialized Mid-Career Recruitment Expertise to the New Graduate Domain In February 2026, 240 recruitment agencies recommended new graduate candidates. Many of these are agents who focus on mid-career and second-new-graduate recruitment and are well-versed in the skill sets and career paths of various industries. Because they are in direct contact with the background and raw voices of why people left jobs early—not just success stories—through daily interviews, they are capable of essential matching that looks toward success several years down the line. By bringing this field-based expertise into the 'occupation-specific/job-based recruitment' of new graduates, we connect student aspirations with company needs with high precision. Future Outlook circusAGENT entered the new graduate domain in 2024, building on its track record in the mid-career recruitment sector. As the nature of new graduate recruitment enters a transitional period, cases where traditional methods are insufficient are increasing. In this environment, agents with deep knowledge cultivated in the mid-career sector are demonstrating high intervention value in new graduate recruitment as well. Moving forward, we will accelerate functional improvements to streamline the selection processes and management flows unique to new graduate recruitment. By maximizing the expertise of our agents and creating environments where people can continue to thrive, we will promote the construction of a business infrastructure where companies, students, and agents can naturally make 'decisions without regrets.' About circusAGENT 'circusAGENT' is a B2B platform that streamlines transactions between hiring companies and agents. By posting job openings on the platform, hiring companies can request referrals from registered agents in bulk. Agents can utilize the job database to make optimal proposals tailored to the candidate's aptitude without spending time on job development. As of March 2026, approximately 1,700 agencies are registered, with about 120,000 job openings listed.