Career Recruitment by 83.1% of Companies; 'Career Recruitment > New Graduate Recruitment' Becomes the Majority. 26.9% Plan to Increase Career Hires This Year, Expansion Trend Continues [Company Survey]

Gakujo Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo) conducted an internet survey targeting HR personnel of companies and organizations regarding the current status and plans for career recruitment. The number of companies currently implementing career recruitment reached 83.1%, representing the highest percentage since the survey began in 2023. In this fiscal year's recruitment activities, 'career recruitment accounts for a larger proportion' came to 41.8%, surpassing 'new graduate recruitment accounts for a larger proportion' (40.5%) for the first time. Regarding the number of career hires this year, three out of four companies plan to hire the same number or more than the previous year, indicating a continued expansion trend.

[TOPICS]

(1) 83.1% of companies 'conduct career recruitment,' up 6.0 points from the previous year.

(2) 'Career Recruitment > New Graduate Recruitment' at 41.8%, surpassing 'Career < New Graduate' (40.5%) for the first time.

(3) 26.9% plan to 'increase career recruitment' this year, expansion trend continues.

[Background of the Survey]

Against the backdrop of intensified competition for new graduates and labor shortages, more companies are strengthening their career recruitment (experienced hire) efforts. Five years have passed since companies with 301 or more employees became obligated to disclose their mid-career hire ratio. This survey examined the current status and plans for career recruitment this fiscal year.

(1) 83.1% of companies 'conduct career recruitment,' up 6.0 points from the previous year.

The status of career recruitment showed that 83.1% of respondents answered 'currently implementing,' accounting for the majority. This is a 6.0 percentage point increase from 77.1% at the same time last year, and the highest percentage since the survey began in 2023.

Companies that were not currently implementing but had done so 'within 3 months' or 'within 1 year' totaled 7.1%. Those planning to implement 'within 3 months' or 'within 1 year' totaled 3.1%. Only 6.8% had 'not implemented and have no plans to implement.'

(2) 'Career Recruitment > New Graduate Recruitment' at 41.8%, surpassing 'Career < New Graduate' for the first time.

Regarding the proportion of career recruitment and new graduate recruitment in fiscal year 2026 recruitment activities, '5:5' was the most common at 17.5%. Companies that answered 'career recruitment accounts for a larger proportion than new graduate recruitment' totaled 41.8%, surpassing the 40.5% of companies that answered 'new graduate recruitment accounts for a larger proportion than career recruitment.' This is the first time since the survey began in 2023 that 'career recruitment accounts for a larger proportion' has become the majority, indicating the expansion of career recruitment.

(3) 26.9% plan to 'increase career recruitment' this year, expansion trend continues.

Regarding the number of career hires for fiscal year 2026, 'no particular change from the previous year' accounted for almost half at 49.1%, followed by 'plan to increase from the previous year' at 26.9%. Combined, three out of four companies plan to hire the same number or more than the previous year. Although 'plan to increase' decreased from last year's figure (32.8%), 'plan to decrease from the previous year' remained at 6.2%, indicating that career recruitment continues to expand.

■Survey Outline

・Survey period: March 16, 2026 - April 10, 2026

・Survey organization: Gakujo Co., Ltd.

・Survey target: HR personnel of companies/organizations

・Valid responses: 295

・Survey method: Web-based questionnaire

*Numbers for each item are rounded to the first decimal place, so the total of single-choice answers may not be 100.0%.

■About Gakujo Co., Ltd.

TSE Prime-listed, Keidanren member company. Since 2004, it has advocated '20s all-year recruitment.' Based on 'Re-Shukatsu' (No. 1 job change site for 20s for 7 consecutive years selected by 20s, with 2.8 million members, Tokyo Shoko Research survey 2019-2025) and 'Re-Shukatsu 30' (direct recruiting service for 30s), and 'Re-Shukatsu Campus' (scout-based job hunting site with 600,000 members), it is a major job hunting and job change information company that totally supports recruitment for those in their 20s and 30s.

It also hosted Japan's first 'Joint Company Seminar' (company research) and offers various services related to recruiting young talent, such as 'Tenshoku Haku' and 'Shushoku Haku'.

[Founded / 1976 Capital / 1.5 billion yen Affiliated organizations / Japan Business Federation, National Job Information Association, Japan Association of Human Resource Agencies, Japan Job Information Publishing Conference, Forest Culture Association]

https://company.gakujo.ne.jp