Survey Reveals 60% of Sharoushi Learners are HR Professionals; Over 75% Use Self-Study

IID, Inc. (Headquarters: Nakano-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Hiroshi Miyagawa) conducted a survey regarding 'Study Methods for the Sharoushi Exam' targeting 266 learners. The survey was carried out on its information site 'Mitsukaru Manabi', which focuses on career advancement (job changes) and reskilling (from acquiring qualifications to learning skills like programming).

■ Survey Overview
Title: Survey on Study Methods for the Sharoushi Exam
Survey Period: December 19, 2025 – December 28, 2025
Target Audience: Sharoushi exam learners
Number of Respondents: 266
Methodology: Online survey using the crowdsourcing service 'CrowdWorks'

The results are as follows:

[Occupation at the Start of Study: 'Company Employee (HR/Labor)' at 60.5%] Over 60% are attempting it with practical experience.
When asked, 'What was your occupation when you started studying for the exam?', the most common answer was 'Company Employee (HR/Labor)' at 60.5%, accounting for over 60% of the total. This was followed by 'Company Employee (Other Professions)' at 25.6% and 'Other' at 13.9%.
This result makes it clear that the vast majority of Sharoushi exam candidates are company employees with practical experience in HR and labor. It is believed there is a strong tendency to aim for this qualification to systematically learn necessary practical knowledge or for career advancement. Additionally, challengers from other professions account for about a quarter, indicating that the Sharoushi qualification is attracting attention from a wide range of fields.

[Years to Pass: '2 to under 3 years' at approx. 60%] More than half pass in 2-3 years; only 5% pass in their first year.
When asked, 'How many years did it take to pass?' (excluding respondents who are 'still studying and have not passed'), '2 to under 3 years' was the most frequent response at 59.6%, making up more than half of all answers. This was followed by '1 to under 2 years' at 15.4%, '3 to under 4 years' at 10.4%, 'under 1 year (first-year pass)' at 5.0%, '5 years or more' at 5.0%, and '4 to under 5 years' at 4.6%.
This indicates that requiring about 2 to 3 years of study is the most common case for passing the Sharoushi exam. First-year passers are a minority at 5.0%, showing that many candidates continue studying over multiple years. On the other hand, a certain number took 5 years or more, confirming its status as a highly difficult qualification.

[Number of Attempts: '2 times' at 67.0%] First-time passers are a minority at 11.9%.
When asked, 'How many times did you take the exam before passing?' (excluding respondents who are 'still studying and have not passed'), '2 times' was overwhelmingly the most common, accounting for 67.0% of passers. This was followed by '3 times' at 13.4%, '1 time' at 11.9%, '4 times' at 4.2%, and '5 times or more' at 3.4%.
This reveals that most people pass the Sharoushi exam on their second attempt. A common pattern is thought to be grasping the exam's trends and difficulty on the first try and securing a pass on the second. First-time passers are a minority at 11.9%, with cases requiring multiple attempts to pass constituting the vast majority.

[Study Time: 'Commuting/Traveling' tops with 119 people] Utilizing spare time is the key to passing.
When asked, 'During what time of day did you study the most?', 'Commuting/traveling' was the highest with 119 people, followed by 'After returning home/Late night' with 74, 'Bulk study on holidays' with 34, 'Early morning' with 24, 'Between chores' with 9, and 'Lunch break' with 6.
This shows that many Sharoushi exam learners effectively utilize spare moments like commuting. Since many aim for the qualification while working, making it hard to secure large blocks of time, they efficiently squeeze out study time in their daily lives. Late-night hours after returning home are also utilized as crucial study periods, suggesting that time management is key to balancing work and study.

[Study Method: 'Self-Study' at over 75% with 217 people] An overwhelming majority pass through self-study.
When asked, 'What is your study method?' (multiple answers allowed), 'Self-study' took the overwhelming majority with 217 people, representing 76.4% of total responses. This was followed by 'Correspondence courses' with 51 people, 'Attending school' with 13, and 'Other' with 3.
This makes it clear that the vast majority of Sharoushi exam learners are self-studying. While a certain number use correspondence courses, the mainstream preference for self-study is likely driven by the need for flexibility to progress at one's own pace in a working environment. The abundance of materials and resources that make passing via self-study possible is also presumed to be a supporting factor.

[Correspondence Course Used: 'Foresight' tops with 13 people]