39.0% of 2029 Graduates Already Preparing for Job Hunting? Students Who Started Thinking About Job Hunting and Career Preparation in Their First or Second Year of University Account for 39.0% - Survey by Raxus

Raxus Inc. (Headquarters: Osaka City, Kita Ward / President and CEO: Jiro Fukushige, hereinafter referred to as "the Company") conducted a survey on the actual state of job hunting and career preparation among 300 university and graduate students graduating in 2028 and 2029, who are considering employment in private companies as their first choice or one of their options.

Survey Background

In recent years, there has been an increase in opportunities for students and companies to interact early through internships and open company events in new graduate recruitment. Many students begin gathering information about industries and companies before job hunting officially begins, suggesting that the start of job hunting and career preparation is earlier than in the past.

On the other hand, even students who are aware of job hunting from an early stage may not have a concrete idea of their desired industry or future work style. It is assumed that many students proceed with information gathering and self-understanding to learn about industries and jobs that suit them and to broaden their future options.

Therefore, the Company conducted a survey targeting university and graduate students graduating in 2028 and 2029 regarding when they started thinking about job hunting and career preparation, the reasons for starting early, and their decision-making status regarding their desired industries.

Survey Summary

1. 39.0% of students started thinking about job hunting and career preparation in their first or second year of university.

2. The most common reason for early awareness of job hunting and career preparation is "I want to think about a job that suits me," at 37.0%.

3. Only 11.3% of students have "specifically decided" on their desired industry. Industry selection is still in the exploration phase.

39.0% of students started thinking about job hunting and career preparation in their first or second year of university.

Regarding when they started thinking about job hunting and career preparation, 7.3% responded "during my first year of university," 16.3% responded "spring/summer of my second year," and 15.3% responded "autumn/winter of my second year," totaling 39.0% of students who started thinking about job hunting and career preparation in their first or second year of university.

On the other hand, 25.3% of students responded "spring/summer of my third year," and 6.3% responded "autumn or later of my third year." Additionally, 28.0% of students responded "I am not yet conscious of it," indicating that while a certain number of students are aware of job hunting and career preparation from an early stage, there is variability in when they begin to be conscious of it.

Notably, approximately 40% of students graduating in 2028 and 2029 are starting to think about job hunting and their careers from their first or second year of university. With increasing opportunities for students to interact with companies through internships and open company events, there is a growing trend of students beginning to think about their future and career direction before job hunting officially begins.

Most common reason for early awareness of job hunting and career preparation is "I want to think about a job that suits me" (37.0%); "Others have started moving" accounts for only 16.7%.

When asked about the reasons for being conscious of job hunting and career preparation from an early stage, "I want to think about a job that suits me" was the most common reason at 37.0%. This was followed by "I want to know about industries that suit me early" at 32.9%, "I don't want to fall behind in job hunting" at 31.9%, and "I want to broaden my future options" at 29.6%.

On the other hand, "Others have started moving" accounted for only 16.7%. The background to being conscious of job hunting and career preparation from an early stage includes not only passive reasons like keeping up with others but also proactive motivations such as wanting to know about jobs and industries that suit them early and wanting to broaden their future options.

In particular, given that "I want to think about a job that suits me" and "I want to know about industries that suit me early" were the top reasons, it is thought that students in the early stages of job hunting are interested in finding jobs and industries that suit them before proceeding to apply to specific companies or prepare for selection.

Companies are expected to clearly communicate job content, work styles, and the careers of young employees from an early stage to help students deepen their understanding of industries and jobs.

Only 11.3% of students have "specifically decided" on their desired industry; many are in the candidate/interest stage, and industry selection is still in the exploration phase.

When asked about their desired industries at present, only 11.3% of students responded "specifically decided." On the other hand, 22.3% responded "have a few candidates," and 23.7% responded "have some industries I'm vaguely interested in," indicating that students who have clearly decided on an industry are a minority.

Furthermore, 15.3% responded "haven't decided much yet," and 8.3% responded "I want to think from job type or work style, not industry." Even among students who are conscious of job hunting and career preparation from an early stage, they are in the phase before narrowing down their desired industry to one, and industry selection is still in the exploration phase.

It is particularly noteworthy that many students begin information gathering before specifically deciding on an industry. Companies are expected to provide information from an early stage that allows students to judge "if it seems to suit me," not just through name recognition or industry name, but through job content, work styles, careers of young employees, and workplace atmosphere.

Representative's Comment

This survey revealed that 39.0% of students graduating in 2028 and 2029 started thinking about job hunting and career preparation during their first or second year of university. In recent years, opportunities for students to experience companies and industries from an early stage through internships and open company events have increased, and the trend of thinking about careers before job hunting officially begins is spreading.

On the other hand, only 11.3% of students have "specifically decided" on their desired industry, with many students being in the candidate or interest stage. Additionally, the most common reason for early awareness of job hunting and career preparation was "I want to think about a job that suits me."

It is thought that students are not choosing specific companies at an early stage but are beginning to gather information to find jobs and industries that suit them.

For companies, it is important not to view early contact as merely an opportunity for recognition, but to clearly communicate job content, work styles, the careers of young employees, and the workplace atmosphere, providing information that allows students to judge if it suits them.

As recruitment activities become earlier, we believe that information dissemination that aligns with students' exploration phase will become increasingly important.

▼Click here for the New Graduate Recruitment Page

https://www.raxus.inc/recruit/

Survey Overview

Survey Method: Internet survey

Survey Area: Nationwide

Survey Period: June 23, 2026 - June 26, 2026

Target Audience: University and graduate students graduating in 2028 and 2029 who are considering employment in private companies as their first choice or one of their options.

Number of Responses: 300

About Raxus Inc.

Under the mission "Creating a future that does not exist here and now," Raxus Inc. develops businesses that fuse technology and reality in areas such as mobility, human resources, education, M&A, and sports.

We aim to provide value that does not yet exist in the world by building services that start from the fundamental resolution of social issues, without being bound by the framework of existing industries.

We are working to achieve sustainable growth and increase corporate value by pioneering unprecedented markets through structural reforms and business transformation.

<Company Profile>

・Company Name: Raxus Inc.

・Representative: President and CEO Jiro Fukushige

・Head Office Location: 18F, Grand Front Osaka Tower B, 3 Ofukacho, Kita Ward, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture

・Business Content: Pure holding company (management of group companies)

・URL: https://raxus.inc/