[Survey Results] About Half of Job Seekers Have Withdrawn from Applications or Selection Processes Due to SNS and Word-of-Mouth

Key facts

  • [Survey Results] About Half of Job Seekers Have Withdrawn from Applications or Selection Processes Due to SNS and Word-of-Mouth
  • A survey by Workport Inc. of 308 business professionals found that about half of job seekers have withdrawn from applications or selection processes due to SNS and word-of-mouth. When official information and SNS information conflict, over 40% trust SNS/word-of-mouth more than official sources, and about 1 in 3 give up before applying. Job seekers demand 'realistic information disclosure' from companies.
  • Source: PR Times
  • Date: June 4, 2026

Direct answer

A survey by Workport Inc. of 308 business professionals found that about half of job seekers have withdrawn from applications or selection processes due to SNS and word-of-mouth. When official information and SNS information conflict, over 40% trust SNS/word-of-mouth more than official sources, and about 1 in 3 give up before applying. Job seekers demand 'realistic information disclosure' from companies.

Citation
[Survey Results] About Half of Job Seekers Have Withdrawn from Applications or Selection Processes Due to SNS and Word-of-Mouth (June 4, 2026), PR Times
Source
PR Times
Date
June 4, 2026
A survey by Workport Inc. of 308 business professionals found that about half of job seekers have withdrawn from applications or selection processes due to SNS and word-of-mouth. When official information and SNS information conflict, over 40% trust SNS/word-of-mouth more than official sources, and about 1 in 3 give up before applying. Job seekers demand 'realistic information disclosure' from companies.
調査NQ 0/100出典：PR Times

📋 Article Processing Timeline

  • 📰 Published: June 4, 2026 at 19:02
  • 🔍 Collected: June 4, 2026 at 10:21
  • 🤖 AI Analyzed: June 6, 2026 at 23:11 (60h 49m after Collected)
Workport Inc. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo and Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City; Chairman and CEO: Takahiro Tamura), a human resources placement company, conducted a survey on the 'influence of SNS and word-of-mouth' in job-changing activities, targeting 308 business professionals nationwide (men and women in their 20s to 40s). In recent years, it has become common for job seekers to use not only official company websites and job listings but also SNS and review sites as means of gathering information during job changes. While an increasing number of job seekers actively seek out real voices from the field and actual workplace conditions beyond official information, the diversification of available information has also led to many cases where it is difficult to judge its authenticity and reliability. This survey investigated the actual usage and trust levels of SNS and review sites among job seekers. Furthermore, it explored how this information influences application decisions, what kind of content serves as decision-making material, and the true feelings and realities of job seekers. ■ About half of job seekers have experienced 'withdrawal' from applications or selection processes triggered by SNS/word-of-mouth. 1 in 3 give up before applying. ■ When there is a discrepancy in information, over 40% trust 'SNS/word-of-mouth', surpassing trust in official sources. ■ What determines whether to continue an application is not perfection, but 'information transparency' where both good and bad aspects are visible. ■ [Actual Usage of SNS/Word-of-Mouth] Over 80% of job seekers 'check' SNS/word-of-mouth, making it a standard step in job-changing activities. First, when all respondents were asked how often they check SNS/review sites in addition to official company websites and job listings during job changes, a combined 83.8% answered 'check', including 'always check' (20.5%), 'often check' (27.6%), and 'occasionally check' (35.7%). The 'do not check' group remained a minority, indicating that checking third-party opinions and raw information online alongside official company information has become a standard step in job-changing activities. ■ [Purpose of Use] The primary purpose is 'understanding the actual workplace conditions', with a tendency to seek realities not visible in official information. When those who said they check SNS/review sites during job changes were asked about their purpose (multiple answers allowed), 'understanding the actual workplace conditions (atmosphere, employee demeanor, etc.)' was the most common at 77.1%. This was followed by 'risk confirmation (turnover rate, black company degree, history of scandals, etc.)' (65.1%) and 'verification of official information (whether conditions and treatment are factual)' (51.6%), suggesting that these tools are used to supplement internal details not visible through official information alone. Other opinions included actively using SNS to gain an advantage in the selection process, such as 'following, liking, and replying to get myself recognized a little' (female system engineer in her 30s). ■ [Information Trustworthiness] When official information and SNS/word-of-mouth conflict, trust in 'SNS/word-of-mouth' surpasses official sources. Next, when asked which they would trust more if the content of official information and SNS/word-of-mouth differed, 43.8% of respondents said 'information from SNS or review sites', nearly half. On the other hand, only 29.1% said they would trust 'information from official websites or job listings' more. This revealed a tendency to trust third-party opinions and real voices from the field more than the polished information disseminated by companies. ■ [Impact on Applications/Selection] About half have experienced withdrawal triggered by SNS/word-of-mouth; 1 in 3 'stopped the application itself'. Subsequently, when those who said they check SNS/review sites during job changes were asked if they had ever stopped an application or selection process due to information from SNS or word-of-mouth, a combined 48.0% had experienced withdrawal, including 'stopped the application' (34.5%), 'declined during the selection process' (11.2%), and 'declined after receiving a job offer' (2.3%). Notably, 34.5% had stopped the application itself, accounting for about 1 in 3 people. This highlights the significant impact of SNS and word-of-mouth information on job seekers' application decisions and withdrawal behavior. ■ [Negative Factors] 'Negative posts' top the list at 54.7%; low compliance awareness and excessive 'glitter' are also deterrents. When asked what elements of a company's SNS make them think 'I should stop applying to this company' (multiple answers allowed), 'employee complaints and negative posts' (54.7%) was the most common, followed by 'posts that seem to show low compliance awareness' (46.9%). Furthermore, 'discrepancy between official information and reality (treatment, job content, etc.)' (45.7%) and 'excessive glittery feel (staging)' (44.2%) each accounted for over 40%. It became clear that not only inappropriate posts but also 'excessive self-promotion' intended by companies to enhance their appeal can become factors for job seekers to withdraw. ■ [Positive Factors] Over 70% appreciate 'presentation of both good and bad aspects'; there is a tendency to seek 'realistic' company images rather than perfect ones. Finally, when asked what kind of state makes them feel 'I want to continue applying' after seeing information on SNS or review sites (multiple answers allowed), 'both good and bad aspects are visible' was the most common at 73.6%. This was followed by 'the atmosphere of the workplace is conveyed' (51.6%) and 'the daily life and routines of employees are understandable' (51.2%), both exceeding 50%. It became clear that job seekers are trying to discern 'realities and atmospheres not visible in official information' from SNS and word-of-mouth, and that the disclosure of realistic information, including both advantages and disadvantages, is a major factor in their decision to continue with an application. This survey revealed that job seekers are actively using SNS and word-of-mouth to investigate the 'real internal affairs' of companies during job changes. The fact that when there is a discrepancy with official information, over 40% of those who check SNS/review sites trust 'SNS/word-of-mouth', and as a result, 1 in 3 give up before applying, and about half of all respondents have experienced withdrawal from applications or selection processes, is a significant issue that companies cannot ignore. It suggests that 'employer branding' that unilaterally disseminates polished information may no longer be sufficient to gain adequate trust. Behind this, there is likely the influence of inappropriate SNS posts by employees, which have been frequently covered in the news in recent years, leading job seekers to rigorously assess a company's compliance awareness and risk management posture through SNS. Given that over 70% of job seekers appreciate a state where 'both good and bad aspects are visible', it seems that 'realistic information disclosure', including a company's own challenges and stance on compliance, rather than one-sided PR, is now required in recruitment activities. ■ Survey Overview Survey Content: Survey on the use of SNS and word-of-mouth in job-changing activities Survey Organization: In-house survey Survey Target: Business professionals nationwide using our services (men and women in their 20s to 40s) Valid Responses: 308 people Survey Period: May 21, 2026 – May 28, 2026 Survey Method: Internet survey *Data is rounded to the first decimal place.

FAQ

Which company conducted this survey?

Workport Inc.

Who were the survey respondents?

308 business professionals nationwide (men and women in their 20s to 40s).

What was the survey period?

May 21, 2026 to May 28, 2026.

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