Job-Hunting in Japan: What is OB/OG and Why is It Important to Visit Them?

JPORT EDITORIAL TEAM

2020 / 04 / 15

Author: Claire Liu | Published date: 15 April 2020

Japan is so notorious for companies having strict hierarchical relationships (jouge kankei, 上下関係), that we tend to hear the same complaints from international students working in Japan about their senpais (先輩). Regardless, there are always two sides to the same coin. Let’s consider the flip side: the strong emphasis on human relations here in Japan can become a striking advantage for job-hunting. 

Arguably, it all lies with the power of your OBOG.

OB and OG?

The abbreviation OB stands for “Old Boy” and OG for “Old Girl” and no, this is not referring to the elderly. Instead, it refers to former students who have graduated from a particular school or institution. It is commonly referred to as alumni/alumnae in Western societies. These connections are something you ought to have ready in your corner if you want to succeed in Job-hunting here in Japan. 

The key to job-hunting lies not in research but connections

If you’re someone that’s always chattering at the back of the lecture hall, probably no-one has ever told you this was going to become an indispensable asset. Well, that’s exactly what it may be in this case. 

Job-hunters are constantly reminded about the importance of entry sheets, company research and interview etiquette (which of course are still important). On the contrary, just by following the same job-hunting standards every other student is also following won’t make you necessarily stand out. It is at this stage, when what sets you apart from others is your ability to start a conversation with your OBOG. 

In Japan, about 1 in 4 students go out of their way to reach out to their senpais. The statistics may not be much of a surprise, after all, the mainstream method is to follow the typical job-hunting flow:

On top of that the thought of cold emailing strangers, asking to meet up, and even asking for favours is enough to make us choose to rewrite that entry sheet for the hundredth time instead. Hence, not many people make use of OBOG and so this is what makes them so much more important for boosting your job-hunting. In fact, this is the skill known of making connections, and being able to use these will bring you benefits beyond your imagination.

Benefits of reaching out to OB OG

By reaching out to your OBOG, you can have so many incredible benefits such as those listed below:

1.  Learning about the company culture

Many companies hold 企業説明会 ( kigyou setsumei kai – information sessions) where they explain what they do, the working environment and benefits. On the other hand, these information sessions are often PR sessions for companies to attract students and thus, may be a sugar-coated version of reality. Therefore, it can be helpful to hear what the company is really like from someone who actually works there. Although it is highly unlikely the OBOG will criticize the company, they can give you a clearer picture of the work environment and other details. You may feel the company would either be a great fit or that this company isn’t for you. You’re able to get a personal insight and make wiser decisions in your applications to the companies. 

2. Becoming accustomed to talking to  shakaijin (社会人 – working members of society)

Most students may have very little experience talking to shakaijins. In fact, that is exactly the reason why many don’t approach OBOG in the first place. They don’t know how to reach out to them and worry they will make a bad impression of themselves.

By taking these first steps into the unknown, you are exposing yourself to a possible weakness and turning it into a strength. Talking to many OBOG will expand your horizons and increase your confidence. In addition, this will without a doubt shine through during your job interviews.

3. Possibility of being connected to a recruiter

Although reaching out to OBOGs for job-hunting is not mainstream, companies have noticed the effectiveness of OBOGs and thus implementing it into part of the recruitment process. In fact, the term 「OB訪問」(OB houmon – OB visit) is increasing in popularity. So, there is a chance that the OBOG you reach out to may even connect you to a recruiter and throw in a good word or two.

4. Leave a good impression during the actual selection process 

Companies want to know how much you actually want to join the company. By going out of your way to find an OBOG in that company is good proof of this. Anyone can say that this company is their first choice, but very few can actually prove it. On top of that, you can receive tips from the OBOG regarding the small details the company values. This is the kind of information you’re less likely to find on the internet. By integrating the advice into your entry sheets and interviews, it will leave the impression that not only do you know the company well, but you actually care.

How do you find these OBOG?

There is no one particular way to find OBOGs, after all, it’s about connecting with people and striking the first conversation. Although most students may not know that many senpais and that’s where they get stuck. So, we will introduce the three most common ways to find OBOG:

1. Career centers

Believe it or not, you don’t have to go far to find OBOGs. Actually you can start right where you are. Most universities have an alumni community. This system is there to help connect current students with former students. The best part about this is that when students graduate, they are given a survey which asks whether they are alright with being on the list of OBOG for students to contact, so you don’t have to worry about causing trouble for them by reaching out.

The issue with this method is that there may be binding rules because it is through the university. Also, the university’s pool of OBOG is limited and some may not even have this system in the first place. 

2. Company information sessions

For those who have been living in Japan for some time, you must be familiar with Japan’s passive culture. The same way students attend a lecture in total silence, many go to company information sessions in silence. The same way students rush out the classroom after the lecture ends, we also should just rush home after the information session, right?

No! Absolutely not.

Company information sessions are the prime – if not best – place to make connections and reach out to OBOG. Yes, it may be daunting to approach these people looking impeccable in suits, but running away and letting the opportunity slip is even worse. Introduce yourself, be mannered and thank them for the session. If this was pre-corona times, you might be lucky to get their business cards which is a sign for you to contact them in the near future. An alternative could be to send a Linkedin connect request with a thank you note and ask to keep in touch.

3.  Use the Internet

With the growing importance of OBOG comes the development of With the growing importance of OBOG comes the development of websites that serves this exact purpose. Currently, the best site out there is Bizreach Campus, where everything is free. The only downside is that this website currently only has 30 universities on the list, but that is something that is constantly improving. There are also other platforms like Linkedin that have built in settings that allows you to see alumni that have graduated from your school at the company you are searching for. Really, all it takes is really just a little search on the internet and you’ll be surprised at what you can find. This method is especially suitable for those who find it difficult to just strike up a conversation with a stranger in person.

The power of a real voice

At the end of the day, it makes a huge difference to be able to hear the experiences of someone in person. Rather than spending time stressing out,  now is the time to make the first move and go strike a conversation or send that message on Linkedin.  If you still feel a bit anxious, don’t worry we’re here to help. Check out our Senpai Tips section,  to read articles about the senpais interviewed from different companies in Japan. From there you’ll see how willing senpais are in wanting to help out their fellow kouhai (後輩), and hopefully that can serve as encouragement for you to reach out.