Job Hunting in Japan: Why You Should Attend Company Information Sessions (説明会) and Job Fairs (合同説明会)

What are Company Information Session (説明会) and Job Fair (合同説明会)?

Generally, a Company Information Session (setsumeikai, 説明会) in Japanese job hunting is where companies explain what they do to potential candidates. Their goal is to make students interested in them, so they cover topics like the business description, company culture, workplace atmosphere, and recruitment schedule. The session consists of a presentation by the company and a Q&A session (shitsugi ōtō, 質疑応答) with the students. Some include a short group project or a talk session with employees. One company information session can last anywhere from a few hours to an entire day.

A Job Fair (合同説明会 - goudousetsumeikai) is when two or more companies get together and hold their information sessions. At a job fair, you can attend multiple information sessions in one day and learn about companies efficiently.

What are the benefits of attending Company Information Session (説明会) and Job Fair (合同説明会)?

Some of you may feel they are unnecessary but you can take away a lot from these sessions!

① You can get information that is unavailable online

At information sessions, you will be learning from the employees actually working at the company. You can get valuable information about the company culture, workplace atmosphere, and working conditions. You can hear about the first-hand experience, which is very hard to find online.

② You can show your interest and motivation

Companies keep a record of who attended their information sessions, so attending one early in the season will signal to the recruiters you are very motivated and interested in their company.

③ You can broaden your options

By attending sessions and job fairs, you will get far more options. It’s very common to find your dream career in a company you were not interested in or did not know about, and many people discover companies like that at information sessions. Before you narrow down your options, check out various companies in these fairs and sessions!

How to attend Company Information Session (説明会) and Job Fair (合同説明会)

You can go to the recruitment website of the company you are interested in and register for upcoming information sessions and job fairs. You can also go to career websites such as MyNavi and RikuNabi because they host large job fairs catered to specific industries or areas. Most sessions do not require you to submit ES or Web Aptitude Test results. You can attend one by typing in your basic information so apply for these sessions and try out a variety of companies!