Timeline for Fourth Years in University Part II – No Job Offer Yet? Strategy for Post-Job Hunting Season in Japan: Summer and Fall Applications –

Click here for Job Hunting in Japan: Timeline for First Years 

Click here for  Job Hunting in Japan: Timeline for Second Years

Click here for Job Hunting in Japan: Timeline for Third Years 

Click here for Job Hunting in Japan: Timeline for Fourth Years Part 1

If You Don’t Have an Offer Yet: Summer and Fall Application

Maybe you were concentrating on your extracurricular activities, or maybe you started shukatsu late. Regardless of your situation, if you don’t have an unofficial job offer (内々定) yet in June, you may start to feel frustrated seeing many people around you receiving one. But look ahead, and start preparing for the Summer Application (June to August) and Fall Application (September to November)!

Both Summer and Fall Applications have fewer opportunities because there are fewer companies still accepting candidates and therefore, are fewer open positions. The strategies for these application rounds are different from the prior shukatsu. Here are the important points.

① Continue researching the companies with open positions

Although some companies announce their summer and fall positions beforehand, some unexpectedly open applications when their candidates decline the offer or they couldn’t fill positions by June. They may not do this every year. Stay updated with the companies you’re interested in, through websites like MyNavi, RikuNabi, or Gaishi Shukatsu.

② Reflect on your Shukatsu

Summer and Fall Applications are particularly competitive, so review and reflect on your shukatsu strategies. Review specifically your reasons for applying companies (志望動機), ES, and Interviews to find what you can improve! 

③ Be able to answer this question “Why are you job hunting in this period?”

This question appears very frequently in Summer and Fall Applications. These are different from the typical shukatsu schedule, so think of a concise, logical answer to the question “Why are you applying for Summer/Fall Application?” Keep in mind that there is no right answer to this question. The key point is to give a logical answer to convince the interviewers. Always use your own words and be honest.

④ Try a wider variety of companies  

As stated before, not all companies hold Summer and Fall Applications. Your top choice may not have these, so you may not have a second chance. In this situation, expand your choices, and really ask yourself what other companies you will be happy working at. It’s important to have a clear answer to that. If you can’t find any companies during the Summer and Fall rounds, you can think of other options; take a semester off, get a gap year, and try again next year, or search for companies that have year-round open applications (通年採用).