Many people are unsure of what path to take after completing graduate school. This page introduces employment, one of the career options. We also share the job-hunting experiences of our seniors

Graduate student job hunting

When it comes to job hunting for graduate students, there are naturally many different paths. Some start by attending information sessions and seminars, just like undergraduate students; others seek employment at research institutions or university-related organizations; and still others pursue a doctoral degree and become researchers. In any case, what distinguishes graduate students' job hunting from that of undergraduate students is that they can utilize the specialized knowledge they gained in graduate school even more than undergraduate students.
Graduate school allows for deeper and longer-term study of a specialized field than undergraduate studies, so it is essential to apply that knowledge to your work. While pursuing graduate studies may earn you a good evaluation for having studied diligently, it also means that the level of expectation is higher. It is important to have a clear goal in mind and to create a schedule early on to balance research and job hunting.
Unlike in the past, it is rare to receive a job offer immediately through a professor's introduction, but depending on the company you apply to, especially for research positions, a recommendation from your supervisor may be required, so it is best to maintain a good relationship with your professors. Make full use of information from alumni of your research lab as well.

Job hunting season

The diagram below shows a rough schedule for job hunting. For those graduating in 2023, the government is recommending that public relations activities begin after March, recruitment selection activities begin after June, and official job offers be made after October. However, because job hunting is expected to be strongly affected by the spread of COVID-19, it will be necessary to make efforts to gather information early on, such as by attending company information sessions, and to proactively find out about recruitment information for your desired industry and companies

Job hunting experiences of seniors

A.K. (Master's graduate in 2017) Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies, Cultural and Human Informatics Course

It's commonly said that "job hunting is difficult for graduate students," and I certainly felt that was true. In fact, I saw many of my friends struggle with job hunting. For humanities graduate students, the spring and summer of their second year of graduate school are often filled with serious research and analysis, leaving little time for anything else, so it's natural that they are at a disadvantage in job hunting.
However, there are also advantages unique to graduate students. To the standard job hunting question, "What did you work hardest on during your student years?", you can proudly answer, "My research." The effort you put into research is surprisingly well-regarded in job hunting. Also, the ability to objectively assess your own position and persuasively assert your enthusiasm, cultivated through daily research, becomes a great asset in application forms and interviews during job hunting.
Looking back, I regret not taking job hunting seriously before the official start of the job hunting season. During my first year of graduate school, I had more free time, so I did a summer internship to gain experience with application forms and online tests. If
I had managed to secure an informal job offer during my first year of graduate school, I might have been able to dedicate my second year of graduate school to research. However, during my job search, I went to interviews in casual clothes straight from school, and I ended up getting hired by a company where I simply talked about the failures I had experienced in my seminar presentation that day. From 2017, I will be working in the consulting and research industry. I believe that being able to promote myself as a graduate student, including both my strengths and weaknesses, was what was valued during my job search.

A.T. (Master's degree, 2021) Graduate School of Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering

I received a job offer from an electronics manufacturer through a school recommendation. In my job search, I participated in joint company information sessions held both inside and outside the university. As a result, I decided that I wanted to work for a company where I could utilize my field of study, so I focused my job search on companies that I could get into through a departmental recommendation.
When applying for a technical position, you will generally have a "technical interview." For every interview I had with a company, I prepared slides about my research and gave a 10-minute explanation of the content and significance of my research, as well as my outlook for future research activities. After that, I was asked questions mainly about the content of my research, the efforts I made in my research, and other things I focused on besides research. These questions were frequently asked by every company, so I think it's a good idea to think about what you will say in advance.
The form of school recommendations may differ depending on the department you belong to, but in my case, I needed to receive an informal job offer in order to be recommended, and I was unable to receive that informal offer by the end of March. Also, the timing of my job search and the interim presentation of my research at university overlapped, which was mentally tough, but I finally received an informal job offer in May. Even if you're using a school recommendation, I think it's a good idea not to take job hunting lightly and to gather information on and apply to various companies.

Y.A. (Master's degree, 2021) Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Department of Computer Science

In so-called IT-related job hunting, it's sometimes possible to directly leverage experience gained through internships and part-time jobs, and I knew some people in the same major who were doing so. However, I didn't pursue a job through that route. Instead, I secured employment through a combination of job hunting based on my "extracurricular activities" and "strengths," which were probably similar to job hunting for liberal arts majors, and job hunting using school recommendations. (Note that some companies only hire through recommendations and not through regular applications, so this is something to be aware of.)
The biggest difference I felt between regular and recommended applications was the support from the company staff during the job hunting process. With regular applications, unless you proactively reach out, there are no opportunities for individual consultations before the selection process, such as alumni visits. You have to participate in internships and information sessions yourself to gather information. On the other hand, with recommended applications, although it may depend on the major, there are sometimes information sessions held within the major, and I was given ample time for alumni visits. I felt quite privileged, as they provided support to help me succeed during the selection process. It was also easier to talk about my specialization and to use what I did at university as a selling point. While it's likely that the acceptance rate for recommended applications is considerably higher than for regular applications, complacency is still a risk. Internships and information sessions aren't mandatory, but gathering information and practicing by going through the selection process, just like with regular applications, will probably be helpful for recommended applications as well. Recommended applications also
have disadvantages, such as restrictions depending on the major and the inability to decline offers, so I recommend thinking carefully before applying. In my case, I started my recommended application in May and completed it by the end of May, so I don't think there's any need to rush. However, if possible, I think it's a good idea to take advantage of opportunities like alumni visits. Seniors in your major will be very helpful and supportive, which will be a great help mentally (I myself was in May with no job offers and was frantically asking for alumni visits). If you're in trouble, you can use the Career Support Office or the Science and Engineering Collaboration Career Support Office, which are available to certain majors. You'll likely get good advice when you're really in trouble.