[Class of 2026] What to Do Before March: A Job-Hunting To-Do List for Third-Year University Students in Japan

Official job hunting in Japan kicks off in March, and that date is almost here.
The Japanese government has recently allowed companies to use internships as part of their hiring process, so selection is starting earlier and earlier.

December through February goes by in a flash. To make the most of it, this article covers what to do before job hunting officially begins in March!

1. Review Your Self-PR and the Experience You Put the Most Effort Into at University

If you have already applied for internships, we recommend going back over the entry sheets (ES) that got rejected. An ES is the application form Japanese companies ask job seekers to fill out, and it usually includes a self-PR (a short pitch about your strengths) and the experience you put the most effort into during university, often called "gakuchika." Check whether your writing really shows what makes you appealing and whether it is easy to follow. Also, proofread again for typos and missing words. Surprisingly many entry sheets are submitted with these mistakes still in them. They are easy to spot, so they leave a poor impression on interviewers. Make sure to guard against them.

Interviewers often read your ES for the first time on the day of the interview. That means you need to write text that is easy to understand even at first glance, or your message won't come across smoothly. The easiest way to do this is to keep your sentences short. If each sentence conveys just one idea, your writing will naturally become concise.

When you reread your own writing again and again, you end up memorizing it. That is a good thing, but it makes it harder to judge whether the text is easy to understand on a first read. In that case, we also recommend asking someone who hasn't seen it before for their impressions, such as family or friends. Many people go back to their hometown for the New Year holidays, right? Having someone you haven't seen in a while read it may give you fresh feedback you would never have thought of yourself.

2. Check Job Postings and Entry Sheet Questions

Missing a small rule and ending up out of the running is a mistake you definitely want to avoid.

When you find a company you're interested in, first go to its recruitment page and be sure to read the job posting. The company may have its own rules or requirements.
Even if there are no special rules, the most important thing is to apply within the entry period and with all the required documents. It may sound too basic, but it is easy to overlook, so stay alert.

It is also a good idea to look through the ES questions in advance. Once you have, try to picture roughly how you would answer each one. If there is a question you can't think of an episode or topic for, you can think about it during the New Year holidays or ask the people around you for hints. Preparing with time to spare leads to an ES that is rich in content and shows your appeal to the fullest.

3. Get Your ID Photo Ready

You might think, "Do I really need to mention something that simple?" But it matters. Many of our customers tell us, "My ES is due tomorrow and I forgot all about my ID photo..."

Once March begins, company briefings and ES deadlines come one after another, and your schedule fills up fast. In the rush, it is easy to forget about your photo. On top of that, March is the busiest season for ID photo studios. Even if you manage to find time for a photo, there may not be a studio with an opening at that moment.

In that situation, an ID photo booth, where you can take a photo right away, is handy and convenient. Keep it in mind as a last resort.
However, for a job-hunting photo, we still recommend having it taken at a photo studio. Professional staff look at you from an outside perspective and check your clothes, hair, and expression, so you can fix things you wouldn't notice yourself before the photo is taken.

Studio reservations gradually fill up starting in January and February. To use your time well, the best plan is to get your ID photo taken in January or February, when you have more free time. If you rush during a busy period, you tend to make mistakes you normally wouldn't. To avoid unexpected errors, make a habit of acting early.

Summary

This article covered what to do before job hunting officially begins in March!
Don't put it off by thinking, "Job hunting is still a long way off." Start with what you can do now, such as getting your ID photo taken. For a job hunt you won't regret, acting early is what counts!

If you're looking to have your job-hunting photo taken now, we recommend 19Studio. Based on interviews with interviewers at ordinary companies and people with HR experience, we shoot ID photos that cover the points companies pay attention to.
19Studio offers a Job-Hunting ID Photo Plan. It is a simple all-in-one plan that includes data for online submission, 6 printed photos, and retouching (skin smoothing, hair color correction, and other edits). It is ideal if you're not sure what a job-hunting photo needs.
You can also retake your photo as many times as you like within your session time, then choose your favorite from the several shots taken.

If you don't have a suit yet, we also offer an optional suit compositing add-on, where a suit is digitally added to your photo.
If you're interested, please feel free to contact us!

Prepare well now, and head into March with time to spare!