Simultaneous Recruiting of New Graduates
Encyclopedia
is the custom that companies hire new graduates all at once and employ them; this custom is unique to Japan
and South Korea
. The Japanese post-war economic miracle
spread this custom among many companies in order to produce steady employment every year.
In these countries, most students do job hunting
during their period of attendance at universities or high schools to get informal offers of employment. Since companies like to hire only new graduates, some students who have not found a job as graduation approaches opt to stay in school another year. Most companies pay little attention to academic records or a student's university experiences, preferring to train new employees within the company. The prestige of the university students get into determines their success in life. The system is inherited from the Chinese
Imperial Examination
. In other countries, people tend to do job-hunting soon before or after graduation, and companies do not discriminate against those who did not graduate recently.
The practice is for big companies to hire school-leavers "in bulk" to replace retiring workers and groom in-house talent, and the numbers can vary widely from year to year. Employers hire a group of people in a mechanic fashion every year. Toyota, for example, hired more than 1,500 graduates in 2010, nearly halving the intake from the year before. Toyota plans to cut it further to 1,200 for 2011 hires. The company may offer more jobs later on, but those who missed out on the current round of hiring will have a slim chance to land one because they will get trumped by fresh graduates.
It leaves thousands of young Japanese sidelined in extended studies, part-time jobs, or on the dole
instead of supporting the domestic economy as the confident consumers and productive workers aging Japan
badly needs.
Nowadays this traditional custom causes many social problems in Japan. If a Japanese person does not make a decision on employment before his/her university graduation, he/she will be faced with enormous hardships eventually finding a job because most Japanese companies hire students scheduled to graduate in spring. In recent years, an increasing number of university seniors looking for jobs have chosen to repeat a year to avoid being placed in the "previous graduate" category by companies. In the system Japanese companies penalize students who study overseas or have already graduated. Some people think the convention is behind the times and no longer necessary.
There is a lot of criticism of this custom. One professor criticizes the process: "If business is in a slump at the point of one's graduation and he cannot get a job, this custom produces inequality of opportunity, and people in this age bracket tend to remain unemployed for a long time." Another professor criticizes: "If this custom is joined to permanent employment
, it produces closed markets of employment, where outplacement is hard, and the employees tend to obey any and all unreasonable demands made by their companies so as not to be fired." Whether they get a job when they graduate decides their whole life," says Yuki Honda, a professor at the University of Tokyo
's Graduate School of Education.
Japan ranks 19th among the 19 OECD countries regarding freedom of choice
in life.
Economy of Japan
The economy of Japan, a free market economy, is the third largest in the world after the United States and the People's Republic of China, and ahead of Germany at 4th...
and South Korea
Economy of South Korea
South Korea has a market economy which ranks 15th in the world by nominal GDP and 12th by purchasing power parity , identifying it as one of the G-20 major economies. It is a high-income developed country, with a developed market, and is a member of OECD...
. The Japanese post-war economic miracle
Japanese post-war economic miracle
The Japanese post-war economic miracle is the name given to the historical phenomenon of Japan's record period of economic growth following World War II, spurred mainly by Japanese economic policy, in particular through the Ministry of International Trade and Industry...
spread this custom among many companies in order to produce steady employment every year.
In these countries, most students do job hunting
Job hunting
Job hunting, job seeking, or job searching is the act of looking for employment, due to unemployment or discontent with a current position. The immediate goal of job seeking is usually to obtain a job interview with an employer which may lead to getting hired...
during their period of attendance at universities or high schools to get informal offers of employment. Since companies like to hire only new graduates, some students who have not found a job as graduation approaches opt to stay in school another year. Most companies pay little attention to academic records or a student's university experiences, preferring to train new employees within the company. The prestige of the university students get into determines their success in life. The system is inherited from the Chinese
Education in China
Education in China may refer to:*Education in the People's Republic of China*Education in Hong Kong*Education in Macau*Education in the Republic of China For historical perspectives, see*History of education in China*Imperial examination...
Imperial Examination
Imperial examination
The Imperial examination was an examination system in Imperial China designed to select the best administrative officials for the state's bureaucracy. This system had a huge influence on both society and culture in Imperial China and was directly responsible for the creation of a class of...
. In other countries, people tend to do job-hunting soon before or after graduation, and companies do not discriminate against those who did not graduate recently.
The practice is for big companies to hire school-leavers "in bulk" to replace retiring workers and groom in-house talent, and the numbers can vary widely from year to year. Employers hire a group of people in a mechanic fashion every year. Toyota, for example, hired more than 1,500 graduates in 2010, nearly halving the intake from the year before. Toyota plans to cut it further to 1,200 for 2011 hires. The company may offer more jobs later on, but those who missed out on the current round of hiring will have a slim chance to land one because they will get trumped by fresh graduates.
It leaves thousands of young Japanese sidelined in extended studies, part-time jobs, or on the dole
Unemployment benefit
Unemployment benefits are payments made by the state or other authorized bodies to unemployed people. Benefits may be based on a compulsory para-governmental insurance system...
instead of supporting the domestic economy as the confident consumers and productive workers aging Japan
Aging of Japan
The ageing of Japan outweighs all other nations with the highest proportion of elderly citizens, 21% over the age of 65. In 1989, only 11.6% of the population was 65 years or older, but projections were that 25.6% would be in that age category by 2030...
badly needs.
Criticism
In Japanese society, the value of degrees in higher education is extremely low. If one has a doctorate in science, he can't expect employment at a respectable job. Japan's idiosyncratic simultaneous recruiting of new graduates is a large factor.Nowadays this traditional custom causes many social problems in Japan. If a Japanese person does not make a decision on employment before his/her university graduation, he/she will be faced with enormous hardships eventually finding a job because most Japanese companies hire students scheduled to graduate in spring. In recent years, an increasing number of university seniors looking for jobs have chosen to repeat a year to avoid being placed in the "previous graduate" category by companies. In the system Japanese companies penalize students who study overseas or have already graduated. Some people think the convention is behind the times and no longer necessary.
There is a lot of criticism of this custom. One professor criticizes the process: "If business is in a slump at the point of one's graduation and he cannot get a job, this custom produces inequality of opportunity, and people in this age bracket tend to remain unemployed for a long time." Another professor criticizes: "If this custom is joined to permanent employment
Permanent Employment
Permanent employees or regular employees work for a single employer and are paid directly by that employer. In addition to their wages, they often receive benefits like subsidized health care, paid vacations, holidays, sick time, or contributions to a retirement plan. Permanent employees are often...
, it produces closed markets of employment, where outplacement is hard, and the employees tend to obey any and all unreasonable demands made by their companies so as not to be fired." Whether they get a job when they graduate decides their whole life," says Yuki Honda, a professor at the University of Tokyo
University of Tokyo
, abbreviated as , is a major research university located in Tokyo, Japan. The University has 10 faculties with a total of around 30,000 students, 2,100 of whom are foreign. Its five campuses are in Hongō, Komaba, Kashiwa, Shirokane and Nakano. It is considered to be the most prestigious university...
's Graduate School of Education.
Japan ranks 19th among the 19 OECD countries regarding freedom of choice
Freedom of choice
For freedom of choice, see:*choice for information on theories that involve free will and human behavior.*Freedom of choice plans to integrate US schools .*Freedom of Choice, a 1980 synthpop landmark album by Devo...
in life.
See also
- Equal opportunityEqual opportunityEqual opportunity, or equality of opportunity, is a controversial political concept; and an important informal decision-making standard without a precise definition involving fair choices within the public sphere...
- Gap yearGap yearAn expression or phrase that is associated with taking time out to travel in between life stages. It is also known as sabbatical, time off and time out that refers to a period of time in which students disengage from curricular education and undertake non curricular activities, such as travel or...
- Graduate recruitmentGraduate recruitmentGraduate recruitment or campus recruitment refers to the process whereby employers undertake an organised program of attracting and hiring students who are about to graduate from schools, colleges and universities....
- Freeter
- NEETNEETNEET is a government acronym for people currently "not in education, employment, or training". It was first used in the United Kingdom but its use has spread to other countries, including Japan, China, and South Korea...
External links
- Bleak Economy, Japanese Students Grow Frustrated With Endless Job Hunt
- More universities allowing students to delay graduation due to job shortage
- Japanese Graduates Finding Few Jobs
- Ph. D.’s in Japan can’t find work: Little recognition for high expertise, says Mainichi Communications Survey
- Economic and Social Data Rankings (Freedom of choice in life)
- Hiring practices in Japan
- Once drawn to U.S. universities, more Japanese students staying home
- Japan offers a lifetime job, if hired right out of school
- Japanese jobseekers hold Tokyo pep rally