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I don't know where to start, I tried to start, but I lost my direction... Each person has different concerns when it comes to job hunting (hereinafter referred to as job hunting). This time, we asked students who were worried but found a new direction in their job hunting by consulting those around them and reconsidering themselves, and who got a job offer to look back on their own job hunting.

I want you to meet various people and have many experiences.

Kenji Tsujimoto, 5th year student, School of Political Science and Economics

I realized that the experience I had in the dormitory was irreplaceable.

I spent my university life at Wakeijuku, an all-boys dormitory where a variety of students from different universities and backgrounds gathered and lived together.

There are nearly 300 dormitory students at Washeijuku, which are divided into four buildings: north, south, east, and west.I served as the leader of the south dormitory, which has about 80 students, during my third year of university. Specifically, we decided on goals for the dormitory for the year, planned events, and created a system (determining cleaning duties, public relations, and methods for welcoming new students). While communication opportunities are limited due to the spread of the new coronavirus infection, the experience of discussing and exploring ways to expand and deepen connections between dormitory residents has become an irreplaceable asset.

On the other hand, I spent my time at university without having a clear idea of what I wanted to do in the future or a clear goal, so I had a really hard time job hunting. I fell far behind my friends around me and felt a strong sense of impatience. At that time, I told my senior in the dormitory that I was feeling anxious because I didn't know where to start, and he advised me that I should do more self-analysis. When I look back on my past, I remember the rugby club I was a part of in high school and the time I spent with my friends in the student dormitory at university, and I realized that what I want to do is “create an environment where people connect and support each other.'' That's what I thought. I decided to view job hunting as a way to accomplish that goal.

A photo in front of the dormitory in December 2022, after the farewell party held prior to graduation.

By consulting with various people and receiving advice, my impatience and anxiety disappeared.

When I worked on the ES (Entry Sheet), I tried to get as many people as possible to look at it, including people at Career Center, family, friends, and seniors, and get advice from a variety of perspectives. By opening my heart to the people around me, consulting with them, and receiving their advice, I was able to understand what I needed to do concretely, and my impatience and anxiety gradually disappeared.

I feel that self-analysis is the most important thing in job hunting. While referring to self-analysis tools and opinions from people close to you (other-self analysis), you should ultimately decide where and how to use your strengths in order to become the “ideal society you envision” and the power to realize that society. I thought about how I could make the most of it. Once you have determined your axis, you should be able to clearly communicate what you want to convey to the interviewer, and be able to consistently talk about what you have worked on so far (past), self-promotion (present), and motivation for applying (future). became. I think it's important to go to company information sessions and internships to gather information, but I also recommend that you dig deeper into yourself early on and set a roadmap for your job hunting.

Books I read during job hunting
(Left) Jim Clifton, Gallup, translated by Hiroko Furuya, “Let’s Awaken Your Talent: Latest Edition Strengths Finder 2.0” (Nihon Keizai Shimbun Publishing)
(Right) Written and written by Tsuyoshi Morioka, “Let’s talk about a time when we were in pain” (Diamond Publishing)

Message to juniors

We want first and second year undergraduate students to actively participate in Extracurricular activity, meet a variety of people, and have many experiences. Since you have a lot of free time at your disposal, I think it's a good idea to try anything you're interested in while still working hard on your studies.

For those who are about to start job hunting, I want them to think of job hunting in a positive way. I don't think there is any other opportunity to have so many senior members of society face their own life choices. You will also be able to approach the interview with a positive attitude by viewing the interviewer as not just an absolute figure who will decide whether you pass or fail, but someone who will work with you to think about the path you should take and make a decision.

When I went out to eat with the international students in my dormitory (Tsujimoto is second from the left)

There may be some people who are currently job hunting and are not getting the results they expected. I'm also someone who went through a long period of time when things weren't going well. When you're worried, don't worry about it alone; ask someone who can support you. I'm sure your heart will feel lighter and what you need to do will become clearer. Once you have calmed down, look back on the results so far and ask, Is"this company the right fit for me in the first place?'' "Is there anything I couldn't tell you?'' "Is there anything I should have investigated beforehand?'' Let's look at.

When job hunting, I think we often find ourselves comparing ourselves to others. However, only you can walk your own life. I hope that you will be able to choose a career path that suits your values and makes sense to you. I'm rooting for you.