Daijob.com is a job platform that has guided 810,000 English-speaking professionals through their career changes.  More than 25 years since we started, we’ve been the bridge for countless people such as English teachers, IT engineers, or salespeople working with global companies to land their dream jobs in Japan.

For over 15 years, we’ve hosted the ‘Daijob Career Fair’ four times a year—both online and in person—to support job seekers. Each event is themed around in-demand roles, bringing together around 20 hiring companies and 400 to 500 job seekers. Today, it has become one of Japan’s largest regularly held career fairs.

At the Daijob Career Fair, participants can bring their resumes that were created in advance and meet directly with hiring managers to proceed with the selection process on the spot. In some cases, attendees can even bypass certain screening steps, such as document reviews or initial interviews! Additionally, the fair offers seminars led by career support professionals, covering topics like interview preparation and resume writing.

This article features insights from 231 non-Japanese participants who attended the December 2024 event*. Whether you’re looking to take the next step in your career or a student preparing for your job search, take advantage of these first-hand experiences to achieve your ideal career move.

*Each Daijob Career Fair focuses on a specific industry. The December 2024 event was themed around Sales & Consulting, while the May fair covered IT & Electrical Engineering, and the September fair focused on the Hospitality Industry.

Most Applicants Applied to 1–5 Companies, While Some Aimed for 6 or More!

At the Daijob Career Fair, it is possible to apply in advance for recruitment opportunities from participating companies. Now,  how many companies do participants typically apply to?

Q.1 How many companies have you applied for in advance?

The majority of applicants applied to just one company, followed by those who applied to two, three, or four. A small number even applied to six or more.  Even if a company isn’t your ideal choice, meeting as an applicant facilitates more meaningful conversations. You might even discover opportunities you hadn’t considered before!  

Meanwhile, 40% of attendees didn’t apply to any companies. Their reasons varied from gaining motivation to simply gathering information as students or preferring to meet recruiters in person first. This makes the fair a great opportunity for students to develop a job-hunting mindset!

Attendees Visited an Average of 3 Company Booths—Some Explored 6 or More!

Next, let’s take a look at the number of company booths attendees visited.

Q.2 How many company booths did you visit?

The most common number of booth visits was three, followed by two, four, one, five, and six or more. This indicates that many attendees explored opportunities beyond the companies they initially applied to.

While time and recruiter availability may be limited, visiting more booths can broaden your options and provide valuable insight into how you’re perceived as a candidate. The more conversations you have, the greater your chances of uncovering new possibilities!

Around 40% of Participants Advanced to the Next Stage of Selection On-Site!

So, how many attendees successfully moved forward in the selection process at the event? Let’s dive into the numbers.

Q. Have you proceeded in the recruitment process with any of the companies here today?

38% of participants advanced to the next stage in one, two, or even three or more companies—roughly two out of every five people. Some made it through multiple screenings, with a few progressing in three or more companies. Landing a job offer from one of them would be ideal, but even if not, each interview experience will help you move forward in your job search.

Nearly 80% of Participants Were “Satisfied” or “Somewhat Satisfied”!

Next, we asked attendees about their overall satisfaction with the Daijob Career Fair.

Q. What did you think about today’s career fair?

Nearly 80% of Participants Gave a “Good” or “Very Good” Rating! When asked why, many participants shared positive experiences, such as; Advancing to the selection process with companies from their home country, Gaining valuable insights and industry information, Smoothly conversing with recruiters in English, Enjoying informative seminars, Appreciating the kindness of event staff, Identifying skill gaps for career growth, Liking the event’s layout and atmosphere, Noticing strong interest from Japanese companies in hiring foreign talent, Getting all their questions answered.

On the other hand, around 20% rated their experience as “Unsatisfactory” or “Bad,” citing reasons like; Companies requiring at least N2-level Japanese proficiency and limited job opportunities matching their expertise. Since this event focused on Sales & Consulting, language requirements were likely higher compared to technical fields.

To maximize your experience, it’s essential to check if the event theme aligns with your career goals. However, even if your target industry differs, attending can still be valuable—especially for first-time job seekers looking to understand the hiring landscape in Japan.

Job Hunting or Just Exploring? Either Way, You’re in the Right Place!

We also asked participants about their reasons for attending. Here’s what they shared;

Q.5 What was your reason for attending (Multiple choices allowed)

Five out of the top six reasons being “Confirmation of job information,” “To gather information about Japanese companies,” “To gather information about foreign companies,” “To understand the atmosphere around people you will work with,” and “To gather information about working overseas,” it’s clear that many attendees joined for research purposes.

Responses also suggest that some participants were students exploring potential employers, while others wanted to get a feel for company culture before making a decision. At the same time, the fact that “To attend an interview (screening)” accounted for 37.66% shows that a significant number of attendees were actively job hunting.

Nearly 80% of Participants Achieved Their Goals!

So, how successful were attendees in meeting their objectives? Let’s take a look at the results.

Q. Were you able to achieve your objective?

Nearly 80% (78.26%) of attendees responded with “Partially achieved” or “Yes, it has been achieved”. This proves that the Daijob Career Fair is a versatile event—whether you’re gathering information or actively job-hunting, it can support your career journey at any stage.

For the latest Daijob Career Fair event details, visit our website or subscribe to our newsletter. Stay informed and take the next step by registering on Daijob.com!

If you’ve read this far, your job search in Japan is already Daijobu (= all right)! Let Daijob.com help you find the right job and build a better life in Japan!