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Category: Job Change
Authors: Shusaku Yosa
If you graduate from school and keep job hunting without finding full-time employment, you'll come across the term "existing graduate" (kisotsu). An existing graduate is someone who, after graduating from school, is job hunting without any experience as a full-time employee. Although often confused with new graduates and second-new-graduates, there are differences in how job hunting proceeds and what support is available. This article explains, in an easy-to-understand way, the definition of an existing graduate, the differences from second-new-graduates and new graduates, and how to proceed with job hunting as an existing graduate.
An existing graduate generally refers to "a person who, after graduating from a school (university, vocational school, high school, etc.), is job hunting without having worked as a full-time employee." There is no strict legal definition; it is a term used in the recruitment market. This includes people who didn't do job hunting, people who couldn't get a job offer, people who put off employment to obtain a qualification or study abroad, and people who have worked as part-timers or temps. What they have in common is being "already graduated" and having "no full-time employment experience."
There is no clear upper limit on the number of years for an existing graduate, but company recruitment often uses "roughly within three years of graduation" as one guideline. This stems from a national policy issued in 2010 that asked companies to allow existing graduates within three years of graduation to apply through the new-graduate recruitment track. In terms of age, up to around 25 for university graduates is a guideline for easily applying through the new-graduate track, but treatment differs by company, so always check the application requirements of the company you're applying to.
The terms easily confused with existing graduates are "new graduate" and "second-new-graduate." The differences can be organized by "time elapsed since graduation" and "presence or absence of full-time employment experience."
A new graduate refers to a person who gets a job for the first time in the year they graduate from school. An existing graduate differs from a new graduate in that they "have already graduated but have no full-time employment experience." In recent years, more companies allow applications through the new-graduate track within three years of graduation, so existing graduates can sometimes job hunt in a form close to new graduates.
A second-new-graduate refers to a person who joined a company as a new graduate and leaves within roughly three years to do job-change activities. The biggest difference from an existing graduate is "whether there is full-time employment experience." A second-new-graduate has full-time employment experience even if short, whereas an existing graduate has no full-time employment experience. Therefore, second-new-graduates have their work experience evaluated, while existing graduates are often viewed through the potential-hire track close to new graduates. For more details on second-new-graduates, please also see our article explaining what a second-new-graduate is.
Existing graduates tend to be thought of as disadvantaged, but they have the following strengths.
On the other hand, there are also notes specific to existing graduates.
Existing-graduate job hunting differs from both new-graduate and job-change activities. Proceeding in the following flow lets you move without getting lost.
First, write out "what kind of work you want to do" and "what you want to value." Taking stock of your post-graduation experiences and what you put effort into as a student helps you organize your strengths and the axis of your aspirations.
Research the work content, required skills, and working styles of industries you're interested in. Focusing on openings clearly marked "existing graduates welcome" or "second-new-graduates welcome," widen the companies you can apply to.
On your resume, write positively about what you did during the blank period after graduation. Even without a work history, convey your motivation and character through part-time jobs, learning experiences, qualifications, and so on.
Always prepare for "the reason you didn't get a job at graduation," "how you spent the blank period," and "your motivation." Even with a negative reason, it's important to connect it to a forward-looking story of what you learned from it and how you want to proceed.
Using job-support services specialized for existing graduates and second-new-graduates, or public support such as the New Graduate Support Hello Work and the Wakamono Hello Work, lets you receive support for document review, interview preparation, and job introductions. It's more efficient than going it alone.
The key in existing-graduate selection is how you convey "why you didn't get a job at graduation" and "what you did during the blank period." You don't need to lie, but it's important to tell the facts positively. For example, connecting your past choices to your current aspirations—"I put off employment because I hadn't settled on what I wanted to do, but afterward, through ○○, I came to want to work in the field of △△"—makes for a convincing explanation. If you worked on part-time jobs, qualifications, or studying during the blank period, convey concretely what you gained there.
Yes. There are many companies that accept applicants within three years of graduation through the new-graduate track, and many openings welcoming existing graduates. If you do self-analysis and company research carefully and can explain your blank period positively, full-time employment is fully possible.
It can't be said in general. Second-new-graduates have their work experience evaluated, while existing graduates are viewed through the potential-hire track close to new graduates. Both have demand, and both are sufficiently valued depending on how you convey yourself.
The longer the period, the more you'll be asked the reason, but if you can explain how you spent it positively, it isn't necessarily a disadvantage. Experiences spent with purpose, such as studying or obtaining qualifications, become strengths.
An existing graduate is someone who, after graduating from school, is job hunting without full-time employment experience. It's important to understand the differences from new graduates and second-new-graduates and proceed with job hunting suited to your position. Many companies allow applications through the new-graduate track within three years of graduation, and there's the strength of being able to job hunt year-round. Organize "why you didn't get a job" and "what you did during the blank period" positively, use support services for existing graduates, and find the company that suits you.
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