Empirical Evidence on the Determinants of Success in Full-Time Job-Search for Japanese University Students (in Japanese)

In this paper, we investigate the determinants of success for Japanese university students at finding full-time jobs before graduation, and discuss the shape of an effective job-search assistance policy. We employ micro-data in order to empirically verify whether success at being hired for a full-time position is decided by the individual’s characteristics, such as human capital and academic skills, or by the way job-search activity is carried out (such as the starting time and the standards when choosing what company to apply for). Our findings show that the determinants of successful job search greatly differ by major and type of university. Students of Humanities and Social Sciences fields are more likely to successfully obtain a full-time job the earlier they start searching. Students of Humanities and Social Sciences in middle and top rank private universities, as well as those in national and public universities, and students of Natural Sciences in top private universities, benefit from advice regarding the criteria they should consider when choosing a potential workplace. Humanities and Social Sciences students in low rank private universities, and also in public uni-versities, benefit from improvements in their academic skills. Students of Humanities and Social Sciences can be expected to obtain significant gains from direct support by the university. In contrast, the effect of this type of assistance for students of Natural Sciences is rather limited. Furthermore, enthusiastic involvement in extracurricular activities tends to have a negative effect on the success of Natural Sciences students at finding a full-time job. JEL Classification Number：J24, I21, J20 Key Words：determinants of a finding full-time job, job-search activity, comparative study between university major