【MERY Gen Z Research Institute University Student Survey (Job Hunting Edition)】The Reality of Current Students' 'Solo Job Hunting': AI as a Confidant, Secrecy Among Friends?

MERY (headquartered in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Koji Fujita) operates the platform 'MERY' (https://mery.jp/), conducting regular 'Gen Z Surveys' to study the attitudes and behaviors of Generation Z.

This report presents the results of the 'MERY Job Hunting Survey' conducted in May 2026.

During job hunting, the top activity for improving mood is 'listening to or singing music' (37.3%), followed by 'fan activities' (32.5%).

A survey was conducted among 252 university students currently or recently engaged in job hunting.

When asked what they do to improve their mood or manage emotions during job hunting, 'listening to or singing music' ranked first at 37.3%, and 'fan activities' ranked second at 32.5%.

Additionally, in a roundtable discussion with four female university students who are MERY community members, comments such as 'treating myself to delicious food or visiting a favorite shop after an interview' indicated a trend of self-rewarding.

About 70% often engage in mood-refreshing activities alone during job hunting.

When asked whether they often refresh their mood alone during job hunting, 68.3% answered 'yes', accounting for approximately 70% of respondents.

Reasons include avoiding comparisons with friends and wanting to escape job-hunting topics altogether.

When asked why they prefer solo mood-refreshing, the highest proportion agreed with 'because I end up comparing my job-hunting status with friends'. When including 'somewhat agree', 'wanting to get away from job-hunting topics entirely' was the top response.

Reasons for engaging in solo mood-refreshing during job hunting

A secretive tendency: 'Even among friends, we don’t discuss specific selection details'.

Regarding relationships with friends during job hunting, 'Even among friends, we don’t discuss specific selection details in depth' had the highest 'agree' rate. Overall, 'somewhat agree' was highest for 'I feel anxious when I hear about friends’ successes or job offers'.

Roundtable participants also expressed views like 'Even among friends, we don’t discuss specific selection details', revealing a secretive tendency even among close peers.

Relationships with friends during job hunting

Over 70% of students use AI in job hunting.

When asked whether they use AI in job hunting, 72.5% answered 'yes'.

In the follow-up question on AI usage, 'creating and editing entry sheets (ES)' ranked first at 63.8%, followed by 'creating and improving self-PR' at 46.6%.

Roundtable participants shared: 'I paid for ChatGPT during job hunting, mainly for ES editing and preparing for in-depth interview questions. For example, when I had thoughts I wanted to convey but couldn’t organize, I’d input them directly into ChatGPT to abstract the ideas and refine phrasing for interviews.' Another said: 'I use AI for verbalizing my strengths, identifying suitable industries, and editing entry sheets.'

The top concern in job hunting is 'finding a company that fits me'.

Regarding the biggest concern in job hunting, roundtable participants mentioned 'stronger anxiety about SPI tests than interviews or ES'. However, in the survey, 'finding a company that fits me' ranked first at 33.7%, significantly ahead of other concerns.

Job hunting 'early start' trend discussed: nearly 90% of students feel job hunting is starting earlier.

When asked if they feel job hunting is becoming earlier, 88.3% answered 'yes'.

Roundtable participants noted 'some start as early as their second year', reflecting a widespread perception of early job hunting, consistent with media coverage on this trend.

This survey reveals how Gen Z students maintain a 'self-centered' approach to job hunting despite anxieties from peer comparisons.

About 70% refresh their mood alone, driven by psychological factors such as 'comparing with friends' and 'feeling anxious upon hearing about friends’ successes'. This may reflect consideration for maintaining healthy friendships.

Meanwhile, AI has become a confidant for thoughts too difficult to share with friends. Over 70% use AI not only for ES editing but also as a 'thought sparring partner'. The top concern is not securing an offer but 'finding a company that fits', suggesting Gen Z students seek personal satisfaction while navigating job hunting amid peer comparisons.

MERY regularly hosts roundtable discussions to hear authentic voices from community members

This session focused on 'job hunting'. As trends rapidly evolve and Gen Z stays highly attuned to the latest information,

MERY invited its community members, the 'student researchers', to an online roundtable on the latest job-hunting trends.

● Related Article

Using AI for job hunting prep? Curious about early job hunting and secretive tendencies among Gen Z?

https://mery.jp/2494874

Survey Overview: 'MERY Job Hunting Survey'

[Method] Online survey

[Period] May 14, 2026 – June 30, 2026

[Target] Male and female university students nationwide currently or recently in job hunting

[Sample Size] 252 respondents

About MERY Gen Z Research Institute

Through articles, social media, and community operations under the 'MERY' media brand, we extract authentic insights from real Gen Z interactions, share research findings with client companies and media, and apply them to solve corporate marketing challenges.

About 'MERY' Service

Supporting effective brand communication and promotion focused on youth, especially 'Gen Z'.

Under our corporate vision 'UPDATE MY HAPPINESS', we support each individual’s pursuit of happiness in the information age, focusing on brand communication and promotion for Gen Z.

We have shifted our media focus from apps to social media, organizing loyal users as community members. Leveraging media operation expertise and user insights, we expand beyond traditional media into broader business areas.

MERY website: https://mery.co.jp/

About MERY Inc.

Company name: MERY Inc.

Representative: President and CEO Koji Fujita

Headquarters: SFⅢ, 3-3 Kanda-Jinbocho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0051

Business: Operation of 'MERY', various marketing consulting services, production outsourcing, e-commerce, support for Shogakukan media, and development of new digital media

Contact for this inquiry

Company: MERY Inc.

Contact: Public Relations