【Survey on SNS Usage by 2027 Graduates】55% of Job Seekers Regret Believing Information on SNS, While About 30% Applied to Companies They First Learned About on SNS

NeoCareer Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, CEO: Ryoji Nishizawa, hereinafter "NeoCareer"), which operates the Work×Life Journal "CareerTrus" (https://www.neo-career.co.jp/careertrus/) to expand career options, conducted a survey on the reality of SNS usage and the credibility of information in job hunting activities, targeting 109 job seekers who graduated in March 2027, have job offers, and utilized SNS for job hunting information collection.

*Note: This survey was conducted exclusively targeting 109 job seekers who graduated in March 2027, have job offers, and utilized SNS for job hunting information collection.

Survey Results Summary

More than half (55.0%) of job seekers who believed information on SNS and took action have "experienced regret"

The most common regret was "I panicked and took action after seeing posts that stirred up anxiety" at 50.0%

About 30% (27.5%) actually applied to companies they first learned about on SNS

The most trusted information source is the "company's official recruitment page" at 33.9%, the highest

The most utilized SNS is "X (formerly Twitter)" at 64.2%, the highest

*Note: When quoting or reprinting data, please indicate "NeoCareer (CareerTrus) survey" as the source.

CareerTrus article is here: https://www.neo-career.co.jp/careertrus/survey-shukatsu-sns

More than half of job seekers regret believing information on SNS When asked if they had experienced regret from taking action based on information obtained from SNS, 27.5% said "many times" and 27.5% said "once," totaling 55.0% of job seekers who have experienced regret from taking action based on SNS information. While SNS has become an indispensable information source for job hunting, the results suggest the necessity of carefully discerning information while utilizing it.

The most common regret was "I panicked and took action after seeing posts that stirred up anxiety" at 50.0%, the highest When asked about the content of their regret to those who answered "I have experienced regret" in the previous question, "I panicked and took action after seeing posts that stirred up anxiety" was the highest at 50.0%. This was followed by "I blindly believed incorrect information" at 35.0% and "I took selection measures that didn't suit me" at 26.7%. SNS tends to easily spread personal experiences and impressive posts. The results suggest the importance of making judgments based on one's own situation and values while referencing information.

Additionally, when asked for specific experiences of regretting information obtained from SNS through free responses, the following voices were received.

・In the early stages of job hunting, I was influenced by high-awareness job hunting accounts around me and took measures that were beyond my reach. ・There was too much information, and I ended up taking many unnecessary actions. ・I was anxious because people in the open chat were receiving responses to their entry sheets and interview results, but I wasn't receiving any contact. In hindsight, I shouldn't have worried about it. ・The information about the workplace was different from the actual workplace environment. ・Posts saying "you must work for a company above ○○." *Note: Free responses have been partially adjusted for expression.

SNS as a point of contact with companies. About 30% applied to companies they first learned about on SNS When it comes to actual actions taken based on SNS, "participated in company briefings or internships based on SNS information" was the highest at 30.3%. Additionally, "actually applied to companies I first learned about on SNS" was 27.5%, showing that SNS is not only used for information collection but also as a trigger for applications.

The most trusted information source is the "company's official recruitment page" at 33.9%, the highest When asked about the most trusted information source, the "company's official recruitment page" was the most common at 33.9%, followed by "closed communities by actual selection experiencers" and "job sites like Rikunabi and MyNavi" both at 29.4%. Even among job seekers who regularly utilize SNS, there is a tendency to prioritize official information released by companies.

The most utilized SNS is "X," and usage scenarios include "information collection for internships" and "industry/company research" When asked about the SNS utilized in job hunting activities, "X (formerly Twitter)" was the most common at 64.2%, followed by "Instagram" and "YouTube" both at 38.5%. Additionally, scenarios where SNS was utilized included "information collection for internships" (18.3%), "industry/company research" (12.8%), and "interview preparation" (12.8%), among others, showing that SNS is utilized in various scenarios in job hunting activities. SNS is not only used for company research but also for internships and selection preparation, among other wide-ranging scenarios in job hunting activities, as shown by the results.

Overall Evaluation In job hunting activities, SNS has become one of the familiar information collection methods for job seekers. In this survey, in addition to information collection for company research and internships, there were also cases where job seekers learned about companies through SNS and actually applied. On the other hand, as more than half of job seekers who took action based on information on SNS answered that they "have experienced regret," it can be seen that while there is useful information on SNS, there are also many posts based on personal experiences and values. Therefore, when referencing information, it is important to verify its authenticity and compatibility with oneself. Instead of blindly believing information, taking a stance of making judgments based on one's own aspirations and situation will lead to a satisfying job hunting experience. For companies as well, SNS is an important channel for creating points of contact with job seekers. On the other hand, when considering employment, providing accurate and consistent information through official recruitment sites and briefings will foster trust among job seekers and lead to satisfactory decision-making.

[Marketing Department General Manager Yotaro Nakamura]

Survey Overview Survey Name: Reality Survey on SNS Usage and Information Source Credibility of Z-Generation Job Seekers Survey Method: Internet survey conducted by IDEATECH's research marketing "Risapi®" Survey Period: June 4, 2026 to June 9, 2026 Valid Responses: 109 job seekers who graduated in March 2027, have job offers, and utilized SNS for job hunting information collection *Note: Composition ratios are rounded to the second decimal place, so the total may not necessarily be 100.

About CareerTrus CareerTrus is a "Work×Life Journal" that helps young people aiming for a richer career find options. In addition to know-how for job hunting and career changes, it provides information that serves as a trigger to confront one's way of working, way of life, and values, and supports self-styled career choices.

CareerTrus: https://www.neo-career.co.jp/