Job-hunting guideposts for Chuo University students.What you learn at university is important.　大学で何を学ぶかが大切中大生に向ける就活の道しるべ

        In Japan, college life is often referred to as the “summer holiday of life”. At the end of this period lies the crucial choice of what to do after graduation. The range of career choices has changed dramatically from the one in the past, and students now have a wider range of options, including employment, higher education, and study abroad. Among these, many students choose employment.
        According to a survey conducted last year by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) on career paths after graduation, approximately 76% of students hope to find a job. The general job-hunting process, as described on job-hunting information websites, is as follows: (1) self-analysis and industry research, (2) participation in joint company information sessions, and (3) selection process and informal job offers. The process starts around spring of the third year for the students.
         However, as the term “gakuchika” is talked about among first- and second-year students, awareness of the need to find a job seems to develop early on. Gakuchika is an abbreviation meaning “what I put a lot of effort into when I was a student,” and is frequently used during job interviews. Hakumon Herald interviewed Kei Kitada, deputy manager of the Career Support Section of the Career Center at Chuo University, about what first- and second-year students need to keep in mind for job hunting.

   「人生の夏休み」とも呼ばれる大学生活。その最後に待ち受けるのは、卒業後の進路選択である。中でも多くの学生が選択するのは就職ではないだろうか。
    大学卒業後の進路調査として文部科学省が昨年行った調査では、およそ76％の学生が就職を希望している。就職活動情報サイトなどで紹介されている一般的な就職活動の流れは、３年生の春ごろから（１）自己分析や業界研究（２）企業合同説明会への参加（３）選考、内定というものである。
    しかし、「ガクチカ」という言葉が1、2年生の学生間で飛び交うように、就職への意識は早いうちから芽生えているようだ。ガクチカとは「学生時代に力を入れたこと」を意味する略語で、就職面接などで聞かれることの多いトピックだ。中央大学で進路相談に当たっているキャリアセンターのキャリア支援課の北田圭氏に、大学1、2年生が就職活動に向けて成すべきことなどについて話を聞いた。

Read newspapers to learn more about society
社会をより知るため新聞を読もう

         Q: Some students participate in volunteer and internship programs with a view to finding employment. What kind of preparation should first- and second-year students do to prepare for their job hunting?

         Kitada: Let me refer not only to first- and second-year students but to students in general. I urge them to value their “college learning as a student”. In your university studies, you will learn things that are in line with your interest and curiosity, regardless of whether they are related to your future or not. I would like you to engage in a variety of activities based on your genuine curiosity, interest, and concern rather than engaging in something special with an eye toward finding a job. The outcome of these efforts will be an element that you can use to appeal yourself in the job-hunting process.
        Regardless of job hunting, you should also increase your exposure to media such as newspapers in order to gain a deeper understanding of society. Personally, I recommend reading newspapers. By increasing your opportunities to learn about society, you may develop your new interest and curiosity. As it is difficult to read through all pages of newspapers, it will be a good idea to get into the habit of reading at least the headlines on the front page. When you are in the third year of school, when the job-hunting season is at its peak, you should also look at company news pages to make the most of your job search. They contain a lot of information, especially about large companies.

     ―学生の中には就職を意識してボランティアやインターンに参加している人もいるが、1、2年生が就職活動を行うに当たって、最も意識しておくべき点とは何か。

    北田氏　1、2年生に限らず学生全般に言えることだが、ぜひとも学生としての大学の学びを大切にしてほしい。大学での学びの中では、将来にかかわるか、かかわらないかに関係なく、自分の興味や好奇心に沿った学びを得ることができる。就職を意識してなにか特別なことに取り組むのではなく、純粋な自分の好奇心や興味、関心に従って、さまざまなことに取り組んでほしい。その結果が、いずれ始まる就職活動で自分をアピールできる要素となるからだ。
    また就職活動だけに限らないが、社会を深く知るために新聞などメディアに触れる機会を増やすべきだと思う。個人的には新聞を読むことをお勧めする。社会を知る機会を増やすことで、新しい興味や好奇心が芽生えることもあるだろう。新聞に全部目を通すのは難しいので、一面の見出しだけでも目を通す習慣をつけたらよい。就職活動が本格化する３年生になったら、企業欄にも目を通すようにすれば就職活動に生かせると思う。企業欄には特に大企業に関した情報が多く掲載されている。

         Q: On many occasions during the job search process, students are asked, “What did you put special effort into while you were a student?” What should they do to gain gakuchika?

           Kitada: I do not think that you should do something special in order to obtain “gakuchika”. But I think that by having a sense of purpose in the activities you engage in, you will be able to claim them as gakuchika in your job-hunting activities. The most common examples of “gakuchika” are study abroad and volunteer activities. But instead of engaging in those activities without a sense of purpose, you will be able to learn more by clarifying what you are engaging in them for and what you want to acquire through those activities. I believe it is important to clarify the purpose of your actions based on curiosity, interest, and concern, and to deepen your self-understanding rather than engaging in something for the sake of gaining gakchika. After all, I want you to follow your own curiosity and actively engage in what you want to do. Then, during or after those activities, I want you to analyze yourself carefully and improve your self-understanding.

     ―就職活動では多くの場面で、「学生時代に特に力を入れていたことは何か」と質問される。ガクチカを得るために何をすべきか。

     北田　ガクチカを得るために特別何かをするべきとは思わないが、自分が取り組む活動に目的意識を持つことによって就職活動においてガクチカとして主張できるようになると思う。ガクチカとしてよく聞くのは、留学やボランティア活動だが、目的意識を持たずにそれらに取り組むのではなく、自分は何のためにそれに取り組むのか、取り組みによって何を身に着けたいのかを明確にすることで、より大きな学びを得ることができるだろう。ガクチカを得るために何かに取り組むのではなく、好奇心や興味、関心から自分の行動の目的を明確にして、自己理解を深めていくことが重要だ。やはり、自分の好奇心に従って、自分のやりたいことに積極的に取り組んでほしい。そして、それらの活動の最中あるいは終えた後にしっかりと自己分析し、自分への理解を高めていってもらいたい。

Don't worry alone, make use of Career Center
独りで悩まずキャリアセンタの活用を

         Q: Can you tell us about the Career Center, which can be a friend for students in their job-hunting activities?

          Kitada: The Career Center has a Student Hub (a consultation and procedure office that provide students with various services) each at the Tama and Myogadani campuses. In an effort to improve student satisfaction with employment, the hub provides a wide range of support services, including consultation on career choice, industry selection, and assistance with self-analysis. When you hear the word “job- hunting support,” you may think that the main users of this service are third-year students who are about to start their job-hunting activities in earnest. But if you have any problems regarding job hunting or career path, I encourage you to use this service.
         The center will support students in their job search activities over time, from entrance to graduation. We encourage them to use this service from the stage of personal activities such as self-analysis, rather than worrying about it alone. Job hunting is a major turning point in your life, and many students may have worries to which there are no answers, as it will greatly affect your future life. In job hunting, which is also known as “information warfare,” you may not be able to cover everything by yourself.
       The most important thing in finding a job is to clarify what you want to do and find a job that satisfies you. Chuo University has career data on approximately 600,000 graduates and a career center that provides professional advice based on this data.

    ―中大生の就職活動の味方となるキャリアセンターの活用方法について教えてほしい。

    北田　中央大学のキャリアセンターは多摩キャンパスや茗荷谷キャンパスにスチューデントハブ（学内のさまざまなサービスを学生に提供する、相談・手続きの窓口）がある。学生の就職満足度の向上を図るべく、進路選択に関する相談から業界選び、自己分析の手伝いなど、サポートは多岐にわたる。また就職サポートと聞くと、利用者は就職活動が本格化する３年生が中心となるイメージだが、就職活動や進路に関して少しでも悩みがあれば是非利用してほしい。
　キャリアセンターは、学生の就職活動を入学から卒業まで時間をかけながら支援する。一人で悩むのではなく、ぜひ自己分析などの個人活動の段階から利用ほしい。人生の大きな岐路となる就職活動は、自分自身の今後の人生を大きく左右するものであるため、多くの学生が答えのない悩みを抱えることだろう。情報戦とも言われる就職活動では一人ではカバーしきれないことばかりかもしれない。
    就職において最も大切なのは、自分のやりたいことを明確化し、満足のいく就職先と出会うこと。そして中央大学にはおよそ６０万人の卒業生の進路データと、それをもとに専門的にアドバイスをするキャリアセンターの存在がある。

photo=The exterior of the Green Terrace, which houses the Career Center at Chuo University Tama Campus = Photo by Chuo University　　
写真=中央大学多摩キャンパスのキャリアセンターが所在するグリーンテラスの外観=中央大学撮影　　
　　　　　　　　　　
（By Yuna Nomoto and Hinata Sato/
野本優菜、佐藤ひなた）