Vol.18 OB/OG visit- Job Hunting Guide for International Students
This is Living in Peace (LIP) Refugee Project.
In this article, we would like to introduce the 'OB/OG visit' that you should make during your job-hunting activities in Japan.
◆What is OB/OG visit?
OB/OG is a Japanese-English abbreviation of Old Boy and Old Girl, which means alumni of your school.
OB/OG visit means visiting senior students from your school who are working at the company of your choice, and hearing their stories about their work.
◆Advantages of OB/OG visit
OB/OG visits are not mandatory; you can still get a job offer even if you have never done so (although it may be relevant to the selection process in some cases). It is recommended because there are many positive benefits for job hunters.
~Advantages of OB-OG visit~
(1) Obtain valuable information about the company that cannot be learned through information sessions or internships.
(2) It provides a chance to practice for interviews.
(3) Get advice on selection procedures, CVs and entry sheets.
(4) It boosts your motivation!
(5) Sometimes it can be advantageous in the selection process.
(1) Obtain valuable information about the company that cannot be learned through information sessions or internships.
The OBOG visit is generally conducted on a one-to-one basis. This means that the atmosphere is more informal than at a general information session with a large number of participants. It is also a chance to ask questions that are difficult to ask in a public gathering.
(2) It provides a chance to practice for interviews.
By talking with working people on a one-to-one basis for a long period of time, you will have the opportunity to practice your business communication skills.
(3) Get advice on selection procedures, CVs and entry sheets.
By asking alumni questions about job-hunting activities, you can get advice from them.
(4) It boosts your motivation!
By learning more about the company you want to work for, you can raise your self-motivation!
(5) Sometimes it can be advantageous in the selection process.
Although the OB/OG visit is not directly related to the job offer, in certain industries (*1), it tends to be considered important. Besides, the fact that it is not mandatory actually makes it a good way for you to stand out from the other job hunters.
*1 Trading companies, financial institutions, advertising industry, etc.
◆Timing of OB/OG visit
There is no specific time for it, but you can start from October of your third year of university. The peak time is between March of the third year and April of the fourth year in university. Because this is the period of preparation in the job-hunting schedule. During the peak period, it can be difficult to make appointments with alumni, so make sure you start early to give yourself enough time.
◆Flow of OB/OG visit
The general flow of the OB/OG visitation process
(1) Finding alumni.
(2) Contact the alumni and make an appointment to meet.
(3) Prepare for the visit
(4) Visit
(5) Convey your gratitude for the visit.
(1) Finding alumni
~How to find alumni~
Ask your university's career center for contact details of the seniors.
Ask if your friends or people at your part-time job can help you find alumni.
Use alumni matching websites.
First goal is to find alumni whom you would like to visit. Even if you don't know anyone, there are matching websites for alumni visits these days, so it is a nice idea to make good use of them.
Matcher（マッチャー）｜ OB訪問の新しい形OB/OG訪問の新しい形を実現したソーシャルマッチングサービスです。 学生は、大学の先輩以外でも「気になる企業の、気になるmatcher.jp
OB/OG訪問ネットワーク【ビズリーチ・キャンパス】ビズリーチ・キャンパスは、大学生と活躍しているOB/OGがつながる、OB/OG訪問の新しい形のマッチングサービスです。br-campus.jp
OBトーク - 簡単OB訪問、就活相談OBトークは学生と社会人の簡単マッチングサービスです。OB訪問や就活相談などが気軽に行えます。ob-talk.com
(2) Contact the alumni and make an appointment to meet.
Once you have obtained the contact details of the alumni, contact them by e-mail or by phone call. Email is usually the preferred method.
You may think it's too much trouble to write an email with lots of honorifics, but you can use an email template as a reference and it won't take you too long.
(3) Prepare for the visit
Things to take with you:
Entry sheet (ES) or CV
Company brochures or information leaflets
Writing materials
~Remember to prepare a list of questions you would like to ask!~
Despite how busy your alumni are, they are willing to spare their valuable time to help you, as the time is limited, you should prepare your questions in advance.
(4) Visit
On the day of the visit, be sure to attend on time, do not be late for the meeting. If you are likely to be late, contact the alumni in advance.
Cafés, family restaurants, izakaya (pubs) and company offices are often designated as places for the meeting.
When ordering something to eat or drink, order what is cheaper than or the same as what the alumni ordered. You may think that you want to eat whatever you like, but in most cases the Alumni will pay for this meal, so don't make it too much of a burden on them. Do not take it for granted, but express your appreciation properly.
(5) Convey your gratitude for the visit.
If possible, send a thank-you email on the day of the visit. If you return home late at night, it is preferable to send it by mid-morning the following day. There are also templates for thank-you emails, use them as reference.
Visiting alumni may feel stressful and complicated, but you will definitely learn a lot by listening to people who are actually working, so by all means give it a go!
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Author: Mayu Sunaga
Translation: Qianyun Guan
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