As generative artificial intelligence becomes the primary counseling channel for job seekers, there are growing concerns that companies with low online visibility could be completely excluded from the hiring process.
IT media reported on June 22 local time that when it asked large-scale language models (LLMs) to recommend companies in the same industry, some companies confirmed that their names were not displayed at all.
Behind the growing concerns about recruitment is a real-life example of a decline in applications. One company accepted applications for summer internships for students scheduled to graduate in 2028 after Golden Week, but the number of applicants was only about half of the usual number. A subsequent internal survey revealed that approximately half of respondents to the previous year’s new hire interview survey had used an LLM in their job search.
When the company asked several LLMs about their industry and recommended companies, the company’s name never came up. The company believed that one of the reasons was a decrease in web exposure due to reduced promotional costs.
At the same time, LLMOs are emerging as a new task in recruitment. LLMO refers to optimization efforts aimed at having generative AIs such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity cite or recommend company information. There is a growing recognition in the field that “LLMO, which until now was only discussed in the field of marketing, is beginning to have an impact on recruitment.”
The use of AI by students has already become impossible to ignore. According to a survey by Mynavi, a Japanese employment support company, two out of three job seekers scheduled to graduate in 2026 said they were using AI in their job search. According to a survey by the employment service company Gakujo, 40% of students used generative AI while preparing for employment. Another survey found that approximately 70% of Generation Z do not use generative AI in job hunting or job hunting, indicating that while usage is expanding, the company is still in a transition period where non-users remain.
Yet, behind the rapid uptake of LLMs lies a structural problem: a lack of reliable counseling channels for job seekers. The functions and operating standards of university career support centers vary widely depending on the school. While some universities are highly trusted by students, others are struggling to staff their positions due to high demand for cover letters and interview preparation. In some universities, students learn about relevant organizations only shortly before graduation, while others do not have a career department at all.
Critics say that the private job counseling market is not a stable option for students. Recruitment agencies for beginners are divided into companies that have a dedicated database and companies that have a database for beginners. Even if the company name is the same, the former may display technical jobs first, and the latter may display jobs such as mobile phone sales positions first. This means that the starting point of a student’s career can change depending on which banner they click.
Others say even companies that specialize in entry-level recruiting are increasingly steering candidates toward more lucrative fields. Around 2024-2025, there were many cases in which applicants were concentrated on consulting companies and some SI (system integration) companies, where recruitment fees were high and recruitment results were easy to obtain, and cases where applicants were actively connected to SES and temporary staffing companies, where the selection process was completed in one day. Many social media accounts that promote “career counseling” are actually more like affiliate income-seekers, and their actual work history is often unclear.
In this situation, the LLM serves as a counseling partner for students who are available at any time and appear, on the surface, to be neutral. The challenge for companies is not just to increase recruitment drives. We also need to recognize that the first information channels students encounter are shifting from searches and job fairs to AI-powered answers. As a result, companies with a weak online presence are likely to face a significant disadvantage in future hiring competitions.
