Sankei Shimbun Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Tetsuji Kondo; hereinafter referred to as Sankei Shimbun) and Works Japan Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Shinichiro Shimizu; hereinafter referred to as Works Japan), an HR consulting firm, conducted a survey of students intending to seek employment, targeting university and graduate school students scheduled to graduate in March 2028. The survey period was from March 1, 2026, to November 30, 2026. Based on the aggregation period from March 1, 2026, to May 31, 2026, we have released an early ranking of popular companies. View Ranking Details [Survey Summary] 1. Companies that clearly communicate their post-hire work environment to students and engage in continuous interaction gain support. 2. In the overall humanities category, major general trading companies dominate the top positions, with financial institutions also rising in rank. 3. In the overall science and engineering category, Ajinomoto takes the top spot, with diverse manufacturers in food, chemicals, and electronics lining up as preferred employers. 4. Internships are being participated in earlier, with approximately 80% of students planning to participate by summer. Inquiries regarding the ranking can be made here. ■ Companies that can concretely depict post-hire scenarios gain student support through continuous engagement The new graduate recruitment market continues to be a seller's market, with the timing of contact between companies and students advancing year by year, and the means of contact steadily expanding. Amidst this, companies are not only expanding their internship programs but also implementing more in-depth recruitment measures, such as creating opportunities for direct conversation with employees and offering chances to experience actual work. The key to conveying a company's appeal is increasingly becoming the extent to which they can design experiences that allow students to envision themselves