Do I need to attach happy photos when applying for a job? Marginalized people cry about the difficulty of finding a job, and the recruitment conditions of Japanese companies put immense pressure on them

Recently, a controversial new phenomenon has emerged in Japan’s job search trend – companies require job seekers to submit “happy photos”, which has sparked a lot of discussion among netizens. Many people question the reasonableness of this requirement and believe that it may unfairly exclude job seekers who are not good at socializing, do not like taking photos, or do not have relevant photos during the recruitment process.

This trend has left many people confused and uneasy, especially those who are not accustomed to taking selfies or documenting their lives.

Photo requirements deter some job seekers

A Japanese netizen encountered a company’s requirement to upload a “happy photo” while looking for a job, which must be a single person photo that can clearly identify their appearance or indicate who they are in a group photo.

This netizen gave up the application due to the inability to provide photos that met the requirements, and shared this situation online, sparking heated discussions among netizens.

Many people express that such demands make them feel difficult to cope with. Some netizens mentioned that they have no habit of taking photos at all, and they hardly save their own photos, whether it’s selfies or what he takes.

 

Potential motivation: Understanding social skills and personality?

 

 

These social media information may not only be used to evaluate the personality and interpersonal relationships of job seekers, but also to determine whether they will bring potential trouble to the company or whether they possess the skills needed by the company.

Netizens‘ reactions: doubts and concerns

Many netizens have expressed strong opposition and dissatisfaction with this emerging recruitment trend. Some people believe that this requirement is too demanding, especially for those who are not accustomed to taking photos or have no photography habits, which may put them at a disadvantage in the job search process.

Some people have pointed out that this requirement is particularly detrimental to those who are introverted and marginalized, and some even joke that it is an opportunity to kill off all marginalized people.

 

This indicates that many people feel excluded and unfair due to this additional requirement.

The emerging recruitment trend of requiring the submission of ‘happy photos’ has sparked widespread questioning in Japan. Although this requirement may be for companies to understand the personality and social skills of job seekers, it also creates significant pressure for those who do not like or are not accustomed to taking photos. In this society where personal image is increasingly valued, this phenomenon also reflects the company’s emphasis on the external image and social skills of job seekers. However, whether this requirement can truly bring better employees to the company remains to be further explored.