OB訪問

• Reading: オービーほうもん
• Romaji: ōbī hōmon
• Kanji breakdown: OB (Old Boy, English abbreviation for alumni) + 訪問 (visit: 訪 = visit + 問 = inquire) → alumni visit
• Pronunciation: /oː.biː.hoː.moɴ/

Meaning

Visiting alumni for job-hunting advice — an important networking ritual in the Japanese employment system.

OB訪問 is a key step in Japanese job hunting (就活) where students contact and visit alumni (OB = Old Boy, also used for women despite the name) who work at companies they are interested in. The purpose is to gather insider information about the company culture, work environment, and hiring process that cannot be found in official materials. It is an informal but crucial networking activity — having a good OB connection can provide referrals and strategic advice. Some companies unofficially evaluate candidates through OB訪問 interactions.

Examples

1. OB訪問でリアルな話聞けたから就活の方向性が決まった。 The real talk I got from an alumni visit helped me figure out my job-hunting direction.
2. 第一志望の企業にOB訪問のアポ取れた！緊張する。 I got an appointment for an alumni visit at my top-choice company! I'm so nervous.
3. OB訪問って何社くらい行くのが普通なの？ How many companies are you supposed to do alumni visits for?

Usage Guide

Context: job hunting, university, career planning

Tone: professional, anxious

Do Say

• OB訪問のマナーを先輩に教えてもらった。 (A senior taught me the etiquette for alumni visits.)
• OB訪問は早めに始めた方がいいよ。 (You should start doing alumni visits early.)

Don't Say

• OB訪問で「給料いくらですか」と初回から聞くのはマナー違反 (Asking about salary on your first alumni visit is considered bad manners)

Common Mistakes

• Thinking OB only means male alumni — despite the 'Old Boy' origin, OB訪問 applies to visiting alumni of any gender; the female-specific OG (Old Girl) exists but OB is used generically

Origin & History

From OB (Old Boy, English-origin abbreviation for alumni, used in Japan for all genders) + 訪問 (visit). Became a standard part of Japanese 就活 culture, formalising the traditional senpai-kohai networking dynamic.

Cultural Context

Era: Established practice in postwar Japanese employment system

Generation: University students in job-hunting years (mainly 3rd-4th year)

Social background: Especially important for students targeting large corporations

Regional notes: Used across Japan. More prevalent in Tokyo and other major cities with large corporate headquarters. Some universities have formal OB訪問 matching systems.