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This article first appeared on GuruFocus<\/a>.<\/p>\n Global asset managers are increasingly looking<\/a> beyond traditional recruiting pipelines in Japan, as BlackRock Inc. (NYSE:BLK<\/a>) and Point72 Asset Management use the Gyoseki competition to identify potential hires through hands-on fundamental analysis. Participants were tasked with studying consumer behavior in real-world settings, visiting stores to evaluate pricing, shelf placement, and brand positioning across companies including Unicharm Corp. (UNICY<\/a>), Lion Corp. (LIOPF<\/a>), and Ezaki Glico Co. (EZKGF<\/a>). The process required students to submit earnings forecasts that were later compared with actual results, a structure that could mirror the analytical discipline expected at global investment firms.<\/p>\n This initiative comes as Japan’s labor market shows signs of tightening, with 175 job openings for every 100 graduates last year and nearly all students securing employment offers. At the same time, finance roles appear to be losing relative appeal, with fewer students prioritizing banking careers and global financial firms absent from top employer rankings since 2020. Recruiters suggest that interest may be shifting toward consulting, technology, and startups, which could be narrowing the pipeline of candidates for asset managers. In that context, competitions like Gyoseki may provide firms with a broader and more diverse pool of talent while giving students direct exposure to institutional investors operating in Japan’s evolving capital markets.<\/p>\n The structure of the competition also highlights a continued focus on traditional fundamental analysis, even as AI tools become more prevalent in entry-level research tasks. While participants were allowed to use AI, evaluators focused on identifying original thinking through detailed reports and presentations. Some teams delivered forecasts with notable accuracy, including one group that was within 4% of Lion Corp.’s fourth-quarter operating profit and correctly estimated its 2026 outlook. The winning team pointed to potential margin improvement through product rationalization, while another team identified weaker pricing power at Ezaki Glico Co. as a factor behind its performance. For firms, these outcomes suggest that disciplined, bottom-up analysis could remain a key differentiator when evaluating new investment talent.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n