As a PhD candidate nearing graduation, I initially applied through Rakuten's new graduate program and was immediately rejected. I then attempted the mid-career recruitment route, also resulting in an instant rejection. Even after being recommended by a recruiter and later referred by a friend, I received the same outcome—automatic rejection at the initial stage. On one occasion, Rakuten acknowledged that the rejection was due to a system issue, but the result remained unchanged. Across several applications, only once did I reach the online coding test stage. It remains unclear whether the company is actively considering PhD candidates. In contrast, other companies in the same industry have consistently provided at least a coding test opportunity.