Tips For Hiring Effectively In Japan

Japan is a place of opportunity for any RetailTech looking to expand into the Japanese market. However, Japan is one of the most difficult countries to hire in, with an estimated 81% of employers in Japan facing hiring difficulties.

With the challenges in mind, we have compiled four tips to help you hire efficiently in Japan:

• Keeping Flexible and Having Open-Mindedness
• Clearly State Your Benefits and Future Career Prospects
• Secure Your Candidates Immediately
• Partner With Recruitment Agencies

Hiring Effectively In Japan

Keeping Flexible And Having Open-Mindedness

Due to language barriers, passive job candidates, cultural differences, and high life-time employment – finding the “ideal” candidate with the appropriate education, expertise, and experience in the Japanese talent pool will be challenging, especially when competing Retailtechs are also looking to hire in this market. Imagine how many RetailTech would be looking to hire a candidate with the right credentials, abilities, and experience. Will your RetailTech take into account paying him/her significantly more than the market rate to become the more desirable employer in the pool?

In order to successfully hire people in Japan, you must be flexible and open-minded. Consider offering the position to less experienced candidates who might be eager to support the success of your RetailTech, in the case of experience being an important qualification for the position.

In contrast, if you were able to fill the position with a candidate who is open and qualified but may not be bilingual but has the necessary experience and skills, it might not be as challenging.

Clearly State Your Benefits And Future Career Prospects

Expect your candidate to be speaking with multiple of start-ups and receive multiple job offers. They would probably also get counteroffers from their current employer. They will feel conflicted emotions because in Japan, being loyal to one’s employer is a virtue. However, you can simplify things by offering a sizable increment of at least 10% over their current package to make the deal more enticing and give them a compelling reason to choose your business.

Strong candidates are in high demand, particularly in specialized technical fields like RetailTech. recognizing that in order to secure your ideal candidate, you will likely need to make an offer that is higher than the current salary and benefits offered by candidates. You will have a better chance of securing the top talent if you properly map out your budgets that are realistic but flexible.

As for the Japanese candidates, the choice to switch companies will be extremely important because Japanese candidates would view it as a long-term decision. This is because they are unlikely to switch jobs multiple times in a short period of time. Therefore, it is crucial to emphasize career progression, salaries, and benefits as well as long-term career prospects and career paths with your company.

Secure Your Candidates Immediately

Once you’ve found the ideal candidates for the job, act swiftly to secure the candidate. Japanese hiring procedures can be drawn-out and tedious, but if your RetailTech is able to move quickly, you may have an advantage over your competitors.

Additionally, Japanese people don’t like to bargain, so you should always make a competitive offer up front to keep them interested. To keep your candidates, be available to reassure and respond to any inquiries, but avoid exerting undue pressure.

Partner With Recruitment Agencies

The goal of a recruitment agency is to find outstanding talent for the organizations they partner with, and this works the best when both the company’s and the agency’s visions are aligned.  Finding the best recruitment agency for your company, industry, and jobs is critical and comes with great benefits:

• Full support for both the clients and candidates: The recruitment agency acts as a mediator and ensures effective communication between clients and candidates. The recruitment agency makes sure to source the best resumes for the position.
• Quicker Hiring Process: Once the client provides them with the requirement for the role, recruitment agencies can quickly attract and shortlist candidates within their database.
• Specialist Knowledge: Working with a recruitment agency that specializes in your industry can provide you with a better understanding of the current job market and understand the hiring requirements for that specific role.
• Higher Quality Candidates: Recruitment agencies are the experts when it comes to candidate selection, they will provide you with the best befitting candidates for the required role.

We Are Here To Help

Whether you are a small start-up or looking to scale up, Storm5 is here to support your growth journey. We are specialist recruiters dedicated to working with the top companies in all RetailTech sectors. Storm5 is here to help you find the right senior talent for the right specialism. If you are looking to expand your team, contact us.