Restructuring Blues or A Rosy Future
Japan-based recruitment firms face natural challenges at the best of times, but just how are recruiters coping with the twin troubles of the Internet backlash and the faltering economy?
by J.M.Moriarty
There's no getting away from the fact that times are difficult, no matter what area of business a company is in, but since our previous analysis of the recruitment market last September, one surprising fact keeps bubbling to the surface -- recruiters are proving themselves a hardy bunch and showing increasing optimism for the year ahead. We sat down for a head to head with the market leaders, seeking insight on their approach to recruiting, their assessments of the current market and their prognosis for the future.
Describe your company's vision.
The corporate brochure is one thing, but what's it all about on a day-to-day basis?
Simon Childs managing director, CDS: We're a higher touch, client-driven boutique search firm, focused primarily on IT: We don't just send resume and hope that will do the job, rather we make great efforts to understand what the client wants, what their vision is, what their hiring needs are and what kind of person will suit them."
CDS's Childs concurs: "We just can't dodge the issues of the recruiting landscape being pretty bleak right now, but Q1 has been quite good for us actually; there are a lot more positions opening up, as there has been something of a rally on the US stock market and the yen is getting weaker so that is encouraging some clients who may have been holding off on entering Japan. If you're going to be global, you have to have a presence here. It is tough, but with the positive signs we've seen recently, things are looking up."
What's the mark of a quality recruiter?
So, it seems there's still work to be done and clients to service, even in such challenging conditions, but what does it take to stand out from the crowd?
According to Simon Childs, licensing can be the recruiting world's Hallmark equivalent: "You need to be licensed to recruit here in Japan -- most companies we compete with are not, but we are, which differentiates us. The level of recruiting professionalism in Japan is yet to reach that of elsewhere -- at CDS we aim higher and our staff are constantly skilling up, have pride in their work and realize how important what they do is."
This time last year, we said: "People who are technologically literate and globally savvy will be the most important resource over the next 20 years." Does that still hold true?
Technological skills are frequently crucial, but do they still hold the value they did in the past?
What's unique to the Japanese recruitment market?
Japan can offer its own challenges, particularly when it comes to mid-career, or even mid-life, changes.
What's your advice to potential candidates in this market?
Several of our interviewees paused for a moment to offer a few choice words to those seeking a change. Recurring themes were those of defining the target, adapting to the local market and strong research.
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