Win Japan’s Hiring Race

People talk about how tough it is to hire in Japan. And it is. But who would head out to win a race without having trained?? Don’t treat hiring in Japan as a jog in the park…this is a race where the best-prepared, fastest, and most strategic companies win.?

Based on my nearly 30 years of experience recruiting in the Japan market, here are 8 steps on how you can win on race day:

1. Sprint to the finish: Move Fast and Be Decisive: Top candidates get multiple offers quickly. Streamline your interview process, limit rounds, and make fast decisions. So many companies have profiles because HR says it’s the best thing to do. If you’re not looking at them, scrap them. Many are complete BS anyway.??

Action: Give your candidates? feedback within 24–48 hours after an interview. By the time the competition looks up, you have crossed the finish line.?

2. Offer Competitive Compensation & Benefits: Salaries in Japan have been rising, and candidates expect more than just base pay. And how many times do I see companies whose budget range is wide, hedge toward the lower end just to match the candidate's current salary? Don’t low-ball candidates. That’s like running a marathon in cheap, worn-out shoes. If you have the budget, use it to get the candidate on-board.?

Action: Benchmark your salaries against the market and consider sign-on bonuses, stock options, and flexible benefits. Have you checked out the FocusCore our salary guide??

3. Sell the Opportunity, Not Just the Job:? Candidates are looking for career growth, company stability, and culture…not just being stuck on the treadmill (Yeah, the metaphor is getting a bit thin…) So many hiring managers just go into a meeting a grill candidates and forget to sell the company, team, opportunity and themselves! Make the candidate want to join!?

Action: Highlight how the role contributes to their long-term career progression and work-life balance.

4. Strengthen Your Employer Brand: This need not cost much but a bit of time and consistent effort. Japanese candidates value stability, reputation, and work culture. In Japan, candidates research companies like runners research race routes. Make sure your company is putting quality information where it can be seen.

Action: Invest in employer branding—share employee success stories, pictures, company culture, and mission-driven initiatives on LinkedIn and other recruitment platforms (which in Japan is sparse and not very good, TBH).

5. Tap into Passive Candidates. Think of this as training for a marathon or ultra race, even though you have a few shorter races lined-up. In Japan, many top professionals aren’t actively looking. They need to be approached, nurtured, and convinced. The main reason FocusCore focuses on retained search is so that we can offer our clients candidates that aren’t actually looking. After all, how many bilingual senior accountants or air freight managers are there on LinkedIn? Go count…there aren’t many! And so many managers I speak to neglect to network or interview candidates to build a network, and instead leave it to HR. This is short-term thinking and a horrible recruitment mistake.?

Action: Use headhunting, referrals, and executive search to connect with passive candidates. Build long-term relationships with potential candidates, go out networking, make friends with recruiters. Having a talent pool at your fingertips will help you throughout your career.?

6. Localize Your Recruitment Approach. Hiring in Japan is different from the U.S. and Europe, Singapore and Shanghai and relationships and trust are key. If your talent acquisition team is outside Japan, you’re at a significant disadvantage. If you are using recruiters from outside Japan, it’s both illegal and a shot in the dark at best.?

Action: Build long-term connections with potential hires, recruitment partners, and engage in soft selling, and understand cultural expectations.

7. Offer Career Stability and Growth. Give your candidates not only the race, but the training plan to succeed for the race. Japanese candidates prefer companies that invest in their employees and offer clear career paths. Yet, many times I go into a company and hear, “There isn’t a career path.” That’s a lack of creativity of how to build a company and motivated candidates. But, I hear you say, in the case of our company, it’s true. My response: get creative and start developing your staff or go the way of the Dodo.

Action: Show structured training programs, internal mobility, and how they can grow within the company.

8. Adapt to Candidate Expectations (Flexibility & Remote Work): Many professionals in Japan now expect hybrid or fully remote options. If you’re finding the market tight for any specific area, look at how your organization can be more flexible. Working parents in Japan now expect remote options.? You or your company may not like it, but remote and flexible work is here to stay. Your competitors are doing it and will hire the best candidates. If you fail to adapt, don’t be surprised at your DNF.?

Action: Be flexible with working hours and locations—companies that don’t offer this struggle to attract top talent.

Final Thought:

From my experience in Japan, hiring in Japan’s candidate-short market means being fast, flexible, and proactive while offering a great candidate experience and clear career growth. The companies that adapt will win the race on talent.??