Japans Recent Recruitment Trends
Japans Recent Recruitment Trends
The recruitment practices in Japan are experiencing some forced changes due to the swiftly altering financial environment that companies are faced with currently. Budget cuts following the Global Financial Crisis of 2008 have drastically lowered the recruitment efforts of human resource departments everywhere.
The Most Significant Trends
This has led to somewhat of a wakeup call for many companies in Japan. As a result, companies have turned their focus to supporting growth outside of Japan and especially in Asia. Businesses are looking to develop human capital and diversify the country’s workforce.
Recently, some of the most significant recruitment trends that have emerged in Japan include:
- Japanese being hired that have experience with studying overseas
- International students that are being hired which have been studying in Japan
- Hiring a larger number of international student that has been studying overseas
This has led to an increase in companies that are looking to Japanese natives who have experience studying abroad for new hires.
International Students
These students have had the chance to develop important communication skills and are typically able to speak fluent English. Therefore, their level of intercultural effectiveness is much higher, which makes it possible to further their experience in the emerging markets and allowing companies to better compete on a global level.Likewise, international students studying in Japan are not only fluent in the native language, but also have a strong understanding of the culture that resonates throughout corporations and society. In addition, these people also have a firm idea of the expectations that will be placed on them by employees in Japan. The primary recruitment focus is on students from China, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam.
Finally, as more and more western and Japanese companies are looking to expand into the markets that are emerging in Asia, they seek candidates that are well rounded. These companies are interested in new hires that are bilingual, have a global mindset as well as localized knowledge. The ideal candidate by these standards would be fluent in both English and the local language. With an ability to know about the local businesses and familiarity with the practices of the businesses within the market.
Companies in Japan have placed the greatest level of significance on the ability to speak English. For many companies, this means that all conversations within their offices are conducted in English. They feel that this provides them with a greater chance of success with growing their businesses to a global level. With the emphasis of learning the language companies feel they will have the desired edge to rise above their competitors.
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