Tips to Hire the Top Talent in Japan
kanri
The current mid-career recruitment market in Japan is a heated one, with every company looking to hire the best candidates, and it is no easy task to do so. In particular, when interviewing candidates introduced through recruiting or headhunting firms, there is the assumption that even if an excellent candidate comes for an interview, he or she may not necessarily have your company as his or her first choice for a new job. They may not currently be strongly interested in changing jobs and may not be particularly interested in your company. Nevertheless, there are several reasons why a candidate may still be interviewing with a company such as:
1. They came just out of curiosity, “window shopping”.
2．Intend to change jobs, but want to compare with other companies “shopping around”.
3．Interested in your company, but not sure yet, so they want to check on your company atmosphere and employees at an actual interview “browsing”.
In general, excellent candidates have little desire to change jobs because they are successful in their current positions, and because they have many options, they often do not want to change to another company unless the conditions are very favorable, especially if there is a significant career advancement or salary increase.
Even when there are many applicants the company will also be assessed and judged by the talent side. Given such a situation of excellent human resources, how can the company hire such people? If your company is serious about hiring the best people who can make an immediate impact, you need to turn the interview process itself into a platform to attract.
1. The initial interview should not be a assessment.
The initial interview should not be a Q&A or assessment, but rather a casual dialogue. Make it an opportunity for the candidate to learn about your company’s appeal. Instead of asking them if they want to change jobs right away, ask the candidate about their goals and plans. An executive in charge should take time as well to talk about real business issues, vision, future possibilities, and the attractiveness of the workplace.
2. Content that resonates with the candidate.
During screening we obtain an understanding of the candidate’s values, hopes, and career axis in advance, and at the interview, we can propose how the candidate can achieve what they want to achieve at your company. It is not always easy to get the candidate’s true intentions during an interview with a company. Use a third-party recruiter to find out what the candidate is interested in, what their career direction is and would like to achieve in the future. If the candidate expresses dissatisfaction with their current position, it is a great way to show the candidate that your company offers an environment in which they may resolve this dissatisfaction. If it seems difficult to ask the candidate in the interview, ask the recruiter to find out their dissatisfaction with the current position in advance. Ultimately, the key is to convey how working for your company will help the candidate realize their dreams.
3. Set up a 1-on-1 session.
Set up a 1-on-1 session with a member of the field team to help convey the real atmosphere and culture of the company. This will help the candidate imagine what it would be like to work with these people when they join the company and will bring the candidate closer to the company. Matching is especially effective when there are members with the same background as the candidate. On the other hand, if the candidate is not a good match for a member of the team, their impression of the company will not be good, so be careful in selecting the right people.
4. Present special or tailored roles to the candidate.
Flexible proposals such as a special position, can create a sense of seriousness for your company. Excellent people are attracted when they realize that they are needed for a job that only they can do.
5. Be prompt and courteous in your responses.
Treat the candidate well. Excellent candidates are highly sought and slow or ambiguous responses can be damaging to the hiring process. Send feedback immediately after the interview and quickly move on to next steps. Whether it is a Japanese or foreign company, if the approval process takes too long before making a candidate an offer, you are likely to lose the candidate.
Acquiring top talent is difficult for any company. The key to inspiring candidates is to give a great experience linked them to their career goals and values. Help them envision a future that they can achieve at your company.
We wish you the best of luck in your recruitment efforts. If there is anything we can do to help you, please do not hesitate to contact us.
