Eng 
日本語 
Recruitment agencies in Japan are external firms hired by employers to find the right candidates for their job vacancies. Oftentimes, companies use recruitment agencies rather than internal hiring because it saves them time, resources and even money. This is because recruitment consultants can filter the right job seekers for specific positions, have a broader network of prospective candidates (meaning they already have a decent database of talents) and are more familiar with the job market and industry trends.
Recruitment consultants handle all of the paperwork and other formalities, and liaise with your new employer to make sure everything is in place for your first day and beyond. They can even negotiate your salary for you and make sure you get the best package out there. Consultants are paid by the employers and receive their fee based on whether you’ve successfully started in a role. This means that, as the prospective candidate, you shouldn’t pay for their services.
While the job market in Japan is a little bit more unique, there are a lot of bilingual recruitment agencies that are ready to set you up with the right position. They often have decent clients from big, international companies, which makes it a great way for you to boost your career.
Why Use a Recruitment Agency in Japan?
Recruitment consultants, especially those based in Tokyo (or big cities in Japan like Osaka) usually possess extensive knowledge of the local market. They’re highly skilled in filtering and sourcing candidates. They will usually collaborate with job seekers to ensure that you are completely well-advised as you move forward in your career.
They will take the time to understand your background, needs, goals and preferences to match you with the right opportunity. Most of the time, they will guide you through every step of the screening process too.
In other words, even though they mostly work on behalf of their clients, they can act as your personal career advisor — something you might need when you are making one of the most important decisions in your life.
A thing to keep in mind is that these vacant jobs are less likely to be entry-level and generic as recruiters are paid to source hard-to-fill jobs. With that said, if you’d like some help in your job search, you can reach out to recruiters to see if they can match you with a job. Most — if not all — of these recruitment firms in Japan use English as their primary language, which makes it even more convenient for English-speaking job speakers to ask for advice and consultations for the right career moves.
Looking for a job hunting site? Check out: 10 Trusted Job Hunting Websites in Japan
Jump Ahead!
- Robert Walters
- Michael Page
- Robert Half
- Hays
- Specialized Group
- RGF Professional Recruitment
- Wahl+Case
- Cornerstone Recruitment Japan
- Morgan McKinley
Robert Walters
Robert Walters is one of the bigger bilingual recruitment agencies in Japan, with offices in Tokyo and Osaka. They specialize in recruitments for permanent, contract and interim roles across all professional disciplines, including IT, marketing, sales, healthcare, supply chain management and legal. Robert Walters Japan particularly focuses on permanent and contract recruitment solutions. They work with international clients, ranging from multi-national corporations and Fortune 500s to SMEs and start-ups.
Their teams are divided based on specialized fields to find candidates who are not typically found in the job market. We work with a diverse range of clients around the world.
Website: https://www.robertwalters.co.jp/en/
Michael Page
Michael Page specializes in the recruitment of mid to senior positions for top employers. Their Japan office is divided into three specialized disciplines: recruitment for multinational corporations (gaishi), Japanese corporations (nikkei) and temporary or contract employment. They employ industry specialists that can give you sage advice in your job search and help you find the perfect fit. If you’re an executive or looking for a job higher up on the corporate ladder, then their page PageExecutive might be more your speed. They too have extensive resources for improving your job search.
Website: https://www.michaelpage.co.jp/en
Robert Half
Robert Half pioneered specialized recruitment services and provides recruitment solutions for businesses and finance, accounting, financial services, technology and administrative professionals. Having adapted to the new teleworking trend, they have dedicated some of their operations to assisting job seekers and candidates in placing remote work.
Website: https://www.roberthalf.jp/en
Hays
With over 20 years in Japan and 50 years worldwide, Hays is a reliable and established recruitment consultancy in Japan. This recruitment agency offers “an unrivaled suite of recruitment and workplace solutions”. They have the knowledge and expertise to help you take the next step in your career. They also provide a great number of resources for improving your interviews, CVs, and progressing your career.
Website: https://www.hays.co.jp/en/home
Specialized Group
Unlike the other recruitment firms we mentioned, which have branches outside Japan, Specialized Group is a mid-sized recruitment agency based only in Tokyo. They focus in executive search for international businesses in Japan. Their consultants are well trained and experienced and have good connections with lots of Japanese companies. As a Japanese company themselves, they can provide unique insight into the working culture in Japan.
They cover comprehensive industries, ranging from infrastructure and robots to consumer goods and real estate. Their biggest discipline, however, is in positions related to tech and IT.
Website: https://www.specialized-group.com/en
RGF Professional Recruitment
RGF Professional Recruitment Japan is part of the bilingual recruitment Recruit Group, Asia’s largest recruiting and information service company. They partner with both multinational companies and domestic businesses to provide market-leading bilingual talent for specialist and managerial positions.
The company covers all business sectors, with management teams specializing in various industries. Bilingual professionals in Japan looking to further grow their careers are free to seek advice (and open positions) from their experienced consultants. They’ll want to take the time to understand your background, needs and goals to accurately match you with the right opportunity.
Website: https://www.rgf-professional.jp/en/
Wahl+Case
Wahl+Case is different from most of the other agencies on this list, in that they specialize in the tech industry. Because of their decision to focus on one industry, Wahl+Case is much better at guiding you through the tech world. They work with a lot of recognizable brands like Netflix and Spotify, and a lot of startups.
Their consultants are very knowledgeable and experienced in the tech industry and are sure to provide you with some valuable insights. They also offer resources that are very relevant to tech positions.
Website: https://www.wahlandcase.com/
Want more tech-related jobs? Check out: Best IT Job Sites in Japan
Cornerstone Recruitment Japan
Although a new recruitment company in Japan (they’re established in 2019), Cornerstone Japan has been growing its network of Tokyo-based clients and candidates. Their consultants are experienced in giving both sides access to guidance and expert on the Tokyo job market.
Cornerstone Recruitment Japan focuses on placing bilingual, mid-career professionals across all sectors. Their retained service is particularly successful for clients with high profile or critical hiring needs, or niche searches.
Website: https://www.cornerstone.jp/
Morgan McKinley
Morgan McKinley is a very reliable and recognized recruitment agency. They’re a very trusted brand that has provided quality service to both companies and job hunters. They are much more dedicated to providing the human element to their process and will discuss with you both your career plans and goals as well as provide honest feedback to help you accomplish them. They cover a large number of industries and provide more resources than anywhere else on this list, including top interview questions and salary reviews.
Website: https://www.morganmckinley.com/jp
Want help finding a job in Japan? Let us help!
Finally, did you know that Coto Academy has a recruitment team that can help you find your next job in Japan? Yep, if you’re a software engineer looking for opportunities with some of Japan’s most exciting tech companies, check out Coto Work’s website for more information.
Wherever your career path takes you, Coto Academy wishes you success!
