There are many recruitment agencies that specialize in hiring foreign workers. These companies offer services focused on job hunting and job changing support for foreigners who want to work in Japan. As the needs of foreign workers increase, so too has the number of major recruitment agencies offering such services specifically for foreigners in Japan.
Pros of using recruitment agencies for foreigners
The main advantages of using these agencies are as follows.
- They are well informed about acquiring visas and other matters that foreign workers worry about
- They can offer job hunting advice in foreign workers’ native languages
- They only deal with companies that really want to hire foreigners
They are well informed about acquiring visas and other matters that foreign workers worry about
These agencies are well aware of many of the stumbling blocks for foreign workers. They can assist with acquiring a visa or changing visa types, and other necessary parts of living in Japan such as looking for housing and other procedures. Agencies specializing in foreign recruitment can offer proper support to ensure that your working life in Japan goes smoothly.
They can offer job hunting advice in foreign workers’ native languages
Consultants at these agencies can offer support in many languages （with the available languages differing depending on the company）. You can receive job hunting advice in your native language and accurately communicate your hopes and plans, which reduces the chances that a job will be a bad fit.
They only deal with companies that really want to hire foreigners
Recruitment agencies that specialize in foreign workers only deal with companies that are already used to hiring foreigners, those that are actively looking to hire more foreigners, and those who really want to hire more foreigners. Because of this, you can conduct your job search more effectively.
Cons of using recruitment agencies for foreigners
The main disadvantages of using these agencies are as follows.
- Fewer job postings
- They are usually smaller agencies, and can be very hit or miss
Fewer job posts
Agencies that specialize in foreign workers have comparatively fewer job postings than major recruitment agencies. Because of this, the choices they offer are limited. Other large recruitment agencies with strong connections to major companies often have more job postings – including ones for exceptional bilingual talent which are aimed at candidates of all nationalities, including Japanese people.
They are usually smaller agencies, and service can be very hit or miss
Many agencies that recruit foreigners are smaller companies. This means you can get proper one on one support. On the other hand, another aspect of dealing with such agencies is that the quality of service can vary widely depending on the recruiter you deal with, and it can be very hit or miss.
Tips to effectively use recruitment agencies that specialize in foreign workers
These agencies can be very helpful and reassuring for foreigners who want to work in Japan. They can offer advice on visa procedures and writing resumes, and give you broad support for Japanese language job interviews and helping you with your life in Japan after getting hired. By all means, you should use them in your search.
However, the number of postings can be very different between agencies. To increase your chances of getting hired, don’t just rely on one agency, but instead register for several of them.
List of recruitment agencies specialized in foreign workers
This list introduces some recommended recruitment agencies for foreign workers.
Jopus Career
Jopus Connecter is a recruiting site exclusively for foreigners operated by Goalist Co., Ltd. A foreign employee of the applicant company acts as a “Connecter” and provides foreign job seekers with job information and information about the working environment. Since you can consult with Connecter in English or your native language, you can attend the interview without any uncertainties or anxieties. We specialize only in jobs that want to hire foreign job seekers living in Japan or abroad, and new jobs are posted every day.
ASEAN CAREER
Recruitment website “ASEAN CAREER” is operated by NODE Inc., the only company in Japan specializing in recruiting personnel from ASEAN nations (Association of South‐East Asian Nations). A large number of job offers at Japanese companies, looking to expand their businesses, are posted regularly. Over 4,000 users have registered on the website. In addition, job offers at overseas subsidiaries of Japanese enterprises are included, making it a recommended website for workers seeking a job in ASEAN countries.
Nippon仕事.com
“Nippon仕事.com” is an exclusive job recruitment website for expats living and planning to live in Japan, which is operated by Goodman Co., Ltd. The website offers wide-ranging and flexible jobs, including full-time and part-time positions around the Kanto region. Users are able to use their service completely free of charge, and benefit from receiving interview tips and support upon commencing employment with a suitable company. Furthermore, the website makes it easy to find and apply for jobs at companies which assist prospective employees to acquire a visa. If job seekers are not confident communicating in Japanese, consultation is also possible in English, Chinese and Tagalog.
Jellyfish
Jellyfish is an employment agency that has offices in Tokyo and Vietnam. The agency specializes in IT-related job referrals and has more than 16,000 registered users in the engineering industry. It also specializes in referrals to Japanese companies that actively hire foreign workers. After registering with the agency, the bilingual consultants put applicants at ease by offering comprehensive support until they start a new job.
Recruit Agent
Operated by Recruit Career Co., Ltd, Recruit Agent is the largest recruitment agency in Japan. The agency has more than 200,000 job openings and has successfully assisted 410,000 job-seekers so far, both of which being the highest records respectively in the industry. Its extensive range of job openings includes those from both Japanese and overseas companies that require multilingual skills, where users can often find high-paying jobs. It is also famous for comprehensive job-seeker support, such as resume proofreading, advice by career consultants specialized in different industries and positions, and job interview skills training seminars. The agency even publishes an original report called the “AGENT Report”, which provides detailed and useful company information that isn’t available in their job postings. All things considered, Recruit Agent is a must if you wish to use a recruitment agency.
JAC Recruitment
JAC Recruitment is a career-change support agency operating for over 30 years in Japan, helping over 43,000 people successfully find a new job. They have a wealth of experience in supporting people looking to work for major Japanese and foreign companies, utilizing their unique global network that spans the UK, Germany, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, China, Korea, Hong Kong, Vietnam and India. There are consultants who are specialized in various different fields of expertise who can truly understand your skills and experience, give you pertinent advice, and suggest the best suited career for you. JAC Recruitment which has about 67,000 people registering with them every year has been highly evaluated by most jobseekers using their service, and was voted as “Number 1 recommended agency” in 2017 in the NTT Communications Online NPS® Benchmark career-change survey.
Spring Tenshoku Agent
Spring Tenshoku Agent, an employment support agency, is operated by Adecco group, the No. 1 total human resources service in the world. More than 1,000 consultants who specialize in each industry are available. The agency practices the “Total Consulting” method, in which each consultant supports both the job seeker and the prospective employer, therefore reducing the possibility for an unsuitable match. The group has more than 5,100 branches in 60 international markets and holds a wide range of positions at foreign-owned, global, large- and mid-sized blue-chip companies, and more.
Type Career Agent
Type Career Agent is an employment support service, which is provided by Career Design Center Co. Career Design Center operates one of the largest career websites in Japan, Type, with more than 1,000,000 visits monthly. Type Career Agent specializes in industries such as IT, web and manufacturing, as well as features sales, customer service, management, and executive positions, with a focus on women’s employment. It serves mainly Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, and Chiba, so it is a great agency for those who are seeking jobs in these areas. Your personal career advisor conducts thorough counseling regarding which jobs to apply for, how to successfully land a highly sought-after position, how to choose the most fulfilling career, and more.
En AGENTS
En AGENTS is a career service agency, which is operated by En Japan. En TENSHOKU, one of the largest comprehensive career-change support services in the nation, is also run by En Japan. In addition to positions at blue-chip companies open to the public, En AGENTS holds more than 15,000 non-disclosed postings that are not available on other career websites. After considering their preferences and aptitude, they will recommend jobs that best match each individual job seeker. A Career Partner （a personal consultant who is highly knowledgeable in various fields and career types） is assigned to each job seeker, providing thorough support from the beginning to the end of a career transition. Expert guidance in preparing for interviews and continued follow-up after landing a new job—in addition to the consultations and recommendations that initiate the process—make the entire journey stress-free for job seekers.
Doda Recruitment Agency
Doda is a career support service agency which is operated by Persol Career, the largest career transition support company in the industry. They hold more than 100,000 postings including non-disclosed postings, many of which are for full-time jobs. Doda’s career advisors introduce each job seeker to the best suited positions after considering their preferences. In addition to making job referrals, the well-rounded services they offer include not only support with application documents and job interviews, but also arranging interview and starting dates, and negotiating the salary. Doda also operates scout services and job fairs that support your job search in various different ways.
Robert Walters
With offices in major cities in 30 countries around the world, Robert Walters is a career change support service that has been operating in Japan for about 20 years, supporting bilingual talent move to positions at foreign and Japanese global companies.
They have connections with a wide range of companies from global sized to start-ups, small-sized businesses to large ones in an extensive variety of industries and fields. Furthermore, their career consultants have a wealth of knowledge in each individual field and can introduce you to appropriate jobs that match your skills and experience. In addition, since their career consultants fully support you in everything that is required in order to smoothly change jobs, from the initial preparation stage through to application and interviews, they make it very easy for you to make the career transition with no trouble. They are a highly popular choice for those who want to work at a global company, although they also support career change of not only full-time employees but also temporary staff and contract workers. Their service is recommended for those wanting to step up their career with their multi-lingual skills or those wanting to build on their expertise in specialized fields.
Massmedian
Massmedian is a recruitment agency operated by Massmedian Co., Ltd, a subsidiary of Sendenkaigi Co., Ltd, a marketing communication magazine publisher. Being part of the Sendenkaigi group that has a lot of contacts in the advertising, web, and mass media industries, Massmedian holds numerous job openings and has successfully assisted more than 40,000 jobseekers so far. It has offices in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka, and Kanazawa, and a strong team of industry-savvy career consultants who offer extensive job-seeker support ranging from resume writing to contract negotiation. This agency focuses on specialist occupations in the advertising, web, and mass media industries, so it is recommended if you wish to find a job in these fields, and have relevant skills and experience.
Foods Labo Agent
Foods Labo Agent, a recruitment agency for the food service industry operated by Cuolega that helps more than 5,000 users annually, was ranked as the No.1 recommended agency in a customer satisfaction survey. The agency holds many exclusive job listings from popular hotels and restaurants, and they ensure users’ successful job-hunting process with the assistance of industry-savvy personal career consultants, who provide useful internal information about many companies based on their extensive research. In addition, the agency also arranges workplace visits before interviews, or job trial days for prospective employees. Known for its extensive job-seeker support for those wish to find a job in the food service industry, this agency will not disappoint.
