How long has your company been doing business in Japan?
JAC has been operating in Japan for 11 years now, and for 24 years in London. In that time, JAC has placed over 45,000 people and worked with over 6,000 companies worldwide. We are still working with some of our first clients, and we pride ourselves on building long-term partnerships with multinational companies in different regions.

Yasuo Ohnishi Managing director

What is your present business focus?
Being a comparatively large consultancy, our coverage is very wide, but we currently focus on three main areas. IT is our major focus, which includes both IT and non-IT companies who rely on the technology for their business. A good example of the latter is with our second focus, the financial services, which has been expanding and diversifying in Japan due to last year's "Big Bang." Our third focus is through our International Division, which works with non-Japanese clients both here and overseas. They introduce bilingual Japanese or highly skilled non-Japanese candidates for positions in Japan. Much of their success has been in IT also, either with technical people or sales, marketing, and business development in the IT sector.

What can English-speaking IT people do to upgrade their skills?
The skills you possess are a diverse and unique group of characteristics. They include technical, language, business, and interpersonal skills, and all of them impact on your performance in a job. The first step is to know yourself and what your long-term goals are. Talking to friends, colleagues, or people like us will help. Our advice is free, and we are very happy to talk. Once you know your goals, decide what is important to your next step, but also think ahead to the long-term. Development of your skills often comes from actively and formally training and learning new things. It can also come, however, through experience on the job, and this is often far more valuable for an employer. The skills you have will be backed up by concrete examples of their successful application. For this reason, it is important to place yourself in a position that allows for personal growth, challenges you, and keeps your technical skills up-to-date. The best people constantly develop their skills through their careers, maintain a balance in their skills set, and seek out opportunities that allow them to develop in the way that matches their personal goals. A technical position requires more than just technical skills, and the best employers are looking for people who exhibit superior skills in a number of areas. Also, bilingual skills in Japanese and English are key to long-term careers in Japan, regardless of nationality. They are the most transferable skills you can have, and they also let you transfer and develop your other skills to other areas.

Do you have any advice for IT job seekers?
This will depend a lot on the person, so the best general advice I can give is talk to us! Even if you only have a vague idea about looking for something new, we may be able to help. Our advice is free and we value your time as much as ours. We can help you organize your thoughts and advise you on your options, but we also understand your need for privacy in something that requires a lot of personal thought. Recruiting is our business, but itÕs your life.

Why should companies use a recruiter instead of advertising directly?
In many cases it is not a question of "instead of." We aim to be a valuable part of a client's diverse recruitment strategy, and we understand that direct advertising can be an effective way in some circumstances. If we believe a client can hire effectively for a position this way, we tell them. We will also suggest ways in which we could add value to the process. By advising on the advertisement's content and format, using our advertising channels, keeping the search confidential, and providing first-level screening, an advertisement can become a much more effective means of sourcing candidates for that company. The main difference with direct advertising is it is a reactive solution that appears only for a short time. A recruiter is different in that we are continually and proactively attracting and selecting good people from a wide variety of sources, so we can react rapidly when a need arises. In terms of sourcing, it will increase the number of good people you see, and you must see good people to hire the best. We also offer information on the current market and can advise on recruiting issues specific to Japan. This is often of vital importance to start-up companies or new business developments, and it is all part of our service with no extra charge. Another advantage is with the long-term partnerships we form with our clients. We aim to get to know their business and anticipate their long-term needs.

Company Highlights
JAC Japan Co., Ltd.
Tanbaya Bldg., 4F 3-2-4 Kojimachi Chiyoda-ku,
Tokyo 102-0083
Tel: +81-3-3262-8171
Fax: +81-3-3265-0590
Established in Japan: 1988
No. of Staff in Japan: 40
Main Products or Services:
Recruiting bilingual Japanese and non-Japanese staff for international companies Target Market: Multinational companies starting up or well established in Japan
Current Positions Open:
A great number on the IT side, including sales director, sales manager (various), market development manager (various), project manager, client services manager, consulting business manager, marketing and communications executive, software & network engineers
Human Resources Contact:
Iain Allison, International Division Leader intl-div@jacjapan.co.jp
Fax: +81-3-3265-0590

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