𝑩𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 "𝑷𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝑪𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒆" 𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒔𝒆𝒕: 𝘈 𝘑𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘯 𝘏𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘚𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 🍾 I wanted to share a recent win that really highlights what's possible when we challenge traditional hiring approaches in Japan. One of our global tech clients had been struggling for nearly a year to fill their Japan Country Manager role. Two search firms had already tried and failed, and three candidates had turned down offers. It was becoming a familiar story - the "perfect bilingual candidate" challenge that so many foreign companies face here. What made the difference? We had an honest conversation with the client about their real needs versus their ideal wishes. Instead of hunting for the unicorn (20+ years in the exact same industry, perfect bilingual abilities, and an impossible list of specific experiences), we focused on leadership capability and potential. The changes we made were pretty straightforward: 🔍 -Looked at leaders from similar industries rather than exact matches ✒️ -Shifted from requiring perfect bilingual skills to business-level English, and strong communication skills 💰 -Built a more locally competitive package including a guaranteed first-year bonus ✂️ -Cut down the marathon interview process to something more reasonable The result? We placed a fantastic leader within three months. They came from a parallel industry and brought fresh perspectives that actually accelerated business growth. Six months in, they're exceeding targets and have built strong relationships both locally and with HQ. The real lesson here? Sometimes the best candidate isn't the one that matches your original checklist. In Japan's competitive bilingual market, success often comes from knowing where you can be flexible and where you really need to hold firm. #JapanRecruitment #ExecutiveSearch #LeadershipHiring
This is such a powerful example of how shifting the focus from "perfect" to "potential" can truly change the hiring game. It’s refreshing to see how an honest conversation about real needs versus ideal expectations can lead to quicker, more impactful results. By emphasizing leadership capabilities and local market understanding over strict criteria, you’ve unlocked value that a traditional approach might have overlooked. This story shows the importance of adaptability in a competitive market like Japan. Well done on breaking the mold and finding success! Have a fun weekend.
Proud of you ❤️
Perfect ain’t on the menu.