IT Recruiting Companies in Japan!

Looking for IT work in Japan? If so then this is the place for you! If you`re considering coming here for working in the IT field, one thing you should be aware of is that most companies do not direct hire employees. Instead they normally go through IT Recruiting Agencies. This being the case, when you apply for work through websites such as Daijob.com or Careercross.com, you`ll probably be contacted by a large number of IT Recruiting companies who are scouting for new employees to fill positions at these larger companies (escpecially true for banks and financial industries).

Having lived in Japan for almost eight years, I`ve had the opportunity to be employeed by at least four of the major IT recruiting agencies in Japan (and have interviewed with countless others) and I must say that I`ve seen both ends of the rainbow. Some companies are excellent to work with and take very good care of their employees, some on the other hand are not and offer more than they`re actually willing/ able to put out.

With all of these agencies out there trying to scout you, how do you know which one is right for you?

Here is a list of IT Recruiting companies in Japan that I have either worked for or have had contact with over the past few years. These companies have been rated from 1 (worst) ~ 5 (best) based on my personal experiences with them. You`ll find some very good companies listed here along with a few that you might want to research more thoroughly before deciding to sign on with them. I`ve also included footnotes as to why I`ve ranked them accordingly.

The scale is based on initial employment package offer, communication skills (between IT recruiter, employee, and hiring company), salaray competitiveness, OT pay, benefits, and overall employee satisfaction.

You`ll also find posts/ comments from current/ former employees of these companies for your review. (Please keep in mind that most of these are written from each person`s perspective and personal experiences therefore while they may provide you with some much needed information or something else to consider, the best thing for you to do is reseach on your own and find out what best suits your needs! ^_~) Our intention is not to sway your towards or against one particular company in any way but rather to help you find the one that best works for your needs during your stay in Japan.

Companies with blue and red ratings are companies I`ve actually worked for. Companies with green numbered rankings are ones I have not worked fore but have interviewed or have had other contact with.

(As General note, companies with a ranking of 4 mean that although I have not worked for them, their overall package, team reputation and environment are good enough for me to consider working with them. Companies ranked 3 are companies that I`ve had little contact with but would consider for an interview to find out more info before signing on with them)

Hope this helps to steer you in the right direction! Have a smooth, safe, enjoyable and profitable stay in Japan! (^_~)v

Disclaimer:

Althought the rankings here are correct in my honest opinion, I must let you know that I just recently started working as a recruiter through systemsGo Japan as of September 2007. I`ve decided to join this company because I now feel that they are the best in the business at the moment and I like the way they take care of both their clients and candidates.

However, I will NOT change the rankings from here on out so as to provide a non-biased opinion of each company without giving into the prospect of personal gain.

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1) BiOS Linc Media = 5+
*Initial Employment Package Offer = 5
*Communication skills and problem handling = 5
*Salary competitiveness = 5
*Overtime compensation = 5
*Benefit Package = 5
*Employee Satisfaction = 5

To date, this is honestly the safest and overall best IT Recruiting agency I`ve worked with in Japan. I was an employee with them for over a year and I must say that their staff at the time was very professional and efficient. The office environment was friendly and relaxed and they like to mingle with their employees. Money-wise, this company provided me with the best overall package and OT compensation during my employment period. Aslo, unlike most IT Recuiting companies, I wasn`t required to do a "month in the hole" before I received my first paycheck which was a huge relief!

Communication wise, their staff tends to be very easy to contact and communicate with and responds to whatever questions/ issues may have very quickly. The thing that I like most about them is that they tend to think ahead and see to their employees needs before potential problems arise (like notifying you of potential visa/ payment issues ahead of time so you can work to get them fixed before they become a issue).

The benefit package was great including health and dental coverage as well as yearly checkups. They also tend to fully compensate for any OT you may be required to do (which is kind of a lot in Japan. A lot of IT Recruiting companies try to skimp on this so be careful!) Overall, I was very satisfied with this company`s professionalism and efficiency. Had I not decided to pursue other intrests outside of the IT community due to the huge amount of OT I was working for financial firm I they were contracting me to at the time, I probably would have stayed with them because from my experience, they take excellent care of their employees. Very Good Company! I`d highly recommend them to anyone who is interested in IT work here in Tokyo!

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2) Skillhouse Staffing Solutions = 5
*Initial Employment Package Offer = 5
*Communication skills and problem handling = 5
*Salary competitiveness = 5
*Overtime compensation = 5
*Benefit Package = 5
*Employee Satisfaction = 5

While I have not worked with this company, I have interviewed with them on a few occasions and based on the interviews I`ve had with the staff, the offers they provided me, benefits package, salary competitiveness, and OT compensation, I`d definitely consider them to be one of the better recruiting companies to consider. My interviews were relaxed, friendly, thorough and no nonsense. They directly answered any questions I had and let me know of any possible concerns they might have on my behalf as well (which weren`t many). The companies they introduced me to were all very good and well-known financial industries who I notice tend to have the same type of relaxed atmosphere as Skillhouse does so that was quite a relief. Financially, they`re flexible as well so I would highly recommend them as your first or second stop when looking for a Recruiting company to work for.

3) PANACHE Corporation = 5
*Initial Employment Package Offer = 5
*Communication skills and problem handling = 5
*Salary competitiveness = 5
*Overtime compensation = 5
*Benefit Package = 5
*Employee Satisfaction = 5

My experience with this company not only comes through interviews but also through an experience involving a friend of mine who worked for them at the time. She found herself in a small bind and I personally witnessed as this company bent over backwards and did everything in their power to help her (while assisting them in contacting her). They spent days arranging to look after her and take care of her as though she were their own child. That experience alone is enough to testify to their dedication to their employees. They also offer good salary and benefit packages as well as OT pay in most cases. Another good recommendation!

4) Specialized Group = 4
*Initial Employment Package Offer = 4
*Communication skills and problem handling = 4
*Salary competitiveness = 3
*Overtime compensation = 3
*Benefit Package = 4
*Employee Satisfaction = 4

Have not worked with them but the interviews were well organized and coordinated. Also, their follow up procedures are good and they tend to keep potential employees informed on the status of things as they progress. Their salary and benefit packages seem to be attractive and OT payment may be negotiable. Overall, I`ve never really heard to many bad things about them from co-workers or people who have worked with them in the past. Worth checking out!

5) systemsGO Japan = 4
*Initial Employment Package Offer = 4
*Communication skills and problem handling = 4
*Salary competitiveness = 4
*Overtime compensation = 2
*Benefit Package = 3
*Employee Satisfaction = 3

Same as above, have not worked with them but the interviews were well organized and coordinated. Interview follow up procedures are good and they tend to keep potential employees informed on the status of things as they progress. Their salary and benefit packages seem to be attractive and OT payment may be negotiable. They also tend to voluntarily give you needed information about things you might need to know in Japan (such as recommending good international companies for private insurance etc...)

6) Zeros and Ones = 4
*Initial Employment Package Offer = 4
*Communication skills and problem handling = 4
*Salary competitiveness = 3
*Overtime compensation = 2
*Benefit Package = 4
*Employee Satisfaction = 3

Haven`t worked with these guys but I know a lot of them personally through other activities. A group of honest, easy-going and down-to-earth guys who are very professional and tend to keep their employees best interests in mind. Instead of being one of the larger agencies, they tend to have a more family-like orientation which makes them very easy to work and communicate with. As for benefits, OT, and such, I can`t really say but their overall salary package is nice. I`d recommend checking them out.

7) Hayes Specialist Recruiting(formerly James Havard International) = 4
*Initial Employment Package Offer = 4
*Communication skills and problem handling = 3
*Salary competitiveness = 4
*Overtime compensation = 3
*Benefit Package = 3
*Employee Satisfaction = 3

Haven`t worked with these guys either but have been contacted by them many times for interviews. Their overall packages look interesting and benefits are included. What impresses me about this company is that after initially contacting you, they tend to follow up with you on a regular basis and prefer to meet with you face-to-face outside of the office at your own convenience (maybe for lunch or dinner) to find out more about you and what you`re looking for in a very casual and relaxed manner.

I`ve never felt any pressure from them on any subject what-so-ever and it generally seems like they`re intrested in finding out what works best for you and how they can accomodate that. If they can`t find anything for you at the time, they don`t really just give up on you or lose interest. Instead they keep you posted on what new opportunities they have and based on what you`ve told them about yourself and what you`d like to do. They tend to have great memory and are able to recall specific details about you based on information that you`ve given them at any particular time.

What I especially like about them, is that they tend to give you honest suggestions about positions you may have applied for through them. For example, if OT or weekend work is something you`re trying to avoid for some reason but the position you`ve applied for requires it sometimes, they`ll let you know in advance. Without you having to ask about it. Another one worth checking out!

8 ) Wall Street Associates = 4
*Initial Employment Package Offer = 4
*Communication skills and problem handling = 3
*Salary competitiveness = 3
*Overtime compensation = 3
*Benefit Package = 4
*Employee Satisfaction = 3

Not so much contact with this one however they seem to be one of the slightly more rigid and hard-lined recruiting agencies (professionalism is key. IE, even if you`re doing something like desktop support and crawling around under desks all day, a suit and tie is required from what I`ve been told. A lot of other companies mentioned above tend to be more relaxed in these areas). However, their packages and salary seem to be fairly competitive. I`ve heard some small complaints about their communications and problem handling skills but overall, not a bad company to work for what what I`ve heard. Would recommend researching them more to find out more information.

9) Optia Partners = 5
*Initial Employment Package Offer = 5
*Communication skills and problem handling = 3
*Salary competitiveness = 3
*Overtime compensation = 3
*Benefit Package = 3
*Employee Satisfaction = 4

Another one of the slightly more rigid and hard-lined recruiting agencies like the one mentioned above. They tend to deal with large financial companies as well and rely heavily on professional appearance. Their packages and salary seem to be fairly competitive as well, but they have a slight reputation for being a little "snobbish and uncooperative with employees in some areas. However, they do keep possible candidates informed of open positions via monthly weekly/newsletter so you always know what positions they have open and what`s going on in the company. The recruiter I met with was also nice. Worth researching.

10) Robert Walters Japan KK = 3
*Initial Employment Package Offer = 3
*Communication skills and problem handling = 3
*Salary competitiveness = 3
*Overtime compensation = 3
*Benefit Package = 3
*Employee Satisfaction = 3

Don`t know much about them at all I`m afraid but have received mixed reports about their overall packages and employee interaction. Recommend researching or contacting them yourself for more info.

11) Fenridge = 3
*Initial Employment Package Offer = 3
*Communication skills and problem handling = 2
*Salary competitiveness = 3
*Overtime compensation = 1
*Benefit Package = 1
*Employee Satisfaction = 2

Unfortunately, one of the not so-so-good companies I`ve worked for. I was working at a large Germany based financial industry through them for XP Roll-out a few years ago. The salary package was considerably low compared to what other engineers were making while doing the same projects at other companies though different agencies. Also, the OT pay system was not only bad but actually turned out to be contrary to Japanese labor law (which myself and a few other had to rather forcefully bring to their attention during our meeting. Basically we threatened to leave the project if they didn`t start paying us proper OT).

There were also some small general pay and administrative issues during the project which cause a of few of our members to leave in the middle of it. This caused more OT for the rest of us since they had a hard time finding ppl to fill those positions (hence the OT battle). Communication was slow sometimes and it took them a while to actually fix problems or address concerns. Would recommend checking out other companies before signing up with this one. But at least the pay was livable. Maybe things have changed since then?

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12) D-zigntek Website no longer available= 2
*Initial Employment Package Offer = 3
*Communication skills and problem handling = 1
*Salary competitiveness = 2
*Overtime compensation = 1
*Benefit Package = 1
*Employee Satisfaction = 2

Not a good company to work for (although admittedly maybe not completely their fault). The company was just starting out and was very small (consisting of a 3 person staff at the time) but was competing against much larger companies to fill roles at some of the major financial industries (who were pretty much bullying them ever step of the way). Needless to say, this didn`t really bode well for their employees at the time. ..

There were many instances of missed monthly pay days (imagine having to wait two months or an extra 2 weeks to get paid normally because of administrative issues between your company and the one that they`re contracting you out to. Not a good thing especially in Tokyo!) There were fights, arguments, missed meetings to discuss and resolve issues, etc...

The overall package that they had to offer was kind a little attractive to begin with, but due to all of the problems involved it turned out not to be worth it in the end. Also, there was no OT pay at the time even though we were working 3~4 extra hours per day.

One of the main things that undermined this company tho was lack of communication between themselves and employees. Some of us don`t mind getting paid late and can arrange to stick it out for a few extra days as long as we KNOW about the situation in advance. Unfortunately at that time, the company thought it was better to not inform us of anything until the last minute (which often turned out to be when we checked or bank accounts on payday and found there was NO MONEY!) We`d often have to call them ourselves to find out what happened instead of them just calling or informing us (hence the previously mentioned fights between the company and employees...)

However, on that note I should mention that when these issues did arise, the owner did pay some of us who really needed it out of his own pocket while asking the others to patiently wait until he could resolve issues between his company and the financial industry they were having problems with at the time. In the end, a lot of people left the company for sure pay and better job security. That was about 3 years ago. Do your research thoroughly before signing with them or avoid them altogether is my advice.

13) EIRE Systems = 1
*Initial Employment Package Offer = 4
*Communication skills and problem handling = -1
*Salary competitiveness = 2
*Overtime compensation = 1
*Benefit Package = 3
*Employee Satisfaction = -3

This is by far the worst company I`ve ever worked for in Japan. Why? Although they are a larger company than a few of the others mentioned here and their overall package system is genrally good because it includes all of the necessary benefits, what they mainly lack are communication and problem solving skills. They also don`t pay OT but rather have the `days in lieu` system which from my experience is questionable at best.

The worst ranking comes from the fact from my recent, personal experiences with them. There is a very huge internal communication gap between the recruiting staff and the administrative staff within the company. (The recruiters tend to say whatever you want to hear during the recruiting process in order to get you to sign regardless of whether the administrative team can actually fulfill it later or not). Also, since the recruiters often forget what they said or don`t properly communicate to their in-house administrative teams, this causes a lot of confusion between the company and employees who are expecting one thing due to recruiter promises but receive something completely different due to company policies. In the end, you have the recruiters, employees and administrative team all standing around looking at each other with a blank stare, like "what`s going on?" (which results in some very unsatisfied employees and lots of angry emails.)

Besides their habit of `saying whatever it takes` to get someone to fill a contract, including slipping false additional skills into your resume without your knowledge in order to impress potential employers (something which actually happened to me at my second interview a large marker data company in Tokyo. They asked me about a certain skill and I had NO CLUE what they were talking about because I never included it on my resume original resume. The EIRE representative attending the interview with me admitted to adding it there by `mistake`, I pulled him aside after the interview to ask him about a few other `mistakes` I noticed on my resume as well. He told me that he put them there to inrease my chances of getting hired by that particular company because those were the skills they were looking for. He obviously didn`t consider the possibility that they might actually ASK me about those skills at my interview). I wound up getting the job anyway just by being honest but it`s not uncommon for EIRE reps to try to micro-manage your interview.

This company also seems to have a problem dealing face-to-face with problems and issues affecting their workers. Not only are they conveniently hard to contact when there`s a problem that requires attention on their behalf, they`re not very good at keeping up with meetings or appointments (even ones that they`ve sheduled themselves). Many EIRE employees (including myself) have found ourselves standing around and waiting for days for some of the recruiters to show up to some of their own meetings which were supposed to take place on Monday to address some major issues that we may have had. No call, no email, no returned phone calls until the end of the week.

In addition to this, even if you`ve taken the time and were courteous enough to inform them of a situation/ problem/ or decision months in advance, they still tend to wait till the VERY LAST second to contact you about it or address the issue which results in a lot of `dropped balls` as well as administrative and financial nightmares (or worse if you`ve got potential legal/ visa problems during your stay in Japan....)

That`s not to say that everyone at the company is bad. There are one or two people in the admin department that will jump through hoops to help you when you need it. The problem is, most of the time they find themselves at a loss or completely unprepared for what has happened because the recruiting reps (who are the main people you`ll have direct contact with when it comes to addressing issues) haven`t informed them of anything at all (even if they`ve known for months.)

There are also, a few notable pay issues and contract issues that could be mentioned but I`d say their overall weak point is simply their inability to communicate effectively, their somewhat shady way of conducting business between hiring companies and potential employees and the fact that they don`t seem to care either way what happens to their employees once a contract has been signed.

In addition to this, there is a lot of shady `behind the back` activity that goes on between concerning their employees which results in them making a decision or doing things without informing the affected employee until the last minute (if then). This company is notorious for not protecting their employees or rather `leaving them to the dogs` when things get rough for whatever reason. When you`re not convenient for them or have problems they simply abandon you and move on to someone more convenient (often without notifying you of their decision).

Not a good company to work for in my opinion, but again please do your own research and come to your own conclusion. You might receive a better deal than some of the other employees. ( I resigned from this company a few months ago for health related issues and to pursue other interests in the graphics design field but I wouldn`t have stayed with them past my contract expiration date anyway for obvious reasons.) However, please be warned that what you might initially hear and see with this company, may not be exactly what you get in the end so make sure that you ALWAYS document EVERYTHING and have them sign it so that you have a visual reference for them if needed. Even if things do turn out to be exactly that, the headaches and frustration you might have to endure to get it to that point might not be worth it. Would suggest avoiding this one if possible. There are many other companies out there to consider so take time and choose the one that`s best for you.

thanks for the helpful info and the links! i`ll be coming back to Japan on working holiday visa in this october. i do IT work for my college right now. is it easy to get a job there? i`ll be home staying for a few months in chiba before moving to tokyo. should i go ahead and send my resume ahead or just wait until i arrive and can arrange an interview?

Interesting forum. Looks like you`re posted some helpful information here. It`s true you never really know what you`re getting with these agencies until you sign up with them. I was with Zeros and Ones for a while and there were a few small issues. I`ve heard Bios Linc and systemsGo have some problems as well so it`s really hard to judge. I`ve heard some of the same horror stories about eire systems and fenridge as well but whos to really say which one is better? They`re all recruiting agencies after all so direct hire without the middle-man is much better if you can get it.

hey bro thanks for the link! yeah if all goes well I should be back by the end of august once I finish processing out. will be chillin in yoko for a while and working around the base but you know that sorry ass navy pay don`t quite swing for city life in JP if you wanna do more than eat and sleep! How`s Yuri and the baby doing? Rieko and I are looking to get us a place around kichijoji so we`ll be closer to downtown cuz that`s where all the jobs at. will get that resume to you when I got a chance to update it and will check out those places you recommended. I`m gonna be looking to pull inat least 5G per month so holla back if you can hook me up with sumthing that pauys well without too much drama kinda close to the city aiight?

bouncing 4 now but will hit you up on email later. btw just caught that new Transformers movie. that shit is hype! They did tight job and got theCG on lock so you gotta check it! when`s it coming out there next week?

bb4l

hahaha! Eire is gonna be so pissed when they see this but I completely agree with what you say ano kaisya honto ni arienai! have you heard from Tate lately? where`s he at still in U.S.? Sorry I missed you guys going away party but we`ll go out with you when he gets back ok? nice forum you`re so talented and thanks for always looking out for us! C U next week ne!

ohhhh thaaaaaank you! Just what I was looking for1 you`re like lassie with no hair (in a good way) will check them out later and forward the linx to Bobbie too. luv ya!

dude, I thought D-zigntek went out of business a while ago... Don`t tell be they`re still operational! I can`t even find them listed on dj or cc. skillhouse is ok but systemsGo isn`t all that good cuz they`re kind of disporganized too. You should drop `em down a rank or two.

`nuff said! Go with BiOS or Skillhouse, far better, more stable and reliable.

Thanks for the link! Will add come comments when I have more time...

This is a good idea because it`s really hard to know which agencies out there are really on the level or not! I`ve interviewed with a few of the ones you`ve listed here myself with mixed results. I guess the general rule of thumb to see if an agency is really on the level is to see if they`ve been listed under the HOT COMPANY section on Career Cross. The ones listed there should be ok I think and you should ignore the ones that haven`t made the list because they`re either too small or have some problems. Either way, just ask around and check evrying before you sign anything and you should be ok.

Thanks for your email! Skillhouse is the way to go! I like working with them and no mistakes now. Panache is good too.

Hayes and Wall Street associates aren`t bad. They deal with some really major financial institutions and I haven`t heard of too many problems concerning thyem. Robert Walters is ok just a little annoying at first. Skillhouse is also good from what I`ve heard and so is Bios. Panache has some issues though but nothing like Fenridge or Eire. I`ve never heard of Design Tech so they must not be so hot.

Do any of these companies have entry-level positions for guys like me who are looking to break into the IT field? I have a degree in economics and a little PC background. I can fix some PC problems but I`m not a super-tch. Which company should I go to for that?

D-zigntek has been dead for a while. Either that or they`re operating under a different name. I`ve been with Linc Media for quite a while now and so far no major problems. Zeros & Ones didn`t work out for me but I was digging the deal they had to offer. Sweet package.

this is kinda a silly argument because they`re all just recruiting companies. it`s their job to tell you what you want to hear and I don`t think there`s any malice to it but you`re still screwed either way. true, there are some places that are much better to work for than others but they all have their good and bad points so like the moderator says, the best thing for you to do is research for yourself and see which is the best one (or try to skip the process and get yourself direct hired like I did!)

I have a question, how good does my japanese have to be to get a computer related job in Japan (or any other job for that matter)? I`m taking Japanese classes now but I need to be really fluent to work in Japan right?

I worked with them for a coupla years in Japan. Good solid company. Stay away from places like PSI though.

Heya all! One good company to work for is Panache. They`re really nice and friendlie and they pay good too!

LOL!

On going through places like Erie systems, Fenridge and James Harvard. they`re all shit and only care about making money off you. Erie is the absolute worst company to work for in Japan! I don`t know how those potato heads even managed to set up an office here being that they`re stupid drunk off their asses 24/7. I`ve got plenty of stories to tell about my encounters with them. Reliability, dependability? yeah right? these guys will f*ck you anyway they can to earn a buck. Fenridge and JH are the same but at least they`re not potato heads!