Every search starts with a conversation about you. Most of the people we speak with are experienced sales, channel, presales and customer success professionals at foreign enterprise technology companies in Japan.
It starts with a conversation
We talk through three things in depth:
- Your track record. Your career to date and what you have delivered.
- Your current situation. Where things stand at your company, and why you are talking to us now.
- What you want next. The technology you want to work with, the role you want to do, and the kind of company you want to join.
A company that suits one person well can be the wrong place for another. The conversation is how we find out which companies suit you.
We also cover the practical points early: your current package and what it would take to move, the English or Japanese the role needs, and how you prefer to work. If what you are looking for is above what the market pays, we will say so.
We also note what you do not want: the sectors, roles or kinds of company you would rather avoid. We do our best to contact you only about roles that fit. Now and then we may share something outside your main focus when we think it is worth a look, and you can tell us it is not for you.
Wherever you are in your search
We speak with people in three situations:
- Exploring. You are not planning to move, but want to know what the market looks like and where you stand in it.
- Employed and looking. You are ready to move and want the right next role.
- Between roles. Your position has ended, through restructuring or otherwise, and you need a new one soon.
We work at the pace your situation calls for.
When there is nothing to recommend yet
After the conversation, we recommend the companies and roles that fit. Sometimes nothing suitable is open at that moment, but the conversation does not end there. Every new search we take on is reviewed against the people we have already spoken with, as a matter of process, so a conversation today can lead to a role months later. We also check in periodically on how your situation has changed, and share market information relevant to you. If anything changes on your side in the meantime, tell us and we will look again.
More than a job description
When we share a role, we share what sits behind it: the company's position in the Japan market, the partners it sells through, its results, the team structure and the reporting line. For most searches this comes as a dedicated page. See a sample search page.
Through the process
If you decide to go ahead, we tailor your resume to the role, submit it and stay close to you throughout. Before each interview you receive preparation written for that role. It draws on our conversation with the hiring manager, our conversation with you, your resume and the job description, and it includes likely questions and the points worth preparing in advance. We also handle the offer and the negotiation.
We submit your resume only with your agreement, and only to companies that have not already received it through another route. Your details are not shared with anyone without your consent.
Talking about pay
Pay negotiation is always contextual. Our approach is an open conversation between you, us and the hiring company. Negotiations go most smoothly when the company understands your current package, what you are looking for and why, and what you would and would not accept. They go least smoothly when information is withheld, because that creates mistrust on both sides.
An offer rarely rests on the budget alone. Companies weigh the budget for the role, your experience and skills, what people in similar roles inside the company earn, market benchmarks and your current package. The more of that picture they have, the easier it is to make an offer that reflects you. More on pay negotiation.
What you can expect
- No cost to you. The hiring company pays our fee.
- Discretion. Your current employer will not know you are talking to us.
- One point of contact. You deal with Grant Habgood directly, in English or Japanese, from the first call to the offer.
- Regular updates. Hiring companies do not always move quickly or share feedback promptly. We keep you informed as the process moves, including when there is nothing new to report. If you have not heard from us, ask, and we will tell you where things stand.
Follow the market
To see which foreign enterprise technology vendors are entering Japan, follow our Japan Market Entry Signals tracker.