HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
Vol.34-No.10 October 1,1995
Trends in Diversifying Recruitment
With the business outlook getting dimmer as shown in the yen's rapid rise, it is predicted that industrial circles will continue their restrictions on new hires next spring. In addition, many companies have begun to review the period for hiring new recruits as well as the traditional uniform recruitment system which includes selection of new recruits on the basis of the college or university they graduate and recommendations. Take Toyota Motor Corp., for instance. The carmaker is pushing ahead with diversification of recruiting methods and systems. Specifically, it will employ university graduates without knowledge of the alma mater. Also, it will actively employ more foreign nationals and mid-career personnel. The company hopes to expand a "professional contract system" which will hire employees on an annual wage contract basis started in the spring of 1994. The automaker plans to hire 140 university graduates for fiscal 1996, a drop of around 60 from this year's number. The company hopes to secure outstanding personnel by diversifying its hiring method.
Fujitsu Ltd. plans to recruit 100 university graduates majoring in liberal arts and 300 science majors, the same number recruited this spring. At the time of employment, it will take into account jobs recruits desire to take after entering the firm. To be more specific, new recruits will be assigned to the workplace they desire once they join the company when their wishes coincide with those of the workplace involving overseas purchasing, international projects and sales. The company will also allow new recruits with special abilities to select a "contract-based employee" course. The course is suited to those who do not want to be employed on a lifetime basis but who want a high salary. Fujitsu is beginning to hire mid-career job hoppers on a contract basis in a full-fledged manner. Officials will look for professionals with creative ability and business experience and will negotiate with them to flexibly set a contract period, forms of employment and salary.
Some companies have offered positions to foreign students. Orix Corp. plans to hire 50 sogoshoku (those expected to be in positions with promotional opportunities to managerial and executive levels) and 100 regional sogoshoku (those in positions with limited places of employment-women only). Besides, the company has decided to employ for sogoshoku jobs around 30 foreign students who will graduate from Japanese universities next spring. The decision is aimed at diversifying employees and reinvigorating the organization, the firm said. It is rare, however, to hire a large number of new foreign graduates for sogoshoku jobs involving domestic sales. The company has introduced a "system of hiring new graduates throughout the year" this spring. Periodical recruitment of foreign students, it is fair to say, is a move toward diversification of hiring methods.
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