Gary Bremermann

there's a generally risk people are risk averse and i'm always hesitant to talk in broad generalizations really depends on the individual but there's the risk averseness level is higher here than in other markets so changing jobs is there's some fear around changing jobs there's some fear around working for international firms that are more likely to do restructuring or org changes or layoffs

there's a generally risk people are risk averse and i'm always hesitant to talk in broad generalizations really depends on the individual but there's the risk averseness level is higher here than in other markets so changing jobs is there's some fear around changing jobs there's some fear around working for international firms that are more likely to do restructuring or org changes or layoffs

But it's the challenge for the employers. The employers have a hard time finding the right people to do the role that they're looking for. And so the recruitment market here, the fees for professional recruitment services are the highest in the world.

But it's the challenge for the employers. The employers have a hard time finding the right people to do the role that they're looking for. And so the recruitment market here, the fees for professional recruitment services are the highest in the world.

So I'll have clients come from Singapore or Hong Kong or North America or Europe, and they're accustomed to paying fees that are much lower than what the standard fees are in this market. And they have no choice because the way it is, it's just a really tough market to get people to change jobs and That's just the way it's been.

So I'll have clients come from Singapore or Hong Kong or North America or Europe, and they're accustomed to paying fees that are much lower than what the standard fees are in this market. And they have no choice because the way it is, it's just a really tough market to get people to change jobs and That's just the way it's been.

And it's been that way for 23 years that I've been in recruitment in Tokyo. And it just it hasn't changed. And you would think with the development of technologies, it'd be easier to identify people or assess people. And nothing has fundamentally changed about recruiting talent in this market.

And it's been that way for 23 years that I've been in recruitment in Tokyo. And it just it hasn't changed. And you would think with the development of technologies, it'd be easier to identify people or assess people. And nothing has fundamentally changed about recruiting talent in this market.

And human touch, that human touch and trust, those two things are so vital. And changing jobs is a huge deal. It's a big decision. You can't just push people around to take a job or because they match the job description. It's a very complex, I don't know a good word for it. It's a process. It's a process of change. attracting, assessing and getting people to say yes to decide to change jobs.

And human touch, that human touch and trust, those two things are so vital. And changing jobs is a huge deal. It's a big decision. You can't just push people around to take a job or because they match the job description. It's a very complex, I don't know a good word for it. It's a process. It's a process of change. attracting, assessing and getting people to say yes to decide to change jobs.

And it's harder here. It's hard everywhere, but it seems to be harder here. But most definitely the human touch and the trust factor is the driving force. And technology has yet to be able to do that, to have a human touch and develop trust that's real. We all use tools. We use all the tools, but it hasn't replaced the human touch and the trust factor.

And it's harder here. It's hard everywhere, but it seems to be harder here. But most definitely the human touch and the trust factor is the driving force. And technology has yet to be able to do that, to have a human touch and develop trust that's real. We all use tools. We use all the tools, but it hasn't replaced the human touch and the trust factor.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So one of the biggest challenges and frustrations that I have as a recruiter is discrimination. And it's discrimination of all kinds. So age, sex, race, anything that can be discriminated for or against plays into the recruitment process. And the legal regulations around discrimination are looser than they are in my home country of the United States.

So one of the biggest challenges and frustrations that I have as a recruiter is discrimination. And it's discrimination of all kinds. So age, sex, race, anything that can be discriminated for or against plays into the recruitment process. And the legal regulations around discrimination are looser than they are in my home country of the United States.

So I mentioned I had my own company in the US and I was very aware of what I could and couldn't do in a job description or in an interview or even considering who I would hire and how I would structure the role. There's more flexibility here and there's more openness about discrimination, and particularly so with ageism. And ageism is a very tough, very complicated, very difficult topic.

So I mentioned I had my own company in the US and I was very aware of what I could and couldn't do in a job description or in an interview or even considering who I would hire and how I would structure the role. There's more flexibility here and there's more openness about discrimination, and particularly so with ageism. And ageism is a very tough, very complicated, very difficult topic.

But as I'm aging, I'm now in a zone where people are discriminated against based on their age. People are being forced into retirement at too early of an age. At the same time, the working population is shrinking. So the labor practices aren't adapting as quickly as the population is aging. And so I get a lot of people who will come to me in their 50s who are facing forced retirement at 60.

But as I'm aging, I'm now in a zone where people are discriminated against based on their age. People are being forced into retirement at too early of an age. At the same time, the working population is shrinking. So the labor practices aren't adapting as quickly as the population is aging. And so I get a lot of people who will come to me in their 50s who are facing forced retirement at 60.