Special interview: Career opportunities for direct or temporary contract employees

To what kind of people do you recommend the direct contract (keiyaku) or temporary contract (haken) jobs that Robert Walters handles?

We recommend these jobs to people who are bilingual or who have actively used English on the business frontline. We also strongly recommend them to highly capable and experienced people who have unfortunately quit working due to the challenges of balancing responsibilities at home and work after marriage or childbirth. It may be easier to maintain a healthy work-life balance working in general administrative jobs where working hours are already set. However, it is often those who put all their energy into their work and play an active role who decide to leave their jobs. The demands of work and home responsibilities become too heavy. They feel that they would rather be at home if they cannot utilise their skills and experience when coming across job opportunities for general administration roles. We recommend direct or temporary contract positions to such highly professional people so they can leverage their skills and experience while maintaining balance with their family lives.

Is it easy to achieve a flexible work style?

Some professionals who feel that they can't continue working or utilising their abilities might hesitate to apply for positions. However, we have positions available for as little as two days per week or for one month. These are suitable for those who wish to work for a month during their child’s summer vacation or two days per week in order to balance work and caregiving.

Positions covering maternity or child care leave provide an opportunity to work on the frontlines as a person in charge; therefore, they are popular among those who wish to utilise their skills and abilities even if it is for a limited time.

It can be difficult for people who have left their permanent position for caregiving or raising children to get hired full-time again because the more time they spend looking for a job, the longer they are unemployed. In such circumstances, returning to work as a direct or temporary contract worker becomes a foothold for people to catch up on their careers for the time they have been away.

Work expectations and motivations vary from person to person. For example, some people may want to become a permanent employee in the future while others may prefer working as a temporary contractor to maintain balance in their lives. Some companies allow working remotely or on a reduced-hours basis and some provide opportunities for people to seek promotion to a permanent employee if they aspire to do so. There was a case where a person who had started working two days a week became a permanent employee working four days a week by making full use of the employer’s telecommuting and reduced working hours system.

What kind of positions do temporary or direct contract employees have an opportunity to take on?

After the Act on Promotion of Women's Participation and Advancement in the Workplace came into effect, an increasing number of companies are changing their attitudes towards temporary or direct contract employment. Previously, those who are unable to work full time would not be hired as a permanent employee. Many companies now evaluate employees by their level of performance instead of working hours. It is not unusual to see high-performing temporary or direct contract employees have their scope of responsibilities increased as well as receive a bonus or a pay raise. Even if people are hired as temporary or direct contract employees at the time of joining a company, there are many instances where they become permanent employees or even promoted as officers by constantly receiving high evaluations.

Work styles and purposes vary among individuals. Is it possible to choose a career based on lifestyles or values?

People can work flexibly according to their values and goals. Some people take on the challenge of working in a new industry or role in which they have no prior experience in. There are also cases of people working initially as temporary or direct contract employees for major foreign-affiliated companies where they can maximise their Japanese and English bilingual skills. Such opportunities are available to a wide range of age groups: young people hoping to change their careers, senior citizens seeking to come back from retirement, or recent college graduates with only overseas internship experience.

Do you have any message for those who wish to apply for direct or temporary contract positions?

Direct or temporary contract positions provide benefits for companies that struggle to retain people with diverse skill sets. Job seekers with skills and experience who have lost opportunities to play an active role also benefit from these positions since they provide the advantage of more flexibility. Our consultants at Robert Walters specialise in numerous industries and introduce jobs that match each job seeker's skill sets. In addition, contractor managers will help resolve concerns that may arise in the workplace and the dedicated human resources division will support inquiries related to contracts and forms of employment as well as application forms for nurseries. People can come to us for consultation and alleviate the stress they feel during the job seeking period and immediately after starting a new job. Please feel free to contact us anytime.