What exactly does Progress do?What exactly does Progress do?
I am not an "executive". Do you still want to talk to me?
I am confused. What is the difference between headhunters, executive
search firms and recruiters?
What if I don't want to change my job right now?
I do want to change jobs but you haven't called me. Can I register with you?
Can I meet with you? Will you find a job for me?
I don't speak good English. Is that a problem?
What sort of conversation will we have when I meet you?
How will you protect my confidentiality?
How can I prepare for our meeting?
Who are your client companies?
I still don't understand how this works. Can you explain the
recruitment process in more detail?
What exactly does Progress do?
Progress is a mid- to senior level executive search firm, working with foreign and Japanese clients in finance, technology and professional services (such as management and IT consulting, PR and IR), and increasingly manufacturing. We seek out professionals who may match the vacant positions with our clients, make introductions where appropriate and help both sides negotiate a fair agreement on a possible move.
I am not an "executive". Do you still want to talk to me?
The word "executive" is often misunderstood to mean "senior management." We follow management guru Peter Drucker's definition. According to him, an executive is someone who is "expected by virtue of their position or their knowledge to make decisions in their normal course of work that have significant impact on the performance and results of the whole." If you are in such a position, or would like to move into one, we would like to talk to you.
I am confused. What is the difference between headhunters, executive
search firms and recruiters?
None really. All these terms basically mean the same thing. The one big distinction is between passive and active recruiting companies. Passive companies only make introductions of personnel that have registered themselves in their database, for example over their website. Active search firms look not just in their database but through their personal networks and in various research sources (such as trade journals etc.) to contact potential job movers, often without knowing if the person is interested in new positions. There are many other differences between recruiting firms, for example whether they are global or local, how they get paid by their clients (commission or fixed) etc., but for you these differences usually don't matter too much.
We obtain our information from a variety of sources, such as online research and general printed media. But often more importantly, we get referrals from our professional contacts (in this case, that might well have been one of your colleagues). It is often difficult to reveal the exact source of information that led to you because of confidentiality requests.
What if I don't want to change my job right now?
That's okay. We are interested in building long-term relationships and won't push an unwelcome job proposition onto you. But getting to know you will help us keep you updated on the most appropriate opportunities becoming available in the market over time.
I do want to change jobs but you haven't called me. Can I register with you?
Can I meet with you? Will you find a job for me?
Our company's business model is not registration-based. So you don't register with us. Any information we gather about you is put into our database by ourselves. But we are always interested in meeting new people so let's decide on the basis of what experience you have and the sort of positions we are working on. Otherwise we'll be wasting your and our time. Please understand that we work on our clients' needs, which means we cannot actively look for a job for you. On the other hand, if we happen to know of a position suitable to you, we will be happy to introduce you. So if you would like to send us some background info on yourself and what kind of positions you are looking for, we will get back to you based on that.
I don't speak good English. Is that a problem?
Although some of the positions that we work on require English ability, there are many positions where English is not necessary. Also, most of our recruiters are bilingual, so feel free to talk to us in either Japanese or English.
What sort of conversation will we have when I meet you?
The first meeting is just a casual discussion to get to know each other. The whole purpose of meeting a headhunter is to enhance your career through knowledge gained or by learning about new opportunities. When you meet us, we will talk about your talents and your vision for your career, and we may be able to point out possibilities matching these that you haven't seen before. We want to build long-term relationships with the people we meet, so we can help them either now or several years down the line. If you are not interested in changing your job now, that's okay. In the future, your situation may change, and we will be there to help you on your way. In short, you have nothing to lose and possibly much to gain.
How will you protect my confidentiality?
Anything you tell us is kept in strict confidence and we will not pass on any of your information without your express permission. Promised.
How can I prepare for our meeting?
Your first meeting with Progress is relatively informal - we are interested in just talking to you to see what your career goals and vision are. If you have a resume we encourage you to bring it with you, or send it in advance (sending in advance has the added advantage of allowing us to allocate the most appropriate recruiter for your needs) so we can have a more focused discussion. You should allow up to 45 minutes for the conversation.
Our clients, i.e. the hiring companies, cover all costs incurred during the recruitment process, you pay absolutely nothing.
Who are your client companies?
Our clients are spread across industries (finance, consulting etc.), size (small to large), and origin (foreign as well as Japanese).
I still don't understand how this works. Can you explain the
recruitment process in more detail?
Step 1: Contact with Progress
A Progress recruiter contacts you to set up an initial meeting with us. This consultation begins with an informal meeting where we can exchange information and learn about your experience, motivations and career goals. We can also help you prepare an effective resume - in English where appropriate.
Step 2: Interviewing with potential employer
If you are suitable for a position a client has requested us to work on, and if you are interested, we will arrange a first interview for you. We will provide you with information about the company, and advise you on preparation for the meeting. We analyse feedback from both sides, deal with any misunderstandings, and organize further meetings where appropriate.
Step 3: Offer negotiations
We will facilitate the negotiations around position, scope of responsibility and salary. It is often useful to have an intermediary between yourself and the hiring company, e.g. to get ideas for a fair deal for both sides or to handle difficult communications with the counter-party. Once a verbal agreement has been reached, our client will prepare a final offer letter for you.
Step 4: Resignation
This is often the trickiest part for people who move for the first time. Based on years of experience, we know how to deal with family objections, arguments, peer pressure and counter offers and will ease the stress you may be exposed to.
Step 5: You start your new job
After you have joined our client, we will follow up with you and help you with any initial problems you may have. Our client relationships are often very close and we will be able to provide valuable assistance even after you have joined them.
