Articles & Insights
Hiring strategy, Japan market-entry playbooks, and notes from the front lines of bilingual executive search.
Expanding into Japan: The Talent Reality Most Foreign Companies Miss
Japan is the world's 4th-largest economy, but the bilingual working-age talent pool is under 18% of the population. Here's the playbook that actually ships — divide-and-conquer, and picking 2 of 3 between Speed, Quality, and Cost.
How We Run Recruitment at SST: The Ownership Model Behind Every Placement
Most search firms never publish how recruiters split client and candidate ownership internally — but it shapes your candidate depth more than any fee number. Here's why SST uses a hybrid client-candidate ownership model, and what it means for clients.
Executive Compensation Benchmarks in Japan (2026)
What VPs, CxOs, and senior functional leaders actually earn in Japan in 2026 — base, bonus, RSUs, and the full comp picture by function and company stage.
RPO vs. Executive Search vs. Contingency — Which Model Actually Fits
Three hiring models, three very different cost structures and outcomes. A straight-talk guide to picking the right one for your stage and hiring volume.
How to Hire a Bilingual CFO in Japan
The bilingual CFO pool in Japan is thin — here's how to structure the search, what to pay, and where the best candidates actually come from.
VC Portfolio Talent Playbook: Hiring Across Your Japan Investments
For VCs with multiple Japan portfolio companies — how to run talent centrally, share infra, and avoid each company reinventing the same playbook.
Building Japan Entry Teams: A Playbook for Global Tech
The first 10 hires in Japan determine the next 100. A practical sequence: which roles first, how to balance bilingual vs. pure-JP, when to bring in an SVP.
Why US Tech CEOs Fail in Japan — And What Actually Works
Most US tech expansions in Japan fail within 18 months. We've placed 40+ Country Managers since 2017 and tracked outcomes. The pattern is clear: CEOs make the same four mistakes, and the ones who succeed do three specific things differently.
RPO vs In-House TA: When Each Wins in Japan
Most companies in Japan hit break-even on internal TA around 6-10 hires per year. Below that threshold, RPO typically delivers better cost-per-hire and speed. Above it, the calculation shifts based on niche depth, EVP maturity, and geographic spread.
Executive Comp in Japan vs Silicon Valley: The 80/20 Problem
Japanese executives expect 80% base and minimal equity. Silicon Valley offers 50% base and heavy stock. Both sides consistently misread the other's package as weak. Here's how to structure offers that actually close.