There are the “old hands” of Japan—foreign professionals who arrived decades ago, before bilingual signage, Google Maps, and sushi restaurants on every corner. They’ve built careers, raised families, and witnessed Japan’s transformation from the bubble era to the digital age. They’re fluent not just in language, but also in the unspoken rules. They’ve learned to navigate bureaucracy, hierarchy, and the subtle art of reading the room. For many of them, Japan isn’t just an exotic assignment or a temporary phase; it’s home. Their stories reveal what it means to belong to a place that officially still considers you a guest.

Today, we were fortunate to speak with Larry Kieffer, a longtime Tokyo resident who has built a successful executive recruiting business. He shared his insights about the Japanese job market from the perspective of a father.

Who is he?

Meet Larry Kieffer, also known as “The Headhunter Dad.”

Originally from New York, Larry sold pots, pans, skis, and tennis rackets before moving to Hawaii. There, he earned an MBA through a cooperative program between the University of Hawaii and the Japan American Institute of Management Science (JAIMS). He moved to Japan in 1995 and joined a Japanese recruiting firm. In 1999, he shifted gears to join an internet venture focused on web-based recruiting. In 2002, he launched his own executive recruiting firm. Larry is currently the COO of Fidel Consulting, Japan’s leading IT staffing firm. He is a certified personnel consultant and was a board member for the nonprofit Tokyo English Lifeline. Larry also works as an adjunct professor at Temple University, where he teaches a Professional Development Strategies course to help undergraduates prepare for their careers.

Larry has two children, a son and a daughter. He has spent much of his career in the recruiting world contemplating how to offer career advice to young people from the perspective of a father providing counsel to his children. This led to the creation of The Headhunter Dad newsletter over 15 years ago.

Key Takeaways

* The Headhunter Dad: Whether you believe it or not, there are lessons you can teach kids as young as five, six, or seven that will positively impact their ability to land a job in the future. One such lesson is instilling confidence. Larry has researched and written extensively on this subject. Parents should accept early on that their children will have to compete against an ever-expanding pool of qualified applicants from around the world for the jobs of the future. Check out his blog/newsletter for more details.

* Recurring themes of job descriptions: Based on his 30+ years of experience, Larry can confidently say that, beyond technical requirements, employers continue to search for candidates who are skilled in communication, problem-solving, and teamwork. Therefore, any aspiring job candidate would be wise to emphasize their capabilities in these three areas.

* Opportunities for foreigners seeking jobs in Japan: Japanese language proficiency remains key. However, there are plenty of other opportunities, such as international sales, beyond the common entry points to the Japanese job market: teaching English and recruiting. The IT field tends to be different because it is English-centric. Japan is currently facing an extreme shortage of qualified IT engineers. Thus, it is now possible to land a new job in this field in Japan without local language proficiency.

Timeline

Substack does not yet have the functionality to allow you to use a link to jump to a specific section like YouTube’s “chapters.” Please refer to the times listed below to navigate through our hour-long conversation. Thank you for your understanding.

Key Contacts

* Substack:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fidelconsulting/

* Website: https://www.headhunterdad.com/

* Fidel Consulting: https://fidelconsulting.com/en/

* Temple University, Japan Campus: https://www.tuj.ac.jp/

#LarryKieffer #TheHeadhunterDad #NewUniversityGraduatesJapan #EntryLevelJobMarket2025 #JobHuntingInJapan #ParentalSupportForJobSeekers #CareerGuidanceJapan #WorkingInJapanAsAForeigner #JobSearchAdviceJapan #ExecutiveRecruiter #FidelConsulting #キーファーラリー #新卒採用 #就活 #就職活動 #エグゼクティブリクルーター #フィデルコンサルティング

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