#Japan #Tokyo #Recruitment Trends #circusAGENT #sales jobs

Overview of the CircusAGENT Recruitment Trend Report

circus Inc., located in Chuo Ward, Tokyo, has released its report on the trends surrounding sales job recruitment for the first half of 2025. Utilizing job data from the recruitment platform "circusAGENT" between April and September 2025, this report provides crucial insights into the mid-career hiring market for sales positions.

Research Summary

This research aims to analyze the trends in the mid-career recruitment market for sales positions based on job postings on "circusAGENT." It endeavors to supply valuable information for both job seekers and hiring managers.

Methodology

The focus of this analysis is on sales job postings that have been actively recommended on circusAGENT from April 1 to September 30, 2025. A total of 9,960 postings across six industries, which include more than 700 job listings, were scrutinized to gather insights.

It is worth noting that the term "experience" in this study refers to job-specific experience rather than general employment history. The results gathered here are based on unique aggregation and analysis of data available on circusAGENT and may not represent the entirety of the domestic job market.

Summary of Findings

Approximately 70% of sales job postings are open to candidates without prior experience, indicating a proactive approach by companies to recruit via recruitment agents irrespective of experience in the field. Notably, the human resources and BPO sectors exhibited an astounding 83.1% of postings welcoming applicants without experience.

Conversely, the IT and web services sector demonstrated significantly high hiring costs, with a median recruitment fee of 1,425,000 yen. This figure underlines the relationship between a company's hiring enthusiasm and the challenges associated with acquiring qualified talent.

Experienced professionals have been highly valued in the market, with a median salary difference of around 1,000,000 yen when compared to their inexperienced counterparts. Furthermore, the commission rates for recruitment service fees vary considerably, standing at 31.3% for experienced candidates versus 16.0% for those without prior exposure, emphasizing the significance of hiring seasoned professionals.

I. Trends in Hiring Requirements

1. Job Postings by Experience Level

About 71.3% of sales job openings are available for those without experience. This should come as no surprise, as an increasing number of companies are welcoming applicants who lack industry-specific skills.

In contrast, around 28.7% of positions are aimed at job seekers who possess relevant prior experience. Particularly, sectors such as IT and web services (42.2%) and systems integration and telecommunications (46.6%) showcased higher proportions of openings specifically requiring experience due to the need for immediate application of industry knowledge and specialized sales skills.

On the other hand, the human resources and BPO industries have recognized that investing in potential candidates is crucial, with 'no experience required' positions at a remarkable 83.1%. Hiring criteria here are often centered around personality and growth potential, indicating a commitment to training new hires post-recruitment.

2. Academic Background Requirements

Job posts for sales positions revealed that approximately 42.2% do not demand a college degree, while nearly 70% are accessible to high school graduates or higher. However, sectors like IT and web services (27.8%), consulting (27.1%), and advertising/PR/mass communication (31.5%) maintain a high demand for college-educated individuals, reflecting the complexity of tasks that require advanced foundational knowledge.

II. Trends in Compensation

The median expected salary for sales roles stands at 5,220,000 yen, with those for experienced candidates at 6,000,000 yen and 5,000,000 yen for inexperienced individuals. Notably, the real estate sector leads with the highest salary medians due to higher product pricing, followed closely by the IT and web service sector, which demonstrates strong industry growth and intense competition for talent.

The difference in remuneration between experienced and inexperienced job seekers, approximately 1,000,000 yen, illustrates the premium placed on relevant experience in establishing market value.

III. Trends in Recruitment Costs

The median recruitment fee for placing candidates through agency services stands at an outstanding 1,425,000 yen for the IT and web services sector. This exemplifies a pronounced drive within these companies to secure talent, authorizing substantial resources in an attempt to align with the high demand.

The cost disparities between hiring experienced (31.3%) and inexperienced candidates (16.0%) clearly reveal the implications of recruitment fees that influence hiring strategies, reinforcing the importance of candidates with relevant professional backgrounds.

IV. Conclusion

The data showcased that while overall recruitment for sales positions remains open and inclusive of candidates without experience, sectors requiring specialized skills, like IT and web services, are gravitating towards higher-cost practices aimed at attracting seasoned professionals. Companies are diversifying their recruitment strategies to balance potential hires against specialized expertise that promises quicker contributions to business success.

With the evident salary and recruitment fee distinction favoring experienced candidates, recruitment services have been validated as efficient channels for companies looking to secure qualified talent. Moving forward, circus will continue to monitor these trends in sales recruitment and adapt our approaches to align with market shifts, expanding the research to include other job categories in forthcoming analyses.