In the executive search world, we have a saying: Time kills deals. In Japan of 2026, this isn’t just a recruiter’s cliché; it’s a fundamental market truth. If you are hiring for a mid-level role today, you aren’t just competing with your direct industry rivals—you are competing against the clock.
There is a Japanese proverb that perfectly captures this: Zen wa isoge (善は急げ), which translates to “Hurry to do what is good.” In recruitment, once you find the right person, speed becomes your brand.
The “Interest Bell Curve”
Every candidate journey follows a bell curve of interest.
When a candidate first speaks with us, they are curious. After the second and third interviews, their excitement builds. The peak of that curve—about 75% of the way to the top—is the “Goldilocks Zone” for closing. They are engaged, their questions are answered, and they are ready to commit.
However, if a company stalls, the candidate doesn’t stay at the peak. They slide down the other side of the curve into the abyss of indifference. By the time a slow-moving company finally gets its internal approvals together, the candidate has usually moved on—emotionally or literally.
The Danger of Arrogance
I often see firms—even global giants—act with a sense of “hiring arrogance,” assuming they have all the time in the world. They let 10 days pass between interviews or take two weeks to draft an offer letter.
In this market, top candidates are almost always in process with at least three different firms at various stages. If Company A treats the hire as a priority and Company B treats it as a chore, the candidate already knows which culture they’d rather join. Your hiring process is a window into your management style.
The “Offer” Trap
The most common point of failure is the offer stage. I’ve seen companies take 10 days to get an offer out, only to give the candidate another 7 days to “think about it.”
This is a mistake.
A candidate’s “thinking time” should happen during the four or five interviews they’ve already completed. If the interview process was thorough, 24 to 48 hours is more than enough time to sign. Giving a candidate a week to “think” is simply giving them a week to be counter-offered by their current employer or headhunted by a faster competitor.
Strike While the Iron is Hot
If you want the best talent in Japan, you have to treat the hiring process like a sales cycle. Make it a priority. Align your internal stakeholders early.
When you find your star, don’t wait for the “perfect” board meeting or a delayed HR sign-off. Strike while the iron is hot. Because in 2026, the fast don’t just beat the slow—they take all the best people.
Always open to a conversation on faster, smarter hiring. Book a Discovery session with me now!
