Is experience overseas necessary? What's the difference between new graduate recruitment and mid-career recuruitment? Recruiters answer 10 popular questions about mid-career hiring

Hayashi Some departments within Sumitomo Corporation don't have a great deal of contact with overseas clients, so people without experience overseas certainly join the company too. That said, many people who aspire to change jobs at our company are motivated to work globally and are interested in working overseas in general.

Nakano Depending on the type of job and position, the candidate might need practical English skills or experience negotiating with foreign companies. TOEIC scores are sometimes listed as a guide, but this is only one factor in our hiring criteria. TOEIC scores alone don't determine whether the candidate will be accepted or rejected.

Imayama For mid-career hires, since they join the company based on their past experience, skills and expertise, they first demonstrate their abilities in the department in which they are hired. After that, some of them work in the same department or related departments in Japan or overseas to gain further expertise. Rotations across different business groups also happen. Some people use the system of internal job posting to realize a transfer to a different department in a different business field where they have experienced.

Nakano We have also introduced a double-track grading system for managers, including the “Expert job Groups (E job groups)” that demonstrate　high levels of creativity and expertise, and the “Management job groups (M job groups)” that are responsible for organizational management. These two paths mean that candidates don’t need to conform to a one-size-fits-all career path, but rather can find their path career through communication with their supervisor about what they want, based on their own preferences, strengths and aptitudes. In fact, some of our employees have made a career by moving between E and M job groups. Regardless whether a candidate is hired as a new graduate or a mid-career hire, they can develop their career autonomously.

Imayama To provide a forum for exchanging ideas and opinions, we hold company-wide roundtable discussions with people who joined the company at similar times. This year for the first time, we held a meetup for all mid-career hires in the company, from those who joined the company that month to those who joined decades ago. About 130 people came together in the cafeteria to socialize over snacks and drinks.

Nakano I've also heard that new businesses transcending individual business groups have been created through this kind of interaction among employees. I think these things are only possible through Sumitomo Corporation's existence as an integrated trading company.

Hayashi I personally use the childcare support system, which gives me flexibility in my work. I appreciate child nursing leave, which is up to five days a year in addition to paid leave. I use this benefit when I need a day off because my child gets sick. Also, while many companies offer shorter working hours until children are in the fourth grade or so, Sumitomo Corporation allows employees to work up to two hours less until their children are in the sixth grade.

Our unique childcare support also includes partnerships with childcare facilities and childcare consultant services. When I returned to work after maternity leave, I had trouble finding a daycare center, but I was able to enroll in a childcare facility affiliated to the company and successfully returned to work. The childcare consultants are very trustworthy, and offer friendly advice on issues related to childcare facilities and childcare itself.

Nakano For nursing care, Sumitomo Corporation has a wide range of support systems, including a nursing absence system and shorter working hours. We also hold regular seminars and consultations for anyone with concerns about nursing care.

Imayama It's important that candidates emphasize with and agree to our management philosophy and action guidelines. We also conduct career recruitment when we don't have enough talent in the company with the requisite experience, skills and expertise to promote our business strategy, or when it would take time for an employee to develop them. For these reasons, in interviews we confirm whether or not the candidate has these skills. Leaders and members from the section where the candidate will be assigned participate in the interview process, so they can confirm if the candidate's career vision after joining the company is realistic.

Hayashi In a post-employment survey of our career hires, when we asked why they joined the company, the most common response was "because I was attracted by the nature of the work and career path." This is because they can further hone their experience and skills at our company and work in line with their own career interests. Although people give different reasons for applying, like "I want to work not just selling products, but by connecting people with products," or "While staying in the same industry, I want to work globally by being in charge of overseas transactions," many of them value "what is possible only at Sumitomo Corporation."

A. No, mid-career hires do not face disadvantages in any way compared to new graduate hires.

A. Yes, paid leaves and longer one can be taken subject to the business circumstances.

A. Yes, if you apply for it and obtain approval.