Midcareer Hires Up 12% for FY12: Nikkei Survey



TOKYO -Plans for hiring midcareer employees are up 12.3% for fiscal 2012, marking a third straight year of increases and a return to fiscal 2008 levels, according to a Nikkei Inc. poll.

Entering the workforce.

The nonmanufacturing sector's hiring plans rose 13.6%. Underpinned by recovering consumer spending and overseas expansion, companies are increasingly looking to bring onboard experienced workers. The Softbank Corp. (9984) group is planning a 2.6-fold increase in midcareer hires to 1,450. The Watami Co. (7522) group aims to add 1,100, 200 more than the previous year, focusing on those with nursing care experience.

The hiring plans for the manufacturing sector are up 10.2%. Honda Motor Co. (7267) intends to boost midcareer hires to 160, compared with eight the year before. Toshiba Corp. (6502) seeks to more than quadruple such hiring, with Mitsubishi Electric Corp. (6503) maintaining a high level as well.

The survey, covering 2,503 companies, showed that 508 plan to hire midcareer employees this fiscal year, up 20% from a year earlier.