A NEW GENERATION OF TECH MEETUPS & IT CAREER EVENTS FOR THE TECH COMMUNITY TO ACCESS NETWORKING & JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN TOKYO

EFFICIENCY LIMITATIONS IN TRADITIONAL JOB FAIRS

• The environment is often too formal and stressful, making it challenging to be natural, build authentic connections and leave a lasting impression.
  
  
• These events are primarily designed for entry-level professionals and active job seekers but do not offer enough value to attract experienced professionals who are excelling in their roles and open to new career opportunities.
  
  
• Conversations with employers tend to be quick, superficial and rather robotic, focusing on quick resume exchanges rather than meaningful discussions. The rigid, transactional nature of these events makes it difficult for candidates to develop an emotional connection with potential employers.
  
  
• Information provided by hiring companies is often already available online, making job fairs feel redundant.
  
  
• Many professionals today prioritize workplace culture, career growth, and sense of purpose over just a paycheck and company benefits, but traditional job fairs often fail to communicate these important aspects effectively.
  
  
• Without any WOW effect, attendees rarely return feeling inspired or excited about the people they met and potential opportunities.
  
  

• Traditional recruiting events often require significant amount of preparation, including the creation of marketing materials and substantial budgets, making them both expensive and time-consuming to organize and attend.
  
  
• Hiring events typically attract junior professionals or unemployed job seekers. While they can be an effective solution for companies with a campus recruitment program to recruit new graduates or entry-level talent, they tend to be far less efficient when targeting experienced, high-performing professionals, as these individuals rarely attend such events.

• Candidate engagement at these events tends to be low, with most interactions feeling one-sided. Companies pitch their opportunities, job seekers listen but meaningful, two-way conversations are rare. Everyone is focused on short-term results, and if there’s no immediate match, people quickly move on.
  
  
• Additionally, recruiting events are often seasonal, forcing companies to align their hiring needs with the event schedule. This doesn’t always align with business strategies or hiring timelines, making it difficult to meet ongoing recruitment demands.

WHAT JOB SEEKERS AND TECH PROFESSIONALS REALLY NEED:

• Access Job Opportunities & Explore New Career Paths – Job seekers want to connect with carefully selected and trusted hiring companies, and gain a  deeper understanding of their business, products, services, corporate culture and EVP (Employee Value Proposition).

• Need for Discretion – Many job seekers, especially those currently employed, prefer to keep their job search private to avoid potential complications with their employer if they learnt they were exploring new opportunities. As a result, they usually would hesitate to attend traditional career events.
  
  Reframing these events as seminars, conferences, networking gatherings, or professional meetups—rather than job fairs—can help create a more discreet and comfortable environment. This approach allows attendees to participate without drawing unwanted attention. If they happen to encounter a colleague or manager, they can simply say they are there to gain industry insights, develop new skills, or expand their professional network—without raising any concerns.
  
  
• Opportunities to Expand Their Professional Network – Attendees are eager to meet business collaborators, build new relationships, and explore opportunities beyond job placements.

• Content for Personal and Professional Growth – Engaging seminars and panel discussions featuring industry experts are a major draw for attendees looking to develop their skills and knowledge. By offering valuable, non-recruitment content, we can attract not only job seekers but also top professionals who may not be actively looking for a new role but are eager to learn and grow. This helps enrich both the event and its audience.

• A Comfortable, Enjoyable Setting – A welcoming atmosphere with good food, drinks, and music allows attendees to relax and be themselves. Creating a pressure-free environment where companies feel more approachable ensures that participants feel at ease.

• Authenticity and Meaningful Connections – People want to build real, valuable relationships that can lead to career opportunities, business collaborations, and long-term professional connections.

REINVENTING IT HIRING IN JAPAN BY MERGING TECH MEETUPS & IT CAREER EVENTS

• A wide range of carefully selected companies recruiting in Japan and offering exciting career opportunities.

• A Casual Yet Professional Setting – Breaking away from the stiff, impersonal nature of job fairs. You must create an environment that feels more like an industry gathering than a traditional hiring event.
  
  
• A Proactive Environment That Inspires Innovation and Action – "Recruiting is too much about waiting," says Masae Kudo, COO at HirePlanner. “Whether companies publish job postings online or rely on recruiting agencies, they simply wait for candidate applications. They wait for someone else to take action. They wait and hope for the best. Recruiting should not be about waiting—it should be about taking initiatives!” Creating a solution where hiring teams can proactively engage, connect, and build relationships is essential.
  
  
• A Platform to Educate and Entertain – Fabien BROGARD CIPRIANI, Founder & CEO of HirePlanner, compares the recruiting industry to the music industry: "Recruiting is like the music business. Just like a music band that wants to promote their songs and grow its fan base, HR teams and hiring managers must go on tour and do live shows to promote their job opportunities and corporate culture to grow their talent pipeline. At HirePlanner.com, we want to offer the stage and spotlight to companies to take action and do their shows and showcase the value they can bring to the talent market in Japan."
• A Simple Yet Powerful Approach to Employer Branding –  "We want to make things easy for companies, eliminating the need for excessive preparation. All they need is a simple five-minute introduction pitch—just show up, and we handle the rest. Rather than investing excessive amount of time and money into creating the 'perfect' event, we believe in continuous, incremental improvements. Success comes from consistency, small steps, and regular efforts" explains Fabien BROGARD CIPRIANI.
  
  "Think of employer branding as a wooden bridge spanning a river," Fabien adds. "Each plank represents a step in your job seeker's journey—your job descriptions, website content, interview experience, and beyond. If key planks are missing, candidates may fall through gaps in the hiring process and choose another employer. Our events help companies strengthen this bridge, build lasting talent pipelines, and ensure long-term hiring success. The key is to construct your bridge piece by piece, making steady, meaningful progress."
  
  
• A Simple Yet Powerful Approach to Employer Branding – "We want to keep things simple so that companies don’t need to over-prepare for events—they can simply show up whenever we organize an event. Instead of investing excessive amount time and money into making a perfect event, we believe in making small, continuous improvements. It’s all about consistent and regular efforts," adds Fabien BROGARD CIPRIANI.  "Think of employer branding as a wooden bridge spanning a river," Fabien adds.
  
  "Each plank represents a step in the job seeker's journey—your job descriptions, website content, interview experience, etc. If your bridge is missing planks, candidates may fall through the recruiting process and choose another employer. Our events help companies strengthen their bridge, build lasting talent pipelines, and ensure long-term hiring success. The key is to construct your bridge piece by piece, making small, ongoing progress."

• A Content Driven Approach – Great employer branding starts with high-quality content. That’s why HirePlanner records and produces media content at every event, ensuring all participating companies benefit from it and can leverage it for extended exposure after the event. This content can be repurposed across various channels—social media, company websites, and other outreach initiatives—to amplify employer branding efforts long after the event has ended. By utilizing compelling event footage, companies can strengthen their brand presence, engage potential candidates, and showcase their work culture in a more authentic and impactful way.
  
  
• A Networking-Based Sourcing Channel – While hiring through networking may not always be the fastest method, it is one of the most effective ways to build a strong talent pipeline and secure quality hires that align with your corporate culture fit for the mid-to-long term.
  
  
• A Collaborative Environment – Don't try to do everything alone—take a team-oriented approach. One key reason behind the success of HirePlanner's latest Tech Meetup is its strong collaboration with strategic partners such as Venture Café Tokyo (Thursday Gathering), CIC Tokyo, event speakers, and sponsoring companies. By collaborating and promoting together, they managed to create an engaging environment where HR professionals, talent acquisition specialists, and hiring managers could act as brand ambassadors, actively contributing to offer a unique experience for all attendees.

• Include Multiple Hooks - To attract a diverse and high-quality audience, career events must go beyond traditional job fairs by incorporating multiple engagement points. Offering a mix of tech panel discussions, networking sessions, career talks, food, drinks, and entertainment helps draw a wide range of professionals. This multi-faceted approach ensures a dynamic and engaging experience that resonates with a wider range of attendees.
  
  By integrating career opportunities, business networking, professional development, and entertainment, your event can appeal to both active job seekers and passive candidates, including both entry level and senior industry professionals. The focus isn’t just on hiring—it’s about fostering career growth, sharing industry insights, building meaningful connections, and strengthening your talent community.
  
  To attract the right audience, events must align with job seekers’ motivations and provide real value. By delivering rich, practical content and a well-rounded experience, you can create opportunities that are not only career-driven but also insightful, engaging, and rewarding for all attendees.

A BETTER WAY TO HIRE IN JAPAN’S IT INDUSTRY

See upcoming events: https://www.hireplanner.com/en/events
Follow us on Linkedin at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hireplanner-com

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📢 HIREPLANNER’S FIRST TECH MEETUP & IT CAREER EVENT – HIGHLIGHTS (FEB 27, 2025)

✅ GenAI & Customer Experience – How AI is transforming user engagement
✅ Top Tech Companies Hiring in Japan – What top tech employers are looking for
✅ Drone Technology in Japan – Trends, challenges, and opportunities
✅ AI & Automation in 2025 – What software engineers need to know