Our history

In 1960, Recruit was launched from a prefab unit located on the rooftop of the Mori II building in Tokyo's Nishi Shimbashi district. Since then, Recruit has established a history of creating new value and new opportunities.

In the more than half a century since our founding, we have been using a wide variety of media channels to offer open access to information that was previously available only to a select few. The Recruit Group has a history of taking on new challenges in constantly proposing new value and new opportunities, adapting to changing times and needs. Below you can find a summary of our unique history as well as some of the services and products that we have developed.

1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s

1960s

Helping people make their own decisions through the liberalization and advent of information

It all started with a new magazine business that was launched to bring together and address the needs of two specific groups: companies that are looking for people to recruit and students who are looking for jobs.

1960: Founded Daigaku Shinbun Kokoku-sha

1963: Company renamed Japan Recruit Center

Information Magazine

Kigyo E No Shotai: Students making their own decisions and the transformation of HR utilization; We launched our inaugural issue of Kigyo E No Shotai (invitation to companies), inspired by the job information guide book Career distributed at American universities. This publication is the forerunner of the books containing only advertisements that Recruit is well-known for.

Shushoku Journal

Discontinued magazine, currently available online
Shushoku Shido

Currently Career Guidance

1970s

Helping to change the public's sense of values, with a shift from company-driven information to consumer-driven information

We worked to ensure that people can choose their future direction without placing too much importance on common standards or well-known brand names. By offering open access to previously exclusive information, we helped ensure that people can search for homes without restrictions. We also helped make it possible for people to easily change jobs and have countless chances to take on new challenges.

1971: Established Recruit Computer Print Co., Ltd. (currently Recruit Communications Co., Ltd.)

1977: Established Jinzai Information Center Co., Ltd. (currently Recruit Career Co., Ltd.)

Information Magazine

Jutaku Joho: Currently Suumo Shinchiku Mansion; Changed the non-transparent industry to ensure the fair provision of information; In Japan, housing information includes information on the amount of time required to walk to the relevant home from the nearest train station. Previously, the seller was able to create advertisements without restrictions. For this reason, the rules and standards used were inconsistent and resulted in housing information that would indicate a walk time that was much shorter than the actual time required. To address this problem, our Jutaku Joho magazine adopted a standard measure for walking distance, in which 80 meters is calculated as 1 minute. Jutaku Joho was also the magazine that developed the floor plan drawings that are commonplace in real estate listings today.

Recruit Shingaku Book

Currently Rikunavi Shingaku Book
Shushoku Joho

Discontinued magazine, currently Rikunavi Next

Real · Event

Permanent placement service started

1980s

Providing new opportunities in a wider range of business fields

We helped promote women's participation in the workforce and created new employment opportunities. We also provided information on the fun and excitement of traveling abroad, creating opportunities for anyone to go abroad with ease. Through our efforts, we provided open and fair information to our users.

1982: Established Recruit From A Inc. (currently Recruit Jobs Co., Ltd.)

1984: Company renamed Recruit Co., Ltd.

1985: G7 Gallery opened (currently Creation Gallery G8)

1987: Established She's Staff Co., Ltd. (currently Recruit Staffing Co., Ltd.)
Established Kansai Recruit Human Resource Center Co., Ltd. (currently Recruit Career Co., Ltd.)

1989: Established Human Resource Research Institute (currently Recruit Management Solutions Co., Ltd.)

Information Magazine

AB-Road: Discontinued magazine, currently available online; Paved the way for anyone to go abroad with ease, signaling a shift to an age of internationalization for each individual; AB-Road helped change the concept of traveling abroad, which was perceived as a luxury for the few, into a more commonplace experience that can be enjoyed by everyone.

Travaille

Discontinued magazine, currently available online
From A

Discontinued magazine, currently available online

Car Sensor
B-ing

Discontinued magazine, currently Rikunavi Next

Real · Event

Staffing service started

1990s

Shift from the masses to the individual — addressing the diversification of standards and values

We helped to promote a transition away from the stereotypical and tedious wedding ceremony in a shift toward a happier wedding experience. In other efforts, we were among the first to take on the challenge of internet media in anticipation of the internet age. We also helped stimulate rural economies by providing local information to local communities.

1990: Established Recruit Plasis Co., Ltd. (currently Recruit Office Support Co., Ltd.)

1992: Established From A Kansai Co., Ltd. (currently Recruit Jobs Co., Ltd.)

1994: Established Recruit Hokkaido Jalan Co., Ltd.

1998: Established Recruit Ablic Inc. (currently Recruit Career Co., Ltd.)
Established Tokai Carsensor Co., Ltd. (currently Recruit Tokai Carsensor Co., Ltd.)

1999: Established Hokkaido Carsensor Co., Ltd. (currently Recruit Carsensor Co.,Ltd.)
Established Kyushu Carsensor Co., Ltd. (currently Recruit Nishinihon Carsensor Co., Ltd)

PC · Mobile · Smartphone

Mix-Juice: In the early days of the internet, we were already experimenting with various new service models; In this decade, Japan saw the advent of the internet age. In this connection, we launched a wide variety of services that developed our magazine content while also taking advantage of internet functions. For example, we offered a service that delivered the relevant information to potential condominium buyers after they registered their preferences such as desired budget, location, and room dimensions. From the early days of the internet when use was confined to only a limited few, our Mix-Juice service experimented with a variety of ideas.

Recruit Book On The Net

Currently Rikunavi
Isize

Information Magazine

Keiko To Manabu
Gat'N

Discontinued magazine, currently Townwork Shain

Zexy
Seikatsu Joho 360°

Townwork
Jalan

2000–2009

The evolution of high-mix low-volume operations, supporting needs-based segmentation

Using our free magazines, we helped alter and stimulate entrenched consumption behavior. Through our websites, we matched customers with clients. With our face-to-face consulting services, we listened to the worries and concerns of each user.

2000: Established Recruit From A Casting Co., Ltd.

2001: Established Recruit - Ex, Inc. (currently Recruit Executive Agent Co., Ltd.)

2002: Established Recruit Media Communications Co., Ltd. (currently Recruit Communications Co., Ltd.)

2003: Established Recruit HR Marketing Co., Ltd., Recruit HR Marketing Kansai Co., Ltd. and Recruit HR Marketing Tokai Co., Ltd. (currently Recruit Jobs Co., Ltd.)

2004: Established Recruit Management Solutions Co., Ltd.
Established Recruit Career Consulting Co., Ltd.

2005: Acquired all shares of CAC Information Services Co., Ltd. (currently Recruit Staffing Information Services Co., Ltd.)
Acquired all shares of Kohosha Inc. (currently Recruit Kitakanto Marketing Co., Ltd.)
Established Media Shakers Inc.
Acquired shares of Japan Medical Information Center Co., Ltd. (currently Recruit Medical Career Co., Ltd.)

2006: Established Proout Co., Ltd. (currently Recruit R&D Staffing Co., Ltd.)
Acquired shares of Homepro Co., Ltd.
Established Recruit Incubation Partners Co., Ltd.
Established Good Job Creation (Shanghai) Ltd. (currently RGF Human Resource Consulting Shanghai Co., Ltd.)
Established Recruit Communication Engineering Co., Ltd.
Acquired shares of Yuko Yuko Corporation

2007: Acquired shares of Jobdirect, Inc.
Acquired all shares of a new corporation spun off from Sept Inc. (currently Recruit Nishinihon Carsensor Co., Ltd.)
Established Blogwatcher Inc.
Established Seanuts Co., Ltd.
Established From A Career Co., Ltd.
Acquired all shares of Yumex Inc.
Acquired shares of Staff Service Holdings Co., Ltd.

2008: Established Recruit Zexy Navi Co., Ltd.
Established Recruit Staffing Crafts Co., Ltd.

2009: Established Hatarakigainoaru Kaisya Institute, Inc.
Acquired shares of Good Job Creation (Asia) Ltd. (currently RGF HR Agent Hong Kong Ltd.)
Established Recruit Okinawa Jalan Co., Ltd. (currently Recruit Lifestyle Okinawa Co., Ltd)

Real · Event

Shushoku Shop: The role of people is more important than ever as we move further into the digital age; Shushoku Shop advisors bring together and ideally match two specific groups: young entrants to the job market who are keen to work but lack formal work experience and solid small- and medium-sized local business that are looking for people to hire but are having difficulty recruiting the needed labor. They do this by acting as intermediaries, meeting with each candidate and providing the right information that is suited to each individual.

Zexy Navi Counter

Currently Zexy Wedding Consulting Counter
Housing Navi Counter

Currently Suumo Counter Chumon Jutaku

Information Magazine

Hot Pepper
Jutaku Joho Towns

Currently Suumo Magazine

PC · Mobile · Smartphone

Jalan Net
Rikunavi Haken

Hot Pepper Beauty
Suumo

Hatalike
Hotpepper JP

Currently Hot Pepper Gourmet

2010–

Continuing to change and adapt to a rapidly changing environment

Globalization has advanced at an unprecedented pace. We are seeing the widespread use of new devices such as smartphones and tablets and new technologies such as social networks. In this age of changing communication methods, we significantly restructured our organization in the effort to ensure further growth.

2010: Acquired all shares of The CSI Companies, Inc.
Established Gochimaru Inc.
Established Nijibox Co., Ltd.

2011: Established Biz-IQ Co., Ltd.
Established RGF HR Agent India Private Ltd. (currently RGF Select India Private Ltd.)
Established RGF HR Agent Vietnam Co., Ltd.
Acquired all shares of Staffmark Holdings, Inc.
Acquired all shares of Advantage Resourcing America, Inc. and Advantage Resourcing Europe B.V.

2012: Revised governance structure
Acquired all shares of Indeed, Inc.

2013: Acquired all shares of Bó Lè Associates Group Ltd.
Acquired all shares of NuGrid Consulting Private Ltd. (current RGF Executive Search India Private Ltd.)
Acquired all shares of Movoto LLC

2014: Established RGF HR Agent Recruitment (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
Established RGIP LLC
Recruit Holdings Co., Ltd. listed on the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange

2015: Acquired all shares of Peoplebank Holdings Pty Ltd.
Established HR Tech Fund, a joint venture
Acquired all shares of Quandoo GmbH.
Acquired all shares of Chandler Macleod Group Ltd.
Acquired shares of Hotspring Ventures Ltd.
Established Recruit Institute of Technology, Inc.

2016年: Acquired all shares of USG People N.V.

2017年: Established Human Capital Technology Co., Ltd.
Acquired all shares of Trust You GmbH

PC · Mobile · Smartphone

Hot Pepper Beauty: Evolution from magazines to web services, and further evolution to smartphone apps; We are adapting our services to accommodate smartphones for a wide range of businesses including our Hot Pepper brand. These apps offer a variety of smartphone features such as allowing users to search for information based on their location.