BRANU Officially Launches Results-Based Recruitment Platform 'Carikon Job' for Construction Industry

BRANU Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Tatsuya Natori; Securities Code: 460A; hereinafter 'BRANU'), a company operating a construction DX platform, has officially launched 'Carikon Job,' a results-based recruitment platform for the construction industry, aiming to solve the industry's chronic labor shortage.

Background: Structural Labor Shortage and Perception Gap

While domestic construction investment continues to grow, the construction industry faces a chronic labor shortage due to declining employment and an aging workforce. For small and medium-sized construction firms, talent acquisition is a critical challenge affecting business continuity and growth.

Meanwhile, recruitment in the construction industry heavily relies on personal connections and traditional methods, limiting opportunities for companies and job seekers to connect. Additionally, certain job types are subject to regulations regarding job placement and dispatching, further restricting recruitment options compared to other industries.

As a result, job postings often fail to reach sufficient candidates, and it remains difficult to position construction careers as viable options for talent outside the industry. To address labor shortages, it is essential not only to improve productivity to support sites with limited personnel but also to increase engagement with external talent and accurately convey the realities and appeal of construction work and working conditions.

To understand how the construction industry is perceived both internally and externally, BRANU conducted a survey on perceptions of the industry and working styles, targeting 1,000 construction industry workers and 1,000 non-construction workers (aged 18–55).

Gap in Understanding Specialized Construction Work

When asked about their understanding of 29 specialized construction trades, 41.6% of non-industry respondents (9.9% 'very,' 31.7% 'somewhat') said they could visualize the work.

In contrast, only 32.0% of industry respondents (5.0% 'very,' 27.0% 'somewhat') believed the general public understands these jobs.

This indicates a perception gap: external recognition of the work is higher than internal expectations, revealing a mismatch in understanding job content.

Differences in Perceptions of Working Conditions

Regarding days off, only 35.7% of non-industry respondents answered 'two or more days per week,' with responses scattered across '4–5 days per month' and 'almost no days off,' indicating a perception of unstable rest periods. In contrast, 55.1% of industry respondents reported 'two or more days off per week,' showing that regular days off are secured in practice.

On daily working hours, 28.3% of non-industry respondents selected 'varies by day,' reflecting an image of irregular work schedules. In contrast, 47% of industry respondents reported 'within 8 hours,' the highest response, indicating structured time management.

Differences in Perceptions of Construction Work

When asked about impressions of construction work, 33.5% of non-industry respondents cited 'physically demanding work' as the top impression, while only 25.9% recognized it as 'essential to society.'

Among industry respondents, 'essential to society' was the top response at 30.6%, followed by 'highly specialized work' at 28.4%.

While external perceptions emphasize physical burden, industry insiders prioritize social significance and expertise, revealing differing views on the value of the work.

Survey Period: March 2026 Survey Method: Online Survey Conducted by: BRANU Co., Ltd. Survey Agency: Cross Marketing Inc. Target: 1,000 construction workers and 1,000 non-construction workers aged 18–55 Valid Responses: 2,000 *When citing this data, please credit the source.

Insights for the Future of the Construction Industry

The survey revealed a clear perception gap between the value and social role construction workers experience and the image held by the general public.

Although recent years have seen progress in work-style reforms and productivity improvements, leading to better working conditions, public perception of the construction industry still largely remains tied to outdated 'dirty, dangerous, difficult (3K)' stereotypes.

This perception gap stems from a lack of accurate understanding of the industry's realities.

To transform this situation, BRANU has officially launched 'Carikon Job,' a results-based recruitment platform for the construction industry. Leveraging 16 years of accumulated construction industry data, the platform visualizes the realities and working conditions of the industry, bridging the perception gap between companies and job seekers.

Key Features of Carikon Job

'Carikon Job' is a results-based recruitment platform specialized for the construction industry. It enables companies to communicate detailed information about job content, site environments, required skills, and future career paths, providing a recruitment foundation that conveys the 'realities of the job' beyond just working conditions.

As a platform connecting companies and job seekers directly, it aims to create new touchpoints with talent pools previously unreachable through traditional recruitment methods, thereby expanding the talent base in the construction industry.

The platform's standout features include a scouting function allowing companies to directly approach candidates, and a results-based model where fees are charged only upon successful hiring, with no initial or monthly fees. There are no limits on the number of job postings or listing duration, enabling companies to start recruitment without incurring fixed costs.

The service adopts a platform model without job placement or brokerage, enabling direct connections between companies and job seekers. Companies can proactively share job details and requirements, while job seekers can present their qualifications, experience, and career aspirations, allowing both parties to actively share information and progress toward mutual matching.

The platform also implements an AI-powered culture matching function. By combining internal data with AI technology, it visualizes complex factors such as work-style preferences, adaptability to site environments, organizational culture fit, and alignment of career values—beyond simple skill and condition matching—to reduce mismatches in the construction industry.

By opening its doors not only to industry veterans but also to inexperienced individuals interested in construction, the platform creates new pathways for talent inflow. By visualizing concrete information about job content and working styles, it communicates the realities and appeal of the construction industry that have previously been under-communicated, promoting external understanding and lowering entry barriers.

'Carikon Job' will evolve not merely as a medium to 'gather' talent, but as a foundation to accurately convey the value and realities of the construction industry and promote mutual understanding between companies and talent.

Legal Clarification

The service has been confirmed with the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare to fall outside the scope of 'job placement' under the Employment Security Act (Ministry Document: Shokushu Hatsu 0213 No. 2). It supports the creation of connections between construction companies and job seekers without acting as a placement or brokerage service.

Future Outlook

BRANU will leverage 'Carikon Job' to