Full-Time Permanent Employee Job-to-Applicant Ratio Drops Below 1.0 for First Time in 5 Years, Yet SMEs Continue to Struggle with Hiring.

Guardian Inc. has launched "SCSC Recruit," a subscription-based recruitment website service with zero initial cost for SMEs. The service aims to help small and medium-sized businesses, which struggle to hire despite a declining national job-to-applicant ratio, by creating dedicated recruitment sites to prevent losing candidates during their online research phase.
New Service LaunchNQ 95/100出典：PR Times

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  • 📰 Published: May 20, 2026 at 20:00
  • 🔍 Collected: May 20, 2026 at 11:31
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Guardian Inc. has released "SCSC Recruit," a subscription-based recruitment website service for SMEs facing hiring challenges. Starting at ¥0 initial cost and a monthly fee of ¥32,000, the service builds and operates recruitment sites that automatically link with Indeed and Google for Jobs. Although the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare reports the job-to-applicant ratio for full-time employees has fallen below 1.0 for the first time in five years, surveys by Teikoku Databank show SMEs still face severe labor shortages. This is due to structural issues like low name recognition and the lack of a proper company recruitment site, which candidates now check before applying. With over 85% of job seekers finding job board information insufficient, SCSC Recruit helps SMEs build their own hiring platform without high upfront costs, reducing reliance on external job media.

FAQ

Why are Japanese SMEs struggling to hire even though the job-to-applicant ratio has fallen?

SMEs face challenges due to low name recognition and the lack of a proper recruitment website. Many candidates research a company online after seeing a job post and are deterred if the company's own site is inadequate or non-existent, leading to lost opportunities.

What is SCSC Recruit?

SCSC Recruit is a subscription-based service by Guardian Inc. that allows small and medium-sized enterprises to build and operate a dedicated recruitment website with zero initial cost and a monthly fee starting from ¥32,000.

How does SCSC Recruit help solve hiring problems?

It provides an affordable way to create a professional recruitment site that complements job board postings. The site integrates with search engines like Indeed and Google for Jobs, provides detailed information that job postings lack, and helps build trust with potential applicants.

What is the main barrier for SMEs in creating their own recruitment sites?

The primary barrier is the high initial production cost, which typically ranges from ¥1 million to ¥3 million, making it prohibitive for many SMEs. SCSC Recruit eliminates this barrier with a ¥0 initial fee model.

What are the different plans offered by SCSC Recruit?

There are three plans: 'Standard' to enhance an existing corporate site, 'Special' to create a new standalone recruitment site, and 'Professional' which includes all 'Special' features plus monthly consulting from a recruitment expert.

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