Translation guide
The practice of actively recruiting highly skilled or specialized employees from other companies, often for executive or technical roles. In Japanese, this is commonly expressed with the loanword ヘッドハンティング or the native term 引き抜き.
To refer to the act of a company or recruiter approaching and hiring a desirable employee from a competitor or another organization.
To discuss headhunting as a business practice or industry.
ヘッドハンティング is a neutral, professional term often used by recruitment agencies and in formal business settings. 引き抜き can sound more aggressive or negative, implying 'stealing' an employee. Use ヘッドハンティング for standard business contexts.
ヘッドハンティングの依頼が増えている。
Requests for headhunting are increasing.
引き抜きは時に訴訟問題になる。
Poaching sometimes leads to lawsuits.
Do not translate 'headhunting' literally as 頭狩り (あたまがり) or similar. This would be nonsensical. Use the loanword or native terms above.
彼は大手テック企業にヘッドハンティングされた。
He was headhunted by a major tech company.
金融業界ではヘッドハンティングが一般的だ。
Headhunting is common in the finance sector.
The most direct and widely understood term, borrowed from English. Used in business contexts for executive or specialist recruitment.
彼は外資系企業にヘッドハンティングされた。
He was headhunted by a foreign-affiliated company.
ヘッドハンティング会社を通じて転職した。
I changed jobs through a headhunting agency.
A native Japanese term meaning 'poaching' or 'pulling out' talent. Slightly more informal and can imply aggressive recruitment.
ライバル会社からエース社員を引き抜いた。
We poached an ace employee from a rival company.
引き抜き防止のため、待遇を改善した。
We improved benefits to prevent poaching.
To scout or recruit, often used for talent in sports, entertainment, or business. Less formal than ヘッドハンティング.
優秀なエンジニアをスカウトした。
We scouted a talented engineer.
A more explicit phrase meaning 'to poach talent'. Used in formal or written contexts.
競合他社から人材を引き抜くのはリスクがある。
Poaching talent from competitors carries risks.
Used as a noun to refer to the industry or activity itself.
ヘッドハンティングは人材獲得の重要な手段だ。
Headhunting is an important means of talent acquisition.
Can also refer to the practice in general, often with a slightly negative connotation of 'poaching'.
引き抜きは業界ではよくあることだ。
Poaching is common in the industry.