Simon Jelfs, Managing Director at FocusCore Japan, makes his debut on the podcast. Simon has trodden the path many who come to live in Japan have walked - as a JET teacher. Those early years as an English teacher set him up for a lifelong career as a teacher, coach, and recruitment consultant. He’s a keen runner, a former Morris Dancer, a rugby fan, and a YouTuber at Just a Rugby Dad in Japan.
In this episode David and Simon cover:
- Important career lessons learned from 20 years of working in Japan
- The Great Resignation - will it hit Japan?
- How Covid-19 and working from home have changed the recruitment experience
- Combining career and parenthood and the changing dynamics of Japanese workplaces
- A shift in management style in Japan - is it here to stay?
And it would not be a FocusCore podcast if there wasn’t some chat about sport!
Simon Jelfs Bio:
Simon is from the UK and has 20 years of accounting and finance recruitment as a specialized recruitment leader in Japan. As Managing Director, he provides bilingual accounting and finance professionals to client companies in Japan.
Connect with Simon Jelfs:
LinkedIn
Twitter
YouTube: Just a Ruby Dad in Japan
Links of things mentioned in this episode:
Podcast Recommendations
High Performance Podcast
The Rest is History
Hidden Brain
FocusCore Podcast episode 2 with Corey McGowan
‘The Great Resignation’ - The American Chamber of Commerce in Japan Journal
Morris Dancing
Institute of Management Accountants
Connect with David Sweet:
LinkedIn
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
Website
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The FocusCore Podcast is hosted by David Sweet and produced by Podlaunch with Jayne.
Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co and check out his new album, FIFTY/50. Support independent musicians and artists.
Mentioned in this episode:
Find out more about salaries, the job market, hiring and what's important to both companies and individuals looking for a job specifically in Japan.
2025 Salary Guide