Often abbreviated as haken (派遣), dispatch employees aren’t directly hired but rather sent to companies by the dispatch agency they are employed by. The contracts are temporary – mostly from three to six months. However, there is the possibility of renewal.
A dispatch employee can work for the same company for a maximum of three years. After that, the company will have to decide whether they want to hire the employee full-time or not. If a contract isn’t renewed, the agency will generally send the employee to another company.
However, some companies actually hire new people on this type of contract initially, and after a few months, if everything goes well, they will be offered a full-time job. Until then, the employee will have less pressure and more flexibility.
Working as a dispatch employee, however, doesn’t give much room for career advancement and there is a risk of being laid off in leaner times. This type of contract also has far fewer benefits compared to other types of contracts.
For companies, the hourly cost of a dispatch employee is around 150% more than a contract or permanent employee. Some of it will go to the dispatching agency, making it expensive.
Starting on the right type of contract will have a real impact on your career and the opportunities you will get in the future. Figuring all this out on your own can be difficult, so don’t hesitate to ask for help. Career advisors, for example, can help you to negotiate and will ask all the difficult questions for you.
At Inbound Technology, we help foreign tech professionals find work in Japan. You can take the first step by getting in touch with one of our trustworthy career advisors here. We’re also on LinkedIn!