FIRMOVERVIEW

Potomac Associates Inc. is a professional search firm that provides human resource search and consulting services of the highest quality, focusing on executive and senior management placement.

Mission and Vision

  1. Client first principle

    We strive to form long-term partner relationships with our clients, consisting principally of Japanese and multinational companies that are doing business in Japan. From a professional standpoint, we advise our clients on the assessment and deployment of human resources vital to their business objectives and on the recruitment of outside talent to meet their staffing needs.

    • As the first step in the recruitment process, we meet with our clients to gain a thorough understanding of their organization and the nature of their business. Based on that knowledge and discussions with the client, an agreement is reached on the candidate's necessary qualifications and requirements as well as on the compensation package and other employment conditions.
    • We undertake a search to identify several ideal candidates and objectively assess and select the most suitable individuals that have the required qualifications and attributes. Candidates matching the client's needs and who are interested in the position are then introduced to the client.
    • We check the references of the individual who has been assessed and selected by the client as the final candidate. And we also provide advice on the preparation of a job offer letter and other forms of assistance. Complete and thorough follow-up is provided until the candidate is hired and successfully integrated into the client's organization.
  2. Candidate identification and post-hire follow-up
    • All of the candidates we introduce to our clients must be business professionals capable of working effectively in any organization anywhere. To help us find the best available candidates, we have built an extensive network of contacts with highly qualified, talented people and are constantly working to maintain and extend our network of sources.
    • The fact that we have this broad-based network of outstanding human resources enables us to respond immediately to clients' emergency staffing needs. Once we understand a client's requirements, we can act quickly on the client's behalf to explain the client's organization, business,future potential of the position and other aspects to prospective candidates in an impartial manner and work assiduously to develop their interest in the job.
    • After a candidate has been hired by a client, we meet regularly with the person to confirm that he or she fits in well with the client's organization and is contributing effectively to producing the expected results. If there are any issues that need to be discussed, we report them to the client and endeavor to resolve them amicably. As a rule, meetings are held with successful candidates one month, three months and six months after their employment.

Profile of Firm and Management Team

Potomac Associates Inc. was founded as a joint stock company in June 2005 by Hisashi Komine, President, and Takashi Hasunuma,Partner and Director. The firm was named after the Potomac River that flows through Washington, D.C., where Mr. Komine lived for nearly four years beginning from 1986. He was profoundly impressed by the beautiful seasonal changes in the magnificent scenery he observed every morning while commuting to work. The name Potomac was selected from a desire to achieve a similar feeling of grand accomplishment in the business world. It also reflects the nature of our work in searching for professionals with the highest POTential for MAnagement Capabilities.

  • Potomac Associates was licensed by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan in October 2005 to operate as a human resource consultation firm.
  • As of June 2006, our team of six consultants is capable of serving the HR needs of nearly all sectors of industry. Both Mr. Komine and Mr. Hasunuma have over four years of prior experience working at a leading international executive search firm.
  • Potomac Associates provides comprehensive HR consulting services, including internal HR assessment and development advice to clients, which is a service that other executive search firms have traditionally not offered. Our flexible service fees include both retainer-based and success-based arrangements.
  • We are confident of our ability to serve as a unique bridge connecting clients and qualified candidates in today's increasingly fluid HR market.
  • Potomac Associates employs outside recruiters as our business partners who are highly skilled professionals in the search process.They draw upon their own extensive HR networks formed during their careers as executives or general managers at major Japanese corporations, trading companies or professional firms.
  • In selecting these business partners, we use the Caliper Profile personality assessment instrument that measures an individual's competencies,potential and motivation and is widely used in the United States as a scientific tool in the selection of managers, sales representatives and even professional athletes.