Circles is a "bicycle shop in Nagoya," but in reality, we have Japanese staff working in the United States. We also have American staff. And we are a company that develops and supplies Japanese bicycle parts to the U.S., Europe, and Asia.
At Circles Inc., we are beginning our search for new staff to provide the best possible experience to bike freaks around the world.
A company with doors open to the world
When we talk about Circles, we might not have been talking about "Circles Inc." Circles Inc. consists of various business formats aimed at cultivating a rich lifestyle centered on bicycles.
In addition to our bicycle sales division "Circles," we have our proprietary bicycle parts development division "SimWorks," its U.S.-based distribution arm "SimWorks USA," our wholesale division that distributes excellent products from around the world, "CWD (Circles World Distribution)," our effort to redefine DIY culture "Culture Club," our food and beverage division that brings American culture to Nagoya's breakfast scene "Earlybirds Breakfast," our handmade neighborhood bakery "Pine Fields Market," and our chic Italian pasta house "CERCHI." We are a company that continues to cultivate bicycle culture while moving back and forth between the local and the global.
In other words, while our physical shops are firmly committed to the local Nagoya community, constantly growing their roots, the scope of our operations at SimWorks, SimWorks USA, and CWD is to expand our business to the global market to prove the potential of Japanese bicycle parts manufacturing and sales. We spend our days bustling about, imagining users in faraway lands while debating back and forth.
The door to the world is right in front of us, and the Circles Group keeps knocking on that door in its own way.
Our dreams are still only halfway realized. And we have come to need new companions.
While we welcome those who "love bicycles," we have not listed "being knowledgeable about bicycles" as a requirement for this opening. We, and our interests in cultural customs—not limited to bicycles but including fashion, photography, film, and music—strive to enrich our lifestyles through practice.
Even if you are not knowledgeable about bicycles, if you have other areas you are interested in or passionate about, we have created an environment where you can work based on that and bring out your own unique self.
In fact, we would prefer to hire people who love bicycles but also have a wide range of other interests.
Additionally, for full-time hires, there are opportunities for training and work in the U.S. if desired, so for those who feel that Japan is too small—this is your chance for a stimulating experience!
Due to a high volume of applications, we closed the form on Sunday, 11/12/2023. Thank you to everyone who applied.
Why don't you need to be knowledgeable about bicycles?
You do not need to be knowledgeable about bicycles at all to apply. It might sound strange for a "bicycle shop" to say this, but it is true.
This is because, before being a hobby, a bicycle is a "means of transport," and I believe most people already have the skill to ride one.
Think back to when you were little. Do you remember when you first rode a bicycle?
The feeling of lifting off as your feet left the ground.
The cyclists we respect are those who forever carry that sense of freedom and the feeling that they can go anywhere. Our job is to help people who have experienced that feeling at least once to feel that joy and freedom again, and to help them build a rich lifestyle.
Before using specialized bicycle knowledge, our job is to provide people with joy and excitement.
You can learn technical things while working, and you don't necessarily have to become an expert. And once you start working here, you will surely become knowledgeable about bicycles. If you love "beautiful things" in other areas, I believe you will understand the value when you see a beautiful bicycle.
Bicycles are also directly linked to life as a means of transport. When thinking about the global environment, I also believe the bicycle is a very valuable mode of mobility as a means of transport for the future just ahead of us.
In fact, I, the one writing this job post, joined the company two years ago from the Kanto region and was (and am) an absolute amateur when it comes to bicycles.
(I was even surprised at their structure and the number of parts the first time I overhauled my own bike with the help of our staff.)
I used to work in the fashion industry in Tokyo until a little while ago. I had taken on various challenges there, but I had become a bit tired and took a break for a while. However, when I felt the potential of the bicycle as a future means of transport, alongside my long-held personal desire to "do business dealing in beautiful things," I began to feel that working at Circles might be the best choice for my life. (As someone who also relocated, I think I can offer advice to those looking to join us from outside Nagoya.)
Even to an amateur like me, beautiful bicycles are beautiful.
I was captivated by the beauty of the product and the craft.
"Introducing beautiful things."
I felt that Circles was taking on that challenge, and it overlapped with my own vision for my work.
To me, fashion and bicycles look the same. Because they are things that shape my lifestyle, I work with the desire to provide good things based on my own aesthetics and sensibilities.
Also, although I am involved in a management capacity, I approach my work with the belief that "I want to enable people to express their true selves in the workplace." In fact, many of our staff members love movies, music, and photography, and I find joy in creating an environment where they can thrive while understanding their backgrounds.
Perfect for those who want to work worldwide
Within this diverse range of business formats, there are, of course, various job roles. We are hiring widely for each of these positions.
There is only one motivation we expect and one skill we need: we want to hire people who think, "I want to demonstrate my abilities not only in Japan, but on the world stage!" (Even if you don't think anything that grand, that's totally fine, haha).
In truth, the Circles online store sees a high volume of traffic and sales from overseas customers, and we ship the products we handle to various countries. It is a rare type of online store in Japan, built on "cross-border e-commerce," with users all over the world.
Also, regarding procurement, we aim for a selection unique to Circles. From developing our own original products to procuring directly from American manufacturers—as well as Japanese ones—we are able to handle products that are difficult to purchase in Japan.
As the practical content varies depending on your wishes, I will tell you about the parts I couldn't fit into the application requirements.
【Job Content】
- Product development
- Graphic design
- Online store management
- Editing and production of online content
- Promotion planning and execution
- Order processing and shipping
- Sales forecasting and ordering
- Ordering and inventory management for domestic original products (SimWorks)
- Procurement, import, and inventory management for American-made products
- All tasks related to branding
There are many places where you can be active depending on the wishes and skills of those who apply. We can talk about those during the application process, but if you have experience in any of the following, I think you can make great use of it in each of these tasks.
- Reading
- Experience writing a blog, whether individual or organizational
- Experience with simple Excel tasks
- Experience with photography as a hobby
- Experience of being intensely immersed in a hobby
- Those who love "traveling," whether domestic or international
If you have the experience or hobbies above, you don't need skills like bicycle repair. Let's grow together instead. Circles has been established for 17 years, but we are still just getting started. We look forward to receiving your application.
Due to a high volume of applications, we closed the form on Sunday, 11/12/2023. Thank you to everyone who applied.
Regarding positions and the duties we would ask of you, we will decide that after we have actually conducted interviews and held discussions to carefully assess your experience and abilities.
We look forward to good encounters, so please feel free to apply via the form.