On June 20, 2026, the "Pacific League League Sports Job Fair 2026 Summer by doda," a mid-career recruitment event specializing in the professional baseball industry, was held in Nihonbashi, Tokyo.

This report covers the "Recruitment Manager Roundtable (Part 1)," a highly enthusiastic event attended by many participants, featuring recruitment managers from each Pacific League League team and Pacific League Marketing (PLM). What kind of talent is needed on the front lines of the sports business, and what are the criteria for selection?

What kind of person can succeed? The ideal candidate profile the industry seeks.

The following four speakers will be present at the "Recruitment Staff Roundtable" (Part 1).

・ Rakuten Eagles baseball Corporation: Corporate Headquarters, Administration Department, HR Group Manager, Mirai Kano
・ Chiba Lotte Marines Corporation: Management Headquarters, Management Department, HR and Labor Group Leader, Naoya Machi
・ Fukuoka Softbank Hawks Corporation: General Affairs and Human Resources Division, HR Department Manager Miyuki Kasa
・ Pacific League Marketing Co., Ltd.: Partnership Sales Department, Career Development Group Manager, Yoriko Fujii
Moderator: Seiya Oura, President and CEO of Persol Innovation Co., Ltd.

First, opinions were exchanged about the qualities each team and company seeks.

・Can you go beyond the boundaries of job type
Mr. Shikano from Rakuten Eagles baseball Group (Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles) explained that this is basically a general position recruitment, but also shared stories from his own experience.

"At our company, people who can actively challenge themselves and jump in regardless of their job type tend to thrive." (Rakuten Eagles baseball Dan - Shikano)

・More about "what you can do after joining" rather than past work experience.
Mr. Chiba Lotte Marines Machi says that the team is currently focusing on 'branding' to drive both the team and the business together. Are there opportunities even if you're not a specialist?

"I myself am someone who changed careers from a completely different construction industry. It's not about background, but about 'what you can do after joining.' The key is whether you can anticipate the future and take action." (The Marines ・Machi)

・Coordination skills that connect clients and teams
Pacific League Enhancing overall brand power and maximizing business Pacific League Marketing (PLM). After joining a railway company as a new graduate, Fujii worked as a team staff member before transferring to the company. He shares the talent sought in by PLM, which serves as a hub for multiple teams.

"PLM sales activities are not completed solely with client companies and PLM; coordination with the Pacific League six teams is also necessary. Not only sales skills but also coordination and communication skills to move things forward with many stakeholders are strongly required," said PLM Fujii.

Look here! Selection criteria and interview preparation tips.

Next, we moved on to the reality of the "interview," which is what participants are most interested in. Many points that are particularly scrutinized in mid-career hiring were revealed one after another.

・面接の短い時間で「自分の武器」をどう見せるか
福岡ソフトバンクホークスの笠さんは、企業理解とアピールの重要性を強調します。



「一番見ているのは『ホークスで何ができるか？やりたいか？』を考えておられるかということです。中途採用は即戦力。皆さんがお持ちの武器を、短い面接時間のなかでアピールしてください。候補者の方にとっても、ホークスへの理解をさらに深める時間にしてもらえたらと思います」（ホークス・笠）

・ 大事なのは経験の「再現性」と「抽象度をなくすこと」
他業界での経験をスポーツ業界でどう活かせるか。マリーンズの町さんの言葉は、自己PRに悩む多くの人のヒントになるはずです。

「現職の経験に『再現性』があるかをかなり見ています。どれだけご自身の言葉で、抽象度をなくして具体的に語れるか。マリーンズファンでなくても構いません。違うスポーツが好きなら『野球と何が違うか』を対比して見られるような視点を持っている方はすばらしいですね」（マリーンズ・町）

・「好き」だけでは通らない。回答の「納得感」
楽天野球団の鹿野さんは、面接官が思わず頷いてしまう「納得感」の重要性を、実際の面接でよくあるやり取りを例に挙げて説明してくれました。

「例えば『野球が好きだから転職したい』と言いながら『応募はイーグルスだけです』と言われると、『野球が軸なのに1球団だけ？』と少し疑問を抱いてしまいます。逆に『他球団も併願しています』と言われた方が、我々としても納得感がある。自分で深掘りをして、いかに納得感のある回答ができるかを見ています」（楽天野球団・鹿野）

Finally, a message to the participants regarding the company information sessions that will be held at each booth following the "Roundtable Discussion with Recruiters."

While each team spoke about its appeal, with comments such as "We have an environment where we can challenge ourselves to become the best in the world" (The Hawks' Kasai) and "There are many employees who think of new things and speak up proactively without hesitation" (The Marines' Machi), what they all had in common was the strong sense of unity throughout Pacific League.

"Pacific League has a culture and mindset of working together to develop businesses. We would like as many people as possible to join us and lend us their support." (Fujii, PLM)

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After the COVID-19 pandemic, the professional baseball industry has regained its enthusiasm and aims for further business expansion. For those who want to support the glamorous public stage behind the scenes and grow themselves, this roundtable session provided many insights.

Your past experiences may become the driving force for shaping the future of baseball. If you are interested in the professional baseball industry, we encourage you to take the first step toward a new career.