The Asia-Pacific recruiting market outside of China and India is fragmented by geography, language, and local platform dominance. There is no single ATS or job platform that covers the region the way Workday or LinkedIn does in North America. Instead, each sub-region has its own dominant platforms: SEEK in Australia and New Zealand, JobStreet in Southeast Asia, and various local platforms in Japan, Korea, and other markets. Understanding which platform matters in which country is the first step.
SEEK: Australia and New Zealand's hiring infrastructure
SEEK is the dominant job platform in Australia and New Zealand, holding a market position comparable to Indeed in the United States. Most Australian and New Zealand employers post their positions on SEEK, and many use SEEK's integrated tools for applicant management. SEEK has expanded into other markets (it owns JobStreet and JobsDB in Southeast Asia) but its strongest position is in ANZ.
Applying through SEEK is typically straightforward. The platform allows you to maintain a profile and resume, apply to listings with one click, and track your applications. SEEK has invested in matching features that recommend jobs based on your profile and alert you to new listings matching your criteria.
For employers, SEEK functions as both a job board and a basic ATS. Smaller companies may use SEEK's built-in applicant management tools directly. Larger companies integrate SEEK with their dedicated ATS (often Workday, iCIMS, or a local platform like PageUp or JobAdder), using SEEK as the sourcing channel.
JobAdder: the Australian-built recruitment platform
JobAdder is an Australian-origin ATS/CRM used by recruitment agencies and internal HR teams across the APAC region. It serves a similar market to Bullhorn (staffing agencies) but with a stronger focus on the Australian and New Zealand markets. The platform integrates with SEEK, Indeed, LinkedIn, and other job boards, allowing employers and agencies to post jobs and collect applications in one place.
If you are working with an Australian recruitment agency, your resume and candidate data are likely stored in JobAdder. The dynamics are similar to Bullhorn: the agency manages your record, searches for matching opportunities, and presents you to client companies.
PageUp: enterprise talent management from Australia
PageUp is an Australian enterprise talent management platform used by large organizations in Australia, New Zealand, and parts of Asia. It offers recruiting, onboarding, learning, and performance management. You will encounter PageUp at large Australian employers, universities, and government agencies. The application experience is similar to other enterprise ATS platforms: account creation, resume upload, parsing, screening questions, and pipeline tracking.
JobStreet and JobsDB: Southeast Asia
JobStreet (now owned by SEEK) is the dominant job platform in Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Indonesia. JobsDB covers similar ground in Hong Kong and Thailand. These platforms operate like SEEK in their respective markets: candidates create profiles, apply to listings, and employers manage applications through the platform's tools or integrate with a separate ATS.
Southeast Asian hiring through these platforms tends to emphasize specific practical details: visa/work permit status, language proficiency (English plus local languages), current and expected salary, and availability date. These fields are standard on the platforms and function as filtering criteria.
Japan and Korea: distinct markets
Japan and Korea have their own recruiting platforms that operate independently from the rest of APAC. Japan's market includes Rikunabi (for new graduates), doda, and Bizreach (for mid-career professionals). Korea uses platforms like Saramin and JobKorea. These markets have specific conventions around resume format, hiring seasons, and the role of new graduate recruitment that differ from both Western and other Asian markets.
The Japanese concept of "shushoku katsudo" (job hunting activity for new graduates) is a structured, seasonal process that does not have a direct Western equivalent. Companies recruit new graduates on specific timelines, and the recruiting platforms are designed around this seasonal pattern.
Western ATS platforms in APAC
Multinational companies with APAC operations typically use their global ATS (Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, iCIMS, Greenhouse) for formal hiring processes while sourcing through local platforms. This creates the same dual-platform dynamic seen in India and China: you might find the job on SEEK or JobStreet but complete the application through Workday. Understanding both the sourcing platform and the processing ATS helps set expectations for the application experience.
How Ajusta handles APAC market applications
Ajusta recognizes job postings from major APAC platforms and adjusts its recommendations for regional conventions. For Australian/NZ postings through SEEK, it follows local resume norms (which are similar to but not identical with UK conventions). For Southeast Asian platforms, it accounts for the salary, visa status, and language proficiency fields that are standard on JobStreet and JobsDB.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is SEEK like Indeed for Australia?
SEEK holds a similar market position in Australia and New Zealand to Indeed in the United States, but it is an independent company with its own platform and ecosystem. SEEK has expanded into Southeast Asia through its ownership of JobStreet and JobsDB. For the Australian and New Zealand job markets, SEEK is the primary platform where most employers post positions and most candidates search.
Do I need different resumes for different APAC markets?
Yes. Resume conventions vary significantly across APAC markets. Australian resumes follow conventions similar to the UK (no photo, no personal details, accomplishment-focused). Southeast Asian platforms expect salary information and work permit status. Japanese resumes (rirekisho) follow a highly standardized format different from Western CVs. Tailoring your resume to the specific market and platform is important.
What is JobAdder and how does it compare to Bullhorn?
JobAdder is an Australian-origin recruitment platform used by agencies and internal HR teams in the ANZ region. It serves a similar market to Bullhorn (staffing and recruitment agencies) but with stronger APAC platform integrations (SEEK, JobStreet) and a focus on the Australian/NZ market. The candidate experience is similar: your information is managed by the agency, and the ATS operates behind the scenes.
Should I use local platforms or LinkedIn for APAC job searching?
Both, but with different emphasis depending on the market. In Australia and Singapore, LinkedIn has strong professional adoption alongside local platforms. In markets like the Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand, local platforms like JobStreet have much higher adoption for most roles. Japan and Korea have their own dominant platforms where LinkedIn is less central. Using local platforms alongside LinkedIn provides the broadest reach.
