How to Apply to Makita

12 min read Last updated April 20, 2026 21 open positions
Blake Crosley
Blake Crosley Researched using publicly available information, hiring data, and ATS analysis.

Key Takeaways

  • Makita is a deeply Japanese, manufacturing-heavy company — Anjō HQ runs global product strategy, and ~90% of products are built outside Japan across 8 countries.
  • There is no single global ATS. Japan uses a custom MyPage portal segmented by graduation year; Makita USA uses a static info page plus external boards (Indeed, LinkedIn); regional subsidiaries each have their own pages.
  • The strategic engineering investment is in 40V max XGT, brushless motors, tabless-cell batteries, and gas-engine replacement (including a new 2026 XGT Motor Unit for OEMs).
  • US tariff policy is reshaping Makita's supply chain: production for the US market is shifting from China to Thailand and Romania, which has implications for hiring at those plants and at Buford, GA.
  • Anjō roles effectively require JLPT N1 / native Japanese plus comfort with formal Japanese business culture — non-Japanese candidates fit better at US, UK, EU, or LATAM subsidiaries.
  • Hiring cycles are slow (~32 days average per Glassdoor, longer for Japan new-graduate). Interviews are formal, multi-round, and probe long-term fit as much as technical skill.
  • Glassdoor reviews flag a Japanese-management layer that can limit growth and decision speed in regional subsidiaries — useful context to weigh honestly during interviews.

About Makita

Makita Corporation (株式会社マキタ, TYO: 6586) is a Japanese power tool manufacturer headquartered in Anjō, Aichi Prefecture, with roots dating back to its 1915 founding as an electric motor sales and repair company. Today, Makita is the world's number two cordless power tool maker by revenue (behind Stanley Black & Decker's DeWalt), with approximately 22,000 employees globally and consolidated annual revenue of roughly ¥800 billion. President and Representative Director Munetoshi Goto leads a company that operates a vertically integrated, manufacturing-heavy footprint — roughly 90% of Makita's products are built outside Japan, across plants in China, Thailand, Brazil, Romania, the United Kingdom (Telford, since 1991), Germany, and the United States (Buford, Georgia). The company sells in more than 50 countries and is one of the few power tool brands that designs its own brushless motors, battery cells packs, and electronic control units in-house — a deliberate engineering choice that defines both its products and its hiring needs. The Makita brand is built around two cordless ecosystems: the long-running 18V LXT platform, which has matured into a 300+ tool catalog used by tradespeople worldwide, and the newer 40V max XGT platform (launched 2019), which targets gas-engine replacement in heavy construction, rebar tying, framing nailers, and outdoor power equipment. In 2026, Makita announced a 40V max XGT Motor Unit engineered to replace 25cc–50cc gas engines for OEMs (power screeds, backpack vibrators, water pumps, trowels), and a new BL4080H 8.0Ah High Power Battery using tabless cell technology with up to 35% more output than the prior generation. These releases, along with new XGT framing nailers and rebar cutters, signal where the engineering investment is going: brushless motor design, high-current battery chemistry, thermal management, and electrification of categories historically dominated by gasoline. Makita's hiring footprint reflects this engineering-and-manufacturing identity. The Anjō headquarters and nearby Okazaki and Nisshin sites concentrate corporate functions, R&D, motor design, embedded controls, and pilot manufacturing. Buford, Georgia (Makita Corporation of America) handles US product engineering, sales, customer service, and assembly for the North American market. Telford UK, Brănești Romania, and the Brazil and Thailand plants serve regional markets and increasingly absorb production that used to come from China. In April 2025, Makita publicly confirmed it would scale back Chinese production destined for the US market and shift it to Thailand and Romania — a direct response to the unpredictable US tariff environment under the second Trump administration and a meaningful signal for anyone considering a manufacturing-side career with the company. If you're researching Makita as an employer, the most important thing to internalize is that this is a Japanese company in the deepest sense: family-style governance, long tenure, conservative decision-making, and a culture where the Anjō headquarters drives global product strategy. Regional subsidiaries like Makita USA and Makita UK have meaningful autonomy on commercial and aftermarket execution but operate within a framework set in Japan. Whether that is a feature or a bug depends entirely on what you want from your career.

Application Process

  1. 1
    Identify the right entity

    Identify the right entity. Makita does not have a single global careers portal. Japanese new-graduate (新卒) and mid-career (中途) hiring runs through the Japanese recruitment site at makita.co.jp/recruit, with separate ENTRY/MYPAGE flows for the upcoming 27卒 (graduating 2027) and 28卒 (graduating 2028) cohorts. US roles are posted through Makita Corporation of America at makitatools.com/company/careers. UK, Romania, Germany, Brazil, Thailand, China, and other regional subsidiaries each maintain their own careers pages — applying to the wrong entity will almost always result in a rejection or no response.

  2. 2
    For Japan new-graduate hiring (新卒採用), follow the standard Japanese 就活 calendar

    For Japan new-graduate hiring (新卒採用), follow the standard Japanese 就活 calendar. Pre-entry typically opens in March of your junior year for graduation the following spring. You will create a MyPage account on the Makita recruit site, complete an Entry Sheet (ES) with motivation (志望動機), self-PR (自己PR), and academic project descriptions, and then progress through aptitude testing (typically SPI3 or similar), group discussion, and multiple rounds of interviews. Engineering tracks (機械系, 電気・電子系, 情報系, 化学系) feed into mechanical design, motor design, embedded control, materials, and manufacturing engineering roles concentrated at Anjō, Okazaki, and Nisshin sites in Aichi.

  3. 3
    For Japan mid-career hiring (中途採用), Makita posts roles directly on its recruit s

    For Japan mid-career hiring (中途採用), Makita posts roles directly on its recruit site under キャリア採用 and through major Japanese transition agencies — Recruit Agent (R-Agent), doda, Mynavi Agent, and BizReach all carry Makita's mid-career postings. Roles span 機械設計 (mechanical design), 電気設計 (electrical/electronics design), モーター設計 (motor design), 制御ソフト (embedded control firmware), 生産技術 (production engineering), 品質保証 (QA), and corporate functions in finance, IT, legal, and global sales. Mid-career applicants should expect Japanese-language business proficiency (JLPT N1 equivalent or native) for almost all Anjō-based roles, even technical ones.

  4. 4
    For Makita USA (Buford, GA and La Mirada, CA), the careers page at makitatools

    For Makita USA (Buford, GA and La Mirada, CA), the careers page at makitatools.com/company/careers is informational rather than a live ATS portal — it lists no embedded jobs and instead carries a prominent Recruitment Fraud Alert. Active US openings appear on Indeed, LinkedIn, ZipRecruiter, and Glassdoor under Makita U.S.A., Inc. Roles include customer service representatives, bilingual technical support, field sales, regional managers, warehouse operations, product engineering, and assembly. Makita USA's stated formal process always includes at least one in-person interview with a Makita representative — a useful tell when distinguishing real openings from scams.

  5. 5
    For UK, Romania, Germany, Brazil, and Thailand roles, navigate to the relevant c

    For UK, Romania, Germany, Brazil, and Thailand roles, navigate to the relevant country site (makitauk.com, makita.ro, makita.de, makita.com.br, makita.co.th) and look for a careers or recruitment section. Many regional subsidiaries hire primarily through local job boards (Reed and Indeed in the UK; eJobs and Best Jobs in Romania; StepStone in Germany; Catho and Vagas in Brazil) rather than a centralized ATS. Manufacturing roles at Brănești (Romania) and Buford (Georgia) ramp up when Makita shifts production from China.

  6. 6
    Prepare role-specific materials

    Prepare role-specific materials. For Japan, you will submit a 履歴書 (rirekisho) and 職務経歴書 (shokumu-keirekisho) for mid-career roles, both following the standard Japanese formats with photo, education, and chronological work history. For US and other regional roles, a one to two page resume in the local language is standard. Engineering candidates should be prepared to discuss specific projects, the brushless motor or battery work you've done, embedded firmware experience (C/C++, real-time control), CAD tools used (CATIA, Creo, SolidWorks), and any test bench or compliance work (UL, CE, IEC 60745/62841).

  7. 7
    After application, expect to wait

    After application, expect to wait. Glassdoor data across all Makita entities reports an average hiring process of about 32 days, with longer cycles for Japan new-graduate tracks (which run on the formal 就活 calendar) and shorter cycles for US sales and customer service roles. Communication tends to be sparse between rounds — silence does not necessarily mean rejection.

Resume Tips for Makita

recommended

Match the document format to the entity

Match the document format to the entity. For Anjō-based roles, prepare a Japanese rirekisho (履歴書) and shokumu-keirekisho (職務経歴書) in standard format. For Makita USA, UK, or other regional subsidiaries, use a clean one to two page Western-style resume. Submitting a Japanese-format resume to Makita USA or a Western resume to Anjō HR will signal that you have not done your homework on the company structure.

recommended

Foreground specific power tool, motor, or battery experience

Foreground specific power tool, motor, or battery experience. Makita is a deeply specialized company. Generic 'mechanical engineering' or 'product design' framing will not resonate. If you have worked on cordless tools, BLDC motors, lithium-ion battery packs, battery management systems, charger electronics, gear trains, impact mechanisms, dust extraction, or outdoor power equipment, lead with that and quantify it (motor RPM, torque output, runtime hours, cycle life, IP rating).

recommended

Show manufacturing and DFM literacy

Show manufacturing and DFM literacy. Makita designs and manufactures in-house. Engineering candidates who can speak the language of injection molding, die casting, gear cutting, motor winding, automated assembly, and high-volume QA will land better than candidates with pure CAD or simulation backgrounds. Mention specific processes you have owned (FMEA, PPAP, control plans, capability studies, line ramp).

recommended

Demonstrate Japanese language ability honestly if applying to Anjō

Demonstrate Japanese language ability honestly if applying to Anjō. JLPT N1 or business-level Japanese is effectively a hard requirement for technical and corporate roles in Japan. Do not inflate — interviewers will switch to Japanese mid-conversation to verify. If you are a non-Japanese applicant with N2 and strong technical credentials, you may still be considered for global product or international sales roles, but expect a higher bar.

recommended

For US and regional roles, emphasize trade-channel and contractor knowledge

For US and regional roles, emphasize trade-channel and contractor knowledge. Makita's customers are professional contractors — framers, electricians, plumbers, concrete crews, landscapers, automotive technicians. Sales, marketing, and product roles benefit from candidates who have worked with the trades, dealer networks (Acme Tools, Home Depot Pro, Grainger, Fastenal), or independent distributors. Tool collector or DIY background alone is not enough.

recommended

Highlight battery and electrification experience if applying for XGT-related rol

Highlight battery and electrification experience if applying for XGT-related roles. The 40V max XGT platform and the new XGT Motor Unit for OEM gas-engine replacement are strategic priorities. Engineers with high-current cell pack design, tabless cell experience, BMS firmware, fast-charging electronics, or cordless OPE (outdoor power equipment) backgrounds should make this explicit on the first page of the resume.

recommended

Avoid red flags around job-hopping for Japan applications

Avoid red flags around job-hopping for Japan applications. Japanese hiring culture, especially at conservative manufacturers like Makita, still values long tenure. If you have multiple short stints, prepare a clear narrative for each and emphasize what you built or shipped at each. For US and regional roles, this concern is much weaker.

ATS System: Region-Specific Custom Portals (Japan MyPage) + Direct Posting (US/Regional)

Makita does not operate a single global Applicant Tracking System. Verified live: the Japanese recruitment site (makita.co.jp/recruit) uses a custom MyPage / Entry portal segmented by graduation cohort (27卒, 28卒) and separate flows for new-graduate, second-new-graduate (第二新卒), and mid-career hiring. The Makita USA careers page (makitatools.com/company/careers) is a static informational page with no embedded ATS — it carries a Recruitment Fraud Alert and directs candidates to a formal process that always includes at least one in-person interview. US openings are surfaced through external job boards (Indeed, LinkedIn, ZipRecruiter, Glassdoor) rather than a Workday, Greenhouse, iCIMS, or SuccessFactors instance. Regional subsidiaries (UK, Romania, Germany, Brazil, Thailand) operate their own country-specific careers pages and rely heavily on local job boards.

  • Do not rely on aggregator listings alone. Cross-check any posting against the official Makita country site for the relevant entity. Recruitment fraud against the Makita brand is well-documented enough that the company posts a standing fraud alert on its US careers page.
  • For Japan, register a MyPage account early in your 就活 cycle (typically March of junior year) — late registration locks you out of the formal new-graduate track for that year.
  • For US roles, apply through the official Makita company profile on Indeed or LinkedIn rather than third-party reposters. Avoid any 'recruiter' who asks for fees, banking information, or remote-only interviews — Makita's stated process always includes an in-person step.
  • Because there is no unified ATS, keyword-stuffing for parser optimization is less critical than at Workday-driven companies. Human reviewers see your resume directly. Optimize for clarity and substance, not for ATS gaming.
  • Save copies of every application confirmation email and any correspondence. With multiple regional entities and no centralized system, follow-up has to be done at the entity level.

Interview Culture

Makita interviews vary significantly by entity, but the underlying culture is unmistakably Japanese: formal, hierarchical, slow, and oriented toward long-term fit rather than short-term skill-matching. For Anjō-based roles (new-graduate and mid-career), expect three to five rounds spaced over four to eight weeks. Rounds typically progress from HR screen to technical interview with engineering managers to a final interview with a department head or executive. Aptitude testing (SPI3 or equivalent) is standard for new graduates and common for mid-career engineering hires. Technical rounds for engineering candidates focus on motor theory (BLDC commutation, FOC, sensorless control), battery chemistry and pack design, mechanical design fundamentals (gear reduction, impact mechanisms, vibration), embedded firmware (C/C++, RTOS, CAN/UART), and manufacturing processes. Behavioral questions in Japan center on motivation (なぜマキタか — why Makita specifically), self-awareness (長所・短所 — strengths and weaknesses), and your understanding of the company's products and history. Group discussion is common in new-graduate rounds. The formality bar is high. Wear a dark recruit suit (リクルートスーツ) for new-graduate interviews and a conservative business suit for mid-career. Bow at the door, wait to be seated, use keigo (敬語 — Japanese formal language) consistently, and bring multiple paper copies of your rirekisho and shokumu-keirekisho. Interviewers will take detailed notes and ask follow-up questions designed to probe consistency between your written application and your verbal answers — preparation and self-knowledge matter more than rehearsed answers. For Makita USA (Buford, La Mirada, and field roles), the process is shorter — typically two to four rounds over two to four weeks — and follows US norms with a phone screen, hiring manager interview, and panel or in-person final. The company explicitly states that its formal process always includes at least one in-person interview, which functions as both a fit check and a fraud-prevention signal. Glassdoor candidates report mixed experiences: 55% rate the interview positively with average difficulty of 2.5 out of 5, but reviews also note instances of interviewers not having reviewed the candidate's resume in advance, asking redundant questions, or moving slowly. Set expectations accordingly and bring extra copies of your resume. A recurring theme in employee feedback across regions is the influence of the Japanese parent on regional decision-making. US and European employees describe a layer of Japanese management that can slow decisions and limit growth into senior roles, with some characterizing the corporate culture as feeling like a family-run business. This is honest context to weigh when interviewing — Makita is not a flat, fast-moving Silicon Valley culture, and pretending otherwise during interviews will not help you. If you value craftsmanship, deep product knowledge, manufacturing rigor, and a stable employer with a 100+ year history, this is a feature; if you want rapid promotion and broad executive autonomy, look elsewhere.

What Makita Looks For

  • Deep technical specialization over breadth. Makita hires motor designers who understand motor design, battery engineers who understand cells, manufacturing engineers who understand specific processes. Generalists with shallow exposure to many domains have a harder time than focused specialists.
  • Long-term commitment orientation. Especially for Anjō roles, the implicit expectation is that you are joining for a career, not a stepping stone. Candidates who frame Makita as a learning opportunity en route to somewhere else will be screened out.
  • Manufacturing and quality mindset. The company's identity is built on building things that work for decades under abuse. Candidates who can talk credibly about durability testing, accelerated life testing, ingress protection, drop testing, vibration tolerance, and field failure analysis stand out.
  • Japanese language and cultural fluency for HQ roles. JLPT N1 or native-level Japanese, plus comfort with keigo and Japanese business etiquette, is effectively required for Anjō-based positions. Non-Japanese candidates may find better fit at regional subsidiaries.
  • Trade-channel knowledge for commercial roles. Makita sells through professional dealers, two-step distribution, and retail (Home Depot, Acme Tools, Lowe's, Grainger). Sales, marketing, and product management candidates with experience in those channels — or in adjacent contractor-focused brands like Hilti, Milwaukee, DeWalt, Bosch, or Festool — translate directly.
  • Cordless ecosystem and electrification literacy. The strategic story right now is XGT growth, gas-engine replacement, and outdoor power equipment expansion. Candidates who understand the OPE-cordless transition (lawn care, construction equipment, OEM applications) and can articulate why XGT is differentiated are well-positioned.
  • Cross-functional patience. Decisions move through Anjō. Engineers and product managers in regional subsidiaries who can collaborate across time zones, navigate slow approval cycles, and build trust with Japanese counterparts thrive; those who expect rapid unilateral authority do not.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Makita use Workday, Greenhouse, iCIMS, or another standard ATS?
No. As of April 2026, the official Makita Japan recruit site uses a custom MyPage / Entry portal segmented by graduation cohort (27卒, 28卒, 第二新卒, キャリア), and the Makita USA careers page is a static informational page with no embedded ATS — it directs candidates to a formal process that always includes at least one in-person interview. Regional subsidiaries (UK, Romania, Germany, Brazil, Thailand) maintain their own country-specific careers pages and rely heavily on local job boards. Active US openings are surfaced through Indeed, LinkedIn, ZipRecruiter, and Glassdoor under Makita U.S.A., Inc.
Do I need to speak Japanese to work at Makita?
For Anjō-based engineering, corporate, or HQ roles, yes — JLPT N1 or native-level Japanese plus comfort with keigo (敬語, formal Japanese) and standard business etiquette is effectively required. For Makita USA (Buford GA, La Mirada CA), Makita UK (Telford), Makita Romania (Brănești), Makita Brazil, and Makita Thailand, Japanese is not required for most roles, though it is a meaningful asset for any position that involves liaising with HQ on product, engineering, or strategy.
Where is Makita headquartered, and where do they hire?
Headquarters is in Anjō, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Major hiring concentrates at Anjō and nearby Okazaki and Nisshin sites for R&D, motor design, embedded controls, corporate functions, and pilot manufacturing. Outside Japan, Makita hires at Buford, GA (Makita Corporation of America), La Mirada, CA (US headquarters), Telford, UK, Brănești, Romania, plants in Brazil and Thailand, and through subsidiaries in Germany, China, and ~50 other countries where Makita operates.
What is the difference between Makita's 18V LXT and 40V max XGT platforms, and why does it matter for hiring?
LXT is the long-running 18V platform with 300+ tools — mature, stable, and continuously updated (the 2026 lineup includes new 18V brushless framing nailers and tabless-cell batteries). XGT is the newer 40V max platform launched in 2019, designed to replace gas-powered tools and corded equipment in heavy construction, OPE (outdoor power equipment), and OEM applications. Strategically, XGT is where Makita is investing — the 2026 XGT Motor Unit for OEM gas-engine replacement, the BL4080H tabless-cell high-power battery, and new XGT framing nailers and rebar cutters all signal where engineering hiring is concentrated.
Is Makita affected by US tariffs on Chinese imports?
Yes, materially. In April 2025 Makita publicly confirmed it would scale back Chinese production destined for the US market and shift output to its plants in Thailand and Romania, citing unpredictability around US tariffs. This has direct hiring implications: production engineering, quality, and supply chain roles at Brănești (Romania), the Thai plant, and Buford, GA (US assembly) are likely to see continued investment. Pricing and product availability in the US market remain in flux as the tariff environment evolves.
What is the interview process like for engineering roles in Japan?
For new graduates (新卒), expect the standard Japanese 就活 calendar: pre-entry in March of junior year, MyPage registration, Entry Sheet submission, SPI3-style aptitude testing, group discussion, and three to five interview rounds progressing from HR to engineering managers to executives. Mid-career (中途) engineering candidates typically face three to four rounds over four to six weeks, including technical deep-dives on motor design, battery engineering, embedded firmware, or manufacturing processes depending on the role. Wear a dark recruit suit, bring paper copies of your rirekisho and shokumu-keirekisho, and use keigo throughout.
What does Makita actually look for beyond technical skills?
Long-term commitment orientation, manufacturing and quality mindset, deep specialization over breadth, and cultural fit with a conservative Japanese parent. For commercial and sales roles, trade-channel knowledge (Acme Tools, Home Depot Pro, Grainger, independent dealers) and credibility with professional contractors matters more than tool-collector enthusiasm. For engineering roles, the bar is depth in a specific domain — motor design, battery chemistry, gear trains, impact mechanisms, embedded control — rather than broad polymath profiles.
How long does Makita's hiring process take?
Glassdoor data across all Makita entities reports an average of about 32 days from first contact to offer. Japan new-graduate cycles can run six months or more because they follow the formal 就活 calendar. US sales and customer service roles can move in two to three weeks. Engineering roles in any region typically take four to eight weeks. Communication between rounds tends to be sparse — silence does not necessarily mean rejection.
Are Makita US, UK, or European roles meaningfully different from Anjō roles?
Yes. Regional subsidiaries have meaningful autonomy on commercial execution, sales, marketing, aftermarket service, and regional product engineering, but global product strategy and core R&D run from Anjō. US and European employees on Glassdoor describe a Japanese-management layer that can slow decisions and limit advancement into senior global roles. If you want a stable employer with a strong product portfolio and you are comfortable operating within a parent-driven framework, regional Makita roles are excellent. If you want broad executive autonomy or fast promotion, the cultural fit is less natural.
How can I avoid Makita recruitment scams?
Makita U.S.A. publishes a standing Recruitment Fraud Alert on its careers page. Real Makita openings always include at least one in-person interview with a Makita representative — any 'recruiter' who offers a fully remote process, asks for fees, requests banking information up front, or interviews only over chat or text is fraudulent. Apply only through the official country site (makita.co.jp/recruit, makitatools.com/company/careers, or the relevant regional site) or through verified Makita company profiles on Indeed and LinkedIn. Do not respond to unsolicited offers.

Open Positions

Makita currently has 21 open positions.

Check Your Resume Before Applying → View 21 open positions at Makita

Related Resources

Similar Companies

Related Articles

Sources

  1. 株式会社マキタ 採用情報サイト (Makita Corporation Recruitment Site, Japan) —
  2. Makita U.S.A. | Careers (with Recruitment Fraud Alert) —
  3. Makita - Wikipedia (corporate overview, employees, history) —
  4. Makita Corporation - Investor Relations / Company Profile —
  5. Makita to build more tools for US in Thailand, Romania instead of China — Nikkei Asia —
  6. Makita 40V max XGT — product platform overview —
  7. Makita Releases New High Power Battery (BL4080H) for XGT System (Press Release, 2026) —
  8. Makita Unveils Next Evolution in Gas Engine Replacement with New 40V max XGT Motor Unit (Press Release, 2026) —
  9. Makita 18V LXT Cordless Tools in 2026 — Electric Counselor (platform status) —
  10. Makita Interview Experience & Questions — Glassdoor —
  11. Working at Makita — Glassdoor (culture, ratings, reviews) —
  12. 新卒採用募集要項 — 株式会社マキタ採用情報サイト (New-Graduate Recruitment Requirements) —
  13. 株式会社マキタの中途採用・転職・求人情報 — リクルートエージェント —
  14. Makita Corporation Profile — MarketScreener (financials, leadership) —