Sharp Corp. said Thursday it will slash recruiting for university and college graduates next spring by 60 percent, or from 700 to 280, because it expects global business conditions to stay sluggish going into next year.
It is the first time in eight years Sharp has limited recruiting to below 300, the company said.
The 280 recruits will consist of 200 for the electronic giant's engineering divisions and the remainder for general clerical duties, the company said.
Sharp said it is keen on limiting personnel expenses to weather the global recession, which pounded its earnings.
Sharp will also reduce the number of midcareer professionals it recruits in business 2010, which starts April 1, 2010, to 50 from 90 in 2009.
New hires from university for 2010 will drop to 330 from 790 in fiscal 2009, it added.
But there is no word on how many high school graduates it will hire next spring, the company said. Hiring high school graduates will hinge on how the economy is faring in the leadup to May.
Sharp has projected a consolidated net loss of ¥100 billion for the business year ending this month due to such squeezed profitability at its flat-panel television division and other factors.
It decided earlier to cut 1,500 temporary workers from its workforce.