What do you do if you're starting a career in recruiting without a mentor?

Starting a career in recruiting without a mentor requires proactive steps such as seeking guidance from online resources, books, and industry forums to gain insights into best practices. Network with experienced recruiters through professional associations or LinkedIn to seek advice and mentorship informally. Take advantage of training programs or courses offered by recruiting agencies or online platforms to build foundational skills. Continuously seek feedback and self-reflect to identify areas for improvement and grow professionally.

Specialize, Then Diversify: Pick a niche within recruiting that excites you and become the go-to person for it. Whether it's tech, creative, or something else, deep diving into a specialty can make you stand out. Later, broaden your expertise to cover more areas. It's like being a gourmet chef who masters the art of pastries first, then conquers the entire kitchen.

By following these steps, you can establish yourself in the recruiting field even without a mentor. Learn the ropes: Take online courses or attend workshops to grasp recruitment fundamentals. Find your niche: Identify a specific industry or role you're passionate about in recruiting. Build your network: Attend industry events, join professional groups, and connect with recruiters on LinkedIn. Gain experience: Volunteer with startups or non-profits to build your resume with practical recruiting skills. Continuously improve: Stay updated on recruiting trends and best practices.

In my perspective, discovering your niche is foundational for success in recruiting. Identifying a passion-aligned industry or role enhances focus, understanding client and candidate needs, and building credibility. Researching through industry resources and networking platforms aids in niche exploration and market understanding. Finding your niche not only streamlines target market strategies but also fosters expertise, trust, and reputation in talent acquisition, paving the way for sustained success and growth in your recruiting career.

I was hired by Hays' Japan Tokyo office under my angel, Ms. Louisa Benedicto, who was a tough manager but she gave me a job, a chance to prove myself in a city with a extremely competitive recruitment market, especially in Legal Recruitment. She wanted to hire a lawyer because only lawyers can talk to international law firms, which consituted 40% of my clients in Tokyo. I had the privilege of working on big cases for international law firms that no legal recruiters would ever have a chance to do so in Taiwan - the firms here don't use recruiters/headhunters. Period. This is my niche: Lawyer + dual US-qualified + actual legal practice experience for law firms (US and Taiwan), and in-house legal at Paul Wright). I learned to be grateful.

It's essential to constantly stay informed about market trends and values. Continuous learning and refining recruiting skills are vital to staying competitive and adapting to evolving job demands. Active listening skills play a crucial role; attentively hearing what candidates express enables appropriate responses. Establishing cordial relationships with candidates is key to expanding our professional network. Attending seminars or webinars provides valuable opportunities for growth and networking.

Self-Education: Take the initiative to educate yourself about the recruiting profession. Read books, articles, and blogs written by industry experts. Familiarize yourself with recruiting best practices, techniques, and strategies. Online courses and webinars can also be valuable resources. Network: Build relationships with other professionals in the recruiting field. Attend industry events, networking meetups, and conferences to connect with experienced recruiters and HR professionals. Engage with peers on social media platforms or join online communities and forums. Seek Guidance: While you may not have a formal mentor, don't hesitate to seek guidance and advice from experienced colleagues or managers within your organization.

Starting a recruiting career sans mentor poses challenges, yet success is attainable. Here are some tips that can help you start: 1. Utilize online resources: Blogs, podcasts, forums offer insights and trends. 2. Network actively: Attend events, join organizations, and connect with recruiters on LinkedIn to expand your network and learn from others. 3. Be proactive: Take the initiative to learn about the industry, stay up-to-date on the latest trends & continuously improve your skills 4. Find a mentor figure: Seek guidance from experienced recruiters. 5. Embrace challenge: Every journey starts somewhere; build a strong foundation. Remember, while mentors are valuable, determination and continuous learning pave the path to recruiting success

Starting a career in recruiting without a mentor can be challenging, but it's certainly possible to succeed with the right approach. Here are the steps you can do: Self-educate through online resources and industry publications. Network with professionals in the field. Seek feedback from colleagues and peers. Shadow experienced recruiters if possible. Continuously improve skills and knowledge. Set clear career goals. Stay flexible and adapt to changes. Join professional organizations. Utilize recruiting technology. Build strong relationships with candidates and clients.

It would be easier to develop by focusing on a niche, may that be sector, position, role’s seniority; as each niche has its own in depth understanding and domain expertise that would be valuable for the recruiter to learn; to enable them to source, and screen better and be seen as a domain expert in the field as well.

Start your career with a HR Consulting Firm. Here you will get amazing trainings. Competetive environment will strengthen your skills. You will start learning techniques of selling positions to candidates. Once that is done you can join organisation and start working with hiring managers to understand their need to match with right candidates.

In my perspective, mastering the basics of recruiting is crucial for success, even without a mentor. This encompasses knowledge of the recruitment process, legal and ethical considerations, tools, metrics, and KPIs. Online courses, reading materials, webinars, and networking platforms are valuable resources for learning. Seeking guidance from experienced recruiters fosters understanding and skill development. Mastering the basics lays a strong foundation for effective talent acquisition strategies and career growth in recruiting.

I do not think you can learn recruitment without a mentor, unless you know the subject really well and you have the sales skill. I was not as lucky as I did not have a "legal recruiter" mentor, but I had life mentors, and a good boss who gave me the opportunity and a platform to figure things out, albeit on my own. I did the same thing to some of my "former team members." I taught them unconditionally. They had no legal experinece. No recruitment experience. No sales experience. No platform nor previus experience. I gave them all the tools and opportunities, and privilege. I did not compete with them like other firms. And they took off to make more money on their own. Is it always good to mentor someone? I am very reserved now.

Find a good book - there are lots of starting guides with basic principles in. Try to practice something each day - be brave and focus on your end goal. A lot of recruiting is listening - ask lots of questions and be curious about what your clients / stakeholders are saying.

Also look for adjacent skills, when I start in recruitment, I find that there are not much available resources for me to learn recruitment, or if there are not all are relevant — I’ve learnt most about recruitment from sales trainings, communication techniques, domain expertise on the niche that I was hiring for, personal branding on LinkedIn, etc.

Recruitment 101 is the foundation of your experience. Getting it right is crucial. There are so many free webinars and resources available that can help you with the basics. You have to be willing to listen to understand rather than listen to respond. Ask questions and read as much as you can to understand the fundamentals of why we do what we do. The "how" comes secondary in my opinion, it takes investment of time. Imagine you are a candidate: what would you want to know about a role, a company or the whole opportunity. If you know what you want to learn, you can build on this to understand what candidates may want to know. You just need to ask questions and remember, it takes time.

Building your network is a great place to start for any recruiter. If there is a certain industry you want to get into or are in, you need to focus your network in that area. A great place to start is researching LinkedIn groups for that. A quick search can lead you to hundreds of groups you can explore and join. From there you can keep up with the news and trends. You can also research for top voices in the recruiting industry to learn tips and tricks that have helped them or to network and ask for introductions.

Dive into Digital Networking: The absence of a mentor means the world is your oyster—digitally speaking. Harness platforms like LinkedIn, not just for connecting but for absorbing wisdom. Follow thought leaders, engage in discussions, and share your journey. It's like having a mentorship buffet where you can pick and choose insights that resonate with you. Imagine networking as your digital apprenticeship in the vast world of recruiting.

In my perspective, building a strong network is paramount for success in recruiting, especially without a mentor. Networking opens doors to new clients, candidates, opportunities, and knowledge sharing. Attending events, joining associations, and connecting on social media fosters valuable relationships. Offering value to the network through content sharing, insights, and assistance strengthens your personal brand and credibility. Building a robust network not only expands opportunities but also enhances learning, collaboration, and professional growth in the recruiting field.

Yes, networking is important. However, in legal recruitment, if you are not a lawyer and you are a recruiter/headhunter who merely want to attend to "get candidates and clients," you better not do so. The reason is: lawyers don't like that. You are not one of them. They know why you are there -- you are there with a purpose to get businss. It is not genuine. So, there are different ways of doing things depending on your niche. In legal, definitely don't go to a networking event full of lawyers (and you are the only one who is not) without being a part of the legal profession itself. Too risky.

Network before you need anything, I can’t say this often enough. Your network is your net worth; be genuine, offer value, listen actively.

It depends on your environment. At Hays in Tokyo, it was a very competitive but diverse culture, so I was able to learn from everyone. The concept of "self-taught" means you are teaching yourself by watching how others do it, so the knowledge and skillset still comes from someone else. We need to be grateful in order to improve. When ego and pride develops, it is also the beginning of a person's end. I ask my teams to be humble to each other, be real to clients, and be transparent internally. I believe over the years, we have all learned that. Being self-taught allows you to grow exponentionally. But without a chance that someone gives to you, you can't self-teach. So, be grateful.

In my perspective, being self-taught allows recruiters to explore and innovate freely. Experimenting with various strategies, tools, and channels in talent acquisition and client communication enables discovery of optimal approaches. Adaptation based on feedback and results fosters continuous improvement and success. Embracing experimentation and adaptation empowers self-taught recruiters to refine their methods, enhance performance, and achieve better outcomes in the dynamic recruitment landscape.

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes but be honest about them. Express uncertainty freely - you will build more credibility with people saying you don’t know something and then doing the work to find it out, rather than just making it up.

In my perspective, continuous improvement is essential for self-taught recruiters. Staying updated with trends, technologies, and best practices ensures relevance and competitiveness. Setting goals, assessing progress, and seeking feedback drive growth and development. Investing in professional development through courses, certifications, and coaching enhances expertise and performance. Embracing a mindset of continuous learning and improvement empowers self-taught recruiters to excel in the ever-evolving recruiting landscape, achieving ongoing success and satisfaction in their careers.

Yes, I never stop learning. Everyday I learn something. The only way to learn is to listen, not to argue or resist. If one starts being prideful, improvement will stop.

I have actually started this job without mentor. With my experiences, I have learned everything from everyone selectively, staying updated with trends, practice and observe.

Prioritize continuous improvement. Leverage online resources, networking opportunities, and training programs to refine your skills and stay abreast of industry developments. Embrace a proactive approach to learning and seek feedback from peers and colleagues to continually enhance your effectiveness as a recruiter.

Cue the dramatic music! But fear not, brave recruiter-to-be! Dive into the vast ocean of online resources like a fearless adventurer, mingle with the wise elders of the recruiting realm, and don't forget your trusty feedback-seeking goggles! Stay updated on the latest industry shenanigans, craft your online persona like a digital wizard, and remember, every challenge is just another epic quest on your journey to recruiting greatness!

Assuma a responsabilidade pelo seu próprio desenvolvimento profissional e seja proativo na busca por oportunidades de aprendizado e crescimento. Esteja disposto a trabalhar duro, persistir diante de desafios e buscar constantemente maneiras de melhorar suas habilidades e conhecimentos.

Many people start careers in recruiting without mentors. You can have a professional relationship with someone who you would like to be your mentor, but it may not be something they want to do. Manage your expectations and be considerate of their time.