Part of my job as a recruiter is to act as a mentor. I listen to candidates tell me their story and talk about what career goals they have. From a recruiting perspective, I am aligning the goals of a candidate with those of my client and the opportunities they present. I have had my own positive experiences with mentorship in my career. The value of having someone more experienced in my industry share advice with me along the way provided me with a more realistic vision of how I wanted my career to develop. I have passed along the valuable perspectives and industry knowledge that I was given down to my own mentees and hopefully they will one day do the same. Being a mentor is more than being successful at your job, it takes empathy and listening skills to provide someone with actionable advice.
In order to be a good mentor to someone, it helps if you:
- Assess expectations and set mutual goals to get the most out of the partnership.
- Motivate them to excel at their current position and network to the best of their ability.
- Ask questions to help them understand what goals are feasible in the short term vs. long term while learning about their thought process and how they problem solve.
- Remind them of timelines and adjust goals accordingly.
- Celebrate achievements and reflect on past decisions that led them to success.
I have some candidates that I have had the privilege of knowing for years. Watching them progress through their careers is a rewarding experience for me because I am proud of their success and want to see them thrive. Being a mentor is beneficial to both parties because each side learns professional interpersonal skills. Mentoring takes time for both the mentor and mentee, but they are important partnerships to build that will strengthen careers.
Erika Daniel serves as a Director at RETS Associates, a national real estate executive search firm. She can be reached at: erika@retsusa.com
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