As a company, we believe all of our people should have a career with no limits. That’s why we provide the training and skills required to progress with us. When Haruko Yamajo joined the company in Tokyo, she had no recruitment experience. Now, she’s a Associate Sales Team Manager. We spoke with her to find out more about her career at SThree.
Why did you choose a career in recruitment?
With recruitment, you can see the direct return from the effort that you put in, regardless of industry experience or recruiting experience. I like a challenge so I decided to try and see how far I can progress without setting a limit.
Why did you choose SThree?
When I joined, the SThree Tokyo business was only two years old. I thought that, as the organisation is still growing, I have the chance to grow as well. Plus, as a company, SThree has over 30 years of history so there’s real opportunity to learn.
When I was interviewed, I met all the managers in the Tokyo office and some of the consultants. They looked really energetic and passionate about their job so I knew I wanted to work with them! My colleagues form the core of my social circle and we help each other reach our career goals. Everyone is very supportive.
Tell us about your progression within the company.
Before I joined SThree, I had no idea of both recruitment and the pharmaceutical industry, which is the market I work on now. I started off my career as Trainee Consultant. It took me 10 months to get promoted to Consultant as well as hitting target. Another year passed and I was promoted to Senior Consultant and now an Associate Sales Team Manager.
What training did you receive? What did you enjoy most about your training and why?
You receive training from your manager on the desk, with formal sessions every week on Fridays where a different topic is covered. We also have an online learning system called Recruitment Campus.
Training doesn’t stop after you pass probation and isn’t just about teaching basic recruitment skills. I completed our International Recruiters Business Certification training, which is a certification designed for senior consultants that examines your personal strengths and focusses on personal development. What I enjoy most is when the team comes together and contributes ideas in training and we’re able to help each other.
How did SThree support you in your career progression?
SThree has a clear career progression path for each position. Depending on what you aim for and want to be, they have a different target and it is totally fair for everyone. SThree has a variety of training for each step.
Does SThree support you to achieve a healthy work/life balance and if so how?
We introduced flexi-time which helps keep a good work/life balance as we can make use of business hours more proactively. We also have a benefit called Yen for Yen which gives us a certain amount of value for spending on exercise, learning or anything related to making our life better. These are only two examples but it helps everyone stay highly motivated and has a positive impact on our business.
Are you involved in your mentoring program, if so do you think it has assisted with your progression? Or have you helped someone else with their progression?
I have been involved as both a mentor and a mentee. I was lucky to have a senior manager from another division as my mentor. He helped me with a lot of issues and was able to give me unbiased advice.
When I became a mentor myself, it gave me a great sense of accomplishment and made me realise how much I’ve been able to develop. I get a lot of satisfaction of being able to contribute and provide support.
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