To my mentors,
Without your guidance I do not know where I would be today.
My education has been a journey and having people that are open to sharing advice, answering questions and supporting me has been invaluable.
If I have learned anything it is that you can have more than one mentor. Plus, people are busy, so if you can spread your attention between a variety of people you can see more perspectives and relate to different mentors in different areas of your interest. A mentor does not need to be the perfect match and have absolutely everything in common with you. Of course, it is nice to have some common ground in areas to relate at first but as you learn and grow together in your mentorship relationship you will find value in ways that you didn’t realize initially.
2 favorite tips my 4th year mentor shared with me:
- If someone asks to sit down with you at a networking event, always say yes!
- When you first meet someone engage with them by giving them your full attention because first impressions are extrmely important
I know that these tips may see simplistic but when you are at a networking event and there is a lot of commotion it can be challenging to make the most of each encounter. Her tips resonated with me and now help me remember these important things in the heat of the moment. In addition to these tips my mentor taught me how to be a successful woman in the business world. How to make my presence known when I am in a business meeting, to know that my voice matters, and to have the confidence that my thoughts add value to a conversation.
Fostering a relationship with someone that is really interested in mentoring can be so rewarding. Whether it is your first professional relationship or you are very experienced with professional relationships a mentor will be there to listen, inspire thought provoking conversation and help you to realize new opportunities you may not have considered previsiously.
I highly recommend mentorship programs and I hope to give back as a mentor one day myself.
nlatter 