Getting guidance: Making the most of your mentoring relationship

 

Throughout my time in college, professors and academic counselors have stressed the importance of work experience and portfolio pieces. What was rarely mentioned to me, however, was the importance and benefits of having a mentor within the communications industry to learn from and to help provide some guidance when navigating the early stages of your career.

In my three years at my university, I have created some personal relationships with professors whom I go to for regular career guidance and advice. I also have an official mentor through the student-mentorship program of AWC.

Through exploring the opportunities and benefits of being a student-member of AWC, I gained an official mentor and some insight into the importance of making the most of that relationship. Even through long-distance contact and meetings over the phone, I have been able to learn from advice, gain important insight for my future career opportunities and most interestingly, make a connection in another country while I studied abroad.

The importance of creating these connections and accepting some guidance cannot be stressed enough. Here are some tips I have about gaining the most from your time learning from an established mentor.

A mentor doesn’t have to be official.

A mentor isn’t always someone you’re paired up with through a program or assigned to. A mentor can be anyone in your life with more experience than you. Creating connections and relationships is a massive part of our industry and the same goes for academic lives of students as well. You may find a professor in class or a professional at your job that you click with. Never be afraid to let someone know that you would like to learn from them or have some questions that you think they could answer for you. More often than not, they are more than happy to help and just starting that first conversation has the potential to open up many more.

If you do decide you would like to find an mentor, there is never any harm in letting someone know. Even if they decline, there is always the chance that they know of another individual that would be able to help you with what you’re looking for. Don’t be shy, and just start the conversation. You may be surprised at what you find.

Have a plan, but be flexible.

It’s important to have an idea of what you would like to gain from conversations with your mentor. Are you looking for advice? Are you looking for resume and portfolio critiques? Are you looking to make professional connections? Try to outline some things you want to talk about before each of your meetings. This will be beneficial to you both and make the most of your time together.

Discuss where you’re at in your academic and professional career. Be honest about what you think you need help on within your career journey and don’t forget that your mentor may have specific things to talk about as well. You may be surprised by what you can learn from someone with more experience and a different perspective.

It is also important to be respectful of the time that this busy professional is willing to dedicate to your growth and career. It’s key to understand that someone who is good at what they do with an established career will most likely have a busy schedule. Making the time to speak with them will always be worth it. There will always be something to learn from.

Be open-minded.

Sometimes as students, we can get our hearts set on a certain area of focus. Sometimes we have no idea what we want or are interested in. Ask questions, ask for opinions and overall, be open minded about what the industry has to offer. The communications world is so much bigger than we sometimes focus on and you may be surprised at what a mentor can introduce you to.

It’s also important to be open to criticism. Constructive criticism is never a bad thing. This relationship is meant to be beneficial and foster growth. When an experienced professional has advice to offer, it is almost always worth taking into consideration.

Overall, don’t be afraid to ask for help and take some guidance from more experienced people. There is always opportunity to learn and grow. You never know what just one conversation may lead you to in the future.

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About the Author

Katzee Reese is a student at Oklahoma State University. She will be graduating in May 2019 with a bachelor of science degree in Strategic Communications. Katzee is the president of her student chapter at OSU and has been a student-member of AWC for 3 years.