How having a mentor changed the course of my career
And how to find a mentor that suits your needs
In 2021 I was drifting, unsatisfied with where I was and had no energy to change anything. The pandemic had cancelled or changed many of my plans and it was really frustrating to try to find a nice job as a Chemical Engineering student close to graduation.
I had been approved in two exchange programs in France and one in the US for my studies in 2020, but with border restrictions to foreigners, I could not attend any of those. I had applied to over 70 internship positions in Brazil and got accepted to none of the ones I wanted, in the industry. I was working in a consultancy firm in an activity I hated.
All of this made me angry and tired. I decided to give up on my dreams of studying abroad and of working as a Chemical Engineer. All I wanted was to graduate, make money and get it over with.
How mentoring changed it
Then, the student association of my Engineering School announced they were accepting people for a mentoring program with former students who were already in the job market. I thought- why not?
What is a mentoring program?
A mentoring program consists of an interaction with someone who has more experience than you in something that is relevant for you and your career. In most cases, both mentor and mentee learn a lot and the aim of the process is to bring more clarity for both. The mentor can also help you develop certain skills, prepare and plan for specific goals and put you in contact with people that may help you get where you want. Sounds great, right? It really is.
My experience with being mentored
I was assigned the most perfect mentor possible. She had graduated 5 years before and was, at that moment, living in the Netherlands for her professional doctorate. In our mentoring sessions she told me about her path, how she did an undergraduate exchange program in the Netherlands, where she worked, how she chose her masters, why she decided to come back and what her life was like here.
We also talked about my frustration, my insecurities and my dreams. It turns out we were very similar. Marina could understand my struggle and, with her experience, give me advice that was really relevant.
In all of sessions, she would ask me questions about the path I was choosing — sticking with a job I did not really want, but that would pay me well, and giving up on living abroad and actually working as an Engineer. Then, she would offer her insight on my answers and point to me that I would not be satisfied doing something I did not want.
After convincing me that giving up on my dreams would only make me more frustrated and that I was capable of pursuing them in a more favorable scenario (a.k.a. not a pandemic), she persuaded my into applying for one more exchange program.
It was an internship position in a research institution in the Netherlands, which was great, because as she was living there she could offer me a lot of help and tips. Marina helped me through the whole process, preparing me for the interview, proof-checking my cover letter and CV.
And I got accepted! Less than six months later I was embarking on a plane to Europe for a life-changing experience.
Why my mentor changed my career
By the time I came to the Netherlands I was already very grateful for the whole mentoring process and for Marina. She helped me get to my dream and make a more conscious choice.
Now, four months into the exchange program, I see that she did much more than that. First of all, by helping me choose what should be my next step, she provided me with the tools to realize what really was important to me and what path I wanted to follow for the rest of my career. She led me to the topic I work with today — environmental analysis of industrial processes — and I really enjoy it. This is already quite a good turn in anyone’s career.
Furthermore, coming to the Netherlands, I see now, has opened many doors for me. Directly, I can say that the client I am working for in my internship project has already offered me a permanent position in his company after my internship. A company I got to know in a career fair in the University I go to here has approached and invited me for a summer internship position in their site in Spain. Another company I got to know the same way has invited me for their selection process. I’ve made connections to relevant people in my field of expertise here, that will for sure be useful in the future.
The job market in the Netherlands is a lot more open than in Brazil and her help brought me to it. Also, I can say that companies in Brazil too value international experience a lot and having had this experience will help me get a job when back home, including the type of job I dreamed of in the first place.
That is why I am very sure that my mentor changed the course of my career in ways I could not even imagine.
The perfect Mentor
I believe Marina was the best mentor possible for me and there are some reasons for that. Here are some things you should look for when choosing a mentor:
- Make sure the person you are choosing has more experience than you. I does not mean your mentor has to be older than you, but in order for it to make sense, he or she must have had lived something you have not.
- Find someone who is accessible. Of course the 60 year old CEO of the company you admire has a lot to share and could help you. But if you can’t make yourself comfortable sharing your insecurities, dreams and failures with him, he will not be able to help. Your mentor should be someone you trust and feel comfortable around.
- Choose your dream resume. The best person to help you achieve your dreams is that who has lived them. When I chose Marina to be my mentor, I did it because I had the chance to read her CV and she had done everything I wanted to do. She had lived abroad, she had a masters, she worked in companies I wanted to work for. Therefore, she knew exactly what it was like and how to get there.
- But don’t try to find your CV. The whole point of having a mentor is getting a new perspective, so I don’t think it makes sense to have a mentor that has the exact same background as yours. In my case, Marina was also a Chemical Engineer, but she had been working in technical positions for years, whereas I had been working in business. Thus, she had my dream resume and a similar background, but a different approach to all of it. I would not choose someone who had been doing what I do for one simple reason: I already know what that is like!
- Be honest. The best mentor in the world will not help you at all if you are not 100% honest with them. Never lie to your mentor or tell them what you think they want to hear.
- Remember everyone has a different journey. Even though you should pick a mentor that lives what you wish to live keep in mind that it is his or her goal to help you find your own way to your dreams, and not to reproduce theirs.
I am very happy that a year ago I opened myself for the experience of a mentoring program and I truly believe that everyone who has a chance to, should find a mentor. It helps you get to know yourself better and also makes your path to your dream career easier.
Already have a mentor? Tell us in the comments how did she or he help you!
