Mentoring: No Salary, No Retirement, Best Job Ever

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your career

Sometimes I think we underestimate our value, especially when it comes to our careers and the concept that sharing our knowledge may help others.  I know I do.

Despite years working at some of the world’s top brands I don’t think of my career as anything special.  Yes, I love my work and am energized when I share my experiences with others, but to me it’s just what I do.

After all, there are tons of people with the same level of education, with great experience who advanced even farther than I have in terms of title.  So what’s the big deal with me? 

I have discovered that my career is nothing to be shy about.  Just ask one of the many university students I mentor.

Each semester I spend time on campus visiting with the students, guest lecturing and participating in panel discussions.  There are many other career veterans who participate in the program and I’m honored to be included.

Suddenly it’s like I’m the popular kid in school.  These students, who are far-brighter than I was at the same age – and are probably smarter than I am right now – treat me with a level of respect reserved for a CEO.  They want to meet with me and they contact me for guidance as they wrestle with career questions, internships and job interviews.

Still, I’m left wondering why the students engage so well with little ‘old me.  I think about this a lot, especially as I drive to and from the campus.  Always wondering if I’m doing enough, and ultimately, if I am helping them at all.

The answer was never as clear as it was when Hubby and I hosted a dinner for current and past mentees at our home.  We started this tradition a few years ago and it’s the highlight of our summer. Many of the students take internships in our city and it’s nice for them to have a break and a home-cooked meal.

That last part may be a stretch; at least it’s a meal in a home. 

We were casual and relaxed as we talked about their internships, or their jobs, for those that had graduated.  As we all listened to each of them share, I asked if there was anything I could help with right now.

Some of them had questions, others were simply happy to know I was available.

Most surprising to me was one of my former mentees saying that is was nice to be included in the group even though she was no longer a student.  She was amazed that she would still be included in these events.

Suddenly I felt myself briefly going into “lecture mode”.   Mentoring doesn’t “end” simply because they have graduated, I told them.  True mentorship continues as long as it works for both parties. 

Then it hit me that maybe this is one of the reasons the students and I connect so well.  Not only am I excited about my career and willing to share my experiences, I am committed to each of these students, not only for the program but beyond.   

I do this because I wish the opportunity to engage with an executive in my field had been available to me when I was in school and just starting out.

Someone to share the ins and outs and ups and downs of career life.  Someone who would be very honest about it; someone who had experience under their belt.  Someone to bounce ideas off of and possibly help me make connections when it came to a job search.

While I’m not going to do the work for them, I will be there to share my knowledge and help them connect the dots. They will ultimately have to make their own career decisions but it’s nice to have another person to consult.

To me, my career is simply what I do.  To these students, it’s a lifetime of achievement and it provides a little insight into something that is unknown to them.

Honestly, I’m still in awe that sharing my career experience can be of benefit to others. And I’m not quite sure how I was fortunate enough to become a mentor.

But I’m sure glad I did.

Random Acts of Mentoring

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Airports and air travel fascinate me.  First, I’m still thrilled to get on a plane.  The fun of going away to see something different has not diminished, even though I have to undress in the security line to get to the gate.

Then there’s people watching.  Airports are THE BEST for this!  Viewing the fashion statements is enough to keep me occupied for hours, with everything from tuxedos to tank tops.

Most recently I had the “privilege” of seeing a woman dressed as Batman (or should I say “Batwoman”) including the cape.  No, it was not Halloween.  She even carried a colorful posterboard sign that said, “Ka-Pow!” which she would hold in front of people’s faces and shout the words.  Fun to watch, but sadly she sat behind me on the flight and Ka-Pow got old after the first time.

As I was standing in the airport terminal at my gate, I was mesmerized by the orchestration of planes, people and luggage.  Like a well-oiled machine planes came in, refueled, loaded/unloaded people and baggage, and take off again.

Okay, sometimes the system isn’t perfect – planes are delayed and luggage decides to go to a different destination – but it really is phenomenal that this is happening day-in and day-out, all over the world.

Wonder what the Wright brothers would think if they could see this?  Did they ever imagine that their one flight – in front of naysayers – would eventually turn into a world-wide travel system that we completely take for granted?

You never know exactly how your actions might impact someone else.  Your passion could make a difference to one person, a group, a neighborhood or the world.  Who knows?

And you may not actually see the impact.  But you have to know and believe that it’s there. If you’re lucky you might see a glimpse of it. Hopefully those you impact will understand the value and make an impact of their own.

We don’t need to be as innovative as the Wright brothers to leave a legacy; simply find something that interests you.  It could be a passion for science and research that allows you to work towards a cure for a disease; a love of animals could turn into a pet-related service or business; volunteering anywhere provides much-needed resources.

For me, my passions are many, but there is one that stands tall above the rest – mentoring. Particularly college students about to embark on their careers.

As a mentor, my goal is to listen first, then share my experience to help the students on their career journey.  I’ m passionate about it for several reasons, mainly because a mentor is something I wish I’d had.  It would have been great to have had access to an experienced mentor working in my field of interest when I was in school and throughout my career.

The students I’ve met are seriously smart, courteous, engaging and fun to be with.  They actually think my career is cool, or awesome, or whatever it is kids say nowadays.  I don’t have all the answers to their questions and am not there to solve problems, but to guide them to success. Together we talk and strategize and come up with a possible plan of action.

My mentees know they can call me with any question and I’ll give them a straight-forward answer. Even if it’s one they don’t want to hear.

I’m luckier than the Wright brothers. While I may not impact the entire world, I get a sneak peek at the impact I’m making, one student at a time.  And I love it.