Mentoring: What is it good for? Absolutely everything!

Mentoring is, in simple terms, the relationship between someone who is experienced and someone who is not; where the more experienced person shares their knowledge, skills and experiences to benefit others. But it can be much more than that.

I would not be the person I am today without finding a mentor who took an interest in me and in my career. Luckily, I found not only one, but three amazing mentors that have taken it upon themselves to help me on my personal and professional journeys. Since my graduation from the Algonquin College’s Event Management Program in 2016, Dora Dalietos from Vis-à-Vis Events, Brian Henry from Quality Entertainment and Sandy Ouellette from Algonquin College have guided and supported me throughout major steps in my career.

You probably have a few questions, like how does one find a single mentor, let alone three? Or, who is the best person to mentor me? A mentor should be someone who you feel comfortable bouncing ideas off of without fear of embarrassment, someone who allows you to talk through situations and solutions. You should look for a mentor that is not only willing to invest their time in you and support you in your professional development, but also be someone who has shown a strong desire to help you succeed and reach your goals.

For me, it was easy to find my mentors. It was much more difficult to ask those mentors for help. To be honest, I did not think about my mentors in that way – I just wanted to be like them, and work on the projects they were working on. So, I volunteered for everything they were a part of. I tried to prove my worth and showcase my work ethic to get them to take an interest in me. Once we developed a working relationship, I finally got the courage to ask if they would take me under their wing and help me navigate my career path and many of life’s challenges in the process. They have not only been a part of my professional journey, but they have become an important part of my life. Mentorship has turned into lifelong friendships.

My advice is do not be afraid to approach someone who you believe will help you strive to reach your goals. It might seem scary at first, but if you put yourself out there, you never know – the person (or people!) you may find may end up becoming part of your success story and even your family.

If you have any questions about this article, student membership or have topics you would like to see in future “Coaching Corner” articles, please don’t hesitate to send a message to students@mpiottawa.ca.