Written by: Madisen Gee, AWE Communications and Program Support Intern, Faculty of Arts (BA English)
When I think of great mentorship, I think of Mufasa and Simba, Professor Dumbledore and Harry Potter. Iconic duos, to say the least, but mentorship isn’t just for anthropomorphic cartoons and wizards. No, mentorship is for anyone looking to grow their professional network, gain insight about the workplace and improve career related skills.
I know, I’m starting to sound like an infomercial, but I really do believe that there is power in exchanging information and building relationships with others. My first experience with mentorship started right here at the University of Alberta.
I ran into my neighbour, Lisa Cook –– editor of New Trail, the University of Alberta’s alumni magazine –– while walking my dog one day. I mentioned that I had an interest in writing and asked if she would be open to getting coffee and talking about her career. That conversation over coffee eventually lead to my position as an intern. I was excited to be in the office and experience what it would be like to have a “real” job. When you're a student, there’s constant pressure to find a job or work experience. Something I didn’t realize then, that I do now, is that the connections you make are just as important to the experience you gain and the skills you learn.
Lisa is still one of the greatest resources I have for career development. She helped me prepare for the interview for this position and has given me pointers on projects since I’ve started my AWE position. The advice Lisa and her team at the Office of Advancement have shared with me is invaluable. I was at New Trail for around three years, so of course I learned a lot about the technical skills that go into creating a magazine, but I learned even more about career options from the people around me. I mentioned my belief in the power of sharing information earlier, so I thought I'd join in on my own advice; here are three of the greatest things I learned and observed from the mentorship I received at New Trail.
Be open to new opportunities -
I quickly came to realized that the people around me, my mentors, genuinely wanted to help me succeed, and their belief in me gave me the confidence to say yes to as many opportunities as I could. I went to as many meetings as possible and had information interviews with almost everyone in the office. The opportunities I said yes to were the moments I gained the most from. As cheesy and overdone as it sounds, when you’re open to possibilities, possibilities are open to you.
It’s the little things -
While at New Trail, the most important transferable skill I picked up on is how to be detail oriented. The one thing you can always count on when working for a magazine that goes out to over 130,000 alumni around the world is that if you make a mistake, someone will let you know.
Having now experienced a more “high stakes” kind of work environment, it is ingrained in me to be extremely thorough. I never realized just how many sets of eyes each page needs to go through before an issue can go to print. Every detail has to be fact checked, edited and proofed. Learning from the people around me and seeing the amount of work and care that goes into each and every square inch of a magazine has given me such an appreciation for the content that is created. It’s the little things that matter. It’s the attention to detail that takes your work from good to great.
There are a million ways to be “great” -
The most unexpected, but important lesson that I took from my time at New Trail is that there is an infinite number of paths that can lead you to something great. Seeing first hand that there isn’t just one way to success, or a secret formula to creating a career you’ll love, was so reassuring. I feel grateful to have been surrounded by successful people who once feared the same things I did, who genuinely cared about and supported my success. I now walk through life with more confidence in myself than I had before.
We know that gaining experience in a field of interest allows you to invest in your future, but during my time at New Trail, I learned that mentorship is also a way to invest in the present. I’m a planner by nature. I’m always thinking ahead, and I’m sure many of you are the same way. Sometimes, I spiral into believing that the path I’m following will have a dead end, or that I’ll never get to where I want to go. But I’ve found it really reassuring to have a person for me to express that to (who’s not my mom) and help guide me back to reality. I knew the work experience would look great on a resume, and opening a magazine and seeing my name printed was a dream come true, but to feel reassured and supported by people in what you’re doing in the present took weight off my shoulders that I didn’t even know I was carrying.
