Six tips to maximise mentorship from our panellists at the Ok Mentor Summit 2022
We can’t believe it’s been nearly two months since we hosted our first ever in-person event, Ok Mentor Summit: Owning Your Path. We invited some absolute powerhouse women to share the challenges and breakthroughs of their career journeys, as well as to generously answer any questions from our 70+ attendees (that's you!) on career progression and pursuing your passions.
One mentionable moment from the day was officially launching the Ok Mentor platform, hosted by our tech partner Qooper. During a panel session which focused on the platform, we had the privilege of hearing from real mentors and mentees who had given our crash mentoring programme a test run. They were:
Here are six lessons on mentoring we took from their experience:
1. If you’re looking to define mentorship… it’s about building a two-way relationship.
Mentoring doesn’t have to mean a transaction whereby one more experienced person imparts knowledge to someone else. Mentors Holly and Julia reminded us that it’s all about connection, describing mentoring at its core as “an exchange, a two-way street where each of us can learn from the other.” Building a great relationship involves sharing your unique life experiences and wisdom, which in turn can bring a fresh perspective to both of your journeys!
Through the programme, Shalaka, on our panel as a mentee, called out the advantage of having an external mentor as opposed to one within your company. This way, she was able to get the impartial sounding board she needed to recalibrate her career in marketing, knowing that her mentor had her - and not the company's - best interest at heart.
2. If you’re not entirely sure about your path… be flexible!?
Permission granted to dream BIG with your mentor. Shalaka reflected that you don’t always need to come to mentorship with a super specific goal or intention. Sometimes mentorship can be about seeking fresh inspiration or experiences. Your goals may change as you gather this insight, and that’s fine. We know how quickly the world can change and evolve, so as Mercy reminded us, “we can have a goal, but don’t need to be married to it.”
3. But if you are sure…don’t be afraid to ask a mentor for exactly what you need.?
As well as providing inspiration and support with your overall career direction, having a mentor is a brilliant opportunity to develop the skills and knowledge you need to tackle something specific you’re dealing with right now, e.g. how do I negotiate a higher salary? How do I redefine my personal brand?, or in Mercy’s case, what particular job descriptions should I be looking for now?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions that you feel are ‘silly’ or super specific. Just a few tips from your mentor could have you negotiating more confidently, or tweaking your resume just right and landing that dream job or client.?
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4. If you’re seeking out a mentor…do your homework.
One of the best ways to get the most out of mentorship is by doing your research. Find out about your mentor’s background and where your career paths align or deviate. Hone in on the skills and experiences they have that you could learn from, e.g. experience in developing a freelance portfolio or changing career paths.?
Shalaka suggests that if you're struggling to nail down which topics and questions to bring to your mentor, research both their background and that of others that inspire you in your industry - and start there.
5. If you’re looking for a new perspective… why not get multiple?
Not everyone is going to be your perfect match, so it’s good to look around for different perspectives. When Julia began working in advertising a decade ago in Brazil, she was the only female creative in a 250 person agency. Speaking to a number of other women in the industry empowered her to grow the confidence to become who she is today.?
Mercy’s mentor was a white man who generously opened up his network to her while honestly acknowledging his perspective could only take her so far. He encouraged Mercy to seek out additional mentors that could relate to her experience as a Black woman navigating the industry.
Crash mentoring within the Ok Mentor platform allows you to match an unlimited number of times - meaning there’s no shortage of new perspectives.
6. If you’ve achieved your goals…pay it forward!
Wouldn’t it be great if all women passed down their knowledge to future generations? We all have valuable experience and guidance to offer other women. Once you feel ready for it, pay forward your mentorship experience and give time to others. It can be as informal as grabbing a coffee with the new intern, organising a peer support meeting or signing up to be a mentor with Ok Mentor!
The summit was only the beginning…
One thing that was abundantly clear when we came together at the summit, it feels good to share our experiences and know that we aren’t alone in our career journeys. That’s exactly why we developed Ok Mentor’s platform to host our crash mentoring programme.?
The platform uses the algorithm to connect mentees with their best mentor match, and then the rest is up to you! While typically crash mentoring is three one-hour sessions, you’re free to be flexible as you like, speaking to as many new mentors as you need. That way we’re bringing quality mentorship to more women, more often and supporting you to achieve your goals, big and small.
We’re so thankful to the mentors and mentees who shared their experiences and inspired a room full of talented women to harness their collective power. We hope the session, alongside opportunities to practise your speed networking and polish up your CV helped you to feel inspired and equipped to take the next step in your career, whatever it may be.
We can’t wait to see you all at our next in-person event and to hear about all of your crash mentoring successes with Ok Mentor.?
Visit our website to find out more about Ok Mentor's 1:1 crash mentoring.