Why do college students need professional mentorship?

Why do College students need professional mentorship?

Academic education, we all agree, is a great grounding to equip you, as a student, with all the necessary education, and skill. It also hones your innate talent to help you excel in your chosen career.

But do you know that more and more schools and educational institutions are opting to have a regular mentorship program to help their students choose, cope with, and excel at their chosen professions? This is because academic education is not enough to help you in working in a professional environment and navigating workplace situations.

Mentorship helps students choose a career path, connect with the right people, and access resources to help their advancement.

Internships, part-time employment opportunities, and participation in work-based programs from businesses help them explore career paths.

At work, people who have mentors perform demonstrably better at their jobs, earn more attractive salaries, and achieve rapid career progression. 

You need to get a mentor whether you are a student or a young professional at the crossroads. You can benefit in so many ways from an experienced person in your field.

Who is a mentor?

He or she is someone with a specific set of skills and enough experience to provide support to someone else. This is normally someone who wants to follow their own mentor’s example and help others.

Mentoring is generally an informal workplace relationship. Mostly, in a business, a seasoned senior takes a new recruit under their wing and guides them through the induction process, and work situations.

What makes a mentor good?

A good mentor is always available to the mentee. They have relevant knowledge and a sincere desire to support them. They share their experiences willingly. They listen, give constructive directions, and induce reflection, thus developing their mentee's workplace skills and potential.

Why does a student need a mentor?

Studying opens up the world to students. But it is also daunting. A mentor can provide a student with personal support throughout the difficulties of the educational path. 

Students may wish to discuss their insights and ideas with someone who has shared interests. More than a fellow student, an experienced mentor will help them appreciate how classroom concepts translate to the workplace. 

A sounding board for your ideas. Mentors understand your field of interest and can provide informed and useful feedback.

During studies and the earliest years of a career, a mentor is someone you can trust and who can guide and support you to make smart career decisions.

An alternative perspective. A mentor has a different background and experience and brings their own acquired wisdom. Through discussion, you may generate unique ideas together.

A confidence booster.  You are likely to have periods of insecurity and doubts in your study choices or work situations. A mentor can cite their experiences and guide or reassure you about your progress.

The mentor-mentee relationship builds trust and confidence, encouraging you to venture beyond familiar territory.

An appreciation of potential opportunities. Because you’re new to your field of interest, your mentor will be able to point you in the right direction and open up possibilities that you hadn’t previously considered. They can tell you what worked and what didn’t in their own career, thus helping you weigh the opportunities that you have.

How to find a Professional mentor?

You know now that mentors are valuable, no matter what stage of learning or career you are in. Teachers are good mentors. Even better, you can see if there are any professional mentorship programs available, either online or through your college or university. There are such mentorships available, mostly offline. Or you can simply log on to www.intercellworld.com!

Intercell Virtual Mentor Network is an established online resource. It provides exclusive 1:1 virtual mentoring for Career Choice & Advancement. It employs the world's first SaaS and AI-based platform for mentoring, giving you the world's best mentors from 5000+brands with over 250 Career specializations!