Facing the Reality of Today’s World
Finding a mentor is hard; even in the age of digital communication and social media platforms, where people can connect to anyone just by clicking a button. Oftentimes, professionals are willing to mentor, in theory, but don’t have the time to dedicate to fostering an effective mentorship with a student or recent graduate. Or, it may be hard to find a mentor because you just aren’t “clicking” with the ones you’ve met. That’s okay! In many ways, a mentorship is too important of a relationship to venture into with someone you don’t fully connect with.
While all of these challenges exist, the Students & Recent Grads Mentoring Network Meetup group hopes to be of assistance to you.
“It’s Who You Know”
Effective networking is a useful skill to master no matter which career path you take.
You may have heard the idea that, in order to be successful in today’s world, it’s “not what you know, but who you know.” This is referring to a very important part of success in today’s industry: networking. Networking is all about making yourself known to people. Effective networking is a useful skill to master no matter which career path you take.
Joining the Students & Recent Grads Mentoring Network may be a great way for you to try networking, especially if it’s something you are new to. Through joining, students and recent grads will be able to make connections with experts in various fields who are passionate about aiding in the development of new and emerging professionals. You will be able to get the chance to meet and get to know them as advisors, gaining access to their wealth of knowledge.
Another Stepping Stone
Not quite ready to think about graduate school or additional education right now? Eager to get some work experience under your belt? Or, maybe you’re in a field where hands-on experience is necessary for admittance into advanced degree programs. The professionals in this network can be invaluable resources for you as you continue to pinpoint the next steps towards your career. Either way, you’re more than welcome to check out the Students & Recent Grads Mentoring Network!
Bring your resume with you and sit down with someone (or multiple people) from your chosen field to discuss what sort of work is available to you at this stage in your career. Maybe you’ll be fortunate enough to find a full-time position, or, maybe you’ll be able to make contact with an employer looking to fill an internship. You may get the chance to do a mock interview, allowing you to learn the specific types of questions you may be asked. No matter what you are looking for, these, as well as many other great learning opportunities, will be available for you to grow as an individual and an aspiring professional.
Giving the Extra Attention Needed
The experts you will meet were once standing in your shoes.
So, what if you’re not ready to tackle the professional world because you aren’t confident in your ability to effectively craft a cover letter or don’t know which action words to use on your resume. You are more than welcome here! Don’t forget that the experts you will meet were once standing in your shoes. Effectively writing a cover letter and crafting a great resume with all the right words are skills that even professionals are constantly refining. If you’re at a total loss, attending one of the events can help you learn how to craft your education and experience into a preliminary resume that you can then work on from there.
A Cyclical Relationship
No one can stay in one place forever, and that is certainly true for the members of this group. We, at Optimal Partners, the group’s sponsor, hope that effective mentorship relationships are made that can carry on outside of the group. If you continue your career through Higher Ed IT, perhaps you can come back to mentor the next generation of aspiring IT professionals.
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