Namratha P., an MBA student, wanted to understand career opportunities in Finance. With so many job roles available, she was unable to decide. She decided to speak to a professional mentor, and got in touch with a senior and experienced finance professional who spoke to her about opportunities, the skills she needed to develop, the pros and cons of various options and more. Based on his inputs, Namratha decided to take up a career in corporate finance. But why did she need to consult a mentor? This is where the role of mentorship during higher education comes in.
Why it’s needed
A college education grounds students in the knowledge they need in their future careers and helps build the skills to succeed in the job market. Mentorship builds on this foundation and guides students in their choice of careers. It helps them prepare for a job suitable to their aspirations. Mentors also help their mentees understand the nuances of the corporate world. While internships give much-needed exposure, a mentoring session allows students get to interact with people from different industries. In addition, students get to understand the do’s and don’ts of working in a structured organisation.
Mentorship aims to address the questions that students face while planning their careers. With the plethora of choices today, students want to understand the demand for their skills in the future, the scope for work, how workforce norms are changing, and so on. Mentorship gives direction, helps students choose a career path, and also supports them by connecting them with the right people.
There is also the ever-important campus recruitment process that worries students. Mentors give them clarity and address this uncertainty about cracking their first job. They encourage students by getting them interview-ready. Students are generally aware of the companies that come for placements. They can benefit from sessions with a mentor who is an industry expert, and is working/has worked in any of these companies.
New career profiles
Take the case of engineering graduate Jovita Devaraj. While doing her MBA, she realised that she was interested in many areas — Analytics, HR, Supply Chain Management, and Business Management. Her professional mentor helped her understand how she could combine her engineering background and analytical aptitude with her management education.
Meaningful mentor relationships in college are crucial. Each mentor-mentee partnership is unique since it is based on a student's circumstances, field of study, and career goals. If students have mentors in college, they are equipped with the confidence and the knowledge, support, connections, and skills to achieve their career dreams.
This writer is CEO, Intercell Virtual Mentor Network.
