Mentorship 101: What You Need to Know
Mentorship can help a student with curiosity and excitement become a strong internship
candidate and a strong leader.
Having someone to lean on in
times of questioning, research
and development can provide
understanding, rationale, industry
insight and resources. It is a dynamic that, if invested in properly,
can lead to a relationship that provides the feedback and guidance
needed to navigate a successful
career in public relations.
When searching for a mentor,
starting with “Where do I find
one?” is not actually the first step.
Before you start a search, spend
some time thinking about what
you want out of the relationship
and how you want it to function.
Build your rapport with this vision in mind.
Having a mentor is an investment of your time that is almost
guaranteed to pay off tenfold in
your final year of school and early
years as a professional. Look to
see who is already around you or
who you can reach out to for a
simple “ask.” A mentor could be
a professor, a contact met during
an internship, an experienced
student, a Champion for PRSSA
or anyone else you desire to be
part of “your team.”
Mentorship can manifest
in a variety of ways. It could be
coffee dates, frequent visits to
office hours or email chains that
blur the lines between professional and personal advice. It
could also be book recommendations or the mentee taking a
special interest in their mentor’s
passions. Do not let a mentor
change the core of who you are,
but let him or her influence how
you think and process information.
OTHER TIPS FOR WORKING
WITH A MENTOR
First, start small. Start simple
and go back to the well, eventually increasing the size of the “ask”
once a true relationship begins to
develop.
Focus on listening. Your
mentor is more experienced than
you, so don’t show off how much
you know. Instead, make an effort
to learn from stories of mistakes,
misguided trust, major wins and
more. Keep asking questions to
dig into further insights. Learning
from another’s past is a great way
to speed up the learning curve.
Beyond listening, there is
application. After meeting with a
mentor, you should be changed in
some way, small or large. It is not
a relationship worth investing in if
you don’t apply and adapt based
on your learnings.
Lastly, remember that your
network is your net worth. Share
what you’ve learned and who you
know with others. As your network
grows, so does your support system. Those who hoard things from
their peers will find themselves
with few peers to count on for support and recommendations. Those
who share can bloom with a robust
team of peers and seasoned pros.
Invest in yourself by creating
a relationship with your mentor.
Time spent here is not just influential, it is imperative when launching a public relations career.
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, APR,
This past summer, I had the opportunity to meet more than 75 PRSSA
Chapter leaders at the PRSSA Leadership Rally in Scottsdale, Arizona. I
was so impressed with their insightful
discussions about membership development, program planning, volunteer
engagement and leadership recognition. They selflessly shared ideas,
resources and best practices with one
another. By the end of two long days
together, I could see in their eyes that
they were returning home with a renewed enthusiasm for PRSSA and the
resources they could bring back to their
Chapter members.
Yet, all of this active engagement
and enthusiasm by the leadership only
goes so far if Chapter members don’t
also get on board. The most successful PRSSA Chapters — and, for that
matter, PRSA Chapters — are the
ones in which leaders and members
alike are active participants in the life
of the organization. They must work
together to grow membership, boost
attendance at programs and events, and
offer learning opportunities that meet
the widely varied needs and interests of
their members.
As you start a new semester, you
might be thinking, “What can PRSSA
do for me this year?” I would urge you
to flip that around to, “What can I do
this year to help my PRSSA Chapter
succeed?” Strong PRSSA Chapters
lead to PRSSA members who are better
prepared to enter the public relations
industry and to become strong advocates for the profession. An influx of
dynamic and grounded young practitioners in turn builds the public relations
profession into one that is increasingly
respected and valued.
In his classic book, “The 7 Habits
of Highly Effective People,” Stephen
Covey said, “Begin with the End in
Mind.” I encourage you to embrace
that philosophy this year. As you
settle into the new semes ter, make it a
priority to tap into opportunities that
lay the groundwork for your future
career in public relations. This can be
accomplished through programming
that incorporates local PRSA members
as speakers, mentoring programs with
public relations professionals, promoting the use of PRSSA’s Internship Center by both professionals and students,
and volunteering for events hosted by
your local PRSA Chapter.
The relationship between PRSSA
and PRSA is a vital one for the growth
and vitality of both organizations. By
reaching out to PRSA members and
inviting them to share their insight
and advice, while demonstrating your
willingness to learn, you both will
be enriched by the experience. One
particular group of PRSA members
that hopes to hear from you are the
Champions for PRSSA. Your PRSSA
membership includes access to this
directory of professionals who are
eager to be resources to public relations
students.
PRSA has had a profound impact
on my life as it has opened doors for
me both professionally and personally.
In some way, PRSA has influenced every job I have had and has been responsible for introducing me to many of
my closest friends and most cherished
mentors. PRSA has provided me with
amazing opportunities to lead and to
serve by giving me an avenue to hone
my skills and talents. And it has been
a huge part of developing my moral
and ethical compass. My investment in
PRSA has paid dividends in my career
and in my life. I can’t wait to see how
it pays dividends for you, too.
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