Another chance to give back

Being somewhat active with my college Alma Mater, some time ago I had answered a request for business mentors, partnering with students. After a hiatus, they restarted the program and recently took me up on my offer.

I am partnered with a Business Major looking at HR, but wanting to get into Manufacturing, possibly Plant Management. A match right up my alley. And yes, we’ll talk about the feasibility of that plan, I just didn’t want to air that here.  

After an initial meeting when I was back there for Homecoming, I am really glad I signed up. I had a great conversation with my mentee, we ended up realizing we were the last ones in the room. The others had been introduced, made small talk and left. We got wrapped up in talking business, HR, his internships and summer work and the road forward.

Mentoring is a great opportunity, one I got to experience as a young professional, but I think about what my graduation/interviewing experience could have been if I had had more insight. As an Electrical Engineer, I was thinking I would be offered an “electrical engineering” position. When the offers rolled in for Quality Engineer, Manufacturing Engineer, Field Service Engineer, Software Engineer, I did not know nor have the insight to understand what any of them were. I think I made a good choice, but it was based upon what little analysis I could bring to bear.

So, if the opportunity arises, take a chance at being a mentor. I am looking forward to the experience. Being an engineer, aka, an introvert and unwilling communicator, I will temper my input, probing for the need rather than just throwing it out there, but looking forward to having an impact and helping even one person avoid the panic I felt graduating and going out into the working world.