Careers Network Mentoring Scheme
BSc Accounting and Finance, 2023
Mentored by a mentor from the Accounting and Finance sector
Tell us a bit about your mentoring experience
I'm Alex and I study Accounting and Finance and graduate in 2023. I joined the Careers Network mentoring scheme in first year. My mentor has worked in multiple sectors which means that he has a great range of experience and ideas that he has been able to pass onto me whenever I have wanted. I got a lot of career advice, such as what it might be like, different pathways to take once you start, and the best ways to get into it. We spoke whenever either of us felt it might be useful, and we could always email each other anyway.
Did you have any preconceptions about the mentoring experience that were challenged as a result of your experience?
I wasn't really sure what it would be like, but I was very glad to have signed up when I spoke to my mentor and started receiving his advice and help, and also had a laugh together. It was relaxed enough to have a fun chat and get along, but also we always made clear what we wanted and expected, in a polite way, and it worked out great.
What is one piece of advice you learnt from your mentor you could share with other students/graduates?
Get started on looking for job/internship opportunities early, it takes a lot of pressure off towards exam season, which is very welcome, and also means that when everyone is scrambling, you already know what you're doing. It also means that you are more likely to get interviews etc as they won't have filled up if you apply early. Also, to have fun when you can and make the most of it.
Can you share any top tips for making the most of the mentoring opportunity and how to be an effective mentee?
Listen to the mentor, sounds simple but not everyone does it, the mentors have this role because they have advice and experience that we are looking for and can learn from. It can prove priceless and give you the edge if you know what employers are looking for better than anyone else because your mentor has been on the other side of it and can tell you what is most effective.
Why would you recommend the scheme to other students?
There is so much to learn and some great people to meet, you can have a laugh, learn valuable things and give yourself the edge when it comes to getting out into the working world. It never hurts to have one more person you know and one more connection in the world, make the most of it, enjoy it, and learn from it.