My first full-time job after completing my Ph.D. in world history involved teaching and administration, where I had to oversee a curriculum, manage instructors, and teach classes. I felt underprepared in these areas, wishing I had formal training, despite having some teaching experience during my Ph.D. Later, as I moved into roles supporting postdocs and graduate students, I heard similar experiences of feeling unprepared for teaching and leadership positions.
It was through guiding others that I realized I had drawn on my experiences as a mentor and mentee to navigate these new professional areas. I learned from both successful and failed experiences, such as coaching struggling students or avoiding difficult conversations. These experiences shaped my approach to mentoring and leadership.
Similarly, when I transitioned into an administrative role working with students, faculty, and administrators, I initially felt unprepared. However, as I worked on developing myself for the job, I realized that I had learned valuable skills from my mentors on guiding, leading, collaborating, and setting boundaries. The support and examples set by my mentors helped me navigate my new role effectively.
Your educational experiences may not always provide training in important areas for your career growth, such as teaching, management, and leadership. However, through mentorship, both as a mentor and mentee, you can learn valuable skills that can support you in various roles.
In our roles supporting graduate students and postdocs, we see how mentorship helps individuals articulate their values, align expectations with others, and foster a sense of belonging in their work environments.
Communication
Effective communication is crucial in teaching, leading, and managing. Drawing on your experience in mentorship, where you presented ideas and received feedback, can help you demonstrate your ability to engage with different individuals effectively. Feedback exchange, both giving and receiving, is another essential aspect of mentorship that can be applied to managing and teaching roles.
In teaching, inviting feedback from students throughout the semester can help make real-time adjustments to improve their learning experience. Similarly, in management roles, regular check-ins with those you supervise and encouraging feedback can build trust and foster a positive work environment.
Promoting Independence, Self-Efficacy, and Belonging
Mentorship involves promoting independence and self-efficacy in mentees, which can be translated into leading a team or unit. Scaffolding learning and encouraging colleagues to take ownership of their work can empower individuals to work confidently and independently. Mentors also play a crucial role in fostering a sense of belonging for mentees, which can be applied to creating inclusive learning and work environments.
The Power of Reflection
Reflecting on both positive and negative mentorship experiences can help shape your approach as a teacher and leader. Learning from negative experiences can guide you on the kind of mentor or supervisor you do not want to be, while positive experiences can serve as role models for inspiring and supporting others.
In conclusion, mentorship experiences can provide valuable skills for future teaching, management, and leadership roles. Reflecting on your experiences and applying them to your next career step can help you navigate challenges effectively and create a positive impact in your professional environment.
Victoria Hallinan (she/her) is the program director for professional development at the Office for Postdoctoral Affairs at Yale University. Jovana Milosavljevic Ardeljan (she/her) is the director of career, professional, and community development at the Graduate School of the University of New Hampshire. Both are members of the National Postdoctoral Association and the Graduate Career Consortium.