Bi-directional mentorship during your PhD - new way of mentoring?

FINDING MY MENTOR 

At Karolinska Institutet, where I did my PhD, it is mandatory to get a mentor during your PhD. Most PhD students choose their mentor in the first year, often without much thought about what would be a smart choice. They typically select someone recommended by their supervisor or someone they already know. However, I always believed it would be beneficial to wait until I found someone who truly inspired me. So, I waited until the third year of my PhD before deciding on a mentor. 

In my third year, I knew academia was not for me, so I chose a mentor in the industry. I chose someone I knew and had been at a position in industry where I could see myself going to. He guided me and helped with career planning, provided perspective and feedback, offered guidance and advice, and gave emotional support when needed. My mentor has been a great inspiration and role model, showing me what is possible after a PhD and where my career could go.

 WHAT CAN A MENTOR HELP YOU WITH?

1. Guidance and Advice: Mentors can provide valuable insights and advice based on their own experiences. They can help you navigate the complexities of your research, academic requirements, and career planning.
2. Emotional Support: The PhD journey can be stressful and isolating. A mentor can offer emotional support, encouragement, and reassurance during challenging times, helping you stay motivated and focused.
3. Networking Opportunities: Mentors often have extensive professional networks. They can introduce you to key contacts in your field, open doors to new opportunities, and help you build your own professional network.
4. Skill Development: Mentors can help you identify and develop essential skills, whether they are research-related, technical, or soft skills like communication and time management.
5. Career Planning: Mentors can provide guidance on career options, help you set realistic goals, and assist in planning your career path, whether within academia or in other sectors.
6. Perspective and Feedback: A mentor can offer a fresh perspective on your work and provide constructive feedback, helping you improve the quality of your research and academic writing.
7.  Confidence Building: Through regular interactions and constructive feedback, mentors can help build your confidence in your abilities and decisions, preparing you for future challenges.

A mentor can be a vital resource during your PhD, offering support, guidance, and opportunities that can enhance both your academic and professional development.

THE ROLE OF MENTORS IN MY POST-PHD CAREER - BI-DIRECTIONAL MENTORING 

 I continue to invite mentors into my life. Building a business, having a mentor—or even multiple mentors—is invaluable. These are people who have walked the path before me. Interestingly, this time mentoring seems to be bi-directional; they mentor me, and I mentor them as well, by sharing my knowledge and my perspective shaped by my PhD and scientific background. The important thing is that we all have something to share and something to give. My mentors learn from me, for example, about LinkedIn, network building, or other topics where I have expertise. It’s a win-win.

What do you think of the concept of bi-directional mentoring?

-Elena, CEO and Co-Founder of Alma.Me