From UEL to Societe Generale
Each term, ELBA facilitates 1:1 mentoring relationships between local students and business volunteers. Linas Paulauskus, a University of East London student, was paired with Shaun Neish, a Societe Generale employee, for a 4 month programme in April 2014. As an outcome of their mentoring relationship, Shaun secured Linas a 14 week internship within his team to assist with project governance and a software project. This was then extended into a year’s placement as part of Linas’ year in industry while studying. Linas is now a Project Support Analyst at the company, and is giving back to his university by mentoring a student on the current scheme.
Linas has shared his experience of mentoring with us:
1) What attracted you to sign up for ELBA’s mentoring scheme?
I was looking to evaluate my strengths and weaknesses. I also wanted to improve my CV and prepare for Internship/Work Placement interviews, and applications.
2) Did you set objectives at the beginning of the mentoring?
I did set my objectives, which were reviewed with my university employability support team and with Shaun.
3) Did you stick to these objectives throughout the partnership?
I mostly stuck to my objectives, but due to the (positive!) change in circumstances, when I received the internship offer at Societe Generale, some of the objectives were no longer applicable.
4) What are some of the challenges or barriers a partnership like this can face?
Matching is very important, both for mentor and mentee. Appropriate matching ensures that interests are alignment and mentoring is efficient. Apart from that, I personally don’t think that there are many other ‘barriers’. Both mentor and mentee are expected to behave professionally, be tolerant and polite – which should be enough to maintain the relationship.
5) Can you share some highlights from your sessions?
I believe I was well matched with Shaun, we shared similar interests and found that our relationship can be extended beyond the original mentoring scope. The values and competencies in my CV matched the profile of an internal vacancy which I became aware of, and which resulted in my successful Internship/Work Placement application.
6) What do you both think is the secret to forming a good mentoring relationship?
As this is a programme to improve professional knowledge, the relationship should focus around professional agenda (e.g. career goals, professional interests). It is important to get to know and understand each other, but this should not overtake the primary agenda. Having clear expectations and goals and sticking to them is great start. Staying professional and polite always helps. Finally, being flexible and updating the goals when and as needed – everyone should use the knowledge they have to progress, sticking to the goals which are relevant, and to move on from others. This is the key to a successful mentoring relationship, because both mentee and mentor are busy so it’s good to stay on track!
Shaun Neish, Linas’ mentor, said of the experience:
“I had a mentor early on in my career and felt that it had an extremely positive impact on my career. So I joined the scheme to give something back and try to do the same for someone else.
We used the material provided at first to help guide us in the right direction. The partnership went so well that we ended up offering Linas a job, so more focus was given to Linas in developing him in the particular role he was doing.
I think that being open and honest from the beginning was vital to making it a successful relationship; being able to watch him develop into a professional and invaluable member of the team was certainly a highlight!”
ELBA’s mentoring programmes for students at our member universities will be recruiting again (for both mentors and mentees) in early 2016. If you are interested in the programme, please email educationworks@elba-1.org.uk.
