SYP Scotland’s Tips for Making the Most of Your Mentorship

Posted on September 28, 2020 in Scotland

As autumn rolls in, and a new season of virtual meetings and Zoom quizzes is freshly upon us, the Society of Young Publishers has started to announce our 2020-21 Mentorship Schemes. Taking to Twitter, each branch has introduced their new mentors, prior to applications opening and mentors and mentees pairing up for experience and insight.

Through discussions with previous participants, SYP Scotland have gathered some tips on getting the most out of your mentorship, so that you can enter this new partnership prepared.

Know your goals:

Your mentor has the knowledge and experience, but they don’t know you and the path you want to go down. To get the most from your discussions together, help them to help you by knowing exactly what you want to get from your time. You don’t need to have a ten-year plan, but thinking about areas where you’d like to gain confidence or know more could be helpful. Would you like to know what a publishing interview might consist of? Know more about what certain jobs entail? Or have a second opinion on your CV and cover letter? Taking five minutes to come up with some bullet points prior to meeting can give you both some direction and an anchor in that first conversation.

My top tip for mentees is to really think about what you want to get out of the meetings and what you’d like to achieve from the scheme. Think about whether you’d like help with something specific like CV writing or how to build industry knowledge and experience more generally.
Megan Reid, Assistant Editor, Canongate (Mentor)

I was definitely assigned my mentor at the right time as I had just landed my first big publishing interview. Obviously, this was a nerve-racking experience but my mentor gave me helpful advice and helped me feel more prepared.
Alice (Mentee)

Not only did this give me a first-hand insight into the work of a publishing marketeer, but it also led to me considering my future place within the industry. When embarking on my MSc Publishing Studies at Edinburgh Napier University, I’d often viewed marketing and publicity as my main area of interest, and this scheme confirmed that for me.
Melis (Mentee)

Be proactive:

Your mentor is volunteering their time, so be as proactive as you can so that they don’t need to worry about chasing you, or so you don’t risk seeming uninterested. When you first contact your mentor, try to be engaged, introduce yourself and ask questions. Consider how or when you might want to talk, and ensure that you stay in touch as much as is best for both of you.

As a mentor, I love when the mentee comes with questions, or areas they’d like to know more about. It’s a great way to start a conversation, get to know each other and work out priorities and next steps together.
Megan Reid, Assistant Editor, Canongate (Mentor)

I recommend that you try and make the most of the experience and actively contact your mentor, while being understanding that they are likely to be busier than you, and prepare with loads of questions before your first meeting.
Alice (Mentee)

Create something together:

While the discussions that you have and knowledge gained is invaluable, see if you can work together to make sure that you can take something practical with you after the Mentorship Scheme ends. This might be renewed participation in the local publishing community around you, notes from your discussions, bookmarks reminding you where to look for the newest jobs and internships, or a slick CV and cover letter. The future might be overwhelming, but you can use what you’ve learned to make sure you have extra tools along the way.

Apart from offering to answer any questions I had, and providing information about day to day tasks involved in a marketing role, my mentor also helped me shape my CV. This gave me greater confidence in the skills I had gained from various work experience opportunities and made me value the hard work that I had unknowingly put into the shaping of my future career. Having just moved to Edinburgh, I was keen to learn more about the Scottish publishing industry, and this scheme provided a perfect bridge between me and other networking opportunities that I may have otherwise been too afraid to take.
Melis (Mentee)

Be brave:

Approaching someone in the industry can seem intimidating, and we all compare ourselves to others or feel nervous telling others what we need. Remember that your mentor has been in your shoes and wants to help you on your journey. To use all of the tips above, you’ll need to put yourself out there, communicate confidently and trust that your Mentor wants to hear from you and see what they can do to support you. Applying is the first step!

If you are still considering whether or not to apply, I highly recommend that you do. It is always nice to receive some guidance and feel like someone has got your back as you take your first unsteady steps into the industry. And there are so many lovely people in publishing—what is there to lose?
Alice (Mentee)

Applications are open now! Find our more here and apply for the SYP Scotland Mentorship Scheme here.

Keira O’Sullivan