Mentorship Begins With You
Posted on May. 5, 2023 / Subscribe 0
Every great career is built on skill, resources and a little luck. All three components are vastly improved when mentorship is added to the equation.
Sometimes mentorship is explicitly sought and sometimes implicitly experienced, but ask practitioners you respect and admire, and they’ll acknowledge that someone, somewhere in their careers gave them a chance, shared their expertise or guided them through challenging moments.
One of the greatest benefits of being part of PRSA and the Detroit Chapter is the built-in opportunity for mentorship from peers, leaders and hand-raisers. Every practitioner can learn from one another through programming, accreditation, volunteerism and networking. I’ll share two examples from my personal experience.
When I began my study for the APR, my accreditation mentor gave me the confidence I needed to fulfill the necessary steps successfully. That experience sparked my desire to help others through the Accreditation Committee. I’ve mentored professionals to affirm their decisions to take on the journey when it was right for them and helped make mentorship connections to support their walk on that path.
Beyond support for accreditation, I enlisted in PRSA’s Mentor Connect program, which provides the opportunity to teach and learn from other practitioners. Having mentored several individuals through that program, I can say with confidence mentors get just as much out of the relationship as mentees.
So, for practitioners who need support, PRSA has your back. Don’t miss that next panel discussion and networking forum. Step on that path to APR. Seek out a professional on Mentor Connect. You’ll get back in spades the time you put in to enrich your network and build your skill.
For practitioners who can give support, PRSA needs you. Join that expert panel. Help APR candidates build their careers and elevate the profession. (Brief aside to thank all the Detroit Chapter APRs who have given their time and talents to this endeavor!) Enroll in Mentor Connect to share your abilities and lend your expertise.
To give or receive, mentorship enriches our work, relationships, and profession. It begins with you.
Kristin Sokul, APR, is senior director of advancement communications, marketing and media/PR for Gleaners Community Food Bank, a PRSA Detroit board member, and co-chair of the PRSA Detroit Accreditation Committee.
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