“The delicate balance of mentoring someone is not creating them in your own image, but giving them the opportunity to create themselves” – Steven Spielberg
I moved to Canada in 2003 to study and, struggled in my new environment (especially when it came to adjusting to the weather). I struggled in finding jobs that matched my education and international experience and even when I got the jobs, struggled to be effective in the new work culture/environment. In retrospect, I wish I had (sought) a “career” mentor upon arrival in this country. More specifically, I wish I found a mentor, with similar background like myself, who had succeeded in their career or business. A good mentor would have taught me several things that I had to learn the hard way – how to navigate my new environment, networking, focused volunteering, the importance of remaining authentic regardless of environmental pressures and financial needs and, some of the soft skills that are integral to success in the workplace. Of course there were other challenges I faced, especially as a visible minority, but mentorship would have saved me a lot of headaches.