Will you be my mentor?

The idea of a mentor always puzzled me. Our teachers constantly stressed the importance of finding a mentor, particularly in this industry, but I didn't know how exactly to go about finding one.

It's not exactly something you can post as a Kijiji wanted ad.

Wanted: Mentor who will guide and support me through the trials and tribulations of life.

Salary: Nothing.

I met Maureen on the first day of my internship. I immediately felt at ease in her office, even though I had slept a whole two hours the night before. She apologized for talking so much, little did she know nothing makes me feel more relaxed than a fellow chatterbox.

I quickly realized that she was willing to invest in my career and truly wanted to see me succeed. She would always check in on me when she could see stress written all over my face, and was the first to pat me on the back when I had done something well. She was honest with me, never sugar coating lessons that needed to be learned. She made sure I was included in everything, even if I was "just" an intern.

I know you're not supposed to tell someone that you've decided that they are your mentor, but one day it slipped out. I said "Maureen, I'm pretty sure you're my mentor." She didn't argue, so I hoping that's okay with her.

She's been encouraging me to get back into blogging for months now, so I found it very fitting to write this post about her.

I can only hope that everyone can find a mentor as amazing as her in their lifetime.

Thank you for everything Mo.

- JS