“Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction.” —John Crosby

As grads pour out of colleges, armed with degrees in public relations, journalism, marketing and communications, we’ve received numerous requests for unsolicited interviews and jobs. Every time I read one of these requests, I can’t help but empathize. I am immediately taken back to times in my life where I was eagerly, anxiously and courageously trying to forge a new career path.

The rejection letters piled high and most were quick to say no with a simple, “Thank you for your interest is ACME Inc., however we have decided to go with another candidate.” Or, “Thank you for your interest. Although your skills are impressive, we currently have no openings. We will keep your resume on file.”

Michelle McGowan on mentoring

We’ve all received these cold form letters at some point or other. Always looking on the bright side, I figured these notices at least gave me some idea where I stood in the process ~ after all, at least they took the time to respond!

Now, after more than 20 years of being both the interviewee and the interviewer, and as a seasoned communications professional, I’ve come to realize we owe these grads more than some pleasant rejection letter.

Oddly, what has meant the most to me throughout my career is not necessarily the folks who gave me a job. Instead, it’s actually the ones who took the time to talk to me about their profession, whether they had a job opening or not. These are the people who left an indelible impression and gave me courage to move forward.

These thoughtful professionals showed me the power of networking and mentoring. These gestures are simple and our time spent mentoring is invaluable. By taking some time out of our busy schedules, we empower up-and-coming professionals. In pointing the way, we help build confidence in young people and we provide something sometimes more beneficial than a job; we provide hope and courage to pursue their passion.

I love the public relations profession and I hope I play a small part in bettering the profession by helping enthusiastic, young people find their way. Sometimes all I have to offer is the name of someone who may be hiring, or to point them in the direction of PRSA or Andrew Hudson’s Job List, or sometimes just answer questions about the real world of PR (which they’ll learn is miles away from academic PR). Regardless, I want to give them a sense that they are supported and have someone to turn to, just as my cherished mentors did for me.

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” —Maya Angelou