Michele Equale’s pet peeve? Women sitting in the back of the room. Our speaker opened the meeting by telling us that when we give up the seat in the front, we give up our seat at the table. We cannot let ourselves become part of the background, even if it’s more comfortable. After asking the audience to move up and fill in empty seats toward the front, we began our meeting on transitional mentorship. Here are some important takeaways:

When you’re assembling your mentor panel, think of it like a board of directors who complement your strengths. On a board, you would have someone you turn to for help in finance, or operations, or any number of specific functions. Mentors (yes, more than one!) should function similarly. As a side note to this point, Michele mentioned that if you have an internship this summer, you should try to leave with 5 or 6 warm contacts, outside of your team!
It is easier for someone to be your mentor if they know what you need. So figure out what you’re looking for, and make that intention clear. If you’re reaching out to someone, know what you’re asking for from them! Having a goal also helps you both know if the mentorship has run its course — once your goal has been met, it’s fine for you to both free your calendars and keep a more casual contact. It’s fine to not need a mentor for a bit!
When you have a mentor, be present and authentic in the relationship and in your communications. The easiest way to figure out what you truly need mentorship for is as simple as this: think back on your last month. What felt really great, and what was so horrible that you never want to do it again? If you can think of one thing in each category, you have things to reflect on with your mentor. Also, be honest! Communicate to your mentor when you need them to be nice, or when you need tough love to get things done. Michele argued that, “You’re allowed to have a delicate day,” but you need to be on the same page.

Our closing question of the meeting was a classic: what does success mean to you? Equale responded that her favorite days are when she watches people turn on. She adores creating value and watching people grow. In the final minutes of the meeting, she shared “I just hope I’ve helped other people along the way.”

Hosted by: Maria Jara Baca, Christine MacNaul, Mikaela Bowler

Monday March 4, 2019

“Your brand is what people say about you when you're not in the room” according to Jeff Bezos. Your personal brand is the reputation that precedes you and speaks for you in your absence. It’s important because it can do so much for us, like establish how others view us, help us stand out, make us memorable & recognizable, make networking easier, and attract recruiters. And with social media, it’s all so easy!

Here’s an example: If I ask you who goes by the title Queen, is loyal but fiercely independent, and believes that girls run the world, who would you guess I’m talking about? Beyoncé, of course! Her brand is so strong that she’s identifiable by only three traits!

So how do you build your own brand?

For starters, think about this: If a class were going to do a study and give a report on you, what would they say? You need to try to find the intersection between how you want to be known and your abilities & strengths. Then manifest it! Dress for the job you want, not the job you have, and work to make your social media appearance consistent as well. Put the message of who you are everywhere! Make it authentic to you and make it something that people remember.

Let’s end with one more example! Allen & Gerritsen’s ampersand campaign is all about the personal brand. They are a marketing agency based in Boston, who cares about making their employees stand out. Everyone who works there has three “&” statements which they share every time they list off their job title. Some samples include “& Positivity Promoter,” “& Foodie,” “& Master of Organized Chaos,” “& Movie Quoter,” or “& It’s All About the Dogs.” So think about this: what would your three “&”s be?

Thank you to everyone who came Monday!