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Olya: Why did you initially join the program?
Anton: I wanted to try being a mentor. Before participating in the program, I had, let's say, unsystematic mentoring experience. The companies I worked for had "mentoring" programs and I was actively involved in them, but it was not systematic: I mostly shared my experience and told some of my life stories. Here, on the program, we were taught what mentoring was, how and what to do better. For me, it was useful to put certain thoughts in order, and it also helped me to expand my network.
I didn't think about whether I should participate in the program at all. I heard about the program from my friends and thought "Cool! I should get involved!".
O: Did you have any expectations from the program? And, if so, how did they compare with reality?
A: I guess I didn't have any specific expectations. I assumed that there would be teaching for both mentors and mentees, and networking. I was happy to attend various events, they turned out well, master classes on presentations, for example. I rarely do presentations these days because I've moved into text analytics, and these master classes were actually very useful to me, refreshed my knowledge.
A: With other mentors we initially discussed some mentoring cases, and then it turned out that we also had some overlaps in the scientific aspect, then we organized some calls. So there was some networking and knowledge sharing. We also discussed with another mentor the possible options for my relocation, which was very useful for me. It was nice to be invited to participate as an expert in the round table "Academia or Industry".
O: How did you feel after the program?
A: I have a feeling that I did a useful thing, and I hope it helped someone. As far as I heard from my mentee, she achieved her goals. She basically had a goal of finding an internship, she ended up getting several offers and chose one of the options. If I was able to help someone else [in the program], that's also good. I used to help my colleagues who run a Telegram channel to gather information on positions and internships. Unfortunately, I don't think it was effective, and just posting positions is not enough. I think having a purpose makes the biggest impact. It's up to people to look for what they're interested in. And when you see a result, like the achievements of the mentee I was working with, it feels great.
O: What do you think you were able to give your mentee, besides the obvious mentoring?
A: I hope that I was able to share not only advice about finding positions, but also my life experiences of acting in different situations and career experiences both in academia and in the industry.
About Sci.STEPS
About Sci.STEPS
Are you a scientist seeking to work on your education and career? Sci.STEPS scientific mentorship program offers valuable insights and guidance from experts all over the world in the form of long-term structured guidance or targeted short consultations. From refining your research skills to navigating the complex world of academia and industry, the program is designed to empower you with the knowledge and confidence needed to excel in your scientific journey.
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