Galactic Activity 33

Giving career advice to someone junior: one possible scenario is a senior person in an organisation giving a more junior person some career advice or coaching in their field.

Activity 33 – Career advice

Duration: 4 – 6 mins
Applicable Streams: Workplace Skills, Meeting Skills, Leadership, Personal Challenge,

Aim

In this activity you are aiming to:

Provide advice to or mentor a person early in their career from your own experience

Objectives

To do this, you will need to keep the following objectives in mind:

  1. Present 3 or 4 key pieces of advice
  2. Highlight why this is important
  3. Detail some tips and traps

The Why…

We all remember the mentors or people we had early in our careers that helped shape the professionals we’ve become. Throughout our careers we’ll be go from being in junior positions and grow into senior roles which is when we will naturally be approached for mentoring roles. This activity prepares you for that scenario.

Where do I start?

  • Decide on to whom you might be giving career advice.
  • Decide on 4 points that will work together – either 4 separate topics, or 4 points within a topic (subtopics)
  • Brainstorm each topic and think of the top 4 pieces of advice you have for that topic, and how you learnt it the hard way (or easy way)
  • Write a list of reflective style questions your mentee can ask themselves about each topic or subtopic to help them decide on the type of career professional they are presenting as at present, and who they’d like to grow into.
  • Try to stick to a structure so it’s easy to follow. For example, for each topic or subtopic in turn:
    • My advice
    • Why I know it works
    • Questions you can ask yourself

The How

Specific guidelines on how to tackle this activity.

Remember, you are not dealing with an issue or problem – you are simply providing career advice in a formal mentor/mentee relationship

  • The advice is helping work or career progression
  • You could be speaking to a group of grads or a single person
  • Your mentee could be your protege, a colleague, a friend, a niece or nephew, or a family friend
  • This advice is not a conversation with the mentee, it’s more of a presentation.

Tips and traps

TIPS:

  • The best way to learn, is to understand the why and a good way to remember that is by hearing a story that demonstrates it. Use those stories.
  • It’s helpful if you know a little about the people you’re mentoring. If there’s an opportunity, listen actively to their goals and aspirations, understanding their strengths and passions – including them in your stories will engage them at a deeper level.
  • Share your own experiences and insights, highlighting both successes and challenges.
  • Encourage them to explore various paths, emphasizing the value of continuous learning and adaptability in today’s dynamic work environment.
  • Offer practical steps to help them achieve their objectives, and suggest networking opportunities to expand their horizons.
  • Ultimately, empower your mentee to make informed decisions aligned with their values and ambitions, fostering their professional growth and self-confidence.

TRAPS:

  • Refrain from imposing your own career choices onto them, as their path may differ.
  • Avoid being overly critical or dismissive of their generation or focus on the differences between your and their generations.
  • Don’t provide generic advice; tailor your suggestions to their unique situations.
  • Avoid focusing solely on monetary gains, including what achieving personal fulfillment means.
  • Resist projecting your own regrets onto their choices.
  • Foster an open, non-judgmental environment that allows your mentee to discover their own path, making well-informed decisions for their career journey.

Guidelines for Program Director: