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I wanted to share some of my thoughts on mentors and internships, as my own experiences have been very powerful and rewarding. Looking back, I was surprised by how little I knew about the value and process of mentoring and having a mentor.
I was very fortunate to take part in the Guild of Canadian Film Composers Apprentice/Mentor Program, and to have been matched with a mentor (the singular Donald Quan) who challenged me in all the right ways. I spent most of my six week internship in a state of constant terror – I was repeatedly thrown into the deep end of the pool and expected to swim, but had a chance to ‘crash and burn’ in relatively safe environment. The amount that I learned and the things I experienced in that time could not have been gained any other way, and certainly nowhere as quickly. It was learning and doing on the edge! I learned some hard lessons very fast, and discovered holes in my game. I also learned my strengths, and found out how far I could push myself and the depth of my endurance and perseverance.
My experiences showed me that some of the most important elements in building a career in a creative field are time spent interning, and establishing and building relationships with mentors. These are certainly very important in industries which require a tremendous amount of time and luck to ‘break in’, and where a single introduction can mean the difference between having a career or not. If you look at the careers of most accomplished creative people, the odds are very high that they had a mentor (in many cases, more than one) who played a big role in that success.
So - what are mentors and mentees, what is their relationship, and what is the function of an internship?
A mentor is typically described as a person with considerable experience in a field, who acts as a guide, counselor, and trusted friend. In many ways, a mentor can also be a coach. To what degree a mentor is any one or combination of these things depends largely on their personality and style, and what they think they should be providing. The internship process is very intimate, and the experience can vary quite a bit from situation to situation. A mentor may give advice, counsel on career direction and big decisions, and help during challenging times. During the internship they can provide opportunities to see behind the scenes and even to get one’s hands wet doing work at their level. They can open doors by introducing a mentee to people in their network, and (if one is very lucky!) provide work.
An intern or protege’s role can be as varied as the mentor’s, and again depends on the mentor and what their expectations are. During an internship, a mentee is there to be a human sponge, soaking up as much information and getting as much experience as possible, while at the same time doing whatever asked of them by their mentor. How much one gets out of the deal is largely up to the mentee – one has to be willing to trust their mentor and accept what they are shown, and find value in every bit of advice and every task given, no matter how seemingly mundane. What a mentee provides a mentor might be as simple as assistance in some area (read – grunt work!), anything from clerical to organization to actual creative work. Further, for anyone that has worked in any capacity as a coach or teacher, you already know there is great reward in helping someone and fostering a career, especially if they are eager and passionate, open, and willing to learn and try new things.
Here are what I believe are some important traits of a successful mentor/mentee relationship:
Trust and openness
One must trust one’s mentor, and believe in them. One also has to be open to what they have to say and show you. Some of it may shock you, some of it may seem “irrelevant”, and may even run counter to what you thought was true about the industry. Be open to a different point of view – you can evaluate your experiences afterward, but if you don’t allow yourself to be open, you won’t learn. Don’t go into it thinking you ‘know better’.
A passionate desire to get involved in anything
Jump in! Don’t hesitate! Say yes! This is a time to learn and try things out. You are still in a place where you can make mistakes without terrible consequence. Don’t say no to things because you don’t think they aren’t valuable or you’ve “done it before” (you might just learn something new!) and definitely don’t let fear guide you. If you feel overwhelmed, scared, and just a little out of your depth, you’re doing it right!
Active seeking
Show you are looking to learn, looking to improve. Don’t sit and wait for stuff to happen – get involved and create opportunities. Think of ways to give back even as you are being given so much.
Awareness
Make leaps of thinking and faith, see how things connect, and be on the lookout for any opportunity. Don’t let your brain sit idly while someone leads you by the hand. Things that may escape the notice of someone not aware and processing their experiences may turn into wonderful things down the road.
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If you have the chance to experience an internship or you have met someone who is willing to be a mentor, I think you’ll get much more out of your time if endeavor to be the best protege possible, and develop and show the above mentioned traits. It will also show your level of committment and that you respect and value the opportunity.
Do you have any happy or horror stories to share about mentors, mentoring, and internships?
