The Business of Mentoring, by Lea Steiner

The business of mentoring

Mentor are very important in the United States because they help people in their life.

During this day I was lucky to participate to a “speed dating” with really important women in the US. The day began at 7:30 at the Swisshotel. This hotel is really nice. So we met women and we could talk to them during seven minutes. I met two women and both of them spoke to me about the difference between men and women at work. So it is really important to have a mentor when you are a women because sometimes you can be disappear.

After this speed dating we went to Google’s company. The company is really unbelievable. Headquarter is in California but they also have 500 employees in Chicago and all around the world. We met Megan Danielson who is a manager in this business. She is also a mentor for the news employees. I really enjoyed this part of the day because google is a big company all around the world. Google takes care of his employees thanks to its cafeteria, its gym or a place to play some music during the lunch. I think they have the good way to achieve their goal because they understood that if the employees like their place where they are working they will do a better job.

Then we had a lunch at LYFE Kitchen and a special guest speaker. She is French and she helps the foreign people to be well integrate in the professional’s life in Chicago. She talked to us about how we have to consider the volunteering and why it is so important in the United States.

We had a special surprise this day. We went to alliance to eat some Macaron. The owner Peter Rios spoke to us about how he manages his business. He studied at Kendall College and after he decided to build his company. He doesn’t have a real mentor but many persons inspired him.

All the person I met during this day were mentor of somebody. Before I came to the United States I didn’t really know the signification of this. But now I think it is really important to have a mentor because this person helps you during your study to find some internship or in your work to have more connections.

During your life you can have a mentor or be one. You can change of mentor because your goal change. But thanks to them you can build your professional network.

All the companies have mentor and mentees. For example when someone is just hire he has a mentor to learn all about his new job and after this he can become a mentor too.

We went to the top of the Hancock Tower. It is really inspired me because you can see an amazing view of Chicago. When you are at the top you feel powerful because you are up to everybody. I think you can have more power if a mentor help you. A mentor learned about his mistakes so he can teach us what to do to avoid it.

[photos coming soon]