Achieving professional goals with a mentor by your side
Experience report with mentee Marlene Hausberger
By the end of her studies in Adult and Continuing Education, Marlene Hausberger already knew exactly which direction she wanted to take her career - even though she thought this path was rather atypical for her studies. The fact that she was able to get straight into HR development was one of the positive results she achieved during the "working phase" of career mentoring with mentor Sigrid Maxl-Studler.
What was the reason you were looking for a mentor?
I had the impression that it was very atypical to go into HRD with a Masters in Adult and Continuing Education, so I thought it couldn't hurt to take advantage of mentoring. I was also advised by my father, who is an entrepreneur himself. It's a great way to expand your network and get in touch with people who have a similar degree and are already working. For me, it was important to find out what I could do with my degree and how it could be used for personal development.
What criteria did you use to select your mentor?
I took my time with the selection process and read through many mentor profiles until I felt it was a good fit. I also considered the knock-out criteria, and it was particularly important to me that the person would be able to relate to my situation. Ultimately, however, it was a subconscious decision and as I felt more connected to a woman in my situation, Sigrid's profile was a perfect fit: She is self-employed, which is what I want for my future, and her creative side really appealed to me.
How did the first contact with your mentor Sigrid Maxl-Studler work out and what was the first meeting like for you?
Sigrid was very open and didn't respond to my enquiry with questions, but with the suggestion that we meet for the first time and then see if working together would suit us both. We started talking straight away at that meeting, it was a very relaxed atmosphere and we hit it off straight away. The mentoring guide provided was very helpful as it gave us a framework to hold on to at the beginning.
About the mentee
Marlene Hausberger completed a Master's degree in Adult and Continuing Education at the University of Graz and currently works in human resources development.