Count on Change – and a Mentor to See You Through
What goes up, down and sometimes around? For many people, it’s their career path! That’s because career development and job satisfaction aren’t necessarily contingent on upward mobility. Whether it is changing the specialization of your career or moving to a new industry, discovering where you excel, what excites you and a rewarding work culture may require taking a non-linear path.
Yet for many people, making career changes can be scary. To gain confidence in her decisions as she navigated the world of work, Nancy Rachman, vice president of Nickelodeon’s home entertainment division, relied on her mentors for encouragement and support.
“I learned early on that the spirit and culture of an organization would make a big difference in how I would learn and grow and enjoy my job,” she said. “I also learned that a mentor isn’t necessarily one person who is guiding you throughout your career. I’ve had a few different mentors, each of whom taught me invaluable lessons and provided insight on how to handle my career and my job.”
Rachman initially entered the workforce working for a non-profit organization but then headed back to graduate school for a business degree in marketing. Prior to joining Nickelodeon, Rachman held positions at well-known companies such as Clairol, Disney and Revlon.
While working for the non-profit organization she met her first mentor who taught her about honesty in how she approached her career.
“He was at a senior level and took an interest in my career and how I was developing,” she explained. “He pulled me into a higher level position even after I told him I really wanted to leave and go to business school. I remember him saying ‘I don’t care if you’re only going to be here for six months – I want you to do this.’ Not everyone would have done that, but he showed me that it was OK to be upfront and honest and helped me thrive in that industry.”
After business school, Rachman accepted a position with Clairol and met her most influential mentor, Joan Bluestone Landorf. In addition to receiving advice and guidance, the women forged a friendship that has sustained multiple moves as well as career and life changes.
“We really bonded and she has always given me fabulous advice – some of which I still quote to this day,” said Rachman. “She also made me feel very comfortable in the changes I’ve made in my career and understanding that everyone’s career will take different turns because of life events or things that you want, and that in the end, you’ll be in a good place.”
When Rachman was offered a position with Disney, she again turned to her mentor to seek advice.
“I feared failure,” she said. “I thought what if I move to California and it doesn’t work? Having a mentor was calming to me and she made me feel good about the decision to go – regardless of the outcome. Change is hard, and having someone to go to made me comfortable to make changes.”
Since arriving at Nickelodeon eight years ago, Rachman has kept in touch with her former mentor and though she describes herself as “currently deficient in recent mentors,” she has found supporters at Nickelodeon to trust and exchange ideas.
“For companies, mentoring in the workplace is smart because it helps to retain people,” she said. “Every work environment has its challenges and you want to give people the resources to adapt, do well and thrive. It’s also a good benefit for the individual to have someone who listens, gives good advice and lets you air your frustrations. I used to think you needed to have a mentor for life but what I learned is that you meet different people along the way and find different mentors depending on where you are in your life and career.”
Add to Technorati Favorites
February 17th, 2010 at 3:06 am
[...] Continuing the theme of messy people who probably need a mentor, Melissa Prusher from The Devon Group suggests you rely on your mentors in Count on Change – and a Mentor to See You Through. [...]