Mentorship isn't for everyone, especially if you suffer from anxiety. Thankfully I stepped out of my comfort zone and quickly reaped the benefits of my decision.
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Spoiler Alert! It has been one of the most helpful, and positive experiences of my life to date.
Getting a mentor
When I first applied for the Limit Break mentorship, around three months before I finished my degree, I was unsure as to whether I would really go through with it. A lot of this stemmed from my anxiety, that persistent inner monologue telling me all of the ways something could possibly go wrong.
At first, I worried that I wouldn't be able to find a mentor and that my lack of professional experience would turn them away (in hindsight I'm aware of how ridiculous that thought is, as the whole point of a mentor is to coach and help those with less experience than themselves!)
In the end I decided to go for it and browsed the list of mentors that fit what I was looking for. I wanted someone who worked within Game Design specifically, as that was my main focus throughout University and what I wanted to hopefully work as within the industry.
What we discussed
After choosing my mentor, a game designer within the mobile industry (who is amazing and has been integral to my growth over this past year!), but before our first meeting, I created a list of what I wanted to achieve from this mentorship. This is good not only to help your mentor understand what you are looking for but also so you can visualize what your goals are.
I ended up with three clearly defined goals that I wanted to work towards:
- An industry-standard CV that would set me apart from the competition.
- A portfolio that would be easy for industry professionals to navigate.
- Gaining the skills and knowledge that would allow me to ace interviews.
In our first meeting, we discussed these goals and I shared my current CV, as well as the website that housed my portfolio. The feedback I received was helpful as it focused on aspects that I didn't even think about, such as
- Hierarchy of information.
- Straight to the point facts.
- Easy to find contact details.
Over time the discussion turned to interview skills, design test skills (I even worked on a mock design test that my mentor provided me with) and ways to get your name out there at the beginning of your job hunting journey.
Every meeting we ran through what we discussed previously, how I was feeling with my job hunt and whether I had heard back from any applications, this led to later meetings focusing on jobs that my mentor thought I would be good for and events or courses that they recommended I attend in order to bolster my skillset.
Conclusion
Overall, mentorship was one of the best decisions I have ever made.
I gained a lot of different things from it, such as confidence in myself and my abilities, as well as a more put together CV and a professional website.
It was an experience that I'll never forget and something that I would easily recommend to my peers as a positive decision to make in their lives.
Finally, I want to say a big thank you to my mentor, for putting up with me, for believing in me and showing me that even though it'll be hard, I do have what it takes to succeed in this industry.
It will just take time.