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eMentoring - why you should sign up!

eMentoring is a fantastic initiative set up by the Careers Service which enables students to gain valuable insight and advice into a desired profession. Taking on such opportunities whilst they are still available are so valuable for students before they are thrown into the real world. 

What’s more it is dead simple and easy to manage within a heavy timetable. The nature of eMentoring enables students to contact their mentor whenever is suitable, and contact can take the form of e-mailing, Skype or phone calls for example. It really is a case of liaising with the mentor to work out what suits you best. 

The mentors are former graduates from The University of Sheffield, who have consciously volunteered in order to assist students looking to follow in their footsteps. This means that they are generally going to be enthusiastic and willing to help as much as they can. 

My mentor has already given me useful feedback on my CV and a piece of work I had done. Being able to send documents via email means that there is plenty of opportunity to learn tips that may prove decisive when it comes to applying for jobs. The beauty of eMentoring is that I can receive wisdom from a mentor who is currently based in India without having to leave my house. 

Obviously a certain amount of respect and general courtesy is required since the mentors also have their own life and busy schedule to get on with. Bombarding a mentor with constant emails or phone calls would not be the best idea for example. I have found that a weekly email is adequate enough to find out enough useful information.  
As well as learning things regarding your own CV, cover letter etc., the scheme also enables students to find out about what a particular career is like for the mentor themselves. Questions may cover lifestyle implications, skills required or an idea of what a typical day would be like for example. 

Informative and flexible, eMentoring has proven to be worthwhile so far, and I would definitely recommend it to all students.

Ben Hardy, MA Journalism



Careers Service

Careers Service

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