How Mentorship Jump-Started My Career-Switch

I have observed that the dearth of mentorship opportunities for early and mid-career researchers significantly hinders career growth. My change story is at the individual level, since many years of my career were spent in public relations and higher education administration, having started as a broadcaster at one of the Nigerian Television Authority stations. A craving for something different and more challenging saw me return to school for a Master’s degree abroad many years after having completed my formal schooling. I soon realised the need to bridge the generational knowledge gap, especially as regards the use of new media.

I found myself in a world where my research skills were practically non-existent or completely rusty, and I desperately needed help outside the classroom.  

i. Begin by Searching

While surfing the internet, I came across AuthorAID's free courses, which I had the time and zeal to complete during the lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic. I took the Research Writing course more than once, because I was hungry for knowledge and determined to get it right. Also, I signed up for mentorship, since the AuthorAID platform allowed me to send requests to five prospective mentors. Two responded, but only one was sufficiently dedicated to take up the challenge of mentoring me through my quest for admission to a doctoral school. Was it rewarding? Yes, and I will share how. 

ii. Set Clear Goals

From the outset, my mentor understood that I needed support with drafting my doctoral school application. He began by offering me insights into converting my Curriculum Vitae into an academic CV, walking me through how to email potential supervisors and investing lots of time in editing, reviewing and ensuring that my work looked acceptable. 

iii. Be Teachable

Remember, I had been in industry for years and was almost clueless about the prevailing environment in academia. My mentor guided me to build a formidable thesis statement based on rubrics from my Master’s programme research work. He also encouraged me to join appropriate learned societies, suggested many resources and introduced me to manuscript reviewing — learning by immersion. 

iv. Challenge Yourself 

Over time, life's distractions crept in, which is only natural. However, I challenged myself by extensively surfing the internet on my own. Fortunately, my mentor’s efforts and his time spent with me across continents and completely different time zones yielded results, as I have started my doctoral studies. 

v. Keep Learning and Giving Back

Hence, another phase of the mentoring stage just began, asking the right questions. Now, I tell others who have the desire to make a difference through research about AuthorAID, and pay these benefits forward with my time and knowledge. If you have not tried mentorship through AuthorAID, the time to start is now. If you find a mentor like mine, you are in for a rewarding and worthwhile experience. I am super grateful to Professor Wayne Buente of the University of Hawaii for his time and service in mentoring me. 

Emi' Alawode, Deputy Registrar, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria, now enjoys researching the internet and new media through doctoral studies in Communication at the University of Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain. Connect with her on LinkedIn or here.

(Photo: Green Chameleon on Unsplash)