Eleanor Cartwright
We spoke to Eleanor Cartwright, Marketing Manager in the Communications, Marketing and Advancement division, about her experience of being a mentor at Sussex. The University has a mentoring programme open to all staff, and you can find out more on the mentoring webpages which have recently been redeveloped to be more user-friendly and accessible.
What motivated you to become a mentor?
I have been a people manager for many years but my current role at the University doesn’t include line management. I wanted to become a mentor so I could use my skills to help more inexperienced staff develop professionally.
Tell us about your experience of being a mentor
My mentoring experience has been positive. I mentored someone for six months who then went onto a role within the University that was much more suited to her abilities and interests. She was able to explore this direction with my help as a mentor.
How do you think it has helped your personal development?
My role as mentor led to me taking up the opportunity to follow the Level 5 coaching professional course through the University. I passed early last year, after doing 50 hours of workplace coaching, two observed coaching sessions, a portfolio of work and an exam. Mentoring led naturally to coaching, and I would like to use the skills I’ve developed to enhance the internal coaching practice at the University.
What is your advice for someone thinking of becoming a mentee?
Try it! There are always people from whom you can learn. Also, if you are lacking in motivation at work, it’s worth trying to regain that in your current role with the advice and support of a mentor before deciding to move to a different workplace. Often a change of mindset is all it takes for you to fall back in love with your job.
Find out more on the mentoring webpages where you can read further feedback from staff about their experiences of being a mentor or mentee, explore the benefits of the scheme and find guidance on how to get involved. You can also check out our staff mentoring events calendar for all the latest on upcoming workshops and development opportunities.