Originally from Belarus, Alena settled in Canada in June 2015 after working in HR in the Middle East for 13 years. She signed up for TRIEC Mentoring Partnership through COSTI shortly afterwards.How Mentoring helped when Alena Immigrated to Canada
“I was given useful advice and I was motivated by it. I think the biggest thing for me was the fact that it enlarged my network. That then led me to the person who passed forward my resume to the right person in the selection process of a position I had applied for.”
“Another important piece of advice was given to me when I was at the stage of thinking about applying for less senior positions than those I had been working in in the past. I was told to never do that if you are financially stable – take the time and find the right seat for you.”
Why Alena decided to start mentoring
“I started to mentor with TRIEC Mentoring Partnership after I was encouraged to do so by a colleague I had previously mentored in the work place. Being a part of TRIEC Mentoring Partnership means I am able help a larger amount of people by mentoring them.”
What being a mentor means to Alena
“Before I worked in my current profession, I was a professional athlete. From this I gained valuable coaching experience which I have developed and managed to bring to my HR career. Coaching and mentoring others is also part of my HR Manager role. In my case it then became part of my nature and I love seeing people succeed.”
The benefits of mentoring
“In my previous employment mentoring helped me grow in my HR role. Mentoring was one of the competencies expected of leaders, so I wanted to continue to develop this skill. It’s very difficult for skilled professional newcomers to find their place in the Canadian workforce. There is a lot of uncertainty, you don’t know where to go and what do, and TRIEC Mentoring Partnership really helps those in that position. Both people in the partnership can benefit from the process. Professionals can develop themselves and not only will it really help the newcomers but also the companies that can have quick access to internationally trained and experienced professionals.”
Advice for new mentees
“Know exactly what you would like to achieve from the partnership, and ask lots of questions and drive the process.”
Alena’s tips for new mentors
Have passion for mentoring and desire to help
Listen to the mentee and understand exactly what they want to achieve.