Black Female Professional. Desperately Seeking Mentor.
Throughout my professional career, there is nothing that I have desired more than a true mentor. As a black woman living in Switzerland, this has been a hard thing to come by. Let me explain.
I’m not looking for just anyone to mentor me. I am looking for someone who understands what it means to be different from one's colleagues. I am looking for someone who empathizes, who understands that it is not easy to navigate a dominantly white corporate world.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying I want a mentor that looks like me, I’m saying I want a mentor who understands how it feels to always be in the minority — in a way, to be the underdog. Why do I insist on this? Because I truly believe that if you can put yourself in the shoes of someone of an underrepresented group, the quality of mentoring you’ll give me will be richer, mutually fulfilling, and definitely much more useful.
I will also be able to better implement the guidance you give me. Let me explain. A few years ago, a white male mentor of mine advised me to get a golf course membership to be able to mingle with top business executives here in Switzerland. I went ahead and got the onerous membership, but quickly found out…
