The Key to a Great Mentorship is Constant Communication
By Fernanda Yerena, Program Manager Intern at Paypal
My name is Fernanda Yerena and I am a Program Manager Intern at Paypal. Growing up, I always wanted to have a mentor, someone who was ahead of me in their career, who I could learn from and who could support me in achieving my professional goals. When I joined Year Up, I was excited to see that mentoring is a big part of the program. I was lucky to be paired with Nancy Michaels, an amazing Business Development Director at Skyline Construction. I have learned so much from Nancy and have used my newfound knowledge in my work as an intern. I appreciate the time she invested to meet with me and make sure I had the support I needed. One key part of our relationship was constant communication and meeting face to face weekly. After 6 months of connecting, we decided to record one of our meetups where we each took turns asking questions and reflecting on our time together
Nancy: What did you initially expect to get out of the mentorship program?
Fernanda: I was really excited to gain advice and guidance from you. Growing up, I was not exposed to resources or opportunities to succeed. I was beyond excited once Year Up told us that we were getting a Mentor. It was exactly as I imagined: getting the support I needed, receiving advice for my career, helping me reach my goals, and her simply being there for me when I had any questions.
Nancy: What were your thoughts toward the beginning of the relationship?
Fernanda: Toward the beginning of the relationship, I automatically felt appreciated and supported. You were very approachable and kind to me, so I opened up pretty quick. We both spoke about our background and you reassured me that you were here to help. I remember you wrote down my goals and you set up weekly lunch invitations or dinner depending on your schedule for the rest of the month. I was really honored and impressed at how dedicated you were from the beginning and I knew we were going to have a wonderful 6 months together.
Nancy: What are some highlights of having a mentor from a different company, while at your internship?
Fernanda: A highlight has been getting all my questions answered while preparing for my future. You were just one call or text message away and it felt great to know that I had someone to turn to whenever I felt stuck or didn’t know what to do. I received a variety of resources from you that really helped me. As I am beginning to build my professional brand and career, you made sure I felt confident throughout my internship, no matter what challenges got in the way. When we would meet, you would send me articles and websites based on our conversations that I could look back at and read to learn more information.
Nancy: How has having a mentor impacted your professional brand?
Fernanda: Having a mentor who has been in the industry longer than you, gives you a whole new perspective on the importance of a professional brand. You taught me what I needed to know about Business Etiquette and gave me excellent advice for the workplace that I will carry with me everywhere I go. You also tag me on LinkedIn posts that have great advice on how to accomplish your goals and succeed.
Nancy: How do you see us connecting after you complete Year Up?
Fernanda: I think we will remain in contact and will be meeting for dinner every few months. You’ve said that you still want to be part of my journey and be a great support system. This means a lot to me and I’m glad you will still be able to give me any advice when I need it.
Okay, now its my turn to ask some questions!
Fernanda: What do you do for work?
Nancy: My name is Nancy Michaels and I am the Director for Business Development at Skyline Construction in the Bay Area.
Fernanda: How did you first get involved with Year Up?
Nancy: I saw Willow Bechtel’s LinkedIn post that Year Up Silicon Valley was seeking mentors… I applied and was accepted. I am very fortunate that I was paired up with you!
Fernanda: Did you have a professional or personal mentor?
Nancy: I never had a formal mentor, I’ve had a number of people that I have sought guidance from throughout my life in personal and professional situations. For me, its been invaluable to learn from other people’s perspectives throughout my life.
Fernanda: How do you think I’ve changed over the past 6 months?
Nancy: You have become more confident in your ability to evaluate situations and make decisions. You have consistently demonstrated an unwavering work ethic, curiosity to learn and now view change as an opportunity. You’ve endured management changes during your internship, initially you were worried and uncertain, and then you started seeing those situations as opportunities to adapt to change with a positive outlook.
Fernanda: What has been a highlight from our time together?
Nancy: If I may break the news, your biggest accomplishment of accepting an 18-month contract at PayPal as a Program Manager has been a huge highlight. They’re fortunate to have you, I look forward to seeing your continued growth and development. I am so proud of you, you are incredibly mature, self-driven, intelligent, collaborative, curious and you receive advice with an open heart and mind. From my vantage point, you are a star with a very bright future.
