How a mentor can reshape your career

Mentorship has never been more important for women looking to advance their careers, but how do you decide what’s best for you?

Did you know that behind every successful woman is often another successful woman? Female mentorship can be extremely powerful – especially in the corporate world, where women are too often denied a seat at the table. They also face myriad challenges in the workplace, from microaggressions to stereotypes about motherhood. These biases can make it challenging to progress in one’s career or earn a well-deserved promotion.

At a recent webinar organised by Chinese newspaper Shin Min Daily News and government feedback portal Reach, Minister for Communications and Information Josephine Teo shared that when she was pregnant with her first child, her then-boss told her that she no longer seemed as motivated as before. “When I heard that, I thought, ‘Why is it that you think of me that way as a new mother, but you don’t think the same way when my male colleagues become new fathers?’,” she recalls.

Her experience is one shared by many women at various stages of their career journeys. Indeed, one of the biggest draws of a female mentorship programme is the support that it offers. By connecting with women mentors, it helps to know that there are allies who can understand, empathise, and draw lessons from their own experiences to help one overcome difficult hurdles.

New business owner Shana Singh (not her real name) agrees. She has reached out to a few male and female mentors for tips on setting up her communications venture. While she has gleaned “excellent advice” from her three mentors, she enjoys her sessions with her female guide the most.