Tell us a bit about yourself

My name is Lucy, and I am now 27 years old. I live in London. I studied Human Geography and International Development at Uni. It's a very broad kind of degree. It's not like, I don't know, wanting to become a doctor where you have a clear picture of what’s ahead, where you know what the end goal is. When I came out of university I didn't know what route to take. I started work in a company, in a contract role, and then slowly progressed into different roles in a similar company.

Was there something you were facing that you asked your mentor to help you with?

When I saw One Million Mentors, I thought ‘I'm in a position now where I'm not sure what direction to go in, how to plan ahead to make the most of the skill set I have, or how I can build on that to be able to develop professionally’. When I first met my mentor, we discussed where I was at that point and he helped me to identify the skill set I have based on my degree and my experience overall. He helped me come to the realisation that, although I’ve not had it as a particular job title, my specialism was project management. So we discussed different routes into project management – based on what’s ‘out there’ - and how I could develop in that area. He basically gave me an overview, based on his experience of progressing his own career, and then suggested I go away and explore what training I thought would be a good fit for me.

How did your mentor help you on your journey?

I was kind of aware of things, but having a mentor gave me some clarity and direction that kind of pushed me to actually do something to improve my skill set on a different level. I've had someone there to keep me accountable. I've now onboarded myself onto a Prince2 course... it's been a really nice progression there. And there's a road ahead in terms of what direction to go in. Conversations with my mentor gave me a lift that I'm more capable than I think I am. Mentoring has given me momentum to push forward with what I'm doing. I'm more confident in my current role and yeah, a bit more bold than I was... I’m able to put myself forward more wholesomely and stuff.

What do you feel is the best thing that’s changed for you because of mentoring?

I feel like it's more the mental side of things, having clarity, the continuous boost in confidence. Mentoring gave me an opportunity to step outside of myself, to look at myself from the outside. I think as a person, even when I've achieved things, I’m instinctively straight on to the next thing. With that, you not only lose sight of the things that you've done but also of the things that you're capable of as well. Now, each time I tick something off and achieve it, I feel a level of fulfilment and confidence... I know that I can do this! I think it's helped me hit the right balance between “I’m OK, I’m doing all right” and “Let me be accountable. Let me be proactive.” Having someone there to support has helped me hit that right balance. It's meant a lot to me because it has helped me transition into a more progressive chapter of my life.