The mentor/mentee relationship is one of the most valuable assets in our career development. As mentees, we hope to make a favourable impression to enable the mentor to take a genuine interest in our success. As mentors, we hope to guide and provide value to those who seek it, remembering the times when we walked in their shoes, without getting pestered along the way.
Recently, Life Sciences Ontario (LSO) and Deloitte released an economic study titled, “Accelerating Prosperity: The Life Sciences Sector in Ontario”. A couple of the challenges identified were a talent gap at the executive and higher management levels, but at the same time, underutilized science graduates that could be employed in the sector. Currently, Ontario’s science graduates face an unemployment rate of 17.9%. If these graduates are not successful in finding employment and integrating into the workforce in Ontario, they may seek opportunities in other areas, or other sectors.
So how do we bridge this gap? How do we guide more young professionals from academia to industry? What we must remember is that success is not achieved based on individual merit alone, but is based on multiple factors. The people who are successful are those who have been given opportunities and have had the strength and presence of mind to seize them. One of the best opportunities we can give as mentors and seize upon as mentees, is Networking.
Wayne Gretzky once said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”. Registering and attending networking events is the first step. Now, of course we’re going to miss the net a few times, but that doesn’t mean that our next shot won’t go in. We should remain optimistic and hopeful that we will find that job lead or that top tier candidate.
Effective networking, involves focusing on making a connection. Networking gives the space for connections to occur, but doesn’t guarantee they will. Something we can do that may help is research prior to networking. We can try to find out: Who’s hosting and sponsoring the event? What do these people or companies do? How can we contribute or add value to their work? Where do we fit? While at the event, we can then ask questions or make comments that are insightful and meaningful to the other party.
However, there is no true script in making a connection. So by being ourselves, we can ensure that the connections we make are genuine and with those we’re actually interested in. This takes a lot of the pressure off networking and we can begin to see it as just another conversation between people with similar interests. All too often we underestimate the power of a smile, listening ear, honest compliment, or smallest act of caring. In actuality, these “minute” gestures have tremendous potential.
The famous poet Joan Walsh Anglund wrote, “A bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.” The results of the economic study suggest that the Life Sciences sector has the potential to support an incremental 97,000 jobs over the next 10 years with a dedicated, coordinated life sciences strategy in Ontario. By putting ourselves out there, focusing on making connections and being ourselves, we share our songs with the world and contribute to a thriving Life Sciences sector.
Resources & Events:
- https://lifesciencesontario.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/LSO-Economic-Study_Final-Report_28FEB2019.pdf
- https://lifesciencesontario.ca/events/
- https://www.s2bn.org/upcoming-events
Sincerely,
Daniel Nazareth
Daniel Nazareth's Blog 
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