{"672062":{"#nid":"672062","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Celebrating the Power of\u00a0Relationships\u00a0","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003EBy Workplace Learning and Professional Development\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003EJanuary is National Mentoring Month and Georgia Tech employees can join Tech\u2019s mentoring program, MentorTech, to maximize their career development this year. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIf you want to help empower others or are interested in taking ownership of your professional growth in 2024, create a mentor or mentee profile and register by Jan. 31 to potentially be matched in February.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003EThe MentorTech program is designed to foster the professional development and career growth of Georgia Tech\u2019s employees while building diverse networks across the Institute.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMy mentor, through his years of experience, not only provided invaluable insights but also took the time to understand my unique strengths, weaknesses, and aspirations\u201d says Walaa Compton, faculty support coordinator with the Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute. \u201cThrough his guidance I was able to see a specific situation from a different angle without getting into details, and sometimes this is all we need to change direction. I will carry his advice throughout my career.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWith the new year come new resolutions. Have you thought about what you want to achieve professionally? Or better yet, who can inspire you?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMaybe you want to learn new technical skills, get more certifications, strengthen your leadership skills, obtain a new job, or even facilitate a career change. Regardless of your career goals, with January being National Mentoring Month, a mentoring professional partner can be a powerful asset to inspire and challenge your professional development.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMentors serve as a source of empowerment. Benefits of having a mentor include confidence and coaching enhancement, communication and personal skills development, and job and career reinforcement. These skills and experiences will prepare you for change and challenges in your professional trajectory. Conversely, by serving as a mentor, your mentees can help you grow as a leader and elevate your confidence. Having a mentee also includes job and career reinforcement, and the fulfillment of helping others reach their potential.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI think there are a lot of misconceptions about the process \u2014 that the mentees are the only ones learning. The partnership between the mentor and mentee creates a mutually beneficial relationship and both are challenged, develop, and can set up a successful relationship for both to achieve,\u201d says Tim Edmonds-King, learning consultant and MentorTech program manager within Workplace Learning and Professional Development.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003EThinking Ahead\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBefore you start your journey to a professional partnership, it is imperative to identify your short- and long-term goals. Consider writing out and visualizing the types of positions, certifications, and skill sets you would like to obtain. SMART Goals will help your vision become more realistic and provide a more strategic and proactive approach to your mentor-mentee interactions.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003EQuality Professional Partnerships\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt is important to understand that a mentor does not necessarily have to be a person in a senior management position. They could be a colleague with ample experience, a faculty member with connections to your field of expertise, or even a seasoned professional in a field you are trying to enter.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAt Georgia Tech Human Resources, the MentorTech program within Workplace Learning and Professional Development is designed to strategically pair you with a professional partner, matching you with a mentor based on your set of relevant competencies and a personality assessment. The program\u0027s number one priority is ensuring the quality of each match.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003ECommunity Involvement\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMentorTech has existed on campus since 2018. During that time, mentoring and professional partnerships have developed that truly benefit Georgia Tech. However, even with that growth, there are additional opportunities for new communities and individuals to plug in and help the program flourish.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIf you would like to be involved in the program, register by Jan. 31 to potentially be matched in February. Questions about the program can be directed to \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:training@gatech.edu\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Etraining@gatech.edu.\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003ECreate a profile at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pe.gatech.edu\/wlpd\/programs\/mentortech\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/pe.gatech.edu\/wlpd\/programs\/mentortech\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Register for Tech\u0027s Professional Mentoring Program"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003EJanuary is National Mentoring Month and Georgia Tech employees can join Tech\u2019s mentoring program, MentorTech, to maximize their career development this year. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIf you want to help empower others or are interested in taking ownership of your professional growth in 2024, create a mentor or mentee profile and register by Jan. 31 to potentially be matched in February.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The MentorTech program is designed to foster the professional development and career growth of Georgia Tech\u2019s employees while building diverse networks across the Institute.\u00a0"}],"uid":"35084","created_gmt":"2024-01-11 23:36:28","changed_gmt":"2024-01-16 03:27:42","author":"cgrant60","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-01-11T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2024-01-11T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"64303","name":"Human Resources"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"2775","name":"human resources"},{"id":"4372","name":"mentoring"},{"id":"183417","name":"mentortech"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}