We’ve also been commended for our guidance to mentees for popular Post graduate schools like Harvard Business School, Stanford University, Yale School of Management, Stern School of Business, ISB and IIMs, read on…Oprah Winfrey once famously said, “I don’t think anybody makes it in the world without some form of mentorship.” And rightly so. If you look back, mentors have had a huge role to play in the lives of every legend or celebrity. One of the greatest instances of mentoring is the example of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. Socrates was the mentor of Plato, who mentored Aristotle. If Sachin Tendulkar was mentored by coach Ramakant Achrekar, A.R. Rahman is the protégé of maestro Illayaraja. And wasn’t Professor Dumbledore mentoring Harry Potter through all his magical exploits?
Finding a mentor can be a life changing experience. Most of us have had mentors, who guided us through difficult times. If you are still looking for that someone to push you in the right direction try MentorPolis.com. The site connects students who seek academic and professional advice from accomplished mentors.
MentorPolis has on board mentors from top institutions such as the Harvard Business School, Stanford University, Yale School of Management, Stern School of Business, ISB and IIMs. The site currently offers mentor programmes in six fields — MBA abroad, MBA India, engineering abroad, engineering India, entrepreneurship and careers.
The portal has five main sections. The “how it works” section will give you an idea about the basic ethos of the site. There are sample questions asked by students and a sample consultation to show you how a typical communication takes place. Find a mentor is the section which allows you to browse the list of mentors using keywords. The next section, called Learn, is where the real action is. It has modules that allow students to ask questions to mentors, web links to interesting articles and resources, interviews of successful students and online seminars. Besides, there is a link on FAQs and a mentorpolis blog that features articles and news items related to the portal.
Launched in April 2009, MentorPolis is still in its nascent stage. A mentoring site is a novel concept in India and definitely worth a try. The list of mentors is small but interesting. The choice of subject verticals favour the engineering and MBA crowd.
For those aspiring to be in this bracket of specialisation, there is enough dope to keep you hooked. For instance, if you are interested in getting an engineering degree from abroad, you could gain from advice from students who have passed out from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Get tips on the application procedure, admission tests and scholarships. The best part is that all mentors are or have been recent students and should therefore be able to connect with mentees easily.
To reach your mentor you need to follow a five-step process. First, register as a mentee by filling in your biodata. Then browse through the mentor profiles and address your request to a mentor, pay for the consultation and schedule your call. Most aspects of the site are free — that includes creating an account, the webinars, knowledge resources and video casts. But if you decide to call the mentors, the price is a steep Rs 500 per call.
The design is clear and systematic, leaving no space for confusion. The colours used are simple and basic. The language is easy to understand. However, the site can do with a little bit of playing around with design and colours. The content of course could include a lot more verticals — social sciences, design, media, architecture, the wish list is long. But when aspirations meet direction, let the sky be the limit.
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