Guest Blogger: Kathy S. Behr, former pharmaceutical Marketing Research Manager, CEN Mentor

The idea for Cameron Executive Network was conceived to hook up experienced or retired business professionals with young soon-to-be business college graduates. It is a win-win situation, where both the mentor and mentee are exchanging wisdom, job search skills, and how to place yourself and your skill set on the job market. I joined CEN in Fall 2014, as I was looking for opportunities to volunteer and provide the knowledge I had gained in my pharmaceutical marketing research career.

It is personally rewarding to work with the business students, as it is an opportunity to connect with this millennial generation and give back to the next generation of business leaders and managers. The students embrace the mentoring relationship and the real-world stories from the mentor’s career.

Currently I am mentoring a dynamic TABSA marketing student from Spain and a highly motivated young man from North Carolina, and both have been rich and rewarding mentoring relationships. Through our collaboration, both landed great summer internships.

The impact of being a CEN mentor is that it is a two-way learning process. As a mentor, you are giving a gift but getting an even bigger gift back from the mentee. It is a privilege to enter into a relationship based on trust and honest exchange of information, and uncovering the student’s interests, background, key gifts and skill sets; you're also helping them to position themselves in the job market to land spot-on to their ideal career match. This to me is the most important goal of CEN – coaching the mentee to self-discovery of their key gifts and breathing life into their quest for a fulfilling and successful career match. I found the ideal place to be, and made some wonderful new relationships along the way.

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For more information on the Cameron Executive Network, visit our website or contact Sara Kesler.