As an Aspire, I had the opportunity to attend a Mentorship Panel with Microsoft Canada’s Senior Executives and learn about the importance of mentorship. Inspired by the impact that they’ve made in their careers, I listened intensely to the words of wisdom that came from decades of growth, experience, and reflection.

After sharing the thoughts from Kevin Peesker, Alec Taylor, and Zia Mansoor, I am excited to share the perspective of Suzanne Gagliese, VP of Global Partner Solutions at Microsoft Canada.

Don’t just look up. Look around you.

Echoing what Kevin and Zia have mentioned previously, mentorship is not always done with someone who is high up on the corporate ladder. Suzanne shares that every person you interact with may take on the role of a mentor, coach, or sponsor at different points throughout your career. These relationships also don’t need to be formal and may even happen organically because you’re drawn to someone. It could start with a simple request to accompany someone on a customer meeting and then build into a relationship where you gain more exposure into another part of the business.

When you find a potential mentor, it’s also a good idea to have a conversation with that person to see if they want to be your mentor or coach. Not every person out there is interested in sharing their knowledge and experiences with others, so it is important to find someone who is willing to invest their time and energy into your growth.

Regardless of the mentorship, there is always an opportunity to share. Suzanne recalls a Reverse Mentorship program that she used to participate in and believes that she learned more from her mentees than she gave to them. This was a unique opportunity to understand a different perspective at a certain point in time and compare it to her own.

Ultimately, Suzanne shares that the most profound changes in her career always started with moments where she responded with “you want me to do what!?!?”. This is your reminder to keep an open mind and make new connections.

Keep it real. Keep learning. Keep talking. Keep meeting new people.

Thank you to Suzanne for sharing these thoughts from an unexpected and fulfilling career path. This wraps up the Mentorship Moments @ Microsoft series with some of the members from the Microsoft Canada leadership team. Make sure to check out more mentorship posts here.

---

Thanks for reading and please remember to subscribe to my Top 3 Newsletter and join 300+ professionals around the world who follow KKARENISM on LinkedIn for job postings shared directly from recruiters, hiring managers, and team members. If you need help with your next job application, check out Resume Rescue which has helped 150+ people around the world land jobs at companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Shopify!

Credit: Image source here