Pentland Collective Mentee Spotlight: Emilie Lim
Back in May, we highlighted The Pentland Collective, a partnership between The People and Pentland Brands. Their current mentoring scheme aims to help young people from minority backgrounds and underserved communities to enter the world of work, with better opportunities and more confidence.
With the scheme now halfway through, we decided to check in with one of the lucky mentees. We had a chat with Emilie to learn more about what the mentorship has been like so far and what’s still to come!
Tell me a little bit about yourself.
I graduated from university in 2019 with an Art and Design Foundation Diploma, which was a one-year course. My favourite subject is graphic design. I started drawing when I was really young, and I like to do creative things – I once built an Eiffel Tower out of paper straws which was really fun to do! I’m also interested in Design and Technology.
What has your experience of the Pentland Collective mentoring scheme been like so far?
It’s been really good! My mentor is Laura Bromley, the Creative Talent Manager at Pentland Brands. I was able to send her my CV and my portfolio for review. She gave me good feedback on my self-presentation skills as well, which has really helped to boost my self-confidence. We’ve had a couple meetings and were able to schedule and plan what we’re going to do next – in our next session, I’ll be doing a presentation to her about the university I’m starting at in September, so that I can feel confident and know my way around.
What attracted you to this mentoring scheme?
What interested me in this scheme was that there’s a lot of different mentors – the mentor I’m matched up with is a recruiter, so I’ve found it really helpful being able to talk through and edit my CV especially.
What are some of the most valuable lessons you’ve learned so far?
The most valuable lesson I’ve learned so far is just the best way to present myself. Before, I was really not confident on camera. My mentor gave me advice on how to present myself on camera which boosted my confidence levels. It’s been fun learning about how my mentor first started out, because she also did a Foundation Diploma, so I find it really interesting listening to her story.
What goals did you have before the scheme started?
My main goals were to be more confident and to be assertive in myself. I’d also like to find a graphic design role. Before the scheme, I’d applied to more than 100 jobs and I hadn’t really got a reply from any of them. But with my updated CV, I get responses more frequently and I feel like I’ve got more options.
Is there anything the scheme has opened your eyes up to? Has it inspired you to explore a different career path, or imagine a different future for yourself?
I’d say that it has opened me up to be more broad in my job search, and to be a more open-minded person who’s able to take constructive criticism. It’s a bit like tough love, my mentor speaks to me in a powerful way so I have to be able to take in the critique and know that what she says is out of love and it will help me to build up my self confidence.
What’s been most helpful about having a mentor?
Definitely the work on my CV and the help in creating a stronger portfolio, and also the advice on how to present myself has helped tremendously.
What would you say to others considering seeking out a mentor?
I’d say don’t be afraid to apply whether you’re young or old. Mentorship programmes are really useful, because a mentor can help you with anything you need support with. They provide you with professional experience and a better understanding of career options, because you can listen to their story about how they got there themselves. If you’ve got faults, too, they can help you work on those things.
What are you looking forward to for the rest of your time with the Pentland Collective?
I’m looking forward to getting some support for my future university experience – things like suggestions on how to make friends, and how to dress to give off a good impression.
Where would you like to be in five years’ time? Do you think this mentoring scheme is helping you on your way there?
I’d like to be a senior designer, and I’d like to be able to train other people in design too. I’m looking forward to getting into the design industry, and especially into a leadership role. This mentorship is helping step by step – I feel like my mentor is helping me with the first stage in getting a junior designer role.
