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@Linguist_CIOL DECEMBER/JANUARY The Linguist 13 FEATURES discuss things with, and to alert me to the odd blind spot, a decade or so ago. (I'd have invested in a website much sooner, for a start.) So when an email entitled 'Do you have what it takes to be a mentor?' popped into my inbox, I knew what I had to do. It was, I thought, just the sort of initiative that CIOL Fellows, of all people, should support. I'd already been involved in mentoring through another translator group – a structured programme of revising mentees' work and giving feedback on their translation skills. The scope of the CIOL scheme seemed more business-oriented, focusing on issues such as setting up, getting organised, finding work, choosing tools, negotiating rates, and understanding client expectations and cultural issues. I say 'seemed' because the brief was quite open and flexible. The CIOL platform is essentially a way to bring people together – a place for mentees to browse and choose mentors. It tries to add value by reminding you about kick-off meetings and progress reviews, but it has basically done its job once the relationship begins. With Fuschia, it was mentoring as sounding board: discussing her ideas, commenting on her queries, adding a perspective from my own experience, warning of potential pitfalls and suggesting things she might not have been aware of (e.g. the best Facebook groups for translators and local networking opportunities). With one career already under her belt, she's pretty clued-up, and when you have someone proactive, organised and enterprising to work with, the process is far from arduous. And it's not a one-way street, of course. I wasn't surprised to benefit from our monthly discussions myself – through insights from Fuschia, the chance to reflect on the issues we discussed, and the occasional salutary reminder to follow my own advice. But there was also an unexpected boon: referrals. Mentoring somebody who shares my language combination has given me a colleague to pass certain types of job on to. When contacted by prospects that aren't in my target area – e.g. reputable agencies looking to place a 'general' translation that I wouldn't take on – I can now direct them to a skilled colleague and personal contact who might welcome the opportunity. Now that our mentoring partnership is over, was it worth it? Absolutely. Fuschia put up with me for a year, so it couldn't have been a total waste of her time, and the commitment on my side – an hour or so every month – was hardly onerous. So if you're thinking of volunteering as a mentor, get stuck in! I've mentored three people now (never more than two at a time), and have declined requests from others I've felt poorly placed to help, so I'm sure you won't be left on the shelf. Mentoring can be successful even if you and your mentee don't have a language combination in common, although there are advantages of sticking to your own. So what of the future? Well, we are keeping in touch, and collaborations are possible if the right project comes along. I'd say Fuschia has a bright future in the profession – not that I can claim credit for that. Visit ciol.org.uk/benefits/mentoring to register as a mentor or mentee. MUTUAL BENEFITS Fuschia (left) and Oliver (above) have never met in person as they work together remotely