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Mentoring Matters - Why “Back-to-School” Is the Perfect Time for Just One Conversation

Helen Stott

Helen is Chair of the Yorkshire Board of the Chartered Institute of Marketing. She is a Chartered Marketer and Director at Marketing Doris Limited, with extensive experience in strategic marketing and business development across multiple sectors.

TL;DR

Helen Stott shows why September’s “back-to-school” mindset makes it the perfect time for mentoring. Drawing on her experience with CIM’s programme, she highlights that even one focused conversation can spark clarity, confidence, and direction. Mentoring benefits both sides: mentees gain perspective and structure, while mentors stay connected to the profession’s real-world challenges. Sometimes, one conversation really is enough.

Back-to-School Energy for Your Career

Every September, something instinctive kicks in, that unmistakable back-to-school vibe. You don’t need to be buying new stationery to feel it; there’s just a natural urge to reset, refocus, and set fresh intentions. As autumn approaches, many of us ask: What’s my next big move, and who can help me get there?

For over two years, I’ve been volunteering as a mentor through the CIM Mentoring Programme, and I’ve learned that mentoring so often begins with just one conversation. And sometimes, that’s exactly as much as the mentee wants, or needs. A single, focused exchange can spark the clarity and confidence to take the next step forward.

A Snapshot from the Mentoring Room

The challenges mentees bring aren’t always about climbing the ladder or making a bold career move. Sometimes, they’re much closer to home.

  • One marketer came to me feeling stuck in a rut, unsure how to approach a difficult conversation with their line manager.
  • Another had real concerns about her company’s future, salary payments had been intermittent, and she didn’t know whether to hang on and hope or start looking elsewhere.
  • Several others have asked me about my own experiences as a freelancer, curious about how I made the leap and whether I had any words of advice for them.

And then, of course, there are those day-to-day dilemmas, like handling workplace dynamics or preparing for a tough client conversation. None of these required a year-long plan. They required listening, perspective, and sometimes just a simple framework, like a quick SWOT analysis, to map out options and bring clarity.

That’s the magic of mentoring: it doesn’t always take a season; it might just take that moment.

What CIM Says It’s About

CIM defines a mentor as an “experienced and trusted adviser” whose guidance helps fellow marketers discover more about their potential, whether the relationship is informal, set for a fixed time, or something longer-term. Importantly, the mentee leads the conversation, and the mentor’s role is to listen, question, offer fresh perspective, and encourage reflection.

The benefits for mentees are wide-ranging:

  • Practical career advice
  • Boosted self-confidence
  • Constructive feedback
  • Problem-solving support
  • A supportive, confidential professional relationship

Meanwhile, as mentors, we start by helping mentees establish their objectives. Then, as the mentee gains independence, our role naturally evolves into watching them grow, encouraging that independence, and ultimately celebrating their success at the relationship’s conclusion.

Why Short, Sharper Mentoring Works

I’ve seen so much value in quick, focused sessions:

  • Clarity – moving from foggy to focused fast
  • Confidence – just knowing someone believes in your approach
  • Structure – even a simple framework (like SWOT) can turn overwhelm into strategy in minutes

Mentoring also fuels mentors. Each chat keeps me rooted in the day-to-day pressures of our profession, nudging me to reflect, and reminding me just how creative and resilient marketers really are.

Why Now? Because It Feels Like a Fresh Start

Right now, you’re probably already in that “start-the-term-strong” mindset. So why not carry that energy into your professional growth, or into helping others?

If you’re a CIM member feeling stuck, curious, or unsure, reach out and schedule a mentoring conversation. No grand plan needed. Even one hour can be life changing.

And if you’re an experienced marketer, consider stepping up to mentor. You don’t have to orchestrate a multi-meeting programme. Sometimes it really is about being there for one conversation, listening, reflecting, and sharing what you’ve learned.

Back-to-School Call to Action

Let’s lean into this seasonal reset. CIM’s programme is flexible: whether it’s a one-time question or a longer dialogue, there’s room for both. If you haven’t tried it yet, this September might just be the right time, for yourself, or for someone else.

Because memorable change isn’t measured in the number of sessions, it’s in the clarity and confidence sparked when mentoring begins with that one conversation.