By Nicole Herchell, Fourth Year Communication Studies Above: WIN Participants take a group selfie In October 2017, the executive team of Women in Leadership Laurier (WILL) joined Unilever for their Women Interactive Network (WIN) Leadership Mentoring Program. I was one of the lucky women that were chosen to be a part of this program and this experience has been an opportunity of a lifetime. The program was organized by former WILL president Janice Chiu, who has continued to live by WILL’s mission of “Influence. Empower. Achieve”. The WIN Leadership Mentoring Program clearly embraces all three of these aspects.
Our first meeting allowed the WILL executive team to visit the Unilever office in Toronto and meet our mentors in person. I was partnered with Stephanie Lombardi, Category and Shopper Insights Manager. During our first meeting, we discussed our goals, values, expectations, and what we wanted to gain through this program. I told her that I wanted a mentor that could help me with my next steps in my career. Should I work? Should I travel? Should I attend graduate school? These were all questions that I was seeking professional advice on which I now thank Stephanie for helping me find my answer. I told her that I wanted a mentor to look up to and a path to follow. However, our mentor-mentee relationship has grown far greater than that. Stephanie and I speak at least once a month over the phone and we are always communicating and updating one another on our lives. Stephanie not only showed me that I can learn from her but how being a mentor allows you to grow as well. She displayed that you can learn new things no matter which stage of your career you are in our how successful you are - there is always room to grow. “I want to know what fires your passion,” Lombardi asked me during one of our meetings. Questions we ask one another allow BOTH of us to search for answers. She wanted to know what drives me... so I then sought out to find what drives me. Our questions to one another allow each of us to self-reflect on our values and goals in life. This self-reflection made me realize that I am driven by my passion for equality and success. The WIN Program has also given me insights on many other aspects of my future career. Stephanie has provided me with the smallest yet most helpful tips that have given me a glimpse into what is to come. For example, Lombardi told me to take advantage of my opportunity to take the GO Train to a potential job in Toronto as opposed to seeing this one hour commute as a burden. When she had to commute, she used the hour to prepare for her day to come, plan out what she had to do so as soon as she stepped foot in the office she could begin her day. Another important topic of discussion we often have is work/life balance. Stephanie and I quickly realized that our careers were not the only important part of our lives, we both value our families and social lives. She walked me through her success and failures of her career thus far and what she would have done differently. Through her experience, she was able to teach me that I must assess what kind of environment that I want to work in, and if I am not happy or if I am not practicing my values then to never be afraid to open my eyes to new options. Overall, the past four months of being a part of the WIN Program has allowed me to see the importance of mentorship relationships- both on a personal and professional level. Stephanie and I have learned from each other because we come from different backgrounds and experiences which gives us both a different outlook on life. I encourage you to find a mentor or become a mentor of those needing one, as the process is interrelational and will allow both parties to succeed. If you ever consider volunteering your time to become someone’s mentor, or if you are a mentee wondering what the advantages really are, I encourage you to remember WILL’s mission of “Influence. Empower. Achieve”. A mentor-mentee relationship will allow both you of to have an influence on one another, which will lead to empowering one another to achieve.
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Networking events are always exciting - they offer you many opportunities to learn and meet people from different industries. When preparing for events like these, it can be easy to brush over the “what to wear” part until 5 minutes before, when you realize your only clean clothes are pyjamas! We are here to help you avoid that classic “what to wear” stress and ensure you are confidently dressed at professional events such as our WILL to Succeed event on March 24th. What is the dress code? Networking events often outline the dress code in advance. They are most likely to be “business casual”, or “business professional”. Check out this diagram outlining the differences between business casual and professional, sourced from this site. Although the linked diagram gives you certain colours to stick to for “business professional”, it may be appropriate to experiment with colour at some events. If you are unsure about the crowd attending, stick to the safe colours! WILL to Succeed’s dress code is business casual! Personality Fashion is a great way to express your personality. If you are at a networking event, remember that your appearance is just another tool that you can use to enhance your personal brand. It is important that how you look conveys a certain message. If the dress code permits, show your personality by adding personal touches to your outfits, such as a pop of colour, or tasteful accessories. Basic Items When shopping for professional attire, it can be easy to become overwhelmed. Sticking to the “classics” will help to avoid this. Some clothing items that you can purchase once and wear time and time again are:
Stores Contrary to popular belief, you do not have to max out your credit card shopping for professional attire. A lot of popular stores at the mall offer professional clothing at a low price. We recommend checking out stores such as H&M and Dynamite for good deals. Do’s and Don'ts Although what you chose to wear to a networking event is ultimately up to you, there is generally a set of “do’s and don’ts” when it comes to choosing outfits and maintaining professional decorum. Check out our list below: Do
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We hope that these tips have helped you with getting ready for WILL to Succeed on March 24th! We are excited to see you there in your amazing outfits! Written by Sarah Stickland As you are checking your Facebook notifications, you notice that your friend has invited you to yet another speed networking event that you are likely to turn down because, what even is “speed networking” anyway?! Laurier speed networking events are designed for students to have the opportunity to meet with representatives from those in the professional world. March 24th is WILL’s flagship event, the WILL to Succeed Conference, which will have a speed networking portion with professionals who you can learn a lot from! If “speed networking” makes your knees weak and your palms sweaty, the women of WILL are here to help! We have compiled our most useful 5 tips for speed networking events to ensure that you are able to take full advantage of the WILL to Succeed conference and any other event that may come your way.
Above (left to right): Olivia Myles, Judy Shin, Nadia Shivratan, Annika Olsen, Rhea Narula, Olivia Lewis, and Nicki Herchell pose at the Unilever event. This September, the Women in Leadership Laurier (WILL) Executive Team was invited to participate in Unilever Canada’s 2017/2018 Women Interactive Network (WIN) Leadership Mentoring Program. Janice Chiu, former WILL President and current Unilever employee, organized the event with WILL Presidents Olivia Lewis and Victoria Mastroianni in hopes of creating a WILL x Unilever partnership.
The idea of this program is to pair up both male and female Unilever mentors with WILL VPs who have similar passions and mentalities regarding equal opportunities in the workforce. This enjoyable event was extremely beneficial to the WILL VPs, as they were able to gain career insights from Unilever employees. Janice Chiu is very enthusiastic about the partnership, stating, “One of the main reasons why I chose to work at Unilever after graduation is the fact the organization’s culture and company values align with mine. It’s important to find something you’re passionate about and at Unilever, I have been able to continue to fuel my passion for women in leadership, empowering men and women to further develop the universal benefits of gender equality. My goal of launching this program is to give back as I was heavily involved with WILL throughout my entire university career. Mentorship is important regardless of where you are in your career. I’m glad that I was able to connect with the club to give back, sharing my own personal experiences to help guide the future leaders of tomorrow.” Women in Leadership Laurier President, Victoria Mastroianni, found the event to be very rewarding, stating, “It was great to see like-minded individuals in one room discussing issues that we are passionate about. This event was an opportunity for the WILL Executive Team to gain more insight into Unilever as an organization and learn more about their corporate values. It is encouraging to see organizations like Unilever supporting women’s networks like WIN, an extension of what WILL is trying to achieve at the university level.” Victoria noted that one reason why she thinks this partnership is beneficial is because Unilever’s values align very closely with WILL’s – both groups are working towards equal opportunities in the workforce and focused on empowering women. It is important for WILL to develop partnerships with leading organizations that have similar values when it comes to supporting female empowerment in the workplace. These partnerships align with our mission and add value to our members through networking opportunities. The relationships members develop within WILL enrich their university experience through gaining insights and connections from the business environment. This year, WILL is emphasizing the importance of mentorship programs and opportunities for students to gain mentors. We have done so through both this event and the Mentorship Lunch that was held on October 20th. Stay tuned for a surprise WILL event coming up in November! |
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