My Mentorship Story - Lauren Hofbauer

Author:  Lauren Hofbauer

I recently became involved as a mentor through CPHR Alberta, though I have been a mentor to students for 2+ years now through my University alumni group. I enjoy CPHR Alberta’s mentorship program because I can connect with up-and-coming HR professionals and provide them with career advice. This is something I wish I had when I was starting my career. As someone who has “been there” and “gets it”, I love that I’m able to give back and provide support.  

I think anyone who can tell stories through their own lived experience can be a mentor. I don’t think you need to be a CEO or have a fancy title to be an effective mentor - you’ll never know everything anyways, because nobody does! I believe that the most important thing a mentor can show a protégé is that learning is a lifelong journey, and that there’s an invaluable knowledge share when connecting with someone one-on-one.  

Here are a few things I love about being a mentor with CPHR Alberta: 

• Insight into current trends – As an HR professional, I am always keeping my ear to the ground because I want to know what our current and future workforces find important in an employer. I’m able to gain insight into the challenges and opportunities that employees may face, and proactively come up with ideas for win-win situations.  
• Strengthen listening and communication skills – I find I spend most of my time listening. I want to really absorb my protégé’s current situation so I can empathize with them and then provide advice and support to fit what they need. As a mentor, I believe listening is more important than talking when connecting with a protégé.  
• Flexibility as a volunteer – Being a mentor is a flexible way to give back. You can have virtual coffee with your protégé, meet in person, chat on the phone, etc… there are many ways to connect! You are not required to physically be in a location on a consistent basis, so you can connect as often as you and your protégé like, however you like. No matter how busy you are, the coordination doesn’t require much effort.

If you’re interested in becoming a mentor, I recommend you go for it! You’ll feel rewarded from helping  others, grow your network, and learn different perspectives. CPHR Alberta provides a variety of different resources to support mentor/mentee relationships, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to volunteer with such a great organization.