The Marketors’ Mentoring Programme was established to facilitate mentoring within the Company by connecting individuals with fellow Marketors. While we have effectively expanded the Programme to assist non-members, notably students, preserving its original purpose remains paramount. If you believe you could serve as a mentor or would benefit from mentoring, please reach out to the Mentoring Committee Chair, Peter Rosenvinge, at p-rosenvinge@sky.com.
Here, Liveryman Peter Rosenvinge, Chairman, Marketors Mentoring Programme, interviews fellow Court Assistant, Martin Ashton and Martin’s student mentee, Katerina Sheers, from Queen Mary University of London, on their mentoring partnership during 2022-23:
Peter: Thanks for coming along, Martin and Kate.
I just wanted to catch up on your experience of working with the Marketors’ Mentoring Programme this year, about how it went, what was good and what was bad. So, I am going to ask you a few questions both of you but starting with Kate.
First of all, I presume you approached Queen Mary London University about mentoring, Kate? What was your thinking at the time?
Kate: I received an E Mail from QMUL’s Business School of Management, and it was just an opportunity for us to participate in this and then I submitted my application and thankfully it was successful. There were a few questions - for example 300 words about why you need this mentorship and what skills you would like to gain from it. My degree is in Business and Marketing.
We were randomly assigned, and I got lucky with Martin, because he was working in the legal field as well and I was interested in that.
Peter: Why do you feel you got lucky with Martin?
Kate: I was looking for a mentor who was working in the marketing field especially with things like interview preparation and how I could improve my CV and things like that and it was when I was assigned Martin I had actually decided to pursue a conversion course in law. So the reason why I also got really lucky was because Martin was working in the legal field and he could coach me on both aspects.
Peter: How often did you meet and was there much prep work to do?
Kate: Once every two weeks from November to this summer.
I think in terms of preparation, especially coming up to my university applications, I would write my personal statements or my cover letters and things like that, so I would have to present something to Martin to over-view, which of course involved prep work.
Peter: What was the best thing about it?
Kate: Probably his support - I think he really expanded my confidence, especially when I was applying to law firms or law school or things like that. I was always questioning myself a little bit with my lack of experience and Martin really made me feel comfortable with my skills, my degree and everything about what I hoped to achieve.
Peter: Were there any things you found challenging or could have been done better.
Kate: Probably not. I would only say it was a bit too short!
Peter: Well, I am sure Martin will continue to take a great interest in how you get on.
Martin over to you! Why did you decide you wanted to be part of the Marketors’ Mentoring Programme with QMUL?
Martin: I had done it for the Marketors last year with Greenwich. I saw that you had decided to expand the Programme with Queen Mary, so I put my hand up. I was not sure what would come of it. I also decided to concentrate on one mentee only this year.
Peter: Tell me why you have enjoyed it so much?
Martin: One of the reasons I joined the Marketors was the opportunity to give back.
For me it was important to mentor a student who was keen to look at the opportunities presented, wanted to progress to the next level , and someone who does the groundwork in the background as well, showing that they are committed and intelligent enough to get on with stuff, run it past you and do the things you discuss. Probably the most rewarding aspect of this journey was from the initial conversation with Kate, thinking about who to get from my firm to speak to Kate and ultimately hearing that all 4 of the law colleges that she applied to all accepted her application. One key aspect of mentoring Kate was that I was able to bring together the resources I had at my firm- that is the reason it was so rewarding.
Peter: With a busy career, how did you find the time for it?
Martin: I think we tried to do in on Fridays, which is a good day for me, especially the afternoon. I was amazed, Kate, with just how busy you were with exam after exam and you were doing this in the background and the commitment from you to do your exams and put together your personal statements, applications and do your research/look up things was great.
Peter: What would you say to anyone in the Marketors who has not yet done mentoring?
Martin: As I mentioned, the giving back is important to me about the Marketors. We are very focussed on helping students be the best they can be. Everyone I meet in the Marketors has that passion to give back, to help to improve the next generation coming through whatever they do. That is why I think everyone in the Marketors should do mentoring. That’s why we are involved in this Livery Company. It is in our DNA. I look at the Marketors’ values on integrity, excellence, others instead of self and long-term perspective. I think mentoring covers all of that.
The Marketors Mentoring Programme’s partnership with Queen Mary University of London is the newest of the Programme’s further education partnerships and follows a highly successful on-going partnership with the University of Greenwich helping postgraduates make the transition into work. The Queen Mary partnership is similar but is for final year undergraduates. In Autumn 2023, we started a relationship with Henley Business School, and we are always seeking mentors for all 3 partnerships.