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Looking for careers advice? Your alumni network is a great place to start.

At the , you can connect with °×С½ãÂÛ̳ graduates who are willing to offer academic and professional advice, as well as act as mentors for both students and fellow alumni.Ìý

Zane Mitrevica is a BSc Neuroscience student who had success in finding a mentor on the Alumni Online Community. Read on to find out why she would recommend contacting a mentor.

What were your reasons for requesting an alumni mentor?

Going into my second year of studies, I was making decisions that appeared to carry a lot of weight with respect to my career options after graduation. The opportunity to get advice from someone who had relatively recently, and successfully, gone through what I was going through was an appealing one. I saw that this type of support was offered via the °×С½ãÂÛ̳ Alumni Online Community, and was keen to sign up.

How often are you in contact and what do you talk about?

We meet roughly once a term, and the conversation usually covers a number of study- or career-related topics. My mentor has, for example, provided very useful advice on approaching lab leaders with regard to summer placements. More recently, my mentor and I discussed how to work effectively with large amounts of information, as I am currently working on a literature project as part of my degree.

What are the benefits of having a mentor?

A mentor is in the unique position of being able to offer some truly insightful advice. For example, my mentor is a post-doc with years of experience doing research, writing science-related applications, and getting to know many senior academics, and is therefore in a great position to provide relevant guidance. In addition, knowing that my mentor has taken this role voluntarily is an indication that they are genuinely interested to help, and I do not feel as if I am bothering them with my problems.Ìý

And finally, do you have any advice for any students or alumni who might be thinking of requesting a mentor?

Mentor-mentee relationships can be highly flexible and mutually beneficial, so my only advice would be - go for it!Ìý

To find a mentor like Zane did, visit to create your profile and connect with fellow °×С½ãÂÛ̳ students and alumni.