Informare: PR celebrates International Mentoring Day on 17 January 2021 by highlighting the experience and progress of its intern Amber Ellis. International Mentoring Day reflects the role mentoring has in creating a better world and at the same time honours the legacy of boxing legend Muhammad Ali, on what would have been his 75th birthday and who lives on as a role model for many people around the world.

Back at Informare HQ, while on her placement year, Bournemouth University student Amber Ellis, has been spending the last 3 months being mentored by HR Manager at construction consultancy Concert Susan McCollin-Davy. This experience is helping shape Amber’s placement year.

Amber has been with Informare for seven months and throughout that time has worked on a variety of press releases, blog posts and social media campaigns. A stand out piece for Amber would be her series of posts that highlighted people from ethnic minorities that work within the architecture, design and construction industries. While working on these pieces Amber sat down virtually with Susan to hear her insights

“I felt a sense of natural relaxation when on the call, I usually get really nervous before doing an interview but I felt so relaxed when talking to Susan,” Amber explains, comparing it to talking to a family friend. The article was finished promptly and posted on the Informare website and across social media and garnered much success. After sharing her enjoyment of the interview with Anna King, founder and director of Informare, Anna reached out to Susan and, from then on, Susan became Amber’s mentor.

Meeting once a month, currently only virtually, the two discuss Amber’s developments, goals and accomplishments. Some areas discussed include how to present yourself on a business call, interview techniques as well as how to approach unnerving situations head on. Since starting these sessions, Amber has seen an improvement in her confidence in meeting clients and sharing her ideas while on calls with them.

Amber adds finally, “Although I have still got a long way to go, I feel like having someone outside of work and outside of my field is really helpful for giving insights and tips for the future. Susan has been able to give me lots of interpersonal advice and her experience in interviews, I feel, has given me a head start for when I come out of university. I would like to send a huge thank you to Susan for taking the time out of her day to share her wisdom with me.”